Walk in Love and Live Healed

If I were suffering from sickness and disease, even after praying for healing, I would want to know WHY! In our last blog we began talking about the truth that Christians are redeemed from the curse of sickness and disease, but that they can still open a door to the devil that allows sickness to come upon them.

There are reasons why believers suffer sickness, and we saw a key scriptural passage that brings this truth out.

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.

1 Corinthians 11:27-30 NKJV

The way we receive communion will affect our health. Not properly discerning the Lord’s body is the reason many are weak and sick, and many die prematurely.

We looked at the two applications of this:

1. Discerning Jesus’ physical body.

2. Discerning Jesus’ spiritual body.

Before we receive communion, we are supposed to examine ourselves. If I was suffering with sickness and disease that was stubbornly hanging on, the first place I would examine is my love walk. How am I treating other people?

A lot of people have the erroneous idea that what they do is between them and God, and nobody else’s business. This is simply not true.

Whether you are a believer in Jesus Christ or not, the decisions you make for your life affect other people—especially your children.

Regarding your children, Exodus 34:6-7 says:

"The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."

God is so merciful. But if we persist in living in sin, it will have a negative effect, not only on us and our children but also on future generations, until someone surrenders to the Lord and turns that train around. Decisions we make, and lifestyles we live, influence and affect the thinking and outcome of our children.

In the same way, what we do affects other believers in the church.

[F]rom whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 4:16

When we become a member of the body of Christ, and particularly of a local church, the Bible says we become joined and knit together. What you are joined to will be affected by what you do. We should always be asking ourselves, “How is this action I’m about to take going to affect those around me?” If it will cause injury, then you shouldn’t do it.

If only people understood how much walking in love is connected to their receiving healing!

It may only be a very small adjustment that’s needed and you could be free of your sickness and pains. For instance:

We shouldn’t talk poorly about others.

We shouldn’t neglect our share of helping in the local church.

And we should always be quick to forgive.

One very important area to examine is if we have forgiven someone who we feel has wronged us.

Your Love Walk Affects Your Healing!

There’s a story of a Christian woman who was faithfully involved in her local church, yet had suffered from stomach trouble and respiratory problems for a long time. After hearing a guest speaker teach about the importance of love and forgiveness, she realized what her problem was. She had fought with her brother, who was also a Christian, and they had not even spoken to each other in twenty-five years. She decided it was time to call him and ask for forgiveness.  After she did, she lay down to take a nap before the evening service.  And when she woke up, she realized she was completely healed of all her symptoms!!

It didn’t even require a minister laying hands upon her to receive her healing. All along, it was a lack of walking in love that hindered her from good health.

When you refuse to forgive someone, whether they were wrong or you just think they were wrong, you open the door to Satan to attack your body physically. And your prayers will be hindered as well.

First Corinthians 13:5 from the Amplified Classic translation says, “Love pays no attention to a suffered wrong.”

Most people would never have to get into a healing line if they would just walk in love and forgiveness with others. If you’ve been in prayer lines, especially with ministers who are well known for the healing anointing, and nothing physically has changed, it would be a good idea to start examining yourself to see if you’re walking in love!

There is a story of another woman who had a bad habit of speaking against the members of her local church. One day, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and she was at death’s doorstep. When the pastor and some of the members came to her house to pray for her, she said, “Before you pray, I need to ask for forgiveness of all of you. For years, I have sown cancer into the church through my words, and now I have reaped cancer as a result.” She repented, and when the pastor and members prayed for her, she was instantly healed of cancer.

One of the greatest areas to guard is your mouth. Always ask yourself, “How is what I am about to say going to affect the other person? Is what I’m about to say going to bring edification or destruction?”

Does what you’re about to say meet the criteria of Philippians 4:8?

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Some things could be true, but they are not lovely. Some things are true, but they are not pure.

If we examine ourselves in this area, and get things right that are wrong, it can turn sickness into health!

If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church. As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!