"...the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning" (Prov. 16:21). The gospel, the good news, is the power of God. But sometimes people take good news and turn it into bad news.
They take a scripture that actually is one of the great healing scriptures and then turn it into bad news.
As an example, think of what Jesus said to the Apostle Paul when he prayed asking to be delivered from the thorn in the flesh. Jesus said, "...My grace is sufficient for thee..." (2 Cor. 12:9).
I have heard people say, "God wouldn't heal Paul." But, Jesus said, "Paul, My grace is sufficient for you."
Grace is God's willingness. That scripture is one of the most powerful scriptures in the Bible for healing and deliverance. But first, you must understand that Paul's thorn in the flesh wasn't sickness. Paul calls it a messenger of Satan.
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.The Lord was saying, "Draw from My grace, Paul." He had to say that three times before Paul understood it. God wasn't going to remove the thorn. It was up to Paul.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (weaknesses), that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities (weaknesses), in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
(2 Cor. 12:7-10)
He had to act on that grace. He had to resist the devil himself. And he did. We can see from the last two verses of the book of Acts that Paul did get rid of the thorn in the flesh.
And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him.The gospel is the power of God, and it's good news. Yet some people try to make bad news out of it. I have seen some who were afraid of the prosperity message.
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
(Acts 28:30,31)
But it is involved in the principles of the Bible. God's Word is full of prosperity. Prosperity is involved in salvation.
The word salvation is the Greek word sozo, which means "deliverance, preservation, healing, soundness." I believe the idea encompassed in it is total prosperity for spirit, soul, and body.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Charles Capps is a retired farmer, land developer, and Bible teacher who has traveled extensively throughout the United States and several foreign countries sharing the truths of God's Word. He has taught Bible seminars for over 35 years, emphasizing the authority of the believer, faith and the power of words. We celebrated Charles' promotion to heaven at 5:15 pm Sunday, February 23, 2014. Charles Capps was a man of integrity, a man of his word and he got what he said. He called those things that be not as though they were.
