KEY SCRIPTURE: Matthew 9:5 KJV “For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?”!

Sicknesses and diseases are a great threat to human survival on this earth. The current ‘abnormal normal’ that men find themselves in our world is a result of a respiratory disease that is threatening the lives of all men. I will like us to consider the provisions for the forgiveness of sins and that for the healing of our bodies. In our key scripture the Lord asked, the untaught Pharisees, that which is easier, whether to say, thy sins be forgiven thee or rise up and walk. In Isaiah 53, where the prophet spoke about Christ atonement for mankind, he clearly spoke about the healing of our bodies and the forgiveness of our sins.

In Isaiah 53:4, Isaiah prophesied as follows “Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. The word “grief” used in our verse is the Hebrew word ‘choliy’ and it means sickness whiles the word ‘sorrows’ is the Hebrew word ‘makob’ and it means pain. Isaiah 53:4 could be read as follows “surely he has borne our sicknesses, and carried our pains….” In the verse 5 the prophet spoke mostly on the forgiveness of our sins. We see clearly that in the atonement our Lord Jesus dealt with our sicknesses and sins.

Before the Lord was laid on the cross to be crucified, He was first taken to the whipping post and his body and Visage was so destroyed that he could not be accepted. All this he went through so you and I would be free from every disease. He has borne our diseases which is the past tense of to bear.

In our key scripture, the Lord asked which is easier, whether to say your sins are forgiven or be healed, rise up and walk? The truth is that he came to take both away. They always go together. He takes away sin and takes sicknesses away. If you believe he forgives your sins when you ask for it, he also gives you healing when you ask him for it. The Lord says as it is easy for him to forgive your sins, it is also very easy to declare you healed. Dear brother, rise up out of that sick bed right now.

When the Psalmist spoke about considering the goodness of the Lord in Psalm 103:3, he made the following remarks: Psalms 103:3 KJV Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; The Lord forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases. These two always go together. If your sins are forgiven, your sicknesses have likewise been healed. It is now up to you to accept it as a fact and count yourself healed.

CONFESSION

Thank you, heavenly Father, for your great work of atonement. You took away my sins and my diseases. As it is easy to forgive my sins, it is also easy to heal my body. Thank you.

FURTHER STUDIES

1 Peter 2:24 KJV “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

Isaiah 53:5 KJV “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”