Healing
In a previous article titled, ‘Communicating Christ’s Healing,’ I mentioned jotting down a thought I had, showing the connection between ‘prayer’, ‘praise & worship’ and ‘deliverance’ when the initials of my previous church title ‘CCH’ came to me. The three titles I came up with were: Communicating Christ Hallelujah; Communicating Christ’s Healing and Channelling Christ’ Healing. In part one we looked at: ‘Communicating Christ’s Healing’. Now I’d like to explore Channelling Christ’s Healing.
After journaling my thoughts (which is now the article Communicating Christ's Healing) I went to our mid-week ‘fasting and prayer' session and was inspired to continue exploring this title. The following is what flowed from my pen:
C = CONFESSION
Confession is good for the soul. Why? Because when the soul is sick it means there are unconfessed sins and hence the need for forgiveness. Confession, therefore, comes before forgiveness.
Without forgiveness the door to healing will remain closed. In other words, confession has to take place for the process of healing to begin. We cannot try to hide our mess from our fellow brothers and sisters so we can look good. Too many have fallen for the trick of the enemy in believing that they need to manage sin. It is then a process of covering up what has taken place for fear of exposure, rather than seeking the necessary help to overcome.
God knows the condition of our hearts. If our hearts aren't in the state of purity--thriving for holiness, then true worship cannot take place. The praying and shouting (out of religious obligations, in other words: paying lip service) will not bring us any closer to God. Until we accept that we are sinners, in need of saving grace, then confess our sins to God and receive forgiveness, the process of purging that leads to total freedom cannot begin.
Confession is, therefore, the first step towards healing. That means the first ‘C' represents confession, the first part of the process. Assemblies and individuals alike should allow individuals to feel free to confess privately or openly, without being ridiculed, gossiped about or judged. There are sinful behaviours that need to be shared at that stage to show the power of God's healing. So the assembly needs to exercise true Christian love towards each other at all times—less we fall into sin by condemning one another. At this stage of the journey, all sorts can be spilled from these vessels and therefore, we as believers should continue to grow in Christ so that we are prepared to handle those situations correctly (in God's will).
We should remain under the covering so we do not become contaminated. We are encouraged to come just as we are and if this is the case we shouldn't be expecting the alcoholic to give up the pub before coming to seek God's guidance. We shouldn't expect the prostitute to be reformed before coming. The thief may confess his sins but it's no reason to think he/she will take from the collection plate. Yes, wisdom calls for understanding here in allowing opportunities for trust to develop before allowing certain privileges.
When we see that area of need we are to protect such individual. The privilege of knowing someone's fault, mistake or area of struggle gives us a unique position in knowing how to pray for that person. Pray for the individual to experience freedom from their struggle. Do not expose them to the congregation, gossip about them in small groups or make them feel unwelcome.
Someone may hear their testimony who is in the same position as they were and one day that person may be convicted of their wrong. Once they make a change, they may not remember or recognise the person who shared the testimony. However, that testimony could represent the trigger to the start of their healing journey--the basis of his/her victory story at another testimony session or sharing opportunity.
The church is not an elite club where we need membership to attend. It is a ‘hospital for sinners' as one writer rightly puts it. Therefore, we must allow room for the sick to come and seek The Great Physician who will diagnose, do surgery (if necessary) and provide the course of medication for complete healing. This He'll do through the saints who have kept their vessels clean, allowing Him to work through them. Hence, Channelling Christ's Healing.
Within confession, there is also a process. One has to first acknowledge that one has an issue, then accept that the issue is a problem—an obstacle that is hindering one's growth in Christ—and as a result hindering one's healing.
Once we acknowledge our wrongdoings, then it's time to confess them to God and accept His forgiveness. All these elements combined represent the ‘Church of God in Christ'. Do we hear the name of the title we wear? It's worth checking to see:
Is your house a house of prayer?
[House in this context is two-fold: first your heart, then your fellowship/assembly otherwise known as your place of worship. See 2 Chron 7:14, Isa. 56:7, Mark 11:17…]
Is your house full of praise for God?
[See Psalm 92:1, 100:4, 103:2, Ephesians 5:20…]
Is the evidence of healing present in your house?
[2 Chron 7:14, Isa. 41:10, 53:4-5, James 5:14, Mat 11:28, Ps. 103:2-4]
What kinds of fruit are present in your house?
[Do they represent those highlighted in Galatians 5:22-23? The Bible says, you shall know them by their fruits. See Matthew 7:15-20, Eph 5:17-33]
The first ‘C' also represents the word ‘COME'—Putting out an invitation.
An invitation to God: Come and stay with us. You are welcomed in this place Holy Spirit.
Inviting the Holy Spirit into our hearts as individual parts of the body of Christ…individual bricks…one of the bricks in building of the church of God in Christ as well as inviting God into our places of worship—many of our church buildings are simply places of social gathering and not places of worship. We find ourselves in a position similar to the church in Laodicea where Jesus is not allowed in. He says: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me" (Rev. 3:20).
An invitation to the ‘Sinner-man' (the person who has no relationship with Christ who may not even believe in God): Come and fellowship with us, we welcome you to this place (our place of fellowship).
We know that you aren't perfect and that's okay—we aren't perfect either! We are just like you but saved by grace. We found a Saviour and by His grace, we are saved. We simply want to share the good news with you and help you to understand His love for you. We are thankful for the gift of salvation and want to help you understand how you too can have this gift. Come. Share with us. Let us help you find your way to freedom.
An invitation to the healed: Come and help us help others get on the road to discovery. You once stood where they now are and therefore you can share with them from your personal experience. Come and help us to share the good news of the gospel that "Jesus saves, He keeps and He satisfies."—That's discipleship. That's communicating Christ. Hallelujah!
C = CHRIST
The second ‘C' represents Christ because He has to be the centre of everything for it to be successful. Without Christ in the vessel [the individual] the process cannot begin. When we start to offer up the praise [‘Praise and Worship' included] it can sometimes become self-centred instead of Christ-centred and that is when individuals get hurt and healing delayed.
Once Christ is in the vessel, we'll smile at the storm and it becomes contagious so others are encouraged, motivated and inspired to do likewise. Soon, they too will start to give Him the highest praise—hallelujah!
And that is the inspiration I got from the symbols of my then church title, 'CCH' which stood for COGIC Community House.
End of notes.
Link to part 1: Communicating Christ's Healing - http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=183426
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