 Hey everyone, welcome back Let's continue on from where we left off chapter 6 Answering to common questions on sicknesses and healing. We looked at Paul's thorn As we looked at the passage that talks about Didn't look at Paul's thorn. Okay, so we looked at that passage. Let's look at another I've frequently asked a question or a story that is misunderstood or Misinterpreted is the story of Job right Job's troubles Right, his life is often explained is taken into and you know spoken of as an example saying, okay You know he went through this so we also have to go through everything what Paul, you know job went through etc Okay, so we'll read a few scriptures and we'll try and understand that okay, so Job chapter 1 verse 12 It says so Satan went out from the presence of the Lord Job 2 or 6 and 7 says and the Lord said to Satan Behold he is in your hand. Let's bear his life So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with painful boils from the soul of his foot To the crown of his head Okay, so Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job. Who struck Job? Satan okay Job chapter 2 verse 10 and in all this Job did not sin with his lips Most scriptures Job 3 25 says for the thing I greatly feared has come upon me and What I dreaded has happened to me Okay, right and so We know the story of Job and all of that has happened, you know What he feared has happened what he dreaded has happened to Job He did not want any of this thing He was afraid that might happen to him and so it happened But then look at Job chapter 42 the last chapter to chapter 42 verse 10 It says and the Lord restored Job's losses When he prayed for his friends Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before Okay, one of the points that I want to make here in his story is There are 42 chapters now Some people think okay must have lasted for 42 years or something like that. No Approximately the first scholars biblical scholars and the historians claims that the span of Job's Troubles his sorrow his pain and everything was approximately more or less within a year Within one year not 42 years because it has 42 chapters Okay, so that's a side note Let's look at James chapter 5 verse 11 Indeed we count them blessed who end your you have heard of the perseverance of Job and seeing the end intended by the Lord That the Lord is very compassionate and Merciful, okay So, how do we look at this scripture this story, right? We very clearly see in James chapter and Job chapter 2 verse 7 It says so Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck job with paid footballs So it was Satan who struck Job and his family Causing, you know, all these calamities and losses and sicknesses, etc. Etc. Right it was Satan who struck we cannot Blame God for the things that Satan did We cannot okay, we got to stop doing that We need to start teaching people to stop doing that we cannot blame God for the things that Satan did I'm sure yeah, it is true that God did give grand permission for Satan to touch Joe Right, right who was and who was otherwise under the divine protection right and so it and And what happened job happens to us today as well right in our world today They the same the demonic powers are permitted to a certain for a certain period of time Right to do their to do do their evil works. They're permitted, right? God does not stop the devil or the demons from coming against a believer, like, you know Like us over the temptations or hindrances or obstacles or hardships, etc. Etc. Right all of us face these kinds of things God permits these things to go on even against those who believe in him and But the point is he also uses these as part of our training to mature into becoming more Christ likeness Right and that's why there is this invitation for us to fight the good fight to resist the devil and and all of this Right says wrestle against the powers of darkness. You have you know, we've been given these scriptures Sam 91 Sam 34 etc to use as weapons Right in Ephesians chapter 6 and Bible is very clear when it says that we wrestle not against flesh and blood right against the principalities and And we see that he's he's the prince of the air We read that about in the book of Ephesians And so the point here is that the devil will do what he knows to do best and that is bring against all all these hardships difficulties and sorrows and whatnot but attributing what the devil does to God is Is not the right thing to do if I have to say it in a very nice way Okay And so the thing that we can learn from his story of the story of Job is what we have to remember guys is The story of Job Job itself, right? It's chronologically older than the book of Genesis right and we have to remember that Job did not have the scriptures like you and I have he did not have the Bible like you and I have right? He did not have some 91 to read and be assured to be encouraged and whatnot Job did not have any of these things Right, but with what little faith and what he knew about God in that he persevered He endured How much more should we with all you know all the Bibles and different translations and versions that we have You know should and can endure Right and so this endurance of Job is what we are called to emulate Right knowing that the Lord is indeed compassionate. He is merciful. He will eventually turn things for our good Right another aspect what you if you noticed in Job chapter 3 was 25 is that he says and for the thing I greatly feared has come upon me That's one aspect where he talks about fear fear is faith In the opposite direction in the wrong direction and the words right fear is faith in the Wrong direction. It attracts wrong things in our lives the fear as the children of God. We can we are called To live a life of faith to rest in his promises and in his faith Okay, man, that is the story of Job Where we have to be absolutely certain that it was Satan who struck we cannot attribute what Satan did to God and When we go through hardships because our struggles and losses and everything that the Satan that the devil brings We are encouraged to persevere and endure Okay, the weapons You know have been given to us like his bird is with us we declare his scriptures of faith over our lives And I continue to look walk this walk of of faith Okay Another frequently asked question is what does it mean when it says delivering one to? Satan okay delivering one to Satan or handed them over to the devil So we read that in okay, let's look at first Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1 to 5 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1 to 5 it says it is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you and such Sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles that a man has his father's wife And you are puffed up and have not rather mourned That he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you For I indeed as absent in body but present in spirit have already judged as though I were present Him who has so done this deed So in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ where you are gathered together along with my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of Lord Jesus Okay, another instant is the book of Timothy chapter 1 verse 20 of Two other individuals it says of whom are Hymenius and Alexander whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme Okay talks about the same these individuals In in in the book of Timothy chapter 2 verse 17 and 18 It says and their message was spread like can will spread like cancer talking about the same individuals Hymenius and Philatis are of this sort now, okay So what are we what is Paul talking about in in in first Corinthians chapter 5 is 1 to 5 Who is he talking about now, you know, it starts off by saying that sexual immorality among you has been reported and things that are happening Not even named among the Gentiles So Paul is aware of these things and he rebukes this individual who is committing such immorality Right. He is administering his apostolic authority that has been that is over him And so he's disciplining as a certain individual now what we have to keep in mind when we read this statements or these words or slayens that says handed them over to Satan is now We've all seen some episodes of in a court scene right in the court of law where a judge makes a decision, right? So there's this perpetrator in that in that stand right and then He's been Accused of being guilty of murder or whatnot right the judge is sitting they say okay You're guilty of this and now I hand you over to the authorities Right to the police or the cops, you know, I know who will take further actions Are you with me? Have you see that God is a righteous God. He's a just God And so what he's saying is okay now I Made this decision You're so-and-so now I hand you over to the authorities that's basically what it what what means here Right, okay, you've been found guilty handing you over and that's what is happening here And and what Paul is saying is that okay this person who's committing this sexual immorality Has to be removed we're handing him home until he repents and now we actually see that in second Corinthians He says okay. Hey, you know this person who was punished If he's repented and whatnot There is sufficient you should actually read second Corinthians chapter 2 verse 6 to 8 It says this punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man So that on the contrary you ought to rather to forgive and comfort him Lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow Therefore, I urge you to reaffirm your love to him So he's talking about this individual who was rebuked by Paul in first Corinthians chapter 5. He's saying okay It was rebuked now if he's repented you ought to love him and forgive him Okay, so that's the meaning of that verse there and then the other two scriptures We looked at about two different individuals in the book of Timothy chapter 1 verse 20 about hymenius and Alexander is what Paul is saying is Hymenius the individual hymenius was the one who was blaspheming or who was spreading or talking of spreading false doctrine Right and the truth about Jesus. He was saying that the resurrection was already over causing It was causing a lot of confusion and causing a lot of people to walk away from the faith and And Paul you see that okay accusing him saying okay, you're doing this you're blaspheming And so I hand you over to the devil and same thing with Alexander who seemed to be the one who was accusing Who was opposed to Paul? In his ministry was accusing Paul of false things and whatnot. So in both cases You see the Paul exerts apostolic authority Okay to release these men from the church and dispose them to say it's like okay I release you now to the authorities like the judge saying okay, you've been found guilty I release you now to the authorities let them have let them deal with you as they would okay and so knowing the Paul's heart this would have been done with the intent that These men would come into repentance and aligning to the truth That's the intention behind this thing is that hoping that they would come into repentance But we have no record of the outcome of this case. That is a harmonious and Alexander especially Okay, and so it is true when when we walk in disobedience in rebellion and beyond God's limit One becomes vulnerable to Satan And when we start walking in ways that we are not we are not we in sinful ways when we are not ought to we are Leaving the gate wide open for Satan to come saying please come please do whatever you like to do in my life types You know so but as believers there is There is no need for us to be fearful of being handed over to Satan as we are pressing into God Not away from God Maybe are pursuing him wanting to know more of him. And so we need we need not worry about about these things Okay Another passage of scripture Which again, Mrs. Which is misunderstood is a first quarantine chapter 11 was 17 and to 34 We're really not going to read this whole thing But it it talks about a verb, you know In people again people in the in the church of Corinth people were partaking of the Lord's table and There was and there was no reverence for it, right? There was absolutely no reverence for it So it says in which verse Verse 30 Oh, let's read from verse 29 and 30 it says for he who eats and drinks in an Unworthy manner each and drinks judgment to himself not discerning the Lord's body For this reason many are weak and sick among you and many sleep For if we would judge ourselves we would not be judged But when we are judged we are chastened by the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world Okay, so the context here and what's happening is When went what what Paul is writing same here for this reason most many among you are sick or die prematurely, etc. Because People part took of the day of the Lord's table in an unworthy manner Right, so it became this communion thing that we talk about the Lord's table became like some like a feast You know, it was like a party time Right, they they they turn this into a time of having a feast together like a potluck or whatever Which Paul says they could do at home And you can you can do all of this at home But this but this is not what got the Lord's table is intended for Right, what was intended by the Lord to be a time of great reverence and spiritual proclamation of his death and resurrection Was soon returning it became more like a lunch feast That that that's not what this is for, right? And so consequently instead of enjoying the benefits and blessings and the power of the cross of Christ on these contrary These Corinthians were dishonoring the secret table They were becoming sick and weak and dying prematurely instead of enjoying the benefits of the cross Which is healing deliverance and wholeness and whatnot, right? so By blatantly dishonoring what was sacred and making it a time of Feasting with no focus or on examining One's own life, right? That's what we are invited to do right when we partake of the communion We are called to examine our own life. We're called to repent and forgive You know and ask for forgiveness as we partake. I we are not to call to partake of the Lord's table in the unworthy manner right, but We understand that God's dealing of judgment here and that there's two parts to it, right? When you partake of his table in an unworthy manner, there's a withdrawal of a divine protection, right? It's like his hand God's hand is taken off of you and then got permitting or engaging these Elements such as weakness sickness and premature death to get people's attention To bring us back into the right path and so again the point here is we do not have to fear about You know weakness and sickness is our premature death today because Because of wrongly participating in the Lord's table Simply because we are taught on how to do it correctly and how to do it, right? Okay, and so we don't have to worry about that But then that's the context behind this passage of scripture if anyone asks you a question and this is how you would answer them Okay, a couple more things quickly here is Timothy's stomach problem in first Timothy chapter 5 verse 23 says Paul is writing to Timothy saying it's no longer drink only water But use a little wine for your stomach's sake and and and your frequent infirmities Okay So it's apparent that Timothy had some stomach problem you know Whether this was something that started only after coming to Ephesus or whether these problems existed long before We don't know Right and so maybe he he went on a mission strip. He had something to eat that did not agree with the stomach something like that but We don't know the full nature of this right, but then again Paul is writing He recommended the use of wine not to get drunk But because of its medicinal value for Timothy's stomach, okay, and so With this passage we can conclude that it is all right to use natural and medical remedies While keeping our hearts devoted to God, okay Even when we when we pray and minister healing and deliverance at APC we say We emphasize saying we are thankful for doctors. We by any means don't say, okay You know God is our healer so stop taking medicines completely That's it's a foolish thing to do right and so Why we why we you know Listen to What the doctors have to say we continually also encourage believers to keep our hearts devoted to God and while we have our hearts devoted to God, you know Keep continue to take your medical remedies as well your natural medical remedies as well So that is and that is seen in Timothy's story and also in Hezekiah's illness if you read this whole passage You will see where you know Hezekiah is sick He has boils and his bodies and whatnot and God tells God listens to Hezekiah's prayer and Through a prophet he tells okay. You make a paste out of figs You know and then put it on those lumps You know and when he did that he recovered Now King Hezekiah who was sick was he was close to death, right? Hezekiah is healed and he lives another 15 years because he obeyed You know what God what God tells to do through the prophet now again God could have healed Hezekiah without the use of the paste made from figs By he tells the prophet to do so we don't know but whether the paste made from figs had any healing or medicinal properties You may have for the boy. We don't know But whether it did have medicinal value as well We don't know but we can affirm that God is not against the use of natural elements Right through which or you know his healing is administered. He is not against it He's willing to use the natural elements as well Okay, and so we've got to keep those things in mind Let's move on to To the next passage it talks about another character called a Trophemus in first Timothy chapter 4 verse 20 first Timothy chapter 4 verse 20 it says Erastus stayed in Corinth But Trophemus I left in Miletus sick Now we are talking this is Apostle Paul that we are talking about and he's writing saying, you know Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophemus I left him in in the town called Miletus because he was sick Now Apostle Paul was a man, you know who ministered in the power of the spirit Right who saw mighty healings miracles science and wonders and what not? And You know, he must have prayed for Trophemus But he was still sick, but the point here is this didn't stop Paul from going about his ministry Right, he says okay Trophemus is sick in Miletus. I had to leave him there Before heading out to Rome and he said but Paul continued to minister to to go to different cities to Rome and Minister in healing and science and wonders and what not and so What we can learn from this is we we do not know again what happened to Trophemus after that We there's no record of it Right, so we do not know if this was a temporary sickness or illness or if you recovered quickly after that But the point here is that we admit that we do not always have all the answers Okay, which is fine, it's okay Right, but the point here is that we keep pressing on in the work of the Lord ministering in the power of the spirit just as Paul did Okay, another character that we look at is Ephroditus It's a really cool name isn't it? Ephroditus a pathroditus. Okay for the work It's written here in the book of Philippians chapter 2 was 25 and 30 again Paul writing. It says verse 27, especially It says for indeed he The pathroditus was sick unto death But God had mercy on him and not only on him, but on me also Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow In Philippians chapter 4 verse 18 it says indeed I have all and abound I am full having received from a pathroditus the things sent from you a Sweet smelling aroma and acceptable sacrifice well pleasing to God So the story of this person here the context here is that Paul was in prison in Role and so this individual called the pathroditus was sent by the church in Philippi to serve Apostle Paul who was in prison Now he's saying that in serving Apostle Paul, right? He seems to have stretched himself so far that he came close to death not regarding his own life And so No, again, we do not know the exact nature of the service of everything that how he served Paul and What were those instances the circumstances that he went through but what is written is that he came close to death? You know, he stretched himself quite a bit and so Just because we are in Christian ministry, okay Serving the Lord and his people and what not we are not automatically guaranteed good health and strength Okay, it is possible that we can overwork and risk dying in the process Okay, what it is possible that we can overwork and risk dying in the process right and so Well, it may seem noble to a work Till we drop dead for the cause of Christ. This is rather unnecessary and unprofitable because We are more useful to God and his kingdom his people alive Okay, so that's the story of epipharoditis and Another classic misunderstanding or misinterpretation is this scripture from first Corinthians chapter 11 was 28 and 32 Is is sickness the chastening of the Lord? Okay is sickness the chastening of the Lord Okay, first Corinthians chapter 11 verse 32. It says but when we are judged we are chastened by the Lord But that we may not be condemned with the word since so what we what? Some of the Christians have done it is by saying okay, the sickness is the chastening of the Lord Okay, this this thing that you're going through is chastening of the Lord This disease is the chastening of the Lord and so all of these things they attributed to God as chastening of him but again remember when we are interpreting scriptures we have to interpret it in the light of The rest of the scriptures as well, right? And so let's look at Hebrews chapter 12 verse 5 to 11 Now we are not going to read this whole thing But in that passage and I would encourage you to read it Hebrews 12 5 to 11 it chastening of God is Is referred to or What do I say it It's it's it's sure in relative to Relationship to how a father would deal with the son Okay, so verse 7 it says in Hebrews chapter 12 which is if you endure chastening God deals with you as with sons For what son is there whom a father does not chastin? Okay, and I mean just think about it is If I'm going to chastin my son or any father his son or daughter is saying you wouldn't Say, okay, be down with this sickness or be down with that sickness or with disease and whatnot Right Now if an earthly father would not do that hub would a would our heavenly father do something like that to us and Is it right for us to attribute a sickness and disease, you know Out of God Disciplining is very different. Yes, of course, we can say that yes So, I mean this Disciplining is so much more different from saying, okay, you know the sickness is for you and there's diseases for you, right? Isn't it? And there's a whole passage actually let's just read that it's so beautiful and verse 8 in Hebrews 12 It says but if you are without chastening of which all have become partakers Then you are illegitimate and not sons Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us and we paid them respect, right? We correct us shall be not much more readily be in subjection to the father of spirits and live Okay, so and and chastening is the normal course of things which has to do with teaching or correction and Punishment done lovingly as to a child Right and only an extreme situation has to do with judgment Right because the word Chaston it comes from the Greek word, which again simply means You know to instruct to learn to teach According to some of the concordance that you can read Okay And so in conclusion of this chapter, you know We want to just answer one last question and leave that is that is it all right to combine faith and medicine? It is is it all right to combine faith and medicine and the simple answer would be absolutely yes Because we've just we've looked at a couple of instances in the life of King Hezekiah You know where fig paste was used natural medicine and Timothy the ball does take a little wine for stomach problems And what not and so we believe that there is nothing wrong in combining faith and medicine, right? So when we administer You know, even when we administer medicine or receive medical help our eyes are on on on the Lord, right? He is our healer. We never forget that truth Okay And the one last question is is taking care of your health a sign of unbelief absolutely not I have one lesson that we can learn from if Aphrodite is is that while we do our work in Christian ministry Serving the Lord and his people we also need to remain Responsible and take care of our health Okay, so stop eating sugar Okay, all the desserts Start working out get some Jim subscription, whatever Okay Right While you do everything that you do for his kingdom You know Take care of your health So that you can do what you are doing for a longer period of time Okay, and so that is chapter 6 where we've tried to answer frequently asked questions These are not the only questions that you might get asked In your time in as you minister to people But just some of the frequently asked questions Okay, so that's the end of chapter 6 we'll stop here today with this session. We'll continue next week with the rest of the chapters Okay, I'll stop recording now a second