Something that happens far too often to me as a pastor is something that is not going to help anyone walk in victory and actually hold you back. The story goes something like this (names have been changed to protect the innocent):
Jimmy wakes up Monday morning unwell, he has several symptoms that concern him and restrict him from being able to move or work. He is in pain. He prays, because Jimmy is a good Christian. On Tuesday, Jimmy phones the doctor and makes an appointment. The earliest appointment he can get is Thursday.
On Wednesday, still in pain, Jimmy calls me as the pastor, or puts a prayer request on the website, or email, or one of our WhatsApp groups. The prayer request goes something like this: “I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, I am in pain and have a number of symptoms, but can you all pray for me that I get a good report from the doctor”.
I find it really difficult to respond to this, because the prayer request is entirely misplaced. The truth is that if we were living by faith in the Word, the doctor’s report would not move us. We simply would not care one way or another what the doctor’s report says. You do not get to walk in victory or move forward in faith through a doctor’s report.
Isaiah 53.1 says “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” It is the Lord’s report that you need to believe, and here is the good news. The Lord’s report does not change. It is superior to every doctor’s report, it is superior to every bank statement, every bill, every piece of mail you ever get, and every email you ever read. That is what you need to read, to believe, to conceive, to receive, to declare, to focus on. If the doctor’s report disagrees with the Lord’s report, then make a choice to believe the report of the Lord. I really don’t care if the doctor tells me that I will die in 24 hours, I have a report from the Lord that says I will not die but live and that is the only report I accept. The doctor’s report might say I am terribly sick, but I don’t believe it. I have a report from the Lord that says by His stripes I am healed and that is the only report I accept.
The reason we want a good report from the doctor is because we are so unspiritual we actually trust the doctor more than the Word of God. That is a situation that we must address in our lives, and take the time to fill our hearts and minds with the Word of God until we realize it can be trusted.
The report we believe determines what manifests in our life. So stop caring about the doctor’s report, stop worrying about what the world worries about, stop idolizing the NHS (you can be grateful for it, but it is not God and it’s reports are not God!), and start believing the report of the Lord.
Listen if you start believing the report of the Lord, what will always happen is this: the arm of the Lord will be revealed. The arm of the Lord is powerful, and heals all sicknesses, destroys all diseases, restores all that is missing and brings life. Real life. Health. Real health.
If the doctor’s report says you are sick, and you believe that report, you will start talking and walking like a sick person. Sickness will dominate you. If you rather turn to the Lord’s report and read that and believe that report which says that the Lord is your Healer, that all your sicknesses and diseases were borne on the cross by the Lord and that by His stripes you were healed, then healing will dominate you. You will start talking and walking like a healed person.
So, next time sickness attacks your body, and you need some prayers from your church, we are glad to pray with you. We love praying with you. But don’t ask us to make something as insignificant as the report of a doctor good because you are too carnal to trust the Word. Rather ask us to stand with you against those symptoms, sicknesses and pains. We will, and in Jesus’ name they will definitely leave. When we resist satan he always flees from us. That is the report of the Lord.
Please pray for me, but don’t pray for a good report from a doctor, I do not care. Not now and not ever. Rather pray the report of the Lord over me, and I will pray it over you:
Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. (Ephesians 1.15-23)
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