As we discovered last week one of the greatest hindrances to people receiving the healing that God provides is unforgiveness.
Unforgiveness:
More than anything else in the believer’s walk unforgiveness will hinder every area of life as it restrains and blocks the ability for God’s grace to be fully experienced. One of the main reasons it is a stumbling block is the level of pain, either psychological, physical or even spiritual that is experienced by the one holding unforgiveness in their life. The cause of the pain may be a slight, an injury to ones feelings, it can be imagined, actual and in some cases deliberate.
I many cases the person to whom the unforgiveness and resentment, or bitterness is aimed may be totally oblivious to the injury that has been sustained; as a result they have no knowledge that there is an injury to make right. The person holding onto that unforgiveness may see their target getting on with their lives as if nothing has happened and perceive that they do not care; or that they are twisting the knife they feel in their gut. In reality they are the ones twisting the knife as they hold onto their self-pity.
In some instances, where the injury is in fact real and even though reconciliation and restitution has been attempted the person holding the unforgiveness may be doing so, out of fear that if they do allow it to go they will no longer have a sense of purpose; a sense of self. As a result they find that they may have held onto the bitterness for so long that they cannot imagine life without it. This is a very difficult situation to try to resolve; the person needs to develop a want to want to let the pain go before there can be any movement.
Sadly, there are instances where a person is holding unforgiveness toward a person who is using it to manipulate that individual, through their sense of guilt. They know that the person bears them ill will and use it for their amusement. Thankfully these people are few and far between. But, we have to be aware that the situation can exist; especially when we move in to offer healing prayer for someone and they don’t appear to receive.
One of the hardest forms of unforgiveness to eradicate is that which is held against yourself. Too often the person can forgive everyone else for what they may, or may not have done to them. But, there is no way that they can forgive themselves. They will fight you tooth and nail to hold onto their belief that they cannot and should not be forgiven. This can lead to some very serious mental disorders and has been the thing that has caused many, in the past, to be institutionalised believing they have committed “the unforgivable sin.”
Wrong Teaching:
Based on theology rather than on the word of God religious doctrine can and has robbed many of their healing. Jesus had to deal with a fair amount of this in his ministry. He often rebuked the religious leaders for not following through on the healing messages and the processes whereby the children of Abraham should have been free from sickness and disease. His scolding led them to hate him all the more as he reminded them of the duty they had failed to perform; making the word of God “of none effect.”
Wrong Believing:
Robs far too many of God’s children in every area of their lives. But, it is most apparent in the area of health. Wrong teaching suggesting that God is the one making them unwell, or trying to teach them something through their suffering leads them to believe that God is the source of their disease and negates any opportunity for them to receive what is theirs by inheritance.
Wrong thinking:
Also leads to the development of doubt and unbelief and double-mindedness in those who hear a message about the healing power of God. A part of them wants to believe, but their thoughts outweigh the argument going on inside their mind and silences their heart that is trying to accept the healing on offer. As James Said: A Double-minded man is unstable in All his ways.” James 1:5 – 8.
All of these combined bring the person who desires to walk in the fullness of what God has to offer them, in this life and leads to:
Wrong Speaking:
We are ruled by the words of Our mouth (Prov 4:20). They can either convey hope and faith. Or, they can deliver doubt and unbelief and rob us of the blessings that God has in store for us. As Zig Ziglar says: “The man who says he can and the man who says he can’t, are both right.” Our words can either reinforce the teaching, believing, thinking and further speaking that comes out of our own mouths and snares us. Jesus said it clearly: that Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”; or “Out of the treasure of a man’s heart the mouth speaks.” We will eat the fruit of our own words and it takes dedication, time and effort for us to bring our tongues under control. But, it is truly worth the effort.
The other two areas most commonly that provide a hindrance to receiving healing from God is Unconfessed sin; that causes us to feel unworthy to receive anything from God. The other is a Lack of Preparedness to receive from God. We really do need to build up our faith by feeding our mind and our spirit on the promises that God has made to his people regarding his desires for our health; as well as every other area in our lives. In both cases there are times when God will ensure that the individual receives their healing as a witness to his power and generosity. This is why Healing is often referred to as “God’s calling Card.” However, these kinds of signs and wonders are usually to draw attention to the fact that he is present and is more often seen in evangelism of large groups of people with NO knowledge of God.
There are other hindrances that can stop someone from receiving all that God has for them. But, these are the most common and most frequently encountered. Nonetheless, it doesn’t change the FACT that Healing is God’s will for his people.
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