Bashan Ministries... Preparing the way

Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God's approval. His wounds have healed you. 1 Peter 2:24.
God's intentions for us are very clear and unambiguous. every one of them is for your good and they include living in a lifestyle that is free from deficit in every aspect. Living in good health is one. John explained it like this... I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. 3 John 2:1-4.
Several times in his opening statement, he mentioned truth.
Our studies are designed to reveal the truth regarding health and healing, summed up simply by stating that healing is part of the atoning work of Jesus Christ and that all of our diseases were dealt with on the cross as part of a package deal which includes atonement for sin and the removal of the results of the curse.

Truth

The matter of Divine Healing has been a contentions issue for generations and it need not be so. Scriptures clearly reveal God's will and plan for mankind. It is very simple. God's intentions for you and for me are to live well, and live in a manner that gives Him glory. Pain, sickness and poverty do not exist in Heaven and never existed in the Garden. Those things are a result of the curse and Jesus redeemed us from that curse. The Suffering for Jesus and similar doctrines, may sound noble but are plain stupidity and are a lie from hell. Anyone who maintains that we have to suffer is a fool. If pain and suffering give God glory then why visit a doctor to obtain help? That is pure stupidity. If what they maintain is true, then my advice is simple... get sick. Get real sick, because the worse you are, the more glory you give God! If you obtain help from a doctor, then, according to this belief, you are rebelling and in fact causing that doctor so sin against the will of God. Think about it.
You may answer, That makes no sense Robert. I agree with you, because it is not what God's word says.

Additionally, if you believe that sickness or poverty comes to teach you, then you are telling Jesus that He is a liar!
According to what He said in John 14:17 that He (the Holy Spirit) is the Spirit of Truth. He also said-
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26. See also John 15:26.
I apologize if I have touched someone's sacred cow here, but the truth of the Word of God cannot be denied.

The points I wish to make are that God has given us everything possible to ensure we live the way He intended, but if we do not know, then we are gullible enough to fall for anything and in this instance, the outcome is sickness and disease. Hoses 4:6 says that God's people are destroyed for lack of such truth.
The purpose for my studies and messages is to reveal the truth so that you can make an intelligent decision, based on fact, not on emotion or religious tradition.

Various Ways and Means

I believe in the ministry of healing. I also believe in medical science and living healthy lifestyles, with appropriate exercise, correct diet and nutrition, fresh air, drinking clean water, personal hygiene etc. In fact the bible advocates all of these things.
Every account I read about the ministry of Jesus reveals that healing people was an integral part of His ministry.
He also commanded us to do likewise.
As you go, spread this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.' Cure the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse those with skin diseases, and force demons out of people. Give these things without charging, since you received them without paying. Matthew 10:7-8; Luke 9:2.
And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Luke 10:9.

Please notice the mention to the Kingdom of God. This refers to God's ways of doing things, so it is evident that one of God's ways of doing things is to make sure that people have the ability and opportunity to live well and long on the earth, freed from the fear, pain and suffering of disease.
To facilitate this, God has given us several ways and means of achieving this, namely-

Medical science. One of our Gospels was written by a doctor... the Physician Luke.
The healing ministry of Jesus
The healing ministry of the Church
The doctrine of laying on of hands
The Gifts of healing according to scripture.

All five items listed above are good and valid. I believe in them and use all of them as appropriate. Please do likewise.

This series of studies focuses on the Healing Ministry of the New Testament Church in its various applications from a doctrinal point of view; the practical applications like praying for the sick, laying hands on people, anointing with oil and exercising the Gifts of the Spirit. I hope it blesses you, encourages you and helps you.
Robert.

Contents

As mentioned above, there are several key elements with regard health and healing.
Man was created in the image and likeness of God. When God squeezed a lump of clay and shaped it, He gave form and substance from the elements of the earth. It is a known fact that our bodies are comprised of various minerals, like iron, potassium, calcium and more and from water. This inert substance was standing upright, like a statue, perfect in every way except for life itself. God then breathed the breaths of lives (plural) into this being who then became a living soul.
We are thus a tri-partite being. What I mean by that is that we are spirit beings, who have a soul and live in a physical body.
See 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The soul is the area of the mind, the will and our emotions.
The spirit is eternal, but the body is temporal. When Adam disobeyed God, the perfect union with God and man was severed. Spiritually speaking, man lost direct revelatory communication with God and his body started to degenerate. This is in simplistic terms where sickness and death entered the human race. It is not God's will for this to continue and Jesus came to bring restoration.
Medical science, exercise, diet and nutrition are best left to those who are experts in these fields.
I am not attempting to cover subjects in these areas and recommend that you seek professionally qualified men and women who are dedicated to this profession.

I am however going to look into the other aspects, focussing more on the doctrinal issues.
Paul instructed a young pastor called Timothy to keep such a focus.

However, continue in what you have learned and found to be true. You know who your teachers were. From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval. They equip God's servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things. 2 Timothy 3:14-17.
The erroneous teachings about suffering and poverty etc have arisen because of not adhering to what he told Timothy.
Our core subjects therefore will be-

The healing ministry of Jesus. See Like a Plowed Field.
The healing ministry of the Church.
The doctrine of laying on of hands.
The Gifts of healing. This is dealt with in the page The Holy Spirit and His Gifts.