Helping People Receive Healing

By Joel Siegel

Jesus, when He was on the earth, said that those who believe would do the same works that He Himself did. What kinds of works comprised His ministry? Teaching, preaching, and healing. Just as we've been commissioned to go into all the world and preach the gospel, each of us shares a commision to go and heal. You've been appointed and empowered to take God's healing power to those in need. Helping People Receive Healing challenges traditional thought regarding healing and helps believers learn how to cooperate with God's great healing flow. God needs you prepared for the for the work He's called you to. He needs you to go, preach, and heal. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Siegel Ministries, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386472704

Joel Siegel

Faith in God’s Word, and constant reliance on the Holy Spirit have been the keys to success in the life and ministry of Rev. Joel Siegel. Raised and educated as a Jew, Joel Siegel, at age 18, had a life-transforming encounter with Christ that brought him true purpose and fulfillment.  Rev. Siegel began preaching and teaching the Word of God soon after he was saved in 1986. He entered full-time ministry in 1990, serving for three years as the music director for the gospel music group Truth. Truth’s road schedule took Joel and his wife Amy worldwide to over 300 cities a year, ministering in churches and on college campuses. From 1993 to 2000, Joel was the musical director for Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin’s RHEMA Singers & Band. In addition to assisting Rev. Hagin in his crusade meetings, Joel produced many music projects for the ministry, including his first solo release, Trust & Obey. From 2000 to 2011, Joel and Amy served as founding pastors of Good News Family Church in Orchard Park, NY. During this time, they were frequently asked to host shows for the TCT Christian Television Network. Joel regularly hosted their popular Ask The Pastor program. Rev. Siegel spends his time ministering to congregations in the U.S. and abroad, passionately endeavoring to fulfill his assignment to help lead this generation into the move of God that will usher in the return of Christ.  The Siegels make their home in Colorado. Joel oversees Faith Church Colorado in the town of Castle Rock, where Amy is lead pastor.  For music recordings, audio teaching series, books, and other resources, or to invite Rev. Joel to minister at a church or event, please visit siegelministries.org.

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Introduction

People need healing.

We have a Healer.

Yet, there’s often something missing: a vital link between God, our Healer, and the people who so desperately need His help. That link is you.

The power of God that drives sickness from a person’s life must be delivered to that person. Although some individuals have learned to receive directly from their Heavenly Father, most will require help: someone who can skillfully connect God’s power to their lives. Without that help, many who need healing will go without. This book will help you become skillful in the area of healing. It’s a training manual, helping you to help others.

We thank God for ministers – those who may be specially anointed in the area of healing – but their ministry, important as it is, is only part of the ministry of healing today. Although this book does address certain aspects of healing that pertain to those who occupy ministry offices, our main objective is to equip the entire Body of Christ – from the new believer to those in full time ministry – to do the job we were all born for. We must take healing with us wherever we go, covering the earth with God’s healing power. 

01 He Healed Them

And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. Matthew 4:23-24

The ministry of Jesus is amazing, and this passage summarizes it well. Listed here are the components that comprised His earthly ministry: teaching, preaching, and healing. All three are significant, yet it was His healing ministry upon which Matthew briefly expounds.

What began in Galilee quickly spread throughout Syria. So great were the results of His ministry that this passage says the people brought all the sick. There’s a statement for you: all the sick. If we’re to take the Bible at face value (which we must), this would have been quite a scene. One person after another – each weakened from disease – showed up along with those who accompanied them. Minor and severe, contagious and non-communicable, chronic and acute, they all came; they all needed help.

Those afflicted with various diseases and pains were there. The word translated here as pains has a strong meaning in the original language. It literally means tortured and tormented. In Jesus’ day, you didn’t just get a prescription for pain medication when you were hurting. You suffered with your disease, and suffer they did. These tortured and tormented ones were among the healing seekers that had gathered. Imagine the cries, groans, tears, and even screams that could be heard as those in misery awaited ministry.

Who else came to Jesus for help? An interesting bunch to be sure. Those oppressed by demons were mingled among the multitude. Nothing makes a situation more colorful and creepy than the presence of people who are under the influence of devils. No doubt, some of these people were screaming outlandish statements with voices different than their own. Devils can’t help but act out when there’s a crowd. They love expression and attention.

The word translated as epileptic in verse 24 not only speaks of the disease of epilepsy, but also carries the additional meaning of those who were maniacs or insane. Add them in alongside those who were possessed and you have wacky and creepy together. Then, the paralytics were there. Stroke victims, people who were crippled from birth, those who had accidents, etc. They were all part of this diverse and very sick crowd. What a scene this was as the psych ward and the ER came together in the presence of Jesus.

What was the Master’s strategy for dealing with such chaos? How did He handle the sense of disorder and confusion that must have prevailed? The Bible tells us what He did: He healed them.

Those three words ring aloud in my spirit. Say that phrase slowly and deliberately a few times: He healed them. No matter how far gone they were physically, how loopy they were mentally, or how depraved they were spiritually, the result was the same. He didn’t rebuke them, didn’t counsel them, and didn’t deny them. He healed them. Not included but clearly implied is the word all. He healed all of them. Without exception. No one was excluded.

This didn’t just happen one time, but was rather a common occurrence in Jesus’ ministry. Notice what happened a few chapters later.

Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all. Matthew 12:15

When this verse says many followed him, some clarification is required. The Greek word translated as many is the same word which would be translated as riot or the rabble. This was a massive crowd: multitudes of people from all walks of life. Rich people and poor people. The uneducated and the educated. Good people and not-so-good people. What did He do when they drew near to Him? He healed them. Again, no exceptions, no exclusion. Just healing. Healing for all.

And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them: Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:30-31 (KJV)

This account of the healing ministry of Jesus is most amazing. The extra-large crowd that had gathered included people with permanent disabilities. The lame individual (with parts of his or her body non-functioning) couldn’t walk unassisted. The blind, obviously, couldn’t see. The dumb couldn’t speak. Then, it mentions the maimed. This would include those whose limbs were either permanently disfigured or missing.

I’ve been fortunate to be around some great healing ministries, but I’m sure I’ve never witnessed anything like this. First, I can’t imagine the scene on the road there. I don’t know whether wheelchairs were a thing back then, but we can confidently assume that the journey there was slow-going. Multitudes, dragging along on crutches and being transported in carts, were clogging the roadways. It was a crawl but it would be worth it. (Contrast this scene to today, where people have easy access to transportation but can’t be bothered to travel even a few miles to access their spiritual help.)

It’s said that these disabled individuals were cast down at Jesus’ feet. Cast down doesn’t imply a gentle motion and, indeed, the Greek word used here indicates a violent throwing or flinging. They were violently thrown at Jesus’ feet.

Let’s think this through for a moment.

Your buddy got you to the meeting, but the line to get to Jesus is impossibly thick. The disciples are charged with the task of keeping the people at enough of a distance for Jesus to not be smothered. The line is barely moving; it seems like they’ll never get to you.

Wait.

Your friend notices two of the disciples deep in conversation instead of guarding the perimeter. A body-sized hole has formed; now’s our chance. You feel a hard thrust from behind and the next thing you know you’re flying through the air before suddenly landing in a heap at Jesus’ feet. That’s a scary experience for anyone, but when you’re blind and crippled, it’s major trauma. Not to worry though. Everyone who gets flung down seems to be coming up healed.

What did Jesus do with these multitudes: the lame, the blind, the dumb, the maimed? He didn’t provide carefully crafted reasons why their cases were beyond God’s help. He didn’t offer pious platitudes, explaining how God, for reasons only known to Him, had made them special. He didn’t encourage them to patiently wait on the Lord, telling them that God, in His own good time, might one day see fit to send them a touch from Heaven. No. Jesus did none of that. He only did one thing. When the sick were cast at His feet, He healed them.

This pattern doesn’t stop here. It continues. Notice a few more instances:

Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Matthew 19:1-2

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. Matthew 21:14

Is it Really Scriptural?

We must carefully examine what we believe, especially in this area of healing. The Body of Christ has circulated so many spiritual sounding phrases for so long that it’s easy to believe them in place of the Word. Remember this: just because something sounds spiritual doesn’t mean it’s scriptural. Christians often utter these religious sayings to try and justify why God failed to heal this one or that one. Some of these statements are prefaced by the phrase, For some unknown reason. . . . 

For some unknown reason, God didn’t see fit to heal this person or that person. I’ve heard this saying my whole life. Here’s another popular one: God heals some people by touching them on Earth. He heals others by taking them to Heaven. That doesn’t make an ounce of sense. Until Jesus returns, the only way to get to Heaven is to die. If God took someone to Heaven, He’d have to kill them, not heal them. I’d rather hear someone use foul language than hear these types of sayings. They are lies.

I have an idea: let’s just say what God says, not what other Christians think He means. What does God say? He healed them. You might want to write that out and hang it somewhere in your home. Repeat it over and over. Let it renew your mind. He healed them. He healed them. He healed them. Period. End of discussion. No modifications. No excuses for why it might not happen for you.

Are you crippled? You’re in good company, for He healed them. Are you blind? Be encouraged, He healed them. Are you unable to speak? No worries, He healed them. Have one or more of your limbs been maimed? Guess what? He healed them.

This is excellent news. Any situation you can think of has already been addressed in the Bible. When Scripture says He healed various sicknesses and diseases, your situation – whatever it might be – is included. If He healed them, He’ll heal you.

(Actually, if He healed them, He has healed you. I’ll explain more about that in a bit. . . .)

Notice another of these great verses:

Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. Luke 4:40

This is precious. It’s another one of those verses that feature the words all, any, and every. All came with every kind of disease and He laid His hands on each one, healing them. This verse doesn’t just tell us that Jesus healed, it also reveals how He healed. In this instance, He took the time to lay His hands on each person. He didn’t always minister this way, but on this occasion, He did.

Luke 4:40 is the same account that we see recorded in Matthew chapter 8. Notice how that passage reads.

That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: He took our illnesses and bore our diseases. Matthew 8:16-17

He Took It

There are many who say that Jesus only healed to prove His divinity; that every supernatural work He accomplished was to show that He was God. Such conclusions are inaccurate and reflect man’s religious opinions rather than a sound understanding of Scripture. There were many important reasons why Jesus healed. More than just proving divinity, this passage shows Jesus fulfilling prophecy.

Isaiah had prophesied that the promised one would not only bear our sin, but also our sickness and disease (see Isaiah 53:4-5). Jesus, adamantly and indiscriminately, healed based on the price that He Himself would pay for our redemption. That price was His own precious blood. Ever aware of His pending sacrifice, He never passed up the opportunity to deliver healing to those in need. His attitude seemed to be, If I’m paying for it, I want everyone to have it. Our attitude should be the same. Since He paid for our healing, we want to help deliver it to everyone we can.

Some argue that this passage in Matthew 8 carries no real meaning for us today. They assert, See, it says Jesus fulfilled the scripture. If it was fulfilled on that day, it’s not for us today. No, were it only for that group on that day, it wouldn’t be in the Word of God for us today. Also, were that statement true, the verse wouldn’t have said that Jesus took our illnesses and diseases, it would simply say He took theirs. Notice, however, that it didn’t say He took their diseases, it says He took ours: yours and mine. He took our sickness so we need not take sickness.

I’ve received healing in my own life as I meditated on this great verse in Matthew 8:17. As I lay in bed, I would visualize Jesus taking my sickness upon Him while being beaten and tortured, and then nailed to the cross. I saw Him descend into Hell with my sickness, but then saw Him come up from the grave without my sickness.

As I thought about what Christ accomplished on my behalf, this phrase came up out of my spirit: He took it, He bore it, I’ve got it. He took my sickness, He bore my disease, therefore I’ve got my healing. If you’re dealing with a physical issue, no matter how severe, repeat that phrase often. See your sickness upon Jesus on the cross. See Him leave your sickness in Hell and rise victorious. See yourself, risen with Him, free and whole. Try saying that phrase a few times right now: He took it, He bore it, I’ve got it.

Every time you see in the Word that He healed them, realize that the price was about to be paid for each of them. So great was redemption’s price that not one person need go without healing. Never must one person suffer so that God can take care of the needs of another. One person already did suffer: Jesus. He suffered in His body so we could be free from suffering in our body. We have what Psalms 130:7 says: a plentiful redemption. There’s more than enough for all people, any disease, every time. Because Jesus was to pay the price for all, He healed them all.

Let’s look at one more of these inspiring passages:

And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. Luke 9:11 (KJV)

I love the Word of God because it neutralizes the harmful, religious things that people often say. It erases wrong thinking and renews our mind to the truth. So many well-meaning (but misinformed) Christians tell us that if we’re sick, we just need patience. That’s what one preacher told my spiritual father, Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin, when he was on his deathbed as a teenager. He said to him, Just be patient, my boy. In a few more days it will all be over. He said this, not in expectation of healing, but in anticipation of his death!

When religious people say just be patient, they’re suggesting that we lay back and disengage, helplessly allowing circumstances to run their course. Religion always advocates a passive, wait-and-see attitude in order to determine God’s will. Friends, that’s not how to determine God’s will, it’s how to die early. God’s Word is God’s will. We determine His will by reading His Word.

This verse tells us exactly what we need if we’re sick, and it’s not what religion calls patience. If we’re sick, we have need of healing. No serenity prayers, asking for grace to accept this disease as our cross to bear. No hiding behind His so-called sovereignty. No lecture in soft tones about how we can never tell what God may do. I’ll tell you exactly what God will do. He’ll do