“God’s will— and the sufferings of his children”
(part 1, of 3)
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Below is a writing that was done by Ricky Taylor, after speaking with him and his sister Beverly— about ‘faith,’ and ‘healing,’ suffering and afflictions, tribulations, sorrows, griefs, infirmities and maladies— as well as how God’s will plays into it all, scripturally, throughout the ages of time.
This a joint effort, compilation of revelations the Lord has given to Ricky, myself and his sister Beverly, as we were led by the Holy Spirit, and his scriptures; with an excerpt from the writing of Edward Koye-Ladele.
I have added my input— and my words will be in {brackets}; and as I have spoken of what the Lord has commented to me and revealed to me— through his scripture, his people in the scripture, his nature, his just personality (meaning he is same/equal, to all), and his reasons why— even when from our perspective we cannot understand— it will be in {brackets} during Ricky’s portion.
All is unto his glory— all is pointing toward God, in all things; and not all things unroll exactly the same unto all people.
‘But God’ —has a purpose in it all.
Thy Word, is Ricky’s ministry page and YouTube channel (and is well worth checking out) —and below is the response he gave to me, and subsequently all— according to the teaching and leading of the Holy Spirit unto him upon these topics.
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Thy Word Ministries
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“One of the things we often joke about and banter about in Thy Word is that all questions must be submitted in writing. And, though we have used this phrase in a rather tongue in cheek manner, there is some truth to it.
Generally, it is a rule in place in order to not lose our way as we cover the Bible chapter by chapter, which requires focus and discipline.
Allowing questions during Thy Word can cause confusion and derail
our train of thought. But, questions are both welcome and necessary in order to properly divide the scriptures.
Our goal here is to feed the flock of God, and to offer nourishment from His word. And that means answering questions.
We received a question that I find to be troubling, and believe requires a proper answer. It is troubling— because it reveals a lack of understanding of the scriptures, and of the nature and the foundation of the Christian walk.
The question was, and I paraphrase:
“Why are so many teachers, prophets, pastors and evangelists telling the Church that the reason they are not being divinely healed by God is because of their unbelief, and, if they only had faith, God would heal them?
I believe many are under condemnation, because they are suffering and feel it is their fault God does not heal them— because they cannot muster the faith to be healed.
Is it scriptural that God will always heal you if you have unwavering faith, and will not heal you if your faith waivers?
Is it always God’s will to heal, and are Christians who are suffering an illness always out of the will of God?”
Let me first say that I am thankful for this person’s question, because it shows compassion for those who are suffering within the body of Christ;
and because the question rightly supposes that the Bible is the final arbiter of truth. If we will have an answer to any such question— we will find the answer in His Word. I want to answer this as completely as I can, and there is a foundation that I must first lay down in order to do so.
The person who asked the question hit upon the foundation that we must first lay down in order to properly answer the question. That is —the will of God. As we always say in Thy Word— Jesus is the focus. He is not only our Lord and savior, but he is our perfect example.
Jesus, though divine, was born as a man, lived as a man, and suffered the death of a man. As a man— he walked with God— the first and perfect example for all Christians.
As the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:6
“He who says he abides in Him ought himself
also to walk just as He walked.”
We are to walk just as he walked. We are to follow his example in every aspect of the Christian walk. And— since this particular question focuses on faith and divine healing— let us look at the example Jesus gave to us.
Gifts of Healing— is one of the Gifts of the Spirit found in
1 Corinthians chapter 12.
There are nine such gifts listed, and it is important that we understand the Gifts of the Spirit are of the Holy Spirit, and are operated through the leading, guidance, and will of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s look at this in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one
individually as He wills.”
Now, to clear up any confusion in the translation of this scripture, the phrase— “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills—” does not mean the will of → the man— but the will of the Holy Spirit.
In other words, these gifts are to be in operation in the church, and are to always be used according to the will of the Holy Spirit— whose gifts they are.
And this leads us to the foundation we must first lay in order to properly answer this question. That is, that the Christian walk— walking the way Jesus walked— is not to do our will, but instead → it is to do the will of God.
In other words, the Christian walk is not about doing what we want, or getting what we want— it is not “My will be done” —but it is,
“Thy will be done.”
For lack of a better word—
Jesus was the perfect Christian.
{And I, Janet, would add that ‘perfect,’ in scripture
Is defined as whole, or complete— and he sure was/is.}
He possessed all the gifts of the Holy Spirit and operated in all the gifts— with the exclusion of tongues, and tongues interpretation. We see in his ministry the Gifts of Healing, the Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, and the Working of Miracles.
We also see that he used all of these gifts— through— the Holy Spirit, according to the will of God. Because— though Jesus is God manifest in the flesh— he was in the role, and took upon himself → the nature of a man.
Peter, in Acts 10:38, spoke of Jesus as a man who was anointed by the Holy Spirit and with power— “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
Now, the Church should— walking in the same manner as Jesus walked— be anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power. Furthermore, we should be used by the Holy Spirit in the same way Jesus was used.
The difference here is Jesus had all the Gifts. We, as the church are his body, and, though the church collectively has all the Gifts, not every member of the Body of Christ uses every Gift. We all have our particular function in the Body— individual members put in place according to the will of the Holy Spirit.
I want to lay this foundation by looking at the Temptation of Jesus Christ
in Matthew chapter 4, starting in verse 1.
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said— If —You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
But He answered and said, “It is written— Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him— If —You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: He shall give His angels charge over you, and, In their hands they shall bear you up— Lest you dash your foot
against a stone.
Jesus said to him— It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God. Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him— All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.
Then Jesus said to him— Away with you, Satan! For it is written— You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.
Then the devil left Him, and behold— angels came and ministered to Him.”
Now, once again, I must reiterate that Jesus was a man, a member of the human race— and he was tempted as a man is tempted.
I want to point out here that Jesus did not challenge
the devil. He did not seek him out. He did not of his own will choose the confrontation.
Then why did he go into the wilderness
to be tempted of the devil?
He went because the Holy Spirit led him to go into the wilderness.
It was not his own human will— but it was the Holy Spirit’s will.
I would like to bring your attention to what the Apostle Paul told the Romans, in Romans 8:14
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
these are sons of God.”
And Jesus was led into the wilderness, by the Spirit, to be tempted of the devil. And what was the nature of the temptation, that is summed up in one phrase, continually used by the devil— “If thou be the son of God?”
If you are the Son of God, then work a miracle— turn stones into bread. But Jesus did not turn stones into bread. Why not?
Certainly, possessing the power of God, there was enough power in him
to turn stones into bread. But the answer is simple. He did not do it— because the Spirit did not lead him to do it.
{I, Janet, would add here that the reason Ricky states that, is because satan is always trying to be our god, in leading us, and commanding Christ, ordering him about— was no different a temptation for Christ, as it is for us; satan wanted to ‘be like the Most High God,’ and he was seeking to be just that unto Christ himself: ORDERING him, COMMANDING him about.
Don’t think for a minute he didn’t know it was likely, or for sure the Word of God himself; and he would have liked nothing more than to have ‘commanded God himself,’ around; but God saw that a mile out, so to speak— and came back ORDERING satan around.}
Then the devil took him to the pinnacle of the Temple and told him to cast himself down. He even quoted scripture, showing how God would send angels to catch him, to miraculously save him from falling. And, what a way to show the Israelites he was the Messiah, what a grand entrance.
But Jesus did not do it.
Why?
Because the Spirit did not lead him to do it.
{Or, I would add— ORDER him, INSTRUCT him to do it— satan was desiring to order him about}.
You see, it wasn’t working a miracle that revealed Jesus to be the Son
of God— it was being led by the Spirit. → It was doing the will of God.
Jesus said in John 6:38
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will —but the will of Him who sent Me.”
Therefore, it was not the miracles that revealed Jesus to be the Son of God— but being led by the Spirit.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God— they are the sons of God.
Everything Jesus did— he did, because—
it was the will of God.
Every person he healed, every miracle he worked, every demon he cast out— he did it according to the will of God. And, ultimately, at the end of his ministry— on the way to the cross— he submitted his will → to the will of God, though it meant anguish, humiliation, and suffering.
In Luke 22:42, he prayed—
“Saying— Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
And— we ought to walk, even as he walked.
Everything we do, we should do— because we are led by the Spirit to do it.
For the will of God, and not for our own will. We should pray—
the will of God.
As Jesus said, teaching the disciples to pray—
“Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,
on Earth as it is in Heaven.”
While on Earth, Jesus was the vessel God used to accomplish His will.
Now that Jesus is taken up into Heaven, the Church, the Body of
Christ, has the same mission. We are the vessel God uses— to accomplish His will in the Earth.
“Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.”
{I often like to point out that in scripture— ‘on earth,’ is often interchanged with ‘in earth;’ and in saying that, we can see that we are to have the Lord’s will done— IN US— as we are the earthen vessels.
We must understand that we are tools, emptied vessels, cleaned and cleared out, for God to fulfill HIS perfect will THROUGH us, if we are operating properly, with, and unto— the Lord God holy, through his Holy Spirit; religion likes to tell us he is not speaking directly to his children, in words spoken— only through the written word, do they believe he speaks to us.
I ask— If you have a mouth, and Christ had a mouth on earth in human form— do you not speak, and make sentences? He is the same yesterday, today and forever— scripture states; and he changes not, nor does he lie. So— he speaks even yet, as he spoke even so, in the old testament days, and now— in the New Covenant, and ESPECIALLY in the New Covenant, he just said to my spirit: because the Holy Spirit is now ABIDING WITHIN man, tabernacled together, and are to have been becoming ONE IN SPIRIT— together.
If he is in us, speaking to us, and he’s the same always, does not change— and cannot lie about that— then HE IS TO BE LEADING US, IN ALL OUR WAYS, as he brings us into all truth, and ACCORDING TO HIS OWN WILL; as he is our SHIPMASTER CAPTAIN, steering us about at the helm of our relation-ship.}
Every Gift of the Spirit in operation in the Church should operate according to the will of God, by → the leading of the Spirit.
Every prayer should be a declaration of the will of God, a request for His will to be done on Earth.
We should never— must never— pray for anything outside of the will of God. His will— is perfect— after all. When we pray, we are being used by God as vessels, *INSTRUMENTS for— His purpose, His will, for His glory.
{I would like to add here that I received some revelation to a dream the Lord gave me about 12-15 years ago— he called me to be an intercessory to his ‘student body,’ as he called it: the body of Christ.
And in this dream he showed me himself, as the High Priest, walking behind a regiment of 12 women, respectively; and as he walked behind them, he observed them ‘assembling their instruments,’ as musical instruments were on a long table— set before them.
As I now read what Ricky has written here, I am receiving more revelation to why he showed me this company of prophetic judges— as these women were wearing black and white (prophetic colors, symbolically) old fashion colonial judge attire— as they prepared the instruments for use.
Because THEY, themselves, are the cleaned, and prepared INSTRUMENTS, ‘in his hands,’ to use as HE WILLS, unto his good pleasure. And they are being refined, tuned up— to speak, and sound off— HIS WILL TO BE DONE IN THE EARTH and EARTHEN VESSELS.
Thank you Ricky!!}
To pray for our will to be done— is carnal, foolish and unproductive.
Why?
Because God knows his perfect will, and we may not know His perfect will. It is for this reason we must submit our wills to the leading of
the Spirit— who knows the perfect will of God.
Look what Paul said in Romans 8:26-27
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
So, when we pray— we should pray by the leading of the Spirit— who makes intercession for us— according to the will of God.
So, the foundation of the Christian walk is— to do the will of God, by the leading of the Spirit of God.
Not my will → but His be done.
Having laid this foundation, let’s focus on the question:
“Why are so many teachers, prophets, pastors and evangelists telling the Church that the reason they are not being divinely healed by God is because of their unbelief, and, if they only had faith, God would heal them?
I believe many are under condemnation, because they are suffering and feel it is their fault God does not heal them, because they cannot muster the faith to be healed.
Is it scriptural that God will always heal you if you have unwavering faith, and will not heal you if your faith waivers?
Is it always God’s will to heal, and are Christians who are suffering an illness always out of the will of God?”
I believe in miracles; my entire walk with Jesus is a product of a miracle. I believe in divine healing. I believe that God has given believers authority over unclean spirits. These things are genuine. The Bible is clear that these signs shall follow those who believe.
Jesus said in Mark 16:17-18
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
The Bible also says that if Jesus had fallen— he would have been protected by angels. It is important to understand that one temptation of the devil was— to try to get Jesus to “test,” or force— the Word of God.
{That’s what I meant by— command him about, tempting him to ‘do the devil’s will/desires,’ and not God his Father’s.}
Jesus, pardon the pun— did not fall for it. But many Christians
do. There are entire meetings devoted to “deliverance,” which seems to see demons behind practically every disorder, or human weakness.
There are healing campaigns, prophecy seminars, and such like. I am not saying all of these things are wrong— but the danger with these is in following after signs— instead of having signs → following after us.
{Meaning— wherever we go, signs that God in us, has been here, shown out; not us, running after ‘seeking,’ signs of the supernatural— for ourselves to see and experience: we are to be the bringers of, as the children of God go about— DOING the ‘will of him’ who is steering this relation-ship, within us.}
God does not heal whenever we want Him to heal.
He heals when it is His will to heal.
He casts out devils when He wills it, and we must follow His Spirit in these matters.
Not every person under the influence of an unclean spirit is ready or willing to be delivered; and not everyone struggling with temptation— is under demonic control.
And it is not God’s will to heal everyone, every time we will him to do it— no matter how much we believe.
We must be very careful —not to allow Satan to give us counterfeits {healings, deliverance, etc}— instead of the true signs from God. Our mission is to preach the gospel— the signs will follow.
For every genuine blessing God has given to us— Satan offers counterfeits:
There is a counterfeit Holy Spirit infilling, which is basically teaching tongues. There is counterfeit healing, counterfeit miracles, counterfeit deliverance. And those involved— often use the Bible.
But the devil used scripture, as well {when tempting Christ}. These signs will follow us— but we do not follow after them. Therefore, because there are counterfeits— we must learn to follow the Spirit, to listen to his voice, to be led by the Spirit.
Jesus did not give into the devil— because he was led by the Spirit, and did only what he was led by God— to do.
God sometimes chooses to heal. He sometimes chooses not to heal. We must be concerned with his will, and not with forcing our own will— on Him.
For instance, the Bible says— we shall take up serpents.
Paul was bitten by a poisonous serpent, and was unharmed. But he did not go looking for a serpent to bite him, in order to test the word of God, to prove that he was a believer.
Paul was a believer— a son of God— because he was led by the Spirit, not because he was bitten by a serpent and was unharmed.
{I would like to emphasize here that brother Ricky has pointed out SEVERAL times now, that ‘the sons,’ or children of God, are, and will be known as and by— the fact that they are ‘LED BY’ his Spirit.
I say this because many often wonder if someone is a ‘child of God;’ well, the description of one has been spoken, and detailed out, again and again in the scriptures (many other verses detailing sanctification and following his commands), and one of these descriptors of a ‘child, or son’ of God— is that they will obediently carrying out HIS ORDERS, or, HIS LEAD: for they are ‘led by’ the Holy Spirit.
If one is ‘led by,’ then, by default— the religious/apostate crowd cannot say— he does not speak, even now; for how can a leader not INSTRUCT his followers— in what to do??
The children, or sons of God— will be obediently LISTENING FOR HIS INSTRUCTION, and will then be led about, by his Spirit.}
(continuing on with Ricky’s teaching)
There is a danger in placing → faith, in faith,
or faith in our own ability to believe.
We are to place our faith → in God.
And what does that mean?
Simply put— it means— we trust Him.
He is worthy of our faith— because He is faithful. He is worthy of our trust— because He is trustworthy.
That means we believe Him when He heals us— and we
believe Him when He chooses not to heal us. We trust Him when everything seems to be going our way— and we trust Him when everything seems to be against us.
We trust His will to be what is best for
us, even when it goes against our own will.
{Let me reiterate once again— ‘our will’ —is what we would decide and choose to do: that is what ‘will’ means— our desires, carried out.}
Now let us look at faith.
I want to point out that there are three different types of faith spoken about in the scriptures:
There is saving faith, which comes to a person when they
hear the gospel and believe.
As Paul said in Romans 10:16-17
“But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says— Lord, who has believed our report? So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
This is the initial faith— when one initially believes the gospel.
The next faith we see in the scriptures is— the fruit of faith.
There is a difference between a gift and a fruit.
A gift is instantly given and instantly acquired. It requires no work, no cultivation and no ripening. But fruit— takes time to grow, and requires cultivation.
The fruit of the Spirit —takes time.
And we find faith listed in the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
This type of faith— as part of the fruit of the spirit— must be cultivated, and must grow over time to full maturity. It is not a gift— but a fruit.
And, finally, as we read in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul lists a third type of faith, not among the fruit of the Spirit, but among the Gifts of the Spirit.
“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;”
This type of faith is a Gift of the Holy Spirit.
As the Gift of the Word of Wisdom —is more than human wisdom— but is a small part of God’s own wisdom, given when it is needed; and the Gift of the Word of Knowledge— is more than human knowledge— but is a small part of God’s own knowledge, given when needed; as the Gift of Faith— is a small part of God’s own faith, given when needed.
It is imparted by God, instantly given, and instantly acquired by the user— for God’s purposes.
Let’s look at an example of the Gift of Faith in the ministry of Jesus.
Mark 11:12-14, 20-23
“Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
In response Jesus said to it— Let no one eat fruit from you ever again. And His disciples heard it. Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
And Peter, remembering, said to Him— Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.
So Jesus answered and said to them— Have faith in God.
For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain— Be removed and be cast into the sea— and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”
Now, here, where Jesus said— “Have faith in God—” the Greek says,
“Have the faith OF God.”
This is a small portion of God’s faith—
imparted to a believer.
Let’s compare this to what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:1-2.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels (this is
the Gift of Divers Kinds of Tongues) but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And Though I have the Gift of
Prophecy, and understand all mysteries (this is the Gift of the Word of Wisdom) and all knowledge (this is the Gift of the Word of Knowledge), and though I have all faith (here he is talking about the Gift of Faith), so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”
So, the Gift of Faith spoken about here —is the mountain moving faith that Jesus demonstrated —when he spoke to the fig tree. And, as the Gifts of Wisdom and Knowledge are part of God’s own wisdom and knowledge— given instantaneously and supernaturally to the believer— the Gift of Faith, is a part of God’s own faith— given instantaneously and supernaturally to the believer.
This is the mustard seed Faith that Jesus spoke about in
Matthew 17:20.
“...for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain— Move from here to there— and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
This is the Gift of Faith. And the Gift of Faith —is a Gift of the Spirit, which is given by, and led by → the Holy Spirit, and according to His will— not according to our will.
So, even faith— all three types of faith— saving faith, the Fruit of the Spirit Faith, and the Gift of Faith → comes from God, and for the will of God, to do his will and purposes through us.
The saving faith— comes from Him; the Fruit of the Spirit Faith —is cultivated and grows by His Spirit, and the Gift of Faith— is through the Spirit, and according to His will.
Therefore, we must be led by the Spirit. We must submit ourselves to His will —as vessels, instruments of His will— on {or in} the Earth.
When we use the Gift of Faith (assuming that is our
gifting) —it is by the Spirit, and according to His will.
If we operate in Gifts of Healing— it is by the Spirit, and according to His will.
His will— and not our will.
To try to operate in the Spirit in our own will, our own desire— is nothing short of witchcraft and divination. We will remember the ‘Prophet for profit’ → Balaam— who sought to prophesy a curse over the people
of Israel, against the will of God.
Balaam was a man who had power with God— but sought to abuse it— to use it according to his will, and not the will of God.
Peter compared the false teachers of his day to Balaam, in 2 Peter 2:15.
“They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following —the way of Balaam— the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.”
A member of the Body of Christ may be used by the Spirit of God— who gives him a small portion of God’s own knowledge— which is to edify and build the Body of Christ; but that man is not a psychic for hire, using the gift of God— as a tool for profit— according to his own will. If a man is doing that— he has stepped into divination— and it is almost certainly another counterfeit spirit— that he is using.
And, in like manner, a believer who God uses in the Gifts of Healing— must operate that Gift by the leading of the Holy Spirit, and according to the will of God.
That means, not everyone will be healed— but only the ones who God ‘chooses’ to heal.
Then, are there people— even Christians, who God chooses, in his divine wisdom and foreknowledge— not to be heal? According to the scripture, the answer to this is an absolute— yes.
Let us look at the life of the Apostle Paul and his companions.
Paul was a man of faith, sent by the Holy Spirit as an apostle to the Gentiles. And he went preaching the gospel with signs following.
And Luke gives an account of Paul’s miraculous ministry in Acts 19:11-12.
“Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.”
Now, that is the power of God.
And notice that God worked the miracles.
He did it by the hands of Paul—
but God did them.
The Gifts of the Spirit operated by the Spirit— through— Paul.
If anyone had faith to heal the sick → it was Paul.
So, one would assume that any Christian in Paul’s circle— would receive healing whenever they were sick or ill. And according to many teachers, prophets, pastors, and evangelists of today —that should have been the case. And, if those around Paul were not always healed— according to those teachers, prophets, pastors and evangelists— it was due to a lack of faith.
If they only believed enough,
they would be healed.
That, somehow— their faith would somehow force
God to heal— regardless of His will.
Yet, at the end of Paul’s second letter to Timothy, in chapter 4:20— while Paul was giving closing greetings to the saints, and his fellow laborers in the gospel— he said this about one of his companions in the gospel, a Christian by the name of Trophimus.
“Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus
I have left in Miletus— sick.”
Trophimus was a Christian. He was a companion, and a fellow laborer in the gospel— with the Apostle Paul; the same Paul who God had worked astounding miracles through.
Why didn’t Paul lay hands on him and heal him?
Why didn’t he give him a prayer cloth and lay it on him?
Others received healing in that way, after all—
Did Paul lack faith?
Should Paul have struggled within himself to increase his faith— in order to move God to heal Trophimus?
And, if we were to agree with this way of thinking— we would have seen that Paul must have habitually lacked faith— because Trophimus was not THE ONLY ONE of Paul’s companions, who was sick.
Another fellow laborer in the gospel, with Paul, was a Christian by the name of Epaphroditus— and he was sick, almost unto death.
Paul wrote about him in Philippians 2:25-27.
“Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him
but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.”
Once again, those same teachers, prophets, pastors and evangelists, —had they lived in Paul’s time— might have chastised Paul for his unbelief, placed guilt and condemnation on him— because if he would have only believed God, if he only had unwavering faith— poor Epaphroditus would not have suffered at all.
{As we are talking about God’s will to be done, and not our own, as brother Ricky details out so eloquently here in his discourse— I am reminded of how Christ himself— did not heal Lazarus, nor run to his side when he was sick, but instead— tarried 2 more days where he was.
And why?
Because it was not HIS WILL to be done, it was the Father’s will to be done, and unto his glory, and unto the ministry— which is the display of the Father through the Son— that was to be demonstrated: and that was best demonstrated by NOT DOING AS THE PEOPLE WILLED, but as the Father willed.
And the Father willed for something greater, higher in his ways— than what man could understand— and it is the same with us, as vessel/instruments to be played, and wielded in his hand; we are to be ‘following orders,’ if we have a commander over us— hence— If you love me, follow my commandments: he is our commanding officer, husband, and Father— and we are to be as children should be— OBEDIENT.
As we are not mature in stature as our Father, husband in Yahshua, or the Holy Spirit is; and we should be able to see— we need to be following his commands/orders— for his thoughts and ways are WELL ABOVE OUR OWN, and HIS WILL, is always the PERFECT WILL.}
(continuing with brother Ricky)
‘What’s wrong with you, Paul?
If you really believed— if you only had faith— Epaphroditus would have been instantly healed.’
That’s what many would say today; and Epaphroditus did not die
from that illness.
Why?
Because God had mercy.
It was God’s will that Epaphroditus would live. And, therefore,
he lived. And we can tell by the writing of Paul, that God could have chosen to take Epaphroditus— rather than let him live. And Paul, though thankful for God’s mercy— would have accepted the will of God.
Because the will of God— is always best.
Now, one could argue that it was the faith of Paul’s companions that was the issue, except, once again, Paul wrote to the church at Galatia, in
Galatians 4:13-14.
“You know that— because of physical infirmity— I preached the gospel to you at the first. And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.”
Paul had a physical infirmity that God did not miraculously heal. Instead, according to Paul, it was because of his infirmity that he preached the gospel to the Galatians. In other words— God used his infirmity. And, had it not been for his unhealed infirmity— there may not have been a church at Galatia, and, subsequently— no Epistle to the Galatians.
And Paul praised the Galatians for not despising his infirmity, nor rejecting him because of it.
Neither should we despise the infirmities of our fellow believers— nor reject them because of their infirmities.
Through the infirmity of Paul— not despite it—
the will of God was done.
Paul’s faith was not in his own belief— Paul’s faith was in God— a deep, abiding faith— trusting the will of God— whatever may come. Paul, a man who God worked special miracles through— trusted God— when He healed, and he trusted God— when He did not heal.
That is true faith.
That is the faith of a mature Christian; a faith that trusts Him—
is led by the Spirit— and accepts the perfect will of God.
The opposite of that → is to attempt, by the strength of our own will, by the power of our own “belief” —to force God to do our will, and to use Him for our purposes.
That is the definition of witchcraft and divination, and is → the way of Balaam.
Now, to the saints who are suffering— who are sick, who are ill, who have prayed for healing, and God has not healed— let me say to you, that it is not because of you.
It is not a fault in your character as a Christian.
But, if you have faith in God— it means you have trust in God.
Trust, if he heals, and trust if he does not heal.
Trust that he knows what is best for you, and his will is perfect for you.
We do not always understand his ways— but we can trust that he loves us. We can trust that— as our Heavenly Father— he will care for us. He numbers the very hairs of our heads. He knows all there is to know about us. And, one day— we will understand why he did not heal.
This is the Fruit of Faith. This Faith is not for the purpose of forcing God
to do our will— It is for the purpose of trusting in God, whatever His will may be for our lives.
He is faithful.
He is trustworthy.
Your faith in that truth— is the type of faith that will see you through. And it is the type of faith Jesus exhibited— when he walked among us.
Let us so walk— just as he walked.”
–Ricky Taylor
(End of part 1 of 3, in this series)
AMEN