ICS Daily Devotions
Restored Through Confession
1 Corinthians 11:28-30 (NKJV) But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
The Apostle Paul is saying in this passage that if we do examine and judge ourselves, then many of us should be healthy and be alive. Not many should die prematurely or before their time, therefore sin does have a contributing factor to sicknesses and illnesses though not all sicknesses are due to sin.
We, the Christians need to know that we have been delivered from the bondage of sin and have become a new creation with God’s nature in it. Therefore, we are to examine ourselves in particular our lifestyle whether we are living in sin and judge ourselves in order to change to live in line with God’s ability in us.
You might have read about it that the Israelites were not feeble when they left Egypt. God is not the source of sicknesses, illnesses and pain neither is poverty and lack. God was their Jehovah Rapha. While not all sicknesses, illnesses and pain are a result of sin, some of it is a direct result of it. Only the individual knows what is hidden in his heart, his mind and lifestyle beyond the naked eyes of men because God knows everything. We are to judge our own lives. Some have even died as a result of the rebelliousness. We must not allow ourselves to give any opportunity for the devil to attack us by walking outside of God’s protection. We are to examine ourselves.
We need to discern the Lord’s body and also remember what the blood of Christ has done for us.
James 5: 14-16 (NKJV) Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
Psalm 90:10a (NKJV) The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years.
If you are to read the above scriptures, there is a consistency in scripture that God wants us to be healthy, strong and live to at least 70 years old but sin could be the cause of the sickness. But God does not want us to be sick! This teaching is consistent with the Old Testament. It is the hidden sin in our lives that might rob us of our health, and we need to deal with the sin in our lives IF we have not confessed it. The word IF means it might be the cause of it. There will be a restoration of health once we examine ourselves and leave those sins that hold us back from divine health because God is Jehovah Rapha.
Sermon series: Meditating on the Names of God
