Sickness 699
but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it.
Therefore I say unto you, all things whatsoever ye pray and ask for,
believe that ye receive (Gr. received) them, and ye shall have them”
(11. 23-24 ASV). What is faith? Faith believes God can, God will,
and God has done it. If you believe you have received it, you shall
have it. Should God give you His word, you can thank Him by
saying, “God has healed me; He has already done; it!” Many
believers merely expect to be healed. Expectation regards things in
the future, but faith deals with the past. If we really believe, we shall
not wait for twenty or a hundred years, but shall rise up immediately
and say, “Thank God He has healed me. Thank God, I have received
it. Thank God, I am clean! Thank God, I am well.” A perfect faith
can there fore proclaim God can, God will and God has done it.
Faith works with “is” and not “wish.” Allow me to use a simple
illustration. Suppose you preach the gospel and one professes that he
has believed. Ask him whether he is saved and should his answer be,
I wish to be saved, then you know this reply is inadequate. Should he
say, I will be saved, the answer is still incorrect. Even if he responds
with, I think I shall definitely be saved, something is yet missing. But
when he answers, I am saved, you know the flavor is right. If one
believes, then he is saved. All faith deals with the past. To say I
believe I shall be healed is not true faith. If he believes, he will thank
God and say, I have received healing.
Lay hold of these three steps: God can, God will, God has. When
man’s faith touches the third stage, the sickness is over.