The word "HEALING" in the New Testament has the connotation of service done TO a person. It is NOT the performance of religious deeds; it is delivering another human being from something burdensome. This is exactly what liberty is; it is deliverance from self-imposed and devil imposed bondage. The guilty sinner, by the revelation of Jesus Christ, is delivered from the yoke of sin, fear, and unbelief.
We are delivered by seeing Him that is able to deliver us. The load of sin is too much to carry, and the transgressors back is bowed down-(Luke 13:11) "And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself." Yet, the Son of God reveals Himself as having borne the burden away– "And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity." He took our sins upon Himself, suffered for them under the wrath of God, and then by the means of death, rendered payment for them forever (Heb 9:15). Now, my conscience, seeing Christ risen from the dead and highly exalted, no longer has to BARE the burden of putting away my sins. I never have to do enough, feel enough, deserve enough, earn enough, or even stop sinning enough to gain His acceptance. I knew all along that my sin was separating me from God, and thus a burden; but I did not know how to get rid of it. Yet now, I see my debt is paid, and the burden is removed from me.
The Lord Jesus Christ also bears the burden of Christian obedience-(vs13) "And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God." So long as you think good works are something that must be performed in your power… something that determines your acceptance… you CANNOT perform them. You see, justification is total acceptance before God, and therefore I believe that He will help me. When Daniel was loosed from the lion's den, that great trial of his faith, it was for this reason–"forasmuch as before [God] innocency was found in me… because he believed in his God (Dan 6:22, 23)." And, that is exactly the standing of every believer; ALL of Christ's innocency is imputed to us through faith. When God came to us and delivered us from the bonds of Satan, it was because He saw us in Christ. Although we were dead, depraved, and in full-scale love with sin, He saw us perfect in the Lord Jesus Christ. Likewise, when God the Holy Spirit strengthens us in the hour of tribulation, it is because of God's Holy Son. The devils cried out because they knew Him, and they knew that God, as the only possessor of power, would give any grace to any sinner because of Him–"The Holy One of God" (Mark 1:21-26).
Therefore, look to God to fulfill His promises. Elijah was a man suffering from the very same things that we struggle with–sin, temptation, and unbelief. YET, he prayed believingly. He prayed believing that he was a righteous man, and the Lord God answered him (James 5:16). Even so, everything that shall take place in our generation… all the mighty acts of faith… are given to us because of the Son (read Hebrews 11).
Faith does not look to self or consider self worth anything, but faith does look to Jesus Christ and, in measure, sees Him exactly as the Father sees. He is exalted from the dead and given the highest place of preeminence… not because man has accepted Him or because devils moved over and gave Him dominion… but because the Father is well-pleased. The Father is well-pleased with His perfect faithfulness and life of obedience; the Father is well-pleased with Him bearing away our sins; and the Father is well-pleased to bless all of His elect children because of Him.
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