Psalms 8:1 and 16:2 with no orchestration, just simply vocalization and straight melody.
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures foraging in Luke. The Mind of the Spirit connected with the spirit of my mind in Luke 13:12:
Luke 13:12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
The connection was made when I read, “Thou art loosed from thine infirmity.” I know the story from reading it hundreds of times over the years, so as soon as I read this clause, the entire story came to mind, especially the part about this infirmity being an affliction Satan had put on this woman that she bore for eighteen years (Luke 12:16; see Luke 8:2).
An infirmity is any mental or physical feebleness, a malady, or a disease. It can be a physical disease, a moral frailty or weakness, or a combination of these things. If we give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27), Satan can place us in bondage to some moral infirmity that manifests in a physical malady. Some have suggested that this woman was bent over from excessive guilt or embittering grief.
Along the still waters, I looked at Jesus and marvelled. He “loosed” this woman without being asked. Her presence in the Synagogue where He was teaching could be taken as her seeking help, but among the things that makes this story stand out is the fact that it is among those few instances where Jesus called out someone for healing (the man with a withered hand—Luke 6:6-8; and the man who lay at the pool of Bethesda suffering from an infirmity for 38 years—John 5:1-9). He “took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses” (Matthew 8:17).
In the valley, I knelt in the shadow of His Cross and thought about the wonderful truth that it is by His wounds (stripes) that we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Indeed, in His life He bore our griefs, and carried our sorrows, healing the sick, and lifting up the downcast (Isaiah 53:4; Matthew 8:17). And in His death He provided salvation and deliverance from this body of death (Romans 7:24-25).
Some improperly assume this means Christ has secured temporal healing for us in His atonement. They should consult the Scripture of truth regarding such claims and ask the Apostle Paul why he advised Timothy to “use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities” (1 Timothy 5:23). Paul did not say, O, Timothy, only believe the atonement has provided for your healing! Furthermore, when Paul suffered from a distracting infirmity, he prayed for healing, and it was denied to him (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). In His death and resurrection, he secured for us our blessed hope (Titus 2:13) and the day He will “change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21a).
The Spirit spoke the Master’s words in my heart: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
At the table, Jesus reminded me that He has instructed us to call for the elders of the church to pray over us when we are sick, and so temporal healing is available (James 5:12-15).
We discussed the fact that many diseases are related to spiritual oppression, and our power to command devils is real (James 4:7; Luke 10:19; Acts 1:5-8).
He also instructed me that sometimes he purposes sickness for “the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified” in a miraculous healing (John 11:4). And sometimes he purposes sickness that He might demonstrate His strength through our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
He gloriously concluded by explaining to me that in all instances we are loosed from suffering in bondage to Satan, and given the honor of suffering for the glory of Christ Who suffered for us (2 Corinthians 1:5, 24; see especially Romans 8:17; and Philippians 1:29; 3:8; and 2 Timothy 3:12, wrapping it up with “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1 Peter 5:10)).
He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy accompanied us into the fields of service.
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live when I get a chance to put together the livestream.
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