The Life-Changing World of Salvation
By lb50 on November 11, 2011
How to Receive Spiritual Healing-Excerpt
By June Hunt –
No one is “born” a bulimic, no one starts life a sex addict, no one comes into this world an alcoholic or a compulsive gambler, eater, or spender. Yet somehow along life’s tumultuous journey, we can become hooked on harmful, addictive habits—horribly hooked.
So how does this “somehow” happen? Consider what our greatest need is as humans. Some say food, clothing, or shelter—focusing primarily on our outer needs. Others say love, significance, or security—prioritizing our inner needs. And while all these are vitally important to our lives, addressing these needs will not fulfill the deepest part of our inner being. Many have longed for an inner healing that has eluded them for years—a true healing for painful brokenness.
From God’s perspective, then, what is our greatest need? The Bible tells us that every person who has ever lived has thought thoughts, said words, and done deeds that fall short of God’s perfect standard (what the Bible calls sin). And the punishment for sin is spiritual death (meaning an eternity separated from God).
Typically, people won’t want to be separated for all eternity from God. That being the case, our greatest need is to have our sins forgiven. That is, to not have our sins counted against us. Only then can we receive true spiritual healing.
In truth, because of God’s great love for us, God doesn’t want us separated from Him. He has provided a way for our sins to be forgiven so that we can become all He created us to be today and live with Him forever.
This is the why of Jesus. Although we can’t change the fact that we’ve sinned, Jesus doesn’t want us separated from Him either.
Realize that the all-powerful Trinity is comprised of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And Jesus, who is God the Son, chose to leave heaven and come to earth for the purpose of dying on the cross for our sins. Understand that He wasn’t a victim of the cruelty of His crucifiers. Jesus said about His own life, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18).
Spiritual healing begins with a personal belief in what happened at Calvary almost 2000 years ago—Jesus Christ died in our place for our sins. By entrusting our lives to Christ—giving Him control of our lives—we gain forgiveness for our sins and therefore the free gift of eternal life! The Bible makes it clear that spiritual healing, or salvation, comes only through Jesus Christ. And while religious activities (like attending church, reading the Bible, giving offerings) can be forms of worship, they have no power to bring spiritual healing.
Complete emotional healing from destructive addictions can take several years, but that’s not the case with spiritual healing. At the moment of belief (when someone places their entire dependence solely upon Jesus as Lord and Savior), spiritual healing occurs—instantaneously. Every sin—past, present, and future—is cleansed.
So while you’re seeking God’s help for overcoming your harmful habits, you can allow the Four Points of God’s Plan (given below) to lead you into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He will meet your greatest need, the one that counts for all eternity!
Listen to this plea found in the Bible:
“Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed;
save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise”
(Jeremiah 17:14).
Four Points of God’s Plan
1. God’s Purpose for You…Is Salvation
- What was God’s motivation in sending Jesus Christ to earth?
— To express His love for you by saving you! The Bible says…
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”
(John 3:16-17).
- What was Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth?
— To forgive your sins, to empower you to have victory over sin, and to enable you to live a fulfilled life. Jesus said,
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”
(John 10:10 nkjv).
2. Your Problem…Is Sin
- What exactly is sin?
— Sin is living independently of God’s standard—knowing what is right, but choosing what is wrong. The Bible says,
“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins”
(James 4:17).
- What is the major consequence of sin?
— Spiritual death, or eternal separation from God. Scripture states,
“Your iniquities [sins] have separated you from your God…The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
(Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23).
3. God’s Provision for You…Is the Savior
- Can anything remove the penalty for sin?
— Yes! Jesus died on the cross to personally pay the penalty for your sins. The Bible says,
“God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”
(Romans 5:8).
- What is the solution to being separated from God?
— Believe in (entrust your life to) Jesus Christ as the only way to God the Father. Jesus says,
“I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me…
Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”
(John 14:6; Acts 16:31).
4. Your Part…Is Surrender
- Give Christ control of your life by entrusting yourself to Him:
“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross [die to your own self-rule] and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?’ ”
(Matthew 16:24-26).
— Place your faith in (rely on) Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and reject your good works as a means of earning God’s approval.
“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast”
(Ephesians 2:8-9).
The moment you choose to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior—and entrust your life to Him—He comes to live inside you. Then He gives you His power so you can live the fulfilled life God has planned for you. If you want to be fully forgiven by God and become the person God created you to be, you can tell Him in a simple, heartfelt prayer like this:
Prayer of Salvation
“God, I want a real relationship with You.
I admit that many times I’ve chosen
to go my own way instead of Your way.
Please forgive me for my sins.
Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross
to pay the penalty for my sins.
Come into my life to be my Lord and my Savior.
Change me from the inside out and make me the person
You created me to be.
In Your holy name I pray. Amen.”
What Can You Now Expect?
With this spiritual healing and the Lord in your life, you can know that never again will you struggle alone with a harmfully addictive habit. Realize that God’s supernatural power can break the most powerful stronghold. He longs to be your Helper, your Hope, and your Hand of Protection.
When you feel weak, lean on His unsurpassed strength. Allow Him to help you break free from your bondage and start walking in freedom. And take comfort in these compassionate words from Jesus:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”
(2 Corinthians 12:9).
Hope For The Heart Founder, CEO and CSO June Hunt is one of the world’s leading biblical counselors. An author, singer and speaker, she founded Hope For The Heart in 1986. Her life’s work has yielded landmark contributions in the field of Christian counseling. The ministry offers biblical hope and practical help—through biblical counsel, coaching, and context for contemporary concerns—in more than 60 countries on 6 continents. Early family pain was the catalyst that shaped June’s compassionate heart. Later, as a youth director, she became aware of the need for sound biblical counsel. This led June to a lifelong commitment to providing God’s Truth for Today’s Problems.
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