May1-7: Faith and Healing

Teaching Points

1. Are faith and health related? Read Prov. 3:5-8 and contemplate the following questions.

QUESTIONS:

• How much of the heart should trust in the Lord?
• Should we trust or lean on our understanding or knowledge?
• What does it mean “fear the Lord?”
• According to this passage, what helps us depart from evil?
• How is this total trust and dependence related to our health in verse 8?

2. The word “lean” is closely related to the word used for “stayed” in Isaiah 26:3. What is this passage saying? How are the two passages related?   

ANSWER:

• Trust in God brings complete peace.
• If one leans on God and is unmoved, he will have a stable peaceful mind.
• A stable peaceful mind is a healthy mind. 

3. What does the fear of God and His Word bring?    

ANSWER:

• Prov. 19:23—The Fear of God brings life.
• Prov. 4:22—God’s wisdom brings life and health. 

OBSERVATION:

• Trust in the Lord brings physical as well as spiritual health.
• Leaning on God instead of our own abilities or wisdom brings physical and spiritual health.
• The one who is stayed or supported—unmovable—on God will have peace of mind, which directly relates to physical health.
• God’s word of wisdom brings health and life.

4. What does it mean to “fear the Lord”?  How does the Bible show this in other texts?

ANSWER:

• Exo. 15:16—Here, fear is to be afraid, terrified of God. This fear does not lead to love for God.
• Isa. 2:19—these people are afraid of God because they have rejected and rebelled against Him.
• Prov. 3:7—This fear is more of a reverence or respect for God that is trust-building and loving.

5. How does love counter fear?

ANSWER:

• 1 John 4:18—Those who fear doesn’t have perfect love in Christ.  
• A heart full of love is not afraid.
• Fear brings torment. 

OBSERVATION:

• There are two types of fear in the Bible. One leads to respect and loving trust in God and the other leads to being afraid of God but not loving God.
• Perfect love for God casts out fear.
• Those who are fearful do not love God.                                                                                               

THOUGHT QUESTIONS:

• How is your faith or unbelief affecting your health?
• Are you trusting God with all your heart or leaning on your own understanding?
• Is your love relationship with God giving you a hatred for evil and a desire and willingness to turn away from evil?
• Are you afraid or do you love God so much that His love takes away your fear?
• What relation does fear have to worry and stress? What about fear that things won’t work out right? Fear that you won’t be able to finish on time? Fear about food or money?
• How can a trust relationship with God help you deal with these fear based worries and stresses?

6. How does “bad” fear affect health?

ANSWER:

• Luke 21:26—Men’s hearts will fail them for fear.
• 1 John 4:18—fear brings torment. 

7. What is God’s desire for us?

ANSWER:

• 2 Tim. 1:7—Not a spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind. 

8. How does fear and trust affect our eternal salvation?

ANSWER:

• Rev. 21:8—the fearful and unbelieving take part in the second death.

9.  What special promises is given to those who trust in God?

ANSWER:

• Ps. 91—God is our refuge and fortress.
• Ps. 46—God is our refuge in earthshaking times.
• Ps. 62:8—Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.
• Isa. 33:16—bread and water will be sure. 

OBSERVATION:

• God wants us to have the spirit of power, love, and a sound mind because we trust in Him.
• If we cherish fear and are unbelieving then we will not have eternal life.
• God wants us to learn to surrender our “bad” fear for a loving, trusting relationship with Him.
• God promises His protection and provision for our needs.

SOP

• Let us exercise faith in God, and keep close to the side of Christ in following His Word. The Lord will teach His people if they will be taught. We can stand where we can hear the instruction of Christ. We have a living God and a living Christ. Whole legions of devils are watching their opportunities to get hold of human minds, but if we keep close to the Word, we shall not be overcome. "Wherefore," said Paul to Timothy, "I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."  {SD 196.3} 
• We need to have a living faith in Jesus Christ. We need to exercise faith, that when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord will lift up a standard for us against him. A heart true to God is often in prayer. Do not let one wave of discouragement come over you. We must give our thoughts to the contemplation of the character and the works of God, teaching Christ's words. Be of good courage. Let your courage and your constant reliance upon Jesus Christ inspire in others belief and increased faith and hope. {SD 196.4}
• God's people are weak because they have not made Him their trust. They have not made Him their dependence, but have laid their burdens on finite minds and human hearts. The help they have received has been like the helpers they have sought. God has been lost sight of. Look to Him who can say, "I will; be thou clean," and straightway the leprosy of sin departs. Go for help to Him who commands the winds and the waves, and they obey His voice; who speaks, and the dead come forth from corruption to life and health. Glory and majesty surround Him in all His ways.  {ST, October 24, 1900 par. 11}   
• The fear of the Lord will do more for the patrons of the Sanitarium than any other means that can be employed for the restoration of health. Religion should in no case be kept in the background, as though detrimental to those who come to be treated. On the contrary, the fact should ever be made prominent, that the laws of God, both in nature and revelation, are "life unto those that fear them, and health to all their flesh."  {PH100 12.1}  

 CONCLUSION:

• Faith and health are closely related.
• A trust relationship brings a healthy mind that in turn leads to a healthy body.  
• The “fear of the Lord” and being afraid of the Lord are opposite and have opposite consequences.
• Perfect love for God casts out fear.
• Fear is often the cause of stress and worry and the solution is a loving and trusting relationship with God!

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• Do you have a healthy fear of God or are you fearful and unbelieving?
• Are you allowing God to give you love, power, and a sound mind?
• Are you claiming God’s promises and trusting yourself in His hands? 
• Are you pouring out your heart before God and taking Him as your refuge?