A few years ago I began listening to number of different messages from Kirby and Fiona Delanerolle, founders of Works of Wonder in Sri Lanka. They have truly gotten ahold of the message of immortality and what it means that we will not die, and are pursuing it with intensity.  One thing Kirby touched on that I continue to ponder is that we can minister healing through forgiving sin.

Consider John 20:21-23, “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you!  As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’  And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.'”  I have heard this verse many times both as a child and adult, and even while learning a lot about physical healing in my 20s I never connected the dots, but this very concept is fascinating.  Think about this.  Jesus didn’t just teach his disciples this at any time–he did it after he died and rose again, after having paid the price for all sin and death for all time . Luke 5:17-26 tells of Jesus healing the paralyzed man AFTER forgiving his sins, but at no point in time did he tell his disciples to do the same until after he rose again.  This is significant, and I believe holds a major key to those who still have yet to receive their healing.

It is easy to do an internet search and find articles about healing through forgiveness, but that is speaking about us finding healing by forgiving others for wrongs done against us–not about healing other people by forgiving their sins.  In spite of the fact that this is taught almost nowhere, I believe it is an important key to releasing the life of Christ into the earth, and it is one I fully intend to explore.

It makes amazing sense if we really look at it.  Sickness is simply death-in-process.  The only thing that gives the enemy the ability to make us sick is sin.  Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Sin causes death, so if we forgive sin, thereby removing it, then death has no hold, and giving healing–a manifestation of the gift of God that is eternal life–should be easy.  Forgive sin, heal sickness, repeat as necessary.

I think healing through forgiving sin is THE solution, but it is an important key.  We have gotten moderately good at healing some sicknesses, especially in the Charismatic churches, but anyone who operates in healing will acknowledge that we have a long way to go if we want to get the kind of results Jesus paid for with his life.  I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I do know I am asking some of the right questions.  What would happen if we taught people to forgive sins and not just pray for healing?  What is the relationship between faith and righteousness?  Between righteousness and healing?  This subject has so much more to it and this is only the tip of the iceberg.  I am convinced that as we pursue understanding not only what it means that Jesus forgave our sins, but that as his brothers and sisters He has given us the authority to forgive the sins of others, we will change the way we deal with people.  We will change the way we heal diseases. We can and will change the face of health on this planet, and I believe we can do it in part by healing through forgiving sin.