Tag Archives: Love

You Cannot Earn Healing

Your sins or imperfect righteous actions don’t stop you from being healed. This statement needs some qualifications. For example, I hesitate to mention exceptions because people tend to fixate on them, but Paul says in 1 Corinthians that their gross disrespect for the Lord’s Supper was causing some to get sick and even death. Paul urges them to stop this and be healed. Thus, certain extreme levels of sin can bring sickness, and you need to stop sinning. However, even in this context, faith can still bring healing, even if you don’t stop sinning—but if you persist in sin, the sickness is likely to return, and the cycle repeats.

Take for example the man Jesus healed at the pool of Bethesda. Jesus said for him to stop sinning or something worse may happen. Thus, sin was the cause of his sickness, or the reason it did not leave. However, Jesus did not ask the man to repent or ask him to stop sinning before getting healed. No. Jesus only asked, “do you want to be healed?” He healed him for only wanting to be healed. No other qualifier was needed.  For true and permanent health, you need both to stop sinning and to have faith for healing. This is what true resisting the devil means. It is both to stop sinning (if applicable) and command him to leave, or command the sickness to leave. Ta

However, this is an exception. When you read the Gospels, Jesus heals every single person who approaches Him for healing. The only ones He couldn’t heal—or rather, the only ones who could stop God from healing—were those with unbelief. Think about the hundreds, if not thousands, of people lined up for healing. We read of large crowds, and all were healed. These were everyday people with sins like adultery, greed, lust, anger, envy, murder, laziness, and more. Yet, Jesus never stopped them and said, “You must repent first,” or “You must stop this sin first, then I’ll heal you.” Jesus never made them pay or earn their healing through effort, better self-righteousness, or money. Despite their sins and wickedness, Jesus healed them all—every single one.

Healing’s not a paycheck you earn—it’s a free gift from Jesus’ atonement, no sin-slaying resume required. Sure, Paul flagged gross sin like Lord’s Supper disrespect as a sickness trigger, but faith can still zap it, though sinning again might reboot the curse. In the Gospels, Jesus healed everyone—sinners, slackers, all—without a repentance pop quiz. Unbelief’s the only kryptonite

Jesus says, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.” This unqualified access to healing, without earning it through self-improvement, repentance, or greater holiness, reflects the Father’s heart. Think about this the next time you ask the Father to do something in Jesus’ Name.

Through Jesus Christ, I’ve given up on myself. My old sinful record, which the Father held against me in His mind, was removed and nailed to the cross. That’s not me anymore. In the old testament sacrifice, the priest examined the unblemished lamb, not person who did the sin. That was the whole point of an exchange. When the Father considers me, He examines the righteous Jesus Christ, and consider me in Him. The Father sees me in Jesus, as part of Jesus. Does Jesus have sin? Neither do I. Does the Father consider Jesus to have a sinful record? Neither does He consider me to have one. In the Father’s mind, Jesus is perfect righteousness, and so am I. This is my new reality—there’s no other reality for me.

Thus, I don’t need to earn more righteousness to be healed or receive a blessing from God any more than Jesus does. If you try to earn healing by your performance, you haven’t given up on yourself; you haven’t received Jesus’ righteousness. Your old man is still alive, and your new man is dead. A Christian is the opposite: the old man is dead, and we have a new man identified with Jesus. My sins, in relation to me, are as far as the east is from the west, yet many Christians speak of their sins as if they can still see them. Quit acting like they’re still photobombing your spiritual selfie. This is delusional nonsense because it’s impossible to see the east from the west.

Just as with every blessing provided by Jesus’ atonement, healing isn’t earned but freely received by grace through faith. There’s no other way. But why would you want another way? This is the good way—God’s way.

Tell It What You Want

“What I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
(Acts 3:6)

 “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.”
(Acts 9:34)

“Stand up on your feet!”
(Acts 14:10)


Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
(Matt. 21:21)

The fig tree was a real fig tree, and it dried up when Jesus spoke to it. Jesus didn’t ask God; He spoke to the tree, and it died. It wasn’t a spiritual fig tree. Thus, the category is material or physical. When facing mountains in the material world, Jesus didn’t ask God for help but spoke directly to the problem. He then instructs the disciples to do the same: to speak to the mountain or problem and command it in faith, knowing God’s power will back their words. Jesus didn’t tell the disciples to inform God of their problem or mountain or to present a sad sob story about how bad it is. Rather, He said to speak to the problem and tell it what you want it to do.

After the baptism of the Spirit in the opening salvo of the Book of Acts, the disciples did just that. In Acts 3, Peter didn’t tell God how awful it must be for the cripple to suffer so long and beg God to find it in His will to heal the man. No. Peter spoke to the mountain or problem—sickness. He said, “What I have, I give.” It’s not what God has or what God gives. Peter declared the power to heal is what he has and what he gives. He then said, “In Jesus’ Name, walk.” He spoke to the mountain and told it what he wanted: “Walk.” This is exactly what Jesus instructed.

In Acts 9, Peter says, “Jesus heals you, get up.” Peter doesn’t tell God about the mountain of sickness; rather, he tells the sickness what he wants: “Get up.” Peter obeys Jesus’ instructions for interacting with material mountains and problems. In faith, tell them what you want them to do, whether it’s killing a tree, casting it into the sea, healing the sick, or telling a fish to bring you money.

In Acts 14, Paul looks at the mountain of sickness and speaks to it like Peter, saying, “Stand up on your feet!”

These commands are both spoken to the mountain and serve as instructions for the person to act on faith. Because they believe they are healed, then they need  to do something they couldn’t do before. This is integrated into speaking to the mountain of sickness. It’s a powerful way to administer healing.

God gave Moses the Staff of God. When they were backed against the sea, God told Moses to stop monologuing about His help and use the Staff of God to divide the sea. Thus, it was not God who divided the sea in the most direct sense, but Moses divided the sea, using God’s power. However, what we have is greater than the Staff of God. We have the name of Jesus Christ engraved on our tongues. We are part of Jesus and so we use His Name as our own.


Jesus didn’t whine to God about fig trees or mountains—He told them what to do, and they obeyed. In Acts, Peter and Paul channel that vibe, bossing sickness around like pros: “Walk!” “Get up!” “Stand!” No sob stories, just faith-fueled commands backed by Jesus’ name. Speak to your problem, not about it—whether it’s a tree, a mountain, or a coinless fish, tell it who’s boss and watch God’s power roll.

Jesus Living In Our Hearts

“To be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Eph. 3:16-17 LSB).

Paul prays in Ephesians 3:16-17 that our inner man will become strong, and this stronger inner man would lead to Jesus Christ living in our hearts by faith. This doesn’t mean that without a strong inner man and mature faith, Jesus doesn’t live in a Christian’s heart in any way, but that they’ll experience Jesus’ love in a small and limited way.

Is Jesus living in our hearts important? How does this important thing happen? By faith. Faith in our hearts will cause us to experience Jesus living in us. It’s good to define what Paul isn’t saying. He’s not saying Jesus will live in our hearts when we work harder or do good things to earn God wanting to live in us more. Paul’s prayer continues by focusing on us receiving, knowing, and experiencing God’s great love for us. Thus, when Paul mentions faith in verse 17, it’s a faith focused on God’s love for us, both in knowing it and experiencing this great love. The focus of faith isn’t our love for God but His love for us.

In verse 18, Paul prays that we know and understand how much God loves us, and in verse 19, he prays that we experience His great love. This is the context for Paul saying that Christ would live in your hearts by faith. Want Jesus crashing in your heart? Crank up the faith in His love-fest for you, not your imperfect obedience.

What, then, are ways to experience God’s love? The answer is to partake of His good promises, such as the gospel of Abraham (Galatians 3:5-14). The gospel of Abraham means baptism of the Spirit, miracles, increase, fame, wealth, and health. It means we ask and get the things we ask for. In fact, Paul continues in verse 20, saying God answers our prayers exceedingly, abundantly, beyond all that we can think or ask. This doesn’t mean God gives us something categorically different from what we ask, because by Jesus’ own teaching, that would be an evil father. Jesus says our God is a good Father, not an evil one. What Paul is saying here is like Jesus feeding the 4,000 and 5,000—there were so many extra baskets left over. This is what Paul refers to here. God will give you what you ask, but it’ll be excessively more of that good thing you asked for.

If you want Christ to live in your heart by faith, then live with your mind focused on His love toward you—not your love toward Him, but His love toward you. There is no risk of excess here. There’s never a point where you can go too far with this, because Paul says the true extent of God’s love is beyond our ability to fully experience. Finally, the result of knowing and experiencing the love of God is to have your prayers answered in an excessively great way.

If you see a person who is having their prayers answered with so many extra baskets of leftovers, they’re someone who knows and is experiencing God’s love; they’re experiencing Jesus Christ living in their heart in a powerful way, and by this, we know they have a strong inner man.

Paul’s praying for a beefed-up inner man to soak in God’s epic love, with prayers answered so big you’ll need extra baskets. Ditch the doubters, grab Abraham’s gospel goodies, and let Christ’s love throw a party in your soul.

If this isn’t you, correct yourself and become this person. Why not? Why not travel this road of strength when it’s focused on Jesus living in you, experiencing His love, and having your prayers answered in a super-abundant way? The only thing stopping this is your faith in His love for you. If that sounds awesome to you, then fully embrace it. It is yours for the taking. Let nothing stop you. And cast aside those who would hinder you in this grand adventure.

Tongues: The Ultimate Life Hack

I have a few essays on the power of speaking in tongues. The reason for this is simple. It’s a command from Scripture to be baptized in the Spirit; we’re commended to have the corporate gifts that edify the body. But to speak in tongues is to edify yourself; it’s a personal gift, and as a personal gift, it’s for anyone who asks for it. It’s so common that Paul assumes it for believers: “Have you received the Spirit?” And the outcome was, again, speaking in tongues as proof.

Speaking in tongues edifies and builds up the inner man. It keeps you from being depressed and empowers you to be filled with peace and joy. Furthermore, praying in tongues is how you put on and keep on the helmet of salvation and wield the Sword of the Spirit. Praying in tongues is also how you keep yourself in the love of God. Lastly, praying in tongues can easily lead to interpretation. This is the category of prophecy, divine knowledge, and insight. It allows Jesus to sit at the right hand of the Power and be a personal counselor to all His children across the world. Interpretation of tongues is, therefore, a gateway into all the powers of the Spirit. It’s a foothold into more and more power.

However, over the past week or two, I needed a new computer because the old one was breaking down. I decided to build my first PC rather than buy one, because I noticed I could build it for a cheaper price with the same parts and get more performance out of it. I built it and enjoyed doing something new for the first time. Praise God, it went well, but with one minor issue. I won’t bore you with the details. But for over a week, I toiled over this issue to fix it. I spent day after day, with long, exhausting hours, with no success. I was on forums asking and getting all sorts of replies, but none helped.

I did my devotions during this time, but they were rushed, including not praying in tongues as much as I usually do. Because of my internal frustrations and my devotions suffering, I remember asking God for help; however, if I’m honest with myself, I felt my request lacked faith or had doubt mixed in. I should’ve done a full stop there and worked on my inner man, but the temptation of a new thing momentarily distracted my discipline.

Then, a few days ago, while I was at work, I listened to a new essay by Vincent Cheung called “The Benefits of Praying in Tongues.” I like this topic, so I engrossed my attention in fully listening and meditating on the essay. It was mostly a review of my own thoughts and teaching on the subject, with a few new insights. I was encouraged to do the very thing I often do and encourage others to do: praying in tongues.

So, while I was still at work, I began to pray in tongues and confess God’s good promises over my life. Soon, I felt my inner man flood with peace, and my mind became sharper and more focused. When this happens, I know from experience that prayer is so much easier and the results better. I asked God to help with the computer issue that was vexing me. Unlike previous times, I felt faith in my heart as I prayed. The next moment, I received an interpretation, and the Spirit spoke to me, saying, “I will help you with this small issue, and I will also help you with big issues.” I barely had enough time to process and enjoy the Spirit’s word when I got a notification from a forum post. A person responded with a possible answer, and upon reading it, I knew immediately it was the solution. And it was.

A few takeaways: Praying in tongues is a cheat code for life. It’s the ultimate life hack that penetrates all aspects of life. If unbelievers knew the power and extreme advantages that praying in tongues gives believers, they’d scream we’re cheaters and demand we don’t use it. It’s a game-changer. It’s having admin rights when others don’t. It’s the NES Nintendo Game Genie. If Christians utilized praying in tongues, unbelievers couldn’t compete with them in life; depression would run away with its tail tucked between its legs, and demons would tremble in fear. If Christians prayed in tongues, they would both experience the love of God in their hearts and see more of God’s love affecting all parts of their health, wealth, work, family, and on and on. To not pray in tongues is to hate yourself.

It’s the ultimate cheat hack. You can be experiencing a slow mind and disturbed heart due to your own lack of discipline, but then bypass the consequences of this by praying in tongues. It’ll sharpen your mind and bring peace to your heart. It’ll supernaturally allow you to bypass everything going on around you and help you boldly walk into God’s throne of grace to ask and receive. Because praying in tongues strengthens your inner man with peace, joy, and mental sharpness, it helps you have faith without doubts. This is what a stronger inner man has: a more continuous joy and peace of God, with fewer doubts intruding. Praying in tongues is particularly good at strengthening your inner man. This stronger inner man means a more confident faith, which results in more answered prayers.

Tongues are the ultimate cheat code—God’s Game Genie for life! Skip the toil, dodge depression, and crank up peace and power with a Spirit-fueled prayer hack. My PC woes? Toast, thanks to tongues and a divine forum nudge. Refuse to pray in tongues and you are benching the Spirit and begging for a cursed slog!

Lastly, to toil is a curse. We’re commanded to work and not be lazy; however, overworking and toiling with little fruit to show for it is the curse of God for Adam’s sin. But Jesus became a curse for us, in our place as a substitute. In exchange, Jesus gave us the gospel of Abraham, which is abundant increase, health, wealth, and fame. We don’t bear the curse of toil but the blessing of Abraham’s abundant increase. Isaac did sow in the drought. He did work. But God gave a hundredfold increase when there was no water. We’re not under the curse but the gospel of increase.

I should’ve realized this when I was troubleshooting the computer issue. I was toiling as if I was still under the curse. This is wrong. Thankfully, the gospel of Abraham also means being given the Spirit, which means the baptism of the Spirit for power. Thus, when I was praying in tongues, I stopped operating under the curse and began to operate under the gospel of Abraham.

I immediately received fruitfulness and increase.

What Does It Say?

For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of law: “The man who does these things shall live by them.” 
But the righteousness of faith SPEAKS in this way:
Do NOT SAY in your heart, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘Who will go down into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 
But what does it SAY?
The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart
—that is, the WORD OF FAITH which we are preaching, that if you CONFESS with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  for with the heart a person believes, leading to righteousness, and with the mouth he CONFESSES, leading to salvation. 
For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes upon Him will not be put to shame.”
Romans 10:5-11

The Word of Faith actually does something. It confesses. It declares. It opens its mouth and lets the truth fly out loud. It’s not called the “thought of faith,” because the whole point is about saying and speaking it, not merely thinking it in some quiet mental corner. 

Paul’s immediate context here is all about righteousness and salvation. He points out that the Jews simply didn’t have the knowledge of God’s righteousness. Sure, the Old Testament had been talking about faith the whole time, but they disregarded it and tried to get righteous by their own sweat and effort instead.

Faith, in its most foundational definition, is just a mental assent to God’s word and promise. But in the Bible — take Abraham as the classic example — it was always a faith that spoke. It was spoken with bold confidence as if it were already true before it ever happened. Because of God, Abram called himself the father of many nations long before the son of promise ever arrived. 

God created us with a body, after all, and that body comes with a mouth. He didn’t design us to agree with the truth only in our heads; He wants us to speak it, sing it, declare it, and let it ring out. This is exactly what James is getting at when he says faith without works is dead. Speaking faith is honestly the smallest work you could possibly do — it’s the bare-bones minimum. It’s like Jesus’ parable about the money bags: the master told the last servant who hid the cash, “At the very least, you could have put my money in a bank and gotten interest.” Your words are that minimum deposit on the promise.

Faith is a mental agreement with everything God has commanded and spoken, whether it’s a historical fact or a sparkling promise of healing. But in the context of a promise — especially the gospel — you’re agreeing about something God has already promised, and in the gospel you’re agreeing it has already happened and been given to you. So in the gospel, faith often gets spoken in shorthand: Faith isn’t my love for God — it’s God’s love for me. Faith is confidence in God’s promise, not our ability. Faith is receiving God’s free supply by grace, not our performance. And faith is God giving to us, not us giving to God. 

Paul now expands on what faith really means when it comes to righteousness. The first thing faith speaks is to avoid saying the wrong thing altogether. He gives a crystal-clear example: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up into heaven?” or “Who will go down into the abyss?” The point is simple. Since righteousness is freely given in the gospel, you don’t have to do a single thing to earn it. Jesus, as our Savior, was the Father’s plan from the start. By His own choice He went down, did all the hard work, and by the power of God He went back up. In the context of righteousness accomplished by Jesus, the first thing for faith to speak is a firm “Nope!” to any claim that you did something to make yourself righteous, healed, famous or rich. 

Next, Paul shows that faith has plenty of positive things to say. Because the gospel is already finished, faith isn’t just silent mental assent anymore — it’s a living Word of Faith that must be confessed out loud. Why the upgrade from heart to mouth? Because God did something massive for you, and you’re simply called to receive it. The smallest, bare-bones work to authenticate that faith is to open your mouth and declare it. That’s why Paul says you believe in your heart (leading to righteousness) but you also confess with your mouth (leading to salvation). This combo is what saves you. 

The biblical principle of first mentions takes us right back to Abraham. He believed and confessed he was the father of many nations before it ever happened, and by that spoken faith God freely credited righteousness to his account. Abraham didn’t work or earn it; it was pure unmerited favor. Think about it. He had to introduce himself as the Father of many Nations to his neighbors before he ever saw the promise fulfilled. Abraham is praised for his faith, and he’s the father of it all. His very name was a Word of Faith declaration! As true children of Abraham who claim to have faith, we also must live this Word of Faith lifestyle. 

The Bible shows the children of faith who followed Abraham also lived a “Word of Faith” that confessed and declared confidence in all the good things God promised. David’s Faith Spoke in front of the giant and crowds: “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel” (1 Samuel 17:46 NIV). The Hebrews had a Word of Faith to the King of Babylon: “Our God will deliver us.” Joshua’s Faith Spoke: “Sun, be still.” Peter’s Faith Spoke this way: “What I do have I give to you: Walk, in the Name of Jesus.” There are many ways to say a Word of Faith. Like a child, a simple “thank you” or praise is all that’s needed for Faith to speak.

Abraham’s own Word of Faith was rock-solid confidence that God would perform all the good things He promised: healing, miracles, fame, riches, and every blessing. Galatians tells us the gospel was preached to Abraham — and that gospel was all about making him famous, rich, overly healthy, and powerfully blessed. God didn’t promise those things for Himself; He promised to do them for Abraham. Abraham believed God would make it happen, and God declared him righteous for believing every bit of that health, wealth, and fame. According to Paul, Scripture calls this the “gospel,” and the same gospel is now given to us through Jesus Christ. Through Abraham, God showed Himself as the Savior of the whole man — body, soul, and spirit. God is pleased when we look to Him as total Savior, and the more we ask for (health, wealth, favor), the more He supplies and the more He is glorified. Less glory for God means… well, less glory. 

The Word of Faith is this unshakable confidence in God’s word and promise. Faith sees what God promised as already given and deposited into our accounts, so it speaks, knowing the reality has already been set in stone. It’s like a parent who buys the exact gift their child has been wanting, wraps it, and places it right on the bed. The parent says, “I got you something special — it’s already on your bed.” The child’s eyes light up and they scream “Thank you!” because even though they haven’t unwrapped it yet, they know it’s already theirs. 

Vincent Cheung nails this in “Adventures of Jesus Christ,” echoing an illustration similar to what F.F. Bosworth taught in “Christ the Healer,” but with a sharper focus on the “already done” aspect. He writes, “When God tells you that a miracle will happen, believe it. When God promises to do a thing for you, accept that he will do it… The Bible says many things that are more than promises, but it tells you that something is already done. Imagine if I say to you, ‘I have put a present in your room.’ And you answer, ‘Well, you will do it if you want to.’ Would that not be silly? I told you that I have already done it, and that the present is already in your room, but you answer as if it is not yet done, and that you are not sure if it would happen at all. Again, it is like you think I have not said anything. It is like you are calling me a liar.” 

Yet some people still doubt that Jesus will forgive or heal them. That’s like the child saying, “I don’t believe you put a gift on my bed,” even though it’s sitting right there. It’s insulting — you’re calling God a liar after He’s already done it. Others try to sound humble: “Okay, I believe when you’re dead it’ll be in your will,” or “I’m not worthy to accept it.” None of the excuses work. All of them expose unbelief. 

Faith in your heart is how you know it was for you. You’re not saved by asking God to save you; you’re saved by confessing with thanksgiving that Jesus has already forgiven, healed, and prospered you. Peter told the crowd at Pentecost to “repent” and be saved — he didn’t say “ask to be saved.” Because forgiveness and righteousness have already happened, you repent knowing it’s finished. To ask God to forgive you and credit Jesus’ righteousness is like asking Him to re-crucify His Son. Faith receives something God has already given. 

There’s a reason the New Testament commands us to always give thanks, always sing songs and psalms to God. Thanksgivings, songs, and psalms are the constant voice of faith; they are word of faith confessions. Many Psalms are straight-up, Name It and Claim it, confessions. Let faith speak nonstop. Faith confessions are living activity of a born-again spirit; they make the inner man strong. They are your lifeblood, especially when eyes, feelings, and circumstances scream the opposite. Double down on the Word of Faith! 

Faith has a megaphone — it’s the Word of Faith shouting God’s done-deal promises. Abraham said He was the Daddy of Nations before the kid showed up, and God gave him a righteousness high-five that still echoes. Confess Jesus’ finished work — from healing to riches and everything in between.

Let faith speak!

Preaching is Casting Out Demons and Healing the Sick


15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” … 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit…
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed…
38 But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” 39 So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons. 40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus. (Mark 1:15, 23, 32, 38-40 NLT)

A few quick observations:

After Jesus was anointed as a man by the Spirit for ministry, Mark shows His first church service and ministry involved casting out a demon. Scripture reminds us that judgment begins in the house of God. We are also reminded that churches can become safe houses for demons and prisons for the suffering when the faithless and powerless are in charge. Mark presents a sequence: Jesus declares the Kingdom has come, and His first church ministry is casting out the kingdom of demons, thereby ushering in God’s kingdom. If a space is filled with demons, it is occupied by the kingdom of darkness. The first step, then, is to remove them so the kingdom of God can replace it and take residence. That same evening, Mark shows Jesus continuing to cast out demons and heal the sick; this demonstrates how the kingdom of God comes “near us.”

The next observation comes from verses 38-40. Jesus declares He came to preach the gospel. What’s striking is how Mark defines “preaching” in the following verse. It begins with “therefore” or “so,” implying a necessary consequence of the previous statement. Because Jesus was sent to preach, He went to the next town to “preach and cast out demons.” Mark equates preaching with casting out demons, as if they are inseparable. We’re not saying preaching and casting out demons have identical definitions—nor is Mark. However, Mark is defining the ministry of preaching, which is tied to bringing the Kingdom of God near, as preaching with miracles. Preaching the gospel that brings the Kingdom near, cannot be separated from casting out demons and healing the sick. The next verse reinforces this with a leper being healed. As Paul says, “For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.” Preaching proclaims the power of God unto salvation, which requires the very power it proclaims. To Mark and Jesus, preaching that the Kingdom of God has come near isn’t preaching unless demons are cast out and the sick are healed.

Churches with benches full of depressed and demonized people, or sick members who return week after week unchanged, are churches where the kingdom of God has not come near.

“Mark’s Jesus doesn’t just preach with a mic—he kick drops demons and heals the hurting like it’s all part of the sermon. If your church is a demon daycare and the sick leave sicker, maybe the kingdom’s still social-distancing,” (Grok xAi 2025 summary).

Force it Down My Throat

When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden, He told them they could enjoy all the good things there. Imagine this: Adam, surrounded by pear and plum trees, crying out to God, “I’m so hungry! Please have mercy on me and provide some food!” If such a thing happened, we’d think Adam was insane and delusional. The pear tree is staring him in the face, and yet he’s begging God for a pear. If I saw someone acting like this, I’d think they had a few screws loose in their head.

Begging God for what’s slapping you in the face—be it pears, forgiveness, or healing—is the textbook definition of spiritual screw-loose syndrome

Picture Adam whining for a pear while a tree bonks him on the head with one—sounds nuts, right? Yet that’s how some Christians beg God for what’s already theirs. Some folks pray like God’s a short-order cook who forgot their fries, when the gospel buffet’s been served and paid for—grab a plate already!

However, we know from the story that Adam and Eve didn’t beg God for food because the food was already provided and given to them. They could beg all they wanted, but God wasn’t going to grab a pear and shove it down their throats. They had to take the food provided and eat it themselves.

This is the reality of the finished atonement and the gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s a historical event accomplished for our good and given to us by unmerited favor. Forgiveness was secured once, for all time, for all our sins. Even our future sins were atoned for by Jesus Christ once and for all. It was a substitutionary act: the Father considered our sinful list as belonging to Jesus, punished Him for it, and in exchange, we are given forgiveness and righteousness.

Thus, when we ask for forgiveness, we aren’t begging God to forgive us as if He needs to do something new. If you’re asking God to “do something” to forgive you, you’re essentially asking the Father to re-crucify His Son, because that’s the way God would “do something” to forgive you. Asking God to forgive you again is like asking Him to re-run the Crucifixion—newsflash: Jesus already punched that ticket. Now, because our speak is not always perfect, there is nothing wrong in saying, “God, forgive me,” when you have sinned as a Christian,” as long as you understand the forgiveness has already happened. There is nothing more for God to do to forgive you.

Romans 10:9 says “if you CONFESS with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (NKJV).”

The substitutionary atonement has already happened and is already accomplished. Thus, when we ask God to forgive us, we’re confessing confidence in the truth that Jesus has already saved us. We confess that Jesus died for our sins, and through this, we are forgiven. Repentance isn’t begging God to do something to forgive us—it’s agreeing that Jesus has already forgiven us by His sacrifice. We agree with God that we have sinned, and we also agree with Him that Jesus’ finished atonement has removed all our sins, cleansed us, and made us whole. Then we thank Him for this.

In the Pentecost sermon Peter told the audience to “repent” to be saved, and not “ask” God to save them. This is because in the most technical sense we are not asking, but confessing our agreement with God.  Repentance is not asking, but confessing. This is how you receive salvation.

Repentance is like a pear tree in the Garden. God has already provided it, but you must reach out, grab it, and partake of it to benefit from it. God won’t zap you with a divine beam, force your mouth open, and float a pear into it, moving your jaw for you. The gospel has already happened and been provided. But you won’t enjoy the benefit of forgiveness if you sit there waiting for some so-called “will of God” to force you to eat it. God has commanded you to believe in Jesus. He isn’t withholding your forgiveness—you are, by your lack of faith. You can’t have pear trees surrounding you, smacking you in the face, and then beg God to forgive you as if it hasn’t already happened and been provided for you, and expect God to treat you as anything but delusional.

The same applies to all the benefits provided by Jesus’ finished atonement.  God provided the Garden, and now He has provided the gospel. He won’t fly a pear into your mouth and force you to eat it. You must grab it by faith and receive it.

The same is true for healing. By the stripes of Jesus, we are—and were—healed. Healing, therefore, is part of the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. Healing is like fig trees provided in Eden. Jesus accomplished our healing and provided it to us by unmerited favor. When we ask for healing, we don’t beg God to heal us as if He needs to do something. If you’re asking God to “do something” to heal you, you’re asking the Father to re-crucify His Son and give Him 39 times all over again, because that’s how God has chosen to “do something” to heal you.

The substitutionary atonement has already happened and is already accomplished. Thus, Peter says in Acts 3, “What I have, I give you. In the name of Jesus, walk.” Peter didn’t beg God for a miracle in Acts 3—he cashed in the healing coupon Jesus already signed with His stripes. Thus, he didn’t ask God to heal because healing had already been provided. He didn’t need to ask God to re-crucify Jesus. God had already provided the fig trees. So Peter grabbed a fig and commanded the sickness to leave. Jesus didn’t command us to ask God to move our mountains but to tell them to move ourselves. Jesus said, tell the mountain to move, not ask God to nudge it—same goes for sickness. Command it, don’t grovel.

 Thus, when we command sickness to leave, we confess confidence in the truth that Jesus has already healed us through His substitutionary atonement. Commanding healing isn’t begging God to do something to heal us—since He already did something—but agreeing with God that Jesus has already healed us by His sacrifice. We agree with God that we can get sick, and we also agree with Him that by Jesus’ stripes we are healed. Then we thank Him for this. We are not asking, but confessing.

God won’t force a fig down your throat when you’re surrounded by fig trees slapping you in the face. You must obey God, believe in Jesus Christ, and receive the gospel—which includes the healing provided. These are already accomplished and provided. Begging God is delusional and insane when they are already provided. God already did something. Now you must do something. Waiting on some “will of God” to heal you, is no less insane than Adam begging God for food in the Garden.

Begging for healing when Jesus took 39 stripes for it? That’s like Adam asking for takeout in Eden—check the fig tree, pal! Waiting on God’s ‘will’ to zap you with forgiveness or healing is as bonkers as Adam starving in an orchard—open your eyes, you already have it.

[Grok, xAI, 2025, witty summary contributions]

The Scientific Process

After my own studies and discussions with Grok xAI, I’ll outline a step-by-step breakdown of modern science. Some still believe science is rational, deductive, and logical. We’ll dissect the process and reveal it’s anti-logical from start to finish, despite using modus tollens.

Karl Popper exposed the anti-logical nature of scientific experimentation, particularly the nonsense of affirming the consequent. To counter induction’s irrationality and this fallacy, Popper proposed scientists use modus tollens to invalidate hypotheses. Modus tollens is a valid deductive form. Yet, if you lack upfront truth, affirming the consequent is the only way to positively affirm a claim, if the logic is to correctly correspond to your actions. Popper aimed to minimize this by favoring deduction. The catch? At best, modus tollens can say something is wrong—it can’t confirm truth. Today, top scientists recognize induction and science’s irrationality, leaning into falsification for better experiments.

If we admit science offers no truth, only pragmatic usefulness, then adding modus tollens at the end enhances practical outcomes. We support this. As noted, science fulfils God’s command to dominate the world for practical benefits—a blessing He ordained. But that’s all science is. Even when its utility seems impressive, its statements about reality are false.

Since the scientific process is rooted in inductive and observational fallacies, it’s irrational and anti-logic. Slapping modus tollens on the end doesn’t erase this irrationality; it just improves pragmatic results. It’s right to acknowledge science’s baked-in anti-logic and compensate with deduction—if we clarify this is for usefulness, not knowledge.

Before detailing the process, let’s define falsification. Grok xAI (2024) put it this way:
“The origin of falsification, per Popper, is rooted in the idea that a hypothesis must be scientific if an experiment or observation could prove it false. This was a direct jab at the inductivists and verificationists of his time. Popper’s philosophy was like saying, ‘Science isn’t about piling up evidence for your theory; it’s about daring it to fail.’”
This is accurate but needs unpacking to avoid confusion. Popper critiqued scientific experimentation (i.e., “verification”) that relied wholly on affirming the consequent to link hypotheses to reality.”

Grok calls it a “jab at inductivists,” which can mislead. Even with modus tollens, science remains overwhelmingly inductive. Though Popper shifted “verification” to the “pre-hypothesis” stage rather than the endpoint, falsification swims in a sea of inductive reasoning and observation. Grok was correct that “Popper would have it… it must be possible to conceive of an experiment or observation that could prove it false.” Popper’s falsification operates within “inductive observation” and “inductive experiment.”

Thus, despite jabbing inductivists, Popper’s method still employs induction. Science isn’t one thing—it’s a process. I once heard a scientist claim, “Science is only deductive because it’s only about falsification, specifically modus tollens.” This misrepresents Popper’s approach, which integrates induction and observation. When I asked Grok (2024), it responded, “Absolutely not! Popper argued a theory must be falsifiable, aligning with modus tollens’ deductive logic to disprove it. But induction isn’t sidelined:

  • Initial Phase: Science starts with observation and inductive reasoning to form hypotheses.
  • Ongoing Nature: As hypotheses are tested, scientists refine them with new observations and inductive leaps, keeping induction central.”
    Since falsification uses induction, it’s inherently irrational, violating the laws of identity and contradiction. It’s a systematic affirmation of false premises in unsound arguments, pretending to deny something.

Calling “science deductive” is false. I wouldn’t even say it’s inductive and deductive—its “deduction” is unsound. I wouldn’t label an unsound argument deductive unless we’re pretending in a fantasy world. Generously, we could call science heavily inductive with some deduction tacked on.

This matters for Christians. The Bible uses only sound arguments, rejects induction’s anti-logic, and shows our observations can be wrong. It dismisses empirical observation and induction for knowledge. Thus, falsification isn’t a biblical standard and can’t yield knowledge. Some fools hybridize this irrational human method with the Bible’s rational approach, claiming falsification aids understanding Scripture and truth. This is blasphemy—melding the irrational with God’s rational system defames His mind as irrational or endorsing irrationality. Similarly, fake presuppositionalists claim the Bible ratifies observation and empiricism for knowledge—nonsense.

Another reason to reject falsification: its maxim—“something must be provably wrong to have credibility”—is false. The law of contradiction (LoC) isn’t falsifiable; denying it requires using it. Self-authenticating truths, like the LoC, render falsification inapplicable. At best, falsification fits inductive observations. The Bible, as shown in epistemology, is self-authenticating—unfalsifiable. It can’t be proven wrong because any attempt presupposes it; Scripture declares itself true and all else false. We don’t use falsification to read the Bible or find truth. If it’s such a great rule for Christians, why doesn’t its maxim apply to Scripture?

Note the maxim says “for credibility,” not “to prove true.” Falsification is negative—it can’t produce positive claims without violating logic. Since the Bible rejects observation, empiricism, and induction for knowledge, and falsification uses them, Christians don’t employ it for knowledge. Even using modus tollens—directly, in reductio ad absurdum, or falsification—is only negative, offering no positive truth. When someone says, “I don’t see God healing today,” it’s wrong not because of falsification but because Scripture rejects inductive observation outright.

There’s nothing wrong with modus tollens to show something is false—Scripture uses this deduction. St. Augustine and Paul (1 Corinthians 15) did too, free of empiricism or observation assumptions. But if someone uses empiricism as a standard, showing documented healings should convince them if they’re consistent. We can use modus tollens to refute them with their own flawed epistemology. The catch? Induction’s conclusions don’t logically follow premises, so they can reject evidence due to its inherent uncertainty. Even a deductive argument using observation—ours or theirs—becomes unsound, leaving conclusions skeptical. Induction offers no logical binding to accept any conclusion—you can dismiss or embrace as you please.

As a Christian, the Bible says God heals, and on faith’s demand, He will (John 15: Jesus predestined us to ask and receive). I expect healings. My observations are private knowledge—and if I applied these with deductions from Scripture “for myself,” then my self-knowledge is what the bible asserts. But shifting private to public knowledge violates logic’s laws. Scripture alone is our starting point for knowledge about healing. Anyone using inductive observations to argue miracle healing is a fool, rejecting the Bible as the sole epistemic foundation.[1] Such debates aren’t about healing but epistemology—Scripture’s deductive logic versus induction’s fallacy. Tell them they’ve abandoned Christian doctrine on knowledge and logic; if they don’t repent, boycott and excommunicate them.


The Scientific Process

Observation and Hypothesis Formation (Inductive Step)

Note: “Scientific experimentation (affirming the consequent)” has been pushed back to “hypothesis formation.”
Scientists observe phenomena in nature or data, noticing that when event A occurs, phenomenon B follows. This resembles affirming the consequent: “If A, then B; B happens, so A caused it.”

  • Example 1: (A) Rain occurs, (B) my yard gets wet. (B) I see my yard wet, so I hypothesize (A) it rained.
  • Example 2: (A) Bacteria add chemical X to solution H, (B) it turns red. (B) I see it red, so I hypothesize (A) bacteria added X.

Formulating the Hypothesis (Setting Up for Modus Ponens)

Initially, scientists observe B (a fallacy) to check their idea. If testing’s possible, they run preliminary affirming-the-consequent experiments for merit. Then, they frame hypotheses as modus ponens: “If A, then B; A, thus B.” They pretend a necessary connection exists to apply modus tollens later—not to affirm the consequent but to predict outcomes. They say, “If hypothesis (A) is true, under these conditions, we’ll see (B).”
In layman’s terms, this is logical voodoo, a void, or superstition.
Two ways this bait-and-switch happens:

  1. Vincent Cheung’s Example (A Gang of Pandas):
    1. “If (A) is a cause, then (B) is a result. B happens, thus A caused it.”
    1. Restated as modus ponens with B and A flipped, using a false conclusion to build an argument.
  2. Direct Pretence: Pretending inductive “If A, then B” is real or pretend it’s a necessary connection. This is like misstating a math problem to reflect reality. If I buy 4 apples at $1 each, calling it calculus is delusional if it doesn’t match reality. Scientists engage reality via affirming the consequent due to observation—they can’t avoid it. Restating it as modus ponens is delusional because it doesn’t mirror their actual interaction with phenomena.

Experimental Design (Testing via Modus Ponens)

Scientists design experiments controlling A to see if B follows, mimicking modus ponens:

  • If hypothesis A is true, under specific conditions, B occurs (If A, then B).
  • They ensure A is present.
  • They check if B happens (A leads to B).
    This isn’t just to affirm the hypothesis (a fallacy) but to test predictions under control. Yet, problems still abound:
  • The setup stems from a fallacy—using a false conclusion from observation and affirming the consequent to fake a connection. This restated logic doesn’t reflect their real-world engagement; it’s fabricated.
  • They only pretend it’s modus ponens—in name only. Some admit the connection is merely sufficient, making falsification tentative, not necessary, contradicting the very definition of logical inference.
  • Controlled tests can’t rule out infinite unknowns (e.g., heat affecting results unbeknownst to a scientist ignorant of it).
    Vincent Cheung notes, “The idea is simple. To know that any experiment is “constructed properly” the scientist’s knowledge must be “bigger” than the experiment. But if his knowledge is already “bigger” than the experiment, then he hardly needs to perform the experiment to gain knowledge that is limited by the experiment. The only way to be sure that one has identified and controlled all variables that may affect the experiment is to possess omniscience. The conclusion is that only God can tell us about the universe.”[2]

Falsification Attempts (Modus Tollens)

Here’s the shift:

  • If B doesn’t occur when A is present: “If A, then B; not B, therefore not A” (hypothesis falsified).
    Scientists aim to confirm hypotheses (affirming the consequent), but better ones seek disproof. Misaligned results falsify, and this leads to rethinking and refinement.
    Yet observation and affirming-the-consequent thinking build the argument for falsification. Induction underpins science’s foundation and definition. The “deductive” arguments are unsound—born from false conclusions, misrepresenting reality. It’s deduction by pretence. Before falsification, the hypothesis’s necessary connection is unknown. Falsification deems it wrong, which says little.
    The experimental connection has two interpretations:
  • If honest (connection is sufficient or a guess), falsification is uncertain, not necessary—violating deduction’s essence.
  • If claiming necessity, it’s pretence, falsifying only a pretend reality, breaching contradiction and identity laws.
  • Finally, saying “laws are formulated by falsification” is a non-sequitur. Negative propositions can’t yield positives without adding information—violating logic. Laws from falsification can only say “this isn’t that.” Positive laws from falsification defy logic; negative isn’t positive.

The point is that observation and affirming the consequent thinking and testing is involved in formulating the argument that will be tested by falsification. Thus, induction is both the foundation of science and therefore involved in the definition of science. The so-called deductive arguments are unsound, because they are created by false conclusions and the logic does not reflect their interaction with reality. It is deduction only by pretending. Before falsification is used, it is not known if the major premise of the syllogism (hypothesis) has a necessary connection. Falsification says this unsound argument is wrong. which is not really saying that much.

The connection in their experiment can be taken in two ways. If they are honest and admit the connection, at the very best is sufficient or a guess, then if falsification is used, the falsification is only a guess, but not a necessary falsification. This violates the very definition of deduction, which is necessary. If they insist the falsification is necessary, then they violate the laws of contradiction and identity. If they want to insist their connection in their experiment is necessary, then it is only by pretending. Thus, if they use falsification, it is only falsifying a pretend reality.

Lastly, there is the part where scientists say, “laws… are formulated by falsification.” This is false. It is a non-sequitur fallacy. Remember our rules for category syllogisms? We talked about distribution of terms but also the quality and quantity of a syllogism. If the propositions of an argument are negative, you cannot get a positive out of it. The same here.  Falsification can only say, this is wrong, but to then turn around and say we have a law that says, “this is this,” is to add more information than what the argument says. Laws, formulated by falsification can only say at best, “this is not that.” Every positive law stated by scientists using falsification is a violation of the laws of logic. To say negative is a positive is anti-logic.  


[1] This is different from starting with the truth given by scripture, and then present your healing as “testimony” that agrees with the truth. You are saying the bible is the proof, and my testimony agrees with the truth, not the other way around.

[2] Vincent Cheung. A Gang of Pandas. Sermonettes Vol.1.

The Correction of Righteousness

“And when [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged,” John 16:8-11 NLT

Picture this: Jesus ascends to the Father like the VIP He is, and the Holy Spirit swoops down to earth like a divine fact-checker, ready to set the record straight on sin, righteousness, and judgment. Jesus even gives us the SparkNotes version of each.

First up, “the” sin of the world—singular, folks—is that people refuse to buy what God’s revealing, especially the whole “Jesus is God’s Son” revelation.

Second, the cosmic swap meet—our sin for Jesus’ righteousness—went down at the atonement, but the official press release? That hit when Jesus rose and got the VIP seat at the Father’s right hand of Power. This was the courtroom gavel slam declaring that everyone Jesus died for is now rocking the “Righteousness of God” title. And trust me, it’s not because of our stellar résumé—God’s the one with the authority, power, and dominion here. The law’s DIY righteousness kit? Total flop, thanks to its pesky human origins.

Third, judgment. Salvation’s a two-parter (we will only focus on the first aspect), Judgment. This is like storming the gates, with guns blazing, to free your enslaved loved one by taking out the bad guys. Exhibit A: Israelites wading through the Red Sea while Pharaoh’s army gets a watery goodbye. Exhibit B: Jesus on the cross, shredding Satan’s accusation privileges (Revelation 12:10) and teleporting us from the devil’s grip (Colossians 1:13) to His kingdom. Greater is Jesus in me than that cosmic loser out there. By judging and trashing Satan’s works, Jesus pulls off the ultimate rescue mission. Jesus vs Satan in this context, is the archetype of Hero vs villain. Jesus won. Pharaoh’s army drowned while Israel was delivered; Satan’s power was broken while humanity was redeemed. This frames judgment not as something believers fear but as something already accomplished on their behalf, securing their freedom. We’re free, because our enemy’s toast.

Now, let’s get to the juicy bit. Jesus dropped this as a mic-drop moment for the whole sinful world, but if you’re already “born-from-above”—congratulations, you’re in the club—what’s this mean for us? We’ve already had our sin epiphany, repented, got the forgiveness stamp, and unlocked the power to heal sickness and evict demons like it’s our day job. So, what’s the Spirit correcting now?

For believers, who have already accepted Jesus, the sin of unbelief no longer defines them. Instead, the Spirit’s role shifts to a positive correction—reminding them of their new reality in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “Paul writes, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (NLT).

The big idea: if you’re already God’s righteousness, the Spirit isn’t here to wag a finger and say, “You’re not righteous, you naughty thing.” No, He’s correcting you when you forget you’re basically divine royalty and start moping around like a spiritual peasant. The word “convict” here means “correct”—when you’re off-the-mark. Pre-salvation, the Spirit was all, “Yikes, you’re a mess.” Post-salvation? It’s, “Honey, you’re dazzling—act like it.” The correction’s positive now, a holy hype session. You’re not seeing yourself as the perfect, glorious righteousness of God? That’s what He’s fixing.

Romans 8:1 declares, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

If you’re saved and still hearing a naggy voice droning on about how sinful you are, newsflash: that’s not God. It’s either Satan doing his accusatory shtick or you secretly loving a good self-pity party. Sure, the Word’s a sharp sword—ouch, it’ll call out sinful behavior when you’ve been sinful. But that’s about your actions. The Spirit’s correction we’re vibing on here? It’s about your shiny new reality in Jesus. He is correcting our vision when we forget our royal status as co-heirs with Jesus. It’s a call to live boldly from that identity He’s whispering (or shouting, if you’re stubborn) in our hearts, “You’re perfect, righteous, glorious—a prince of heaven! So why are you slumming it with sin? It’s beneath you.” You’re righteous, so act righteous. You’re heaven’s VIP, not some back-alley chump chatting up thieves and creeps. You’re a co-heir with Jesus—stop rummaging in human resources’ dumpster and cash that check from heaven’s bank account: withdrawing from “heaven’s bank account” for all the good things Jesus has already give to you by grace.

That’s the Spirit’s vibe today. So, double-check the voice you’re tuning into—it better be the Spirit’s, not some sleazeball demon with a guilt trip agenda.

 ——

[Grok (xAI), 2025. Proofreading, copyediting, and stylistic enhancements.]


Send Freedom To The Oppressed

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,”
(Luke 4:18 LSB)

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him,”
(Acts 10:38 LSB).

“On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
(Luke 13:10-16 NIV).

“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven,”
(Matthew 18: 18-19 NIV).

Jesus isn’t just here for the spiritualized allegories; He’s the ultimate freedom fighter, breaking chains of demonic oppression like it’s his day job. He’s passed on that Spirit-powered liberation toolkit to us.

It’s all fun and theological games when you read the words, apply basic reading comprehension, follow the rules of logic, and let the Bible interpret itself… until you bump into a doctrine you don’t like. Suddenly, there’s a line in the sand. Will you be faithful to let the Bible be your only first principle of knowledge and authority, or will you swap it out for some human concoction of observations? Will you atone for the Bible’s so-called “mistake” of its radical faith doctrine by sacrificing it on the altar of your own observations and sensations? When Christians do this, they’re being religious, but not in the good “fear of God” way. It’s more like a religion, a sacrifice, and a doctrine straight from central casting for demonic doctrines.

In Luke 4, Jesus reads from Isaiah, applying it to Himself. He says the Spirit of God has anointed Him to proclaim the good news. Then He adds He’s anointed to proclaim freedom to captives and sight for the blind. Notice the pause in the “proclaiming” parade, where Jesus shifts gears to say He’s anointed to set free, or “send freedom” to the “oppressed.”

Although some Christians love to spiritualize and allegorize the Bible as if they were a Buddhist drunk on the blood of mystics, we’re going to fear God and stick to what’s actually written. The beauty of spiritualizing the Bible is you control the narrative, bending definitions like playdough when you don’t like what you read. You might argue, “Works are works, grace is grace, and these categories are set in stone,” but your tune suddenly changes when its not about your pet doctrines. Then, suddenly, everything’s up for reinterpretation. They can’t heal the sick, and their prayers might as well be on mute when they pray; therefore, they rewrite the Bible in their image, making prayer outcomes as unpredictable as a coin toss. They make the bible a reflection of their own image.

What does Jesus mean by being anointed to set free the oppressed? Are we to spiritualize this too? If Jesus says He’s anointed to proclaim the good news, does that mean He’s just sending out spiritual vibes? No way. When He talks about giving sight to the blind, He means actual, physical healing, not some metaphorical eye-opening. The repeated examples make this as clear as day; to claim otherwise is like saying your brain’s still loading from the ’90s dial-up era.

Our focus is on Jesus saying He’s anointed to “set free the oppressed.” Not just to “proclaim” freedom, but to actively do the freeing. To keep letting the Bible interpret itself, let’s look at where Jesus sets the oppressed free. The most direct wording comes from Peter in Acts 10:38, where he says Jesus was Spirit-anointed, by the Father, for this exact mission. It’s likely Peter is thinking of Isaiah 61 and remembers Jesus’ calming of it, because they resemble each other so much. However, instead of “set free the oppressed,” he uses “healing” for “oppressed.”

The Bible teaches that sending freedom by the Spirit heals those made sick by demonic power. Peter sums up that all the sick Jesus healed were under demonic oppression, not merely cursed from Adam’s fall. Luke 13 gives a direct example of Jesus, anointed by the Spirit, healing a woman oppressed by Satan for 18 years. She had a physical defect caused by demons. Jesus called her a daughter of Abraham, indicating her election, as He does not call all Jews children of Abraham. Despite her status as one of God’s elect, Satan oppressed her with sickness for many years, making her bow and look at her feet in torment.

Jesus was not there to “use signs to confirm His ministry,” but to fulfill an old promise to Abraham. These are two different categories. He said it was necessary, for a daughter of Abraham to be healed on the Sabbath. The sabbath, was the day that God provides. Thus, is not merely a sufficient reason, but a necessary reason that God provides healing for the children of Abraham on the Sabbath. He promised to bless Abraham and his children, and this included supernatural health and healing. This is obvious from what God promised Abraham and the context. And Jesus affirms that healing must be given to Abrahams children. 

The specific word Jesus used was “bound,” and “set free.” Jesus was anointed to set free the oppressed. He found a lady bound by demonic sickness and so Jesus set her free. Notice, Jesus did not preach to her about healing, or other aspects of the gospel. Rather, he went straight to her and commanded the healing, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” This is exactly what Jesus said. He was anointed to set the oppressed free. Not to merely proclaim it, but to do the freeing Himself.

Peter, in his Pentecost sermon, explains that Jesus was promised the right to pour out the Spirit for power as a reward for His atonement and resurrection. This Spirit baptism is for missional power, distinct from inward sanctification. The Book of Acts shows this empowerment through speaking in tongues, healing, visions, prophecies, and other miracles. Jesus was the forerunner, anointing us with the same Spirit. We are to preach the gospel and free the oppressed, as seen when Peter healed a cripple. His statement would get him kicked out of many churches for stealing God’s glory and not acknowledging God’s sovereignty. Peter does not preach, but commands, saying, “What I have, I give, in Jesus’ Name, Walk.”

The man, like the woman, was “bound” by demonic oppression through demonic power. Words are not enough for their situation. Preaching will not cut it. These oppressed people’s only hope is unstoppable power. We have greater power. And faith is the only way to get it. Jesus and Peter, loosed them from their torments. Jesus said we would do these things, saying, “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

In the context of Matthew 18, forgiveness is mentioned, but so is faith to ask for and receive anything. Matthew 16 also discusses this, where Jesus promises to build His church on Peter’s declaration of Him as the Son of God, stating that the gates of hell will not prevail against this confession. In this context He says, “what you lock I will lock, and what you unlock I will unlock.” This suggests a broad application for this conferred authority, which Jesus gave to us who confess He is the Son of God. It’s an all-encompassing power. It is the same faith used for salvation, healing, moving mountains, expanding His kingdom, forgiveness, and asking for our desires. Consider using faith to receive wealth for funding gospel work. Not only did you unlock a financial door here on earth, but by sowing this back into God’s work you have unlocked treasure for yourself in heaven. Faith opens doors on earth, in heaven, and beyond; it’s the master key. Jesus teaches to give to Caesar what is “his,” and if you command a mountain to move with faith, it will obey “you.” You cast out demons, free souls, and what you loose on earth will be loosed in the next life.

Now, for us, the baton’s passed. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit for power, not just for personal holiness but for mission work, as seen in Acts with miracles galore. Peter, taking after Jesus, healed a cripple just by commanding it. He said, “What I have, I give, in Jesus’ Name, Walk.” We are commissioned with the same power and authority to do the same. We don’t need to beg God for it. It’s a packaged deal with the finished atonement of Jesus. You already got it. If you need to be baptized in the Spirit, then ask by faith and receive.

Unless your faith’s been stuck on dial-up, it’s time to log into the divine network and start freeing folks from their physical and spiritual shackles. Remember, in this game of faith, you’re not just playing; you’re meant to change the scoreboard.

[Grok 2025, personal. Helped with proofreading and a few witty summaries.]