Witness for Christ Blog

If you are saved in Jesus Christ, but have not experienced healing or deliverance you might be running on just one cylinder instead of three.

The little Greek word sozo in the New Testament means three things at once: to save, to heal and to set free. Depending on the context it is rendered as one or the other. But we miss out in the translation the fact that all three are part and parcel of the same deal: namely that Christ purchased all three for us by His blood shed on the cross.

This is consistent with what Isaiah says:

(Isa 53:5 NIV) But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Sozo appears 120 times in the New Testament. Here are a few examples:

Salvation
(Luke 19:10 NIV) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save (sozo) what was lost."

(John 3:17 NIV) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save (sozo) the world through him.

(Rom 10:9 NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (sozo).

Healing
(Mat 9:21 NIV) She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed (sozo)."

(Luke 17:19 NIV) Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well (sozo)."

(Luke 18:42 NIV) Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed (sozo) you."

Deliverance
(Luke 8:36 NIV) Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured (sozo).

(2 Tim 4:18 NIV) The Lord will rescue (sozo) me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

(Jude 1:5 NIV) Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered (sozo) his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.

So what's the big deal? How is that relevant to the church in the 21st century? Well the issue is that we have just come to the realisation God is interested in transforming the whole person. Body, soul and spirit. We are familiar with having a born-again spirit when we invite Jesus Christ to rule our lives. Why should we miss out on having our body healed and our soul set free from bondage?

After denying for so long that miracles ceased with the death of the last apostles who walked with Jesus we now see supernatural healings taking place everywhere.

The next step is to admit that the enemy of our souls is very cunning at enslaving our minds with strongholds, mindsets and lies planted by demons. Why should we miss out and not apply the blood of Jesus to that also? Then we will be whole and able the remove the spec of dust from our brother's eye - having removed the plank in our own eye beforehand!

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