“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” ~ Isaiah 53:5
The words in the scripture above describe the purpose of Jesus coming to us and the incredible undeserved gift that He offers to us: exchanging our sin and guilt for His healing and peace.
We are a world full of the walking wounded. Many are dressed beautifully and try to move about as though nothing is wrong. But what is hidden is not beautiful or healthy. Nor does it stay hidden, but festers and continues to grow bigger and deeper.
Guilt. Shame. Grief. Fear.
Depression. Anger.
Addictions, searching for something to satisfy or to escape our reality. Lost, both in life and to ourselves.
Even after healing, this culture can beat us down and use us up. We can be stressed and weary to the bone, feeling distanced from our own healing. And as long as there is sin in the world, we are all vulnerable to physical disease.
We need a cure for ALL of these things.
Jesus IS the cure!
His death and resurrection makes it possible for us to be reconciled to God and be healed of every infirmity of body, soul, and spirit.
The purpose of every word in the bible, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelations 22:21, the first and last verses of the bible of the 31,102 verses, is to tell us about Jesus. EVERYTHING points to Jesus.
A few decades ago, a friend of mine gave her heart to Jesus for the first time. She called me one day and asked if I would show her the best way to read the bible. She was confused by much of what she read and was getting discouraged. I prayed before meeting with her, and God gave me the simplest answer.
Start by reading only the scriptures written in red, I told her. Those are words from Jesus. Read as little or as much as you are comfortable with each day, but only read the words Jesus spoke, and as you read, ask Jesus to plant them in your heart, and He will make himself known to you.
Interestingly, Christian musician Crowder wrote and recorded a song called The Red Letters that was released in 2018. It’s a testimony of how Jesus changed his life. Some of the words are:
Then I read the red lettersAnd the ground began to shakeThe prison walls started fallingAnd I became a free man that day
The “red letters” are more than just the words Jesus says; they are the LIVING WORD. They are JESUS. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
Jesus is the Name Above All Names, and holds the authority and power of Heaven
A more recent song, I Speak Jesus, tells us to “speak Jesus” over people to bring healing to the world. Jesus is the cure. Jesus is our salvation. Jesus is the answer to all our problems and diseases and confusion. Only He has the power to destroy sin, death, trauma, and disease.
When we are overwhelmed, we don’t have to be able to express our need in words, but just speaking His name is prayer enough. There is power in His name; power to heal, power to save, power to make you a new creation.
When we surrender our lives to Jesus, we want to be obedient to His word and teachings. One way we do that is sharing the good news of Jesus with others. That’s what Hearts Being Healed conferences are all about, and we speak Jesus to the women who attend.
In our individual lives as we work and move about in our community, we need to speak Jesus to the people whom God places in our path.
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ~ Philippians 2:9-11
‘I speak Jesus” means to proclaim the name of Jesus. Speak the name of Jesus over the physically sick. Speak the name of Jesus over those who are chained to addictions. Speak Jesus over those who suffer depression and all manner of mental and emotional illnesses. Speak Jesus to the souls bent low in grief and those crippled by fear.
Isaiah 40:29: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
Psalm 147:3: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Jeremiah 17:14: “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”
As we are healed, we share the good news about salvation and healing, and all that Jesus wants to be to them. When we speak Jesus, we are declaring healing, wholeness, freedom, love, and peace over them.
Some of us have been living in the Christian community for a very long time so it’s easy to forget that people around us don’t know who God is. Some may associate the name with a religion, but they don’t know Him. We must never let ourselves be indifferent to the need for people even here in our own communities to hear the gospel story. We need to pray for boldness to speak Jesus over people wherever we are, to tell the gospel story to whoever needs to hear it, to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community.
This song I Speak Jesus takes me to my knees every time I hear it. I feel the presence of Holy Spirit in each word. I feel the need to bow down before Him, seeing in my mind a picture of bowing before Him in Heaven.
When you feel discouraged or weak in any way, worship with this song and speak Jesus over yourself. Jesus will meet you where you are and restore you. In case you’re reading this in a place where you can’t play the song right now, I’ve added the words below the song video for you to read now, then listen to the song later.
May Jesus meet you in your place of need today.
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