Naaman the Syrian was the only leper healed during the lifetime of Elisha(Luke4:27). This pointed out by Jesus as proof that although Israel had a healing covenant with God, the people in Israel did not receive any healing.Jesus pointed this out as the fault of the people. God having committed himself to heal them. But that something in the people prevented God from fulfilling his healing power on their behalf. That although his people were promised healing, they never received it because they had something in them or a lack of something that prevented the power of God from operating. We call it "grieving the Spirit", or "lack of faith", or no real respect or fear of the Lord. Jesus pointed this out. And we know that Jesus healed all who called on him . However many people were left sick in Israel during Jesus ministry as can be seen by the numbers of sick people who approached the apostles after his ascension. Some who had been in Jerusalem for years and years and from birth being ill. God started everyone off in the New Covent from the same starting position. Romans 11:32 tells us that he committed everyone to disobedience so that he might have mercy on them all. So that mercy is dependence on our revelation that we are faulty species and unrighteous before God. Then God is able to give us the gift of righteousness. Through his mercy.Romans 3:10 tells us that all sinned whether Jew or Gentile. Perhaps it might be better elaborated as "sin nature". In the story of Job we see a personal devil seeking to attack Job. We see that he is allowed but given boundaries and that Job's trusting god is called into testing, so God is not allowed to give Job a hint of what is going on. In James it tells us that in the heart of God He was seeking to bless Job more but could not legitimately find a way to do this whilst still upholding his nature and legality. However after Job harrowing experience God and his mercy found a way to bless Job double. So then it was God's mercy and released His blessings towards Job. And it is his mercy that does the same for us. But at the beginning of Job he could not do this only after he had been unjustly attacked. The God's mercy could snap into action, which was his plan all along. When did Job qualify for this mercy? After his humbling and harrowing experience. Now even though we have a new covenant with God it does not mean that we can always receive these blessings. God has no favourites (Romans2:11) But His mercy is the vehicle by which he sends his healing; deliverance and anointing power. When someone has grown proud, even without their direct knowledge of this in their conscious thinking, then this mercy cannot operate . As mercy is the vehicle then often there needs be a period of humbling before mercy can sometimes be released. Often believers think God has turned away from them (as did Job) during this time. When, in fact, quite the opposite is happening. He allows even circumstances in life to turn against them so that they might humble themselves and then qualify for his mercy which brings in its wake, healing, anointing power for ministry and deliverance for the recipient and/or for those through the recipient seeks to get healed. As we are all committed by God to "disobedience", then we are all to first be humble before His grace can be shown. "The righteous have no need of a physician", Jesus said, "I came for sinners not righteous people". So then by this we understand that it is those who recognise their need to whom Jesus is sent. Not to those who think they have no need at all. It is to those who recognise their inadequacy to whom the presence of Jesus will appear, not to those who think they are fine and dont need a saviour, healer and deliverer. Mercy it is that allows God to release to us and us to receive from him that which was promised thousands of years back. "I desire mercy and not sacrifice"! Matthew 9:13 ===== Pastorphil http://www.faithministries.org.uk/ "All Things are Possible, Only Believe!" Mark 9:23 ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping" your friends today! Download Messenger Now http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html