Book Review of
The Essential Guide to Healing
by Bill Johnson and Randy Clark
Chosen Books
The Essential Guide to Healing is divided into three parts. In the first part, each author tells his personal journey regarding healing. The second section is a theological defense of healing. And the third part is about the actual practice of healing.
I loved the mentoring this book provided. And I appreciated the information regarding the practical application of healing. I feel better prepared for praying over people in the Healing Rooms.
I actually read the third section before the section on theology. I was more interested in the actual practice of healing and antsy to get to it. And I enjoyed the theological section more when I could view it as ammunition for my defense of healing rather than an attempt to convince me.
One valuable insight I gained that I will share with you comes from Is.61. This is the passage that Jesus reads in the synagogue as an announcement of His ministry. Isaiah 61:1 reads, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to prisoners;"
I had always assumed they were the same. Hebrew poetry often uses couplets, and I assumed this was similar. But no. Prisoners are behind bars because of what they have done. And captives are imprisoned because of what has been done to them.
Praise God that Jesus set them both free!! However, this difference is significant because that means the key to their freedom is different. The key to freedom for the prisoner is to repent and be forgiven. The key to freedom for the captive, on the other hand, is to forgive others. Or perhaps the captive just needs to use the authority given to them to get out of captivity, like Paul and Silas in the New Testament.
Are you a prisoner or a captive? Do you need to repent and be forgiven, or do you need to forgive others? How critical to know the difference!
Of course, Jesus has already proclaimed liberty for the captive and freedom to the prisoner! In either case, He has already paid the price for their freedom with His precious blood.
Only by the blood of Jesus!