The Healing Word

Pastor Jack Morris: If we come to the altar, whether it is our home by our bed, or here at the church, or in the car, God will heal us of that spirit of fear. He will impart in the place of it the spirit of power. But the spirit of power cannot get in when the spirit of fear has the glass already full.

Guest (Male): Today on The Healing Word, Pastor Jack Morris is going to discuss our memories, those that are good and bad, and how the effects of each can shape our attitudes and at times imprison us. Listen as we learn how God can release us from the spirit of fear, replacing it with a spirit of power and temper that with a spirit of love. Let's go to the message right now: Memories Good and Bad.

Pastor Jack Morris: There are some memories that we have that we wish we didn't have. We wish we could forget them and get them out of our mind, and we think perhaps we have only for them to return again. Something triggered it and like a flashback, there's that memory again. We just can't capture it, bring it down, take the fangs out.

But today, God is going to help us. The Holy Spirit is with us. Blessings are going to come. God has an answer, and it's found in this holy book inspired by the Holy Spirit. Now there are good memories. There's a song, "Precious memories, how they linger, come from somewhere to my soul." And we thank God for those precious memories. Those precious memories are so interesting. They inspire, they motivate, they energize. We love the good memories.

But then there are those that I'm calling bad memories that also come. Some failure, we keep remembering it, ruminating it. An abuse, an illness, a setback, a disappointment. They just keep flashing back and flashing back. Would to God that we could get that out of our mind and forget it so we could move on. But some of us have been locked into a standstill for so long, and memory has played a great factor in that standstill.

But let me tell you about another kind of memory. A memory, something you said somewhere along the way. You said it, you wish you hadn't said it. You wish a thousand times you could get that back again, but it's out there and you keep remembering what you said. You may not have really meant it, but you said it anyway and you hurt somebody.

But you hurt yourself, I hurt myself, the most. I keep remembering what I said that I shouldn't have said. And I don't remember it for a week or two, but I've been remembering it for years. I wish I had never said that. Why did I say that? And then how about those memories you wish you had said something and you didn't?

You had an opportunity to say something encouraging. I think back, my parents are now in heaven, they've been in heaven for a long time. And I wonder, did I say everything that I should have said to them? There are things now I think of that I wish I had said that I didn't say. And that keeps coming back. It keeps coming back what I should have said.

I remember my old pastor, dear Reverend Garns. He was my first teacher after I planned on going in the ministry and he sensed the call of God. He encouraged me, he taught me, he led me. His wife counseled with me. They were such a blessing. And then I went on to college and university and seminary.

He had a theological degree, but my academic training went far beyond his. But I remember talking to him on the phone one time. I was pastoring a church larger than his, not this church, there was another church before coming here. And he called me and we talked. And while I was talking to him, I wanted to say, "Pastor Garns, you were my first teacher. You were my best teacher."

That went through my mind, but I didn't say it. I didn't say it. And to this day, why didn't I say that to him? It wouldn't have cost me ten cents. Wouldn't have cost a dollar. But oh, how it would have blessed that dear old brother. There are things that I wish I had said to my parents. Things that I've said to Corrine and I think I've said everything.

I've tried to be very careful and say everything that I need to say to her. And I've told her repeatedly how much I love her and that she is the best thing that ever happened to me. Really, she really is. I could have never made it without her. I hope I've said everything. I hope I've said everything I need to say to my children. I don't want to have those kind of regrets. And I hope I've said everything I need to say to the Largo Community Church.

I love this book of Philippians so much. It's been such a blessing to me through the years. And I want to read something that Paul said to the Philippian church. Chapter 1, he addresses them and he says, "I thank my God every time I remember you." It's nice to say nice things to people. Why are we so hesitant and so backward about that?

Notice he said, "I thank my God every time I remember you in all my prayers for all of you. I pray with joy because of our partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Listen to this, this is the last one: "It is right for me to feel this way about you all since I have you in my heart." Wasn't that nice that that old pastor said that to that congregation that he was pastoring? Let's say some nice things to people. There's enough out there to discourage and put us down and hurt us.

I've experienced love here at the Largo Community Church like no other place, and I'm thankful for it. And it's real and it's genuine. It's from Jesus' heart into your heart. And Corrine and I have experienced it and you have experienced it. Haven't you? Haven't you? Why don't you just holler across the aisle to somebody, "I love you."

Audience: I love you!

Pastor Jack Morris: Memories, good memories. We went on a vacation, I remember when my dad took us down from western Pennsylvania to Washington DC so many years ago. I may have been 11 years old, 12 years old, and took us to the zoo. I'd never seen a zoo and he wanted to bless us. But I can't ever remember thanking him for that.

Little things, but little things with a thank you behind it becomes a big thing and a wonderful thing. And if you know that somebody is hurt and down, go to them and say, "I love you, I care for you, I'm praying for you." Why keep silent? We speak out when we want change, we speak out when we don't like something. Why don't we speak out when we do like something?

Let's love one another and let the person know. I think we've all been guilty of being quiet when we should have spoken and maybe been quiet when we did speak, who knows. But memories, bad memories. They have a way of debilitating us spiritually, just tearing us down spiritually. They have a way of producing fear in us.

Some of us, all of us, had bad memories today. And I'm praying and I have been praying that God would help us to find healing and wholeness in our mind. We hear a lot of sermons, I know I've preached a lot of sermons, on physical healing but not very many sermons on the emotional, mental healing.

Listen to this, friend. Before there was ever a physical healing, remember how the Satan went into the garden and he initiated an argument with Adam and Eve? He was dealing with their mind. He was going to hurt them through their thoughts. He told them a lie, put the seed in their brain.

Eve said God said we'll surely die. Oh no, you won't surely die. Look at the interaction and the dialogue that went on between the two of them. It was all in the mind and the whole earth was cursed because of things that happened in the mind. Sin started in the mind, in the thought. That's where it starts.

Every imagination of the hearts of people were evil in Noah's day, so God sent a flood because their thoughts were evil. God help us to think good thoughts. And God's going to help us. We can't do it in ourselves. We can't fight that battle. There's a war going on and those thoughts keep coming back.

Some of us have been stunted in our spiritual growth, plateaued. We wonder why we're not closer to the Lord or why our life isn't going forward. We quickly want physical healing. We want to do away... of course we do, and God does heal. But if we can get our thoughts straight, a lot of physical healing would automatically take place.

I don't hear any amens coming this morning. You still with me? Do you have the... there it is. It's on the screen. Can you see it? Can you read this? It's 2nd Corinthians 10:3, 4, and 5, New King James Version. Let's read it together: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

Now notice: arguments. Where did arguments originate? In your brain, in your mind. Bringing down every thought. You see, God is concerned about what you're thinking and your imagination, your thoughts. And when that man and people were writing about racism and all of that, that evilness that was coming, he didn't know.

I'm sure God has forgiven him. But the people in this church who did know said nothing. They kept quiet. Maybe they were embarrassed, I don't know what it was. But it wasn't only here, but it was all across this nation. It's the beginning to die down I think a little bit now.

But friends, we've got to take a stand for the body of Christ. We have been redeemed. We are brothers and sisters. Your name and my name is in the Lamb's Book of Life. And evil is evil no matter who it's coming from. And why are you afraid of their faces? Jesus said to Peter on one occasion, "Get behind me, Satan. You're doing the work of the devil."

If you have the spirit and I have the spirit of Jesus, you and I will take a stand for righteousness no matter who it is that's doing the unright thing. That's what righteousness means: it means doing right or doing unright. And Jesus has given to us his righteousness. Let's be the Christians and love and not as the world would love, but as Christ loves.

Now look at this verse of scripture with me: "For though we walk in the flesh," that means we're in the world. You're in a human body. God remembers our frame, he knows that we're but dust. We're weak. We need his strength. So though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. We don't act like people of the world.

We come to each other's defense. We lift one another. We bless one another. We don't fight like the world fights with gossip, with nasty things, statements about somebody else's faults. No, we don't fight that way. So then let's stop it and love as Jesus would have us to love and be the people that he would have us to be.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For our weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. If you see an evil stronghold out there, in Jesus' name pull it down and don't be afraid because the spirit that God gives does not link to fear.

If you have fear, you picked up a virus, a spiritual virus. And it's doing you harm and it's going to do others harm. This is the church and Jesus said, "I will build my church." Remember who you are, what God has done for you, and that you're on the rock. We don't need to fear. Fear is not of God.

As the scripture says, "For God has given us not the spirit of fear." But Christians have a tendency, not all Christians, some, of fearing somebody else's face. They want to be everybody's friend. You can't be everybody's friend. You can't. Take a stand for Jesus and for righteousness. Look to the Lord with your heart and allow him to bring blessing to you.

Notice that verse that it says, "For our weapons of our warfare." Fight with the word, fight with love, fight with care. Don't be afraid to go and say, "You shouldn't say that about your sister. You shouldn't say that about your brother. I love you and because I love you, I'm going to take a stand for Christ."

We have weapons. Don't use the weapons of the world. Don't act like the Democrats and the Republicans blasting and calling each other liars. You may not say it, but you think it. But it happens. But we need to repent and come back to God. If we want revival at the Largo Community Church, we're going to have to be honest with ourselves and honest with God.

You might need to even speak to your wife or to your husband, to your son or your daughter or your parents. But pray about it first. Get the mind of Jesus. Seek God. Watch what the Lord can do. They'll come back to thank you someday because they are hurting themselves and you are allowing it to continue. And God will hold you accountable for letting that fester and grow in its wickedness.

I didn't really want to preach this sermon today, but I knew I had to because all sin and all evil, it doesn't happen when we behave a certain way. It happens when we think a certain way. Before there's behavior, there's thought. And we need to bring down those strongholds because if we allow it to continue, it will become a fortress that is impenetrable.

You've waited too long already. It's going to be very difficult now. But don't allow that person to continue to damage himself or herself or damage another person. For the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments. Why do you listen to those arguments? Cast them down. God has given you and me power over them because their seed now is getting into your attitude.

I will put on the front and be very careful about letting anybody know. It's time to take a stand casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought... bringing every thought... bringing every thought into captivity. You have to take that thought and imprison it. It's been running loose way too long.

We're in a war all right, but it's on top of our shoulders. That's where the war is. We need the weapons that are God-empowered and they're available to us and they're here for the pulling down of the strongholds. Now we need to look to Physician Jesus. He even referred to himself several times as a physician.

He heals our memories, our thoughts, our thinking. And when he does, we are delivered from the power of fear. There are too many Christians who are cowards in the home, where they work, and in the church they attend. Cowards. Fear produces cowards. Looking to healing of the spirit.

If we come to the altar, whether it is our home by our bed, or here at the church, or in the car, God will heal us of that spirit of fear. He will impart in the place of it the spirit of power. But the spirit of power cannot get in when the spirit of fear has the glass already full. Why do I keep being so weak and cowardly?

And then he'll bless us with the spirit of love. But we've got to get rid of the spirit of fear and begin to fight the battle. Jesus told the men in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Put up your sword. We don't fight that way." How do we fight? We fight with love. We fight with care. We fight with sympathy and empathy. We embrace. We are the people of God.

That spirit that went into the Capitol and all of that mess, that same spirit floated across the United States. I think I know some of the churches that it hit all the way to California. That same spirit. We begin to listen. We begin to look, and to read, and to bethink, and to talk. Oh, I'll tell you, we become so passionate over our human situation.

Friend, there's a race that God put you in and put me in. We're in that same race, and that's the Christian race. There's only three basic races in the world: the Gentile race, that's everybody who isn't a Jew; the Jewish race, that's everybody that's a Jew; and the Christian race. We have been redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are in the Savior's love and care. He has cared for us all our lives long. He's going to take care of us now. Look to the Lord, focus on him, and allow him to do that beautiful gift and move you and me off in his grace, in his love.

Guest (Male): If you were to take away one truth from today's message, let it be that Jesus is the Great Physician, healing body, soul, and spirit. Ask him to heal you of all fear and bless you with a spirit of power and love.

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