Wounds That Heal

“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 NIV). This verse states such a powerful prophecy of what Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection would mean for our lives. However, this Word from God is alluding to so much more than what has been believed to be the only interpretation of it.

Many say this verse only relates to spiritual healing but, in saying this, we limit not only the power of its message but the power of our God! We limit the influence His Word has on our current life, passing it off as only influencing our life in the world to come. However, as with much of God’s Word, the messages and stories were meant to be applicable not only in achieving an eternal life in heaven but also in sustaining a peaceful, loving, joyful life on Earth. Furthermore, last time I checked, eternity is a continuum and, for us, that continuum already started when God spoke us into existence and includes where we are RIGHT NOW! This verse, like many others, has a deeper application, one that could be implemented today. Let me explain.

Jesus’ body was pure, knowing no sin. However, when He took on all of our sins, past, present, and future, at the cross, His body was affected in the worst possible way. There are several books and medical articles discussing how severe His bodily afflictions were and how it medically affected His total body, physically and physiologically. So, let’s suffice it to say, His bodily pain and suffering was truly unimaginable. Yet, He did this for us. Jesus took all of our sin (all of our shame, guilt, unforgiveness, unkindness, resentments, judgements, etc.). His blood shed and His body was literally broken because of it.

However, without this event, we would have never been able to experience His resurrection, which represented not only His almighty power and glory, but also His love, conquering sin and death’s hold over us and restoring our relationship with God. This guaranteed that, if we believe in Him, we will be with Him forever. Yes, spiritually we were healed by His selfless act, but there is more to this story. Jesus’ body was broken and destroyed, once it took on all of our sin, BUT, once He overcame sin, His body was restored. Although, Jesus’ body was restored “on the other side,” there is a message that we must not miss now that His resurrection power lives within us FROM THIS VERY MOMENT, RIGHT NOW, to eternity. The power and the message from the story of the cross should not end as only an indication of how we were spiritually healed but also how we can be physically healed. 

To understand this, we need to discuss a few other important aspects about this powerful event in Jesus’ life. First, we must remember that sins were redefined at the cross. No longer were they things that kept God apart from us, but rather, sin is now defined as unwanted, conquered, yet, chosen (voluntarily or involuntarily) emotional states that prevent us from knowing and living God’s promised freedoms and love. Second, we must learn to see the very clear example Jesus was showing about the connection between body and soul, especially between the health of the physical body and the health of the soul.

Jesus never experienced physical bodily afflictions or illness until He took on our sin as fully man. Therefore, the story of the cross exemplifies a truth of how God created our human bodies, that has now been verified by science. Just as with Jesus’ human body, when we, personally, take on thoughts and heart postures (some might refer to them as “negative”) that are not in alignment with what Himself, and, therefore, what He has taught us to live by (which is our new post-crucifixion definition of what sin is), our bodies are physically affected. Yet, when we release these thoughts and heart postures from within us (sin) to Jesus, our bodies, too, can be physically restored. We not only saw this once Jesus defeated sin and resurrected from the dead but, now, because of His resurrection, we must know sin is powerless over us, if we choose it to be. It is no longer a guaranteed separation from God. Therefore, when we give back to Jesus what He already died for and overcame (e.g. stress, worry, anxiety, fear, anger, bitterness, guilt, shame, unforgiveness, resentment, etc.), our bodies resume the states that He already placed within us, e.g. peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, compassion, etc. (gifts of the Spirit). And, because God created us in such a spectacular way, science now confirms what God has been telling us since the beginning … that, when we release those thoughts and heart postrues not in alignment with Jesus’ teachings and live by HIS SPIRIT, our bodies heal. This is all beautifully summed up in Romans 8:11 NIV, “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also GIVE LIFE TO YOUR MORTAL BODIES because of His Spirit who lives in you.” Now, we can fully understand what this means! Resurrection power not only after our physical death but NOW!

“By His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5 NIV) depicts such a powerful, monumental moment in the history of Jesus’ life and in the history of ours. It conveys spiritual healing for us, knowing His crucifixion and resurrection overcame the power of sin and death’s ability to keep God apart from us. However, it also illustrates physical healing by illustrating the connection between body and soul. Jesus’ physical body being so impacted by our sin represents the very nature how CHOOSING to live by a conquered sin has on our physical body (it is a choice because sin was overcome at the cross). However, when we finally overcome sin in our lives, releasing it to Jesus, Whom it now belongs to, we also experience the promised restoration, a supernatural resurrection power, and, therefore, “by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53: 5 NIV) spiritually AND PHYSICALLY!  

Remember this very important truth the next time you are afflicted with a bodily insult. Think about what “negative” thoughts and heart postures are within your heart (the new definition of what sin is), and give it back to Jesus, Whom already handled it! When you do this, you will start to feel not only the spiritual healing but also the physical body healing from RESURRECTION POWER! God is blessing you!