“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
James 1:22
The weather forecast is calling for storms and heavy rains, the sky is rumbling with thunder, dark clouds are rolling in and your car is parked in the driveway with all the windows down. What would you do? In all likelihood, you'd head out and close all the windows before it started to rain. You'd act on the belief that it was going to rain. In like manner, when you believe in your heart that you have been healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ - you would act on that belief. (1 Peter 2:24) Faith in God's Word is acting on His Word, even when evidence in the natural is contrary to that belief. To be in faith is to act on God's Word. We must trust in the Lord with all our heart, and lean not to our own understanding. We, as believers, must be doers of the Word, not hearers only.
We read in the Old Testament about Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, who was plagued with leprosy. He was instructed to dip in the Jordan River seven times and he would be healed. As he obeyed and acted upon it - "his skin was restored like the flesh of a little child." The promise of healing would not have benefited Naaman had he not acted upon it.
Jesus repeatedly demonstrated the importance of acting on the Word. In the gospel of Luke, we read how Peter and his crew had toiled fruitlessly all night and had caught nothing. Jesus instructed them to let down their nets for a catch elsewhere; and subsequently upon acting on His word, they caught so many fish that their nets were breaking! The story of the ten lepers is another great illustration. Jesus instructed them to go show themselves to the priests ~ which would validate they were healed ~ and despite all evidence to the contrary, they were healed as they went. Then there's the story of the man with the withered hand. As Jesus commanded him, stretch out your hand, and as he obeyed, his hand was completely restored and made whole.
The Bible declares that by the stripes of Jesus you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24) Acting on the Word of God activates the promise of God. The promises need to be activated by our believing and acting; be a doer of the Word, not a hearer only. You can be assured that God watches over His Word to perform it! (Jeremiah 1:12)
DAILY DECLARATION
The Word instructs me to be a doer of the Word. Up to now, I've only read about what is truth. I determine today to act on the Word. Despite what my body looks or feels like, I will do whatever I haven't been able to do, no matter how small it seems. As I act on the Word, my faithful Father will confirm His Word in my body through the Holy Spirit. I believe in my heart that I've been healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ and I will act on that Word.