Substitute

 The Substitute – Curry Blake

Jesus gave us His Name (the authorization to use His total authority over ALL manner of sickness and ALL manner of disease) so that we could substitute for Him while He is gone. Jesus came to remedy the sin situation (and everything connected to it), He came to show us the Father’s will and to show us how to walk so as to fulfill His will. Then, He commissioned us as His representatives to continue His ministry and mission until He returns. Then, He returned to HQ (Heaven) to wait until we finish our job. Healing is victorious warfare against our enemy, the devil, which happens to also be God’s enemy. Healing is not an added benefit, it is part of the salvation Jesus purchased for us. In the area of theatre, the main star always has an understudy. The understudy has to learn the same part, the same lines as the main star so that they can fill in if the main star isn’t available to play their part. Everyone knows it’s not the exact same person, but it is the same role. This is the position Jesus put us in. This is still His ministry, its just Act 2 of the same play (literally Acts 2). 

Years ago, there was a movie in which a Country Music star quit performing, and since there were concerts still contracted to perform, they had to find a “stand-in” to imitate the star. This person literally had to impersonate the original star. Again, this is similar to the position Christians are in today. I know my analogies aren’t perfect, but remember, I’m just the stand-in. Jesus was the master at parables. In 1981, I had a poster board tacked to the inside of our house front door, it read: “You may be the only ‘Jesus’ some people ever see.” It was a reminder as I left my house of how I was supposed to behave and speak. 

Too often, Christians remain captured by the traditions of men in the area of our relationship with God. Instead of being true “New Creations” with the Heavenly Father, they simply live as “old covenant” proselytes with a God. Usually, the God they serve is more like Zeus than Jehovah. This kind of Christian differs very little from the the religious Jews that were always trying to “not make God mad” rather than living in the freedom of a Son. As “New Creations,” we get to live our lives with the same power and joy and freedom as Jesus did. We get to do the same works Jesus did. We get to do even greater works than Jesus did. This is not some burdensome yoke put on us by some cruel taskmaster. This is the freedom to enjoy living life without fear or worry. Living life like this is having so much life in abundance that we are able to go about doing good and healing ALL that are oppressed of the devil, FOR GOD IS WITH US! Imagine if your mind was so renewed to God’s Word that when you saw a need, you simply reached out to help without wondering “What if it doesn’t work?” 

The apostles in the Book of Acts went about doing good and healing, setting captives free, and preaching the Good News, just like their Mentor, Jesus, did. They were just substituting for Him. They knew they weren’t “Him,” but they believed Him. They believed what He said strong enough that they obeyed Him and did what they had seen Him do. You never see them wondering if it was God’s will to heal the lame man at the Beautiful Gate. You never see them talking to God about healing someone. They just did it. Then, they told people that Jesus was the One that supplied the power to do it. Why did they have such conviction? Because they believed what He had said to them. 

I remember back from years ago, when everyone was saying “What Would Jesus Do? That’s all the apostles did. They went around doing what Jesus would do if He were there physically. Guess what? He is here physically, in you. You are His Body. If you don’t lay hands on people, they aren’t going to have hands laid on them and they probably won’t get healed. Be His substitute. Some might say, “But you don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ve done. To which I say…“You don’t know what Jesus did!!!” Whatever He did outdid whatever you did. Get over yourself. Get you off your mind. Do what He said to do. Become obedient. Jesus didn’t say, sit around and remember all the stupid bad things you’ve done. The Scripture says, “Think on these things…” (Phil. 4:8). The Scripture says, “Looking to Jesus…” (Heb. 12:2). The Scripture says, “Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus…” (Phil. 2:5). He gave YOU His Word, His power, His Spirit. He, Himself, has supplied you with everything you need to get the job done that He has given YOU to do. Be His substitute… at least until He gets here.