These are notes on the sermon, Stay Strong and Healthy God’s Way, preached by Pastor Joseph Prince on Sunday, 20 February 2022, at The Star Performing Arts Centre, Singapore. We hope these sermon notes will be an encouragement to you!
Be sure to sign up to get updates on the latest sermon notes by Team JP.
Pastor Prince starts off the service by sharing about the gift that the tribe of Issachar had—an understanding of the times (1 Chron. 12:32).
The times we are living in are the days when the rapture is imminent. Just before the Lord returns for His church, times will get very dark and iniquity shall abound (Matt. 24:12). But during these times, the Lord is also revealing to us revelations on how to receive our inheritance as believers.
During this time before He returns, God wants us to enjoy His gifts to us. When God made Adam and Eve, He made them last of His creation so that they could enjoy the work that He had finished. Likewise, today as believers, we are to rest and enjoy the finished work of Christ.
Pastor Prince shares that in this year of Rest and Acceleration, our part is to take an inward posture of rest and allow the Lord to be the One to bring about the acceleration. Instead of being anxious or hasty to bring about the acceleration we want to see with our own strength, let’s trust the Lord and rest in the finished work of Christ which has fully provided all we need.
Rest is not passivity. It is Spirit-directed activity. As you rest, the Lord will work in you, through you, and for you to bring about His acceleration in your life.
“Surely He has borne our griefs (‘kholee’ – diseases)
And carried our sorrows (‘makov' – pains);
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.”
—Isaiah 53:4 NKJV
“Griefs” — The Hebrew translation for this word is “kholee,” which refers to diseases.
“Sorrows” — The Hebrew translation for this word is “makov,” which refers to pains.
“that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
“He Himself took our infirmities
And bore our sicknesses.”
—Matthew 8:17 NKJV
The Bible tells us that Jesus fulfilled the prophecy spoken by the prophet Isaiah when He went around healing those who were physically sick. The infirmities and sicknesses here refer to physical sicknesses.
The devil is trying to hide the truth that healing and health are part of the benefits of Jesus’ finished work.
In this year of Rest and Acceleration, God is restoring the tabernacle of David (a picture of the church under the new covenant of grace), and He is repairing the breaches (broken areas) in our lives (Amos 9:11 KJV). Today, we are talking about the breach in the area of health.
In Christ, there are not only spiritual benefits but also benefits for our souls (thoughts and emotions) and our physical bodies. The Lord wants us free from depression, anxieties, and panic attacks, and He wants us to enjoy peace in our minds and bodies. This peace comes from knowing Jesus has removed our sins. Because Jesus has removed all our sins at the cross, we can be sure that God’s righteousness is on our side and there is no divine punishment waiting for us.
Now, every time we approach God, we experience “a new and living way”—His divine life flowing into every part of our being (Heb. 10:19–20)!
“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
—1 Thessalonians 4:15–18 NKJV
“alive and remain” — To remain alive denotes power. This verse tells us there is a group of people in the end-times who have discovered something from the Lord that gives them the power to remain alive until Jesus returns.
From the life of the apostle Paul, we see the power of possessing the resurrection life of Christ.
“For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith,”
—Philippians 1:23–25 NKJV
Here, it seems like Paul has two choices a) to depart and be with Christ, which he thinks is far better, b) to remain in the flesh for the benefit of the church in Philippi. Paul was able to speak like he had authority over life and death because he was convicted of the power of the resurrection life of Christ.
“Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”
—Acts 14:19–20 NKJV
During his time in Iconium where he was sharing the gospel, Paul was heavily persecuted by many Jews and eventually sentenced to death by stoning. Yet after being stoned, he got up completely well (Acts 14:20). Because he believed in the finished work of Jesus and that the same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the grave was in him, Paul remained strong and was healed even after he was heavily injured.
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”
—Philippians 3:20–21 NKJV
Pastor Prince encourages us to look forward to Jesus’ return, where our bodies will be transformed into the likeness of the Lord’s glorious, incorruptible body. Until then, God wants us to enjoy all the other blessings He has for us here on earth, and that includes healing, robust health, and long life. God wants us to live strong and healthy, and be numbered as those who are alive and remain until the rapture.
“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
—Hebrews 2:14–15 NKJV
“through death He might destroy him who had the power of death” — Through His death, Jesus conquered death and freed us from the fear of physical death. The fear of death is the bottom of all fears and subjects you to bondage—you cannot live a full life when you have this fear.
Understanding the times we’re living in helps us to recognize how and why the devil is attacking us. The devil is out to destroy the health of God’s people so that all the giftings, anointings, and callings God has given us to bless this world will be gone.
In the face of this, let’s believe and rest in Jesus’ finished work. Now we have His healing, wholeness, resurrection life in us. We don’t need to be afraid!
Receiving God’s promise of health and strength is a matter of faith, not a matter of increasing your good works to earn it.
Pastor Prince shares about men of God in recent generations who believed strongly in the atoning work of Christ covering our physical health. Pastor Princes shares more extensively on George Mueller, a minister of God who ran an orphanage. Through his ministry, George Mueller fed more than 10,000 orphans. Even at an old age, George Mueller remained strong without sickness and disease. When asked how he remained strong, George Mueller shared that his secret was in the recuperative power of God’s Word over all his flesh. His priority every day was to make his soul happy in the Lord!
This message is not an indictment of anyone who has passed on because of sickness. This message just hopes to reveal biblical secrets to living a long and healthy life.
One secret to being strong, even in old age, is to saturate yourself with the Word of God.
“My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them,
And health (‘marpe’ – medicine) to all their flesh.”
—Proverbs 4:20–22 NKJV
“health to all their flesh” — The Hebrew translation for the word “health” is “marpê,” which refers to medicine. God’s Word is able to heal us not just spiritually but physically. Not only that, but it is beneficial to all—every part—of your flesh.
The life of Caleb
“And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”
—Joshua 14:10–12 NKJV
At the age of 85, Caleb was as strong as he was when he was 40, when Moses sent him as a spy into the promised land. This strength was not just spiritual strength, but physical strength for war! With the strength the Lord gave Caleb, he defeated the Anakims (giants) on Mount Hebron at 85 years old.
Pastor Prince addresses the misconception that God has only promised us a lifespan of 70–80 years.
“The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Who knows the power of Your anger?
For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.”
—Psalm 90:10–11 NKJV
Pastor Prince explains the context of this psalm written by Moses—it was written when the children of Israel were in the wilderness and were under God’s wrath. But today, we are not under God’s wrath but under God’s favor.
“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;
For as I have sworn
That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
So have I sworn
That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.”
—Isaiah 54:9 NKJV
Because of the finished work of Christ, God has sworn that He will no longer be angry with us.
In the Old Testament, under the law, the Levites (the priests) were only fit to work and perform service between the age of 25 and 50:
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This is what pertains to the Levites: From twenty-five years old and above one may enter to perform service in the work of the tabernacle of meeting; and at the age of fifty years they must cease performing this work, and shall work no more. They may minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of meeting, to attend to needs, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall do to the Levites regarding their duties.”
—Numbers 8:23–26 NKJV
The Levites could only work between the age of 25 and 50 as their natural strength would start to decline after that. Pastor Prince explains that when we put ourselves under the law, we confine our physical strength. If we depend on our own natural strength, we will see natural degradation. Thank God we are not under the law but under grace, and therefore under the blessings of Abraham.
The blessing of renewal of youth in Abraham’s and Sarah’s lives
“Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,”
—Genesis 18:1–2 NKJV
“he ran from the tent door to meet them” — At this point, Abraham was nearly 100 years old yet he was still able to run toward the Lord and the angels when he saw them.
“By faith Sarah herself also received strength (‘dunamis’ – power) to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.”
—Hebrews 11:11 NKJV
“Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed” — The Greek word for “strength” in this verse is “doo'-nam-is,” which refers to the power of God.
“because she judged Him faithful who had promised” — It was through faith that Sarah received the power to conceive even at her age of 90. Pastor Prince goes on to share how the Lord renewed Sarah’s youth so much that Abimelech, the King of Gerar, wanted to take Sarah as his own when she was that age! The answer to renewed youth is not a pill. We receive this blessing by faith.
The life of Moses
“Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.”
—Deuteronomy 34:7 NKJV
Moses lived to an old age of 120 years and died without sickness and disease.
“By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured (‘kartereo’ – remain strong) as seeing Him who is invisible.”
—Hebrews 11:27 NKJV
“he endured as seeing Him who is invisible” — The Greek word for “endured” is “karteréō,” which refers to strength and power. Moses remained strong because his eyes were fixed on Jesus.
“With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation (‘Yeshua’ – Jesus).”
—Psalm 91:16 NKJV
“With long life I will satisfy him” — While the psalm before this, Psalm 90, talks about a lifespan of 70–80 years under God’s wrath, Psalm 91 (a psalm about life under the new covenant of grace) talks about God giving us long life until we are satisfied!
“Salvation” — In Hebrew, “salvation” is “Yeshua,” which is Jesus’ name! God wants to satisfy us with long life and reveal Jesus to us in His Word.
The road to Emmaus
“But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.”
—Luke 24:16 NKJV
“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
—Luke 24:27 NKJV
On the day Jesus rose from the dead, He approached two of His disciples on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus and restrained their eyes from recognizing Him. Then to minister to their discouragement, He began to expound to them in the Scriptures “the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). It was more important for them to see Him in the Scriptures than to see Him in the flesh.
In doing this, Jesus gave all of us an equal chance to experience what these two disciples did. Until the rapture when we will get to see Him face to face, we have this same privilege of seeing Him in the Scriptures.
Every time we see Jesus, we are “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). “As He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17).
This applies to our physical bodies as well. The more we see Jesus, the more we become like Him—glorious, young, and healthy!
“Your people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power;
In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.”
—Psalm 110:3 NKJV
Elijah and Elisha
“And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”
Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.”
—2 Kings 2:9–12 NKJV
Elijah was Elisha’s mentor, and Elisha asked Elijah for a double portion of his spirit. This double portion was imparted to Elisha when he saw Elijah being taken away to heaven. After this, Elisha’s ministry grew and he did 16 miracles compared to Elijah’s 8.
In the same way, when we see Jesus ascending (the glorified Christ) in the Bible, His power comes upon us.
The road to Emmaus (continued)
After Jesus expounded on Himself in the Scriptures to His two disciples, they arrived at Emmaus and told Jesus to stay with them.
“Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem . . .”
—Luke 24:30–33 NKJV
"He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them" — Breaking bread is a picture of the holy Communion. When we partake of the Communion, we are to discern the bread—a picture of the body of Christ broken for our healing. We are to discern that He Himself took our sickness and diseases (Isa. 53:5, Matt. 8:17), not just our sins. Then partake in faith.
"So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem" — Notice that after the two disciples saw Jesus in the Scriptures and partook of the holy Communion, they had the strength to walk all the way back to Jerusalem. They had just walked 7 miles yet still had the strength to walk another 7 miles back! They received new strength from the exposition of God’s Word and partaking of the Communion.
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
—Isaiah 55:10–12 NKJV
When we receive God’s Word, we will be energized and filled with peace and joy. Pastor Prince encourages us to read the Word and to listen to Christ-centered sermons that unveil Jesus to us.
“He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait (‘qavah’) on the Lord
Shall renew (exchange) their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”
—Isaiah 40:29–31 NKJV
“Renew” — The Hebrew word for “renew” is “khaw-laf',” which means “to exchange.”
“Wait” — The Hebrew word for “wait” is “qavah,” which means “to look at with hope and expectation.”
This strength will cause us to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint!
“Looking (‘aphoraó’ – to look away from all else) unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
—Hebrews 12:2 NKJV
“looking unto Jesus” — The Greek word for “looking” is “aphoráō,” which means “to look away from all else.” We are to look away from the things that distract us and to look attentively at Jesus with hope and expectation. When we see Him, we become like Him—not by our effort but by the Spirit of the Lord.
Pastor Prince ends the service by encouraging us to ask God to unveil Jesus to us every time we go to the Word. When we see Jesus in the Word, He will give us practical wisdom to handle our finances, family relationships, and challenges at work, and also give us grace and strength to overcome our trials.
“Heavenly Father, I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And I thank you that you sent Him to die for all my sins on the cross. I thank You that in His body, He bore all my sins and all my sicknesses and all my diseases. And I thank You, Father God, that You raised Him from the dead as a testimony that all my sins are put away. I confess Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Savior, now and forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“I pray that this coming week, the grace, the favor of our Lord Jesus Christ, His wonderful everlasting love, the love of our Father in heaven, and the wonderful friendship, communion and partnership of the Holy Spirit be with you and your families. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
The more you behold Jesus in the Scriptures, the more you become like Him—healthy, strong, full of life, and having perfect peace in your mind and body. This transformation happens by the Spirit of the Lord, not by your own effort (2 Cor. 3:18)!
This week, take time to see Jesus in the Word. You can start your day by opening the Bible and asking God to show you Jesus as you read the Scriptures. You can also listen to sermons that reveal the beauty of Jesus, the perfection of His finished work, and the wonder of His grace. If you’re curious about how you can see Jesus more clearly as you dive into His Word, you can also check out this sermon: How To Meet Jesus In The Word.
As you take time this week to shift your focus away from your situation—whether it is a health scare, a negative report, or the world’s notion of “growing old”—and instead fix your eyes on Jesus, you can look forward to experiencing His restorative healing power and resurrection life flow into your spirit, soul, and body!
—
Medical disclaimer
If you are facing a physical or mental health condition, please understand that this sermon is not meant to take the place of professional medical advice. If you or your loved one has a health concern or an existing medical condition, please do consult a qualified medical practitioner or healthcare provider. We would also advise you to ask and seek the Lord always for His wisdom and guidance regarding your specific health or medical issue and to exercise faith together with godly wisdom in the management of your own physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Do not, on your own accord, disregard any professional medical advice or diagnosis. Please also do not take what has been shared in this sermon as permission or encouragement to stop taking your medication or going for medical treatment. While we are unable to provide any guarantees and recognize that different individuals experience different results, we continue to stand in faith to believe and affirm the authority and power of God’s Word and healing promises with all who believe in the finished work our Lord Jesus has accomplished on the cross.
We hope these sermon notes blessed you! If they did, we encourage you to get the sermon and allow the Lord to speak to you personally as you watch or listen to it.
© Copyright JosephPrince.com 2022
These sermon notes were taken by volunteers during the service. They are not a verbatim representation of the sermon.
Sign Up for Latest Sermon Notes Updates
SubscribeTo complete the subscription process, please click on the confirmation link in the email we just sent you.
You're already in our mailing list. Thank You!
