With His Stripes We Are Healed

October Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas and greetings in Jesus’ precious name! Christ came into this world “in the fullness of time” to redeem mankind from sin and to reconcile us to the Heavenly Father (Galatians 4:4,5). And what a great salvation it was and is that God wrought for us in Christ (see Hebrews 2:3-18)! Denise and I and our family wish you a warm and wonderful Christmas season and the best new year of your life in 2022.

Today I want to talk to you about opportunities and adversaries, but first I want to say thank you for being such a faithful partner with our ministry. As I told you in my letter last month, our ministry is bursting at the seams, and I am so humbled that God would use Denise and me, our family, and our team to minister to the many people who are reaching out to us every day.

Every soul is precious, and it is our heartfelt desire to convey that truth to every person God brings to us — that they are precious to Him and to us. And your gifts are so vital to our ability to touch every one of these treasured souls! So today I want to say a special thank you for all you do with us to take the trusted teaching of the Word of God to people in Russia and all over the world. From the depths of our hearts, Denise and I THANK YOU!

This month is the last month of the year — and I know you are probably preparing for Christmas and many different kinds of gatherings. But in addition to Christmas, it’s also almost 2022. As we come to the end of this year and to the beginning of a brand-new year, the Holy Spirit keeps telling me to “stay on track” with the assignments He has given us. I hear Him saying that even if we hit bumps along the way, everything will be all right if we’ll just stay on track and maintain our God-assigned territory — the many opportunities and assignments He has given us to inspire, strengthen, and equip believers with the sound teaching of the Bible.

But I’ve learned over the years that opportunities and adversaries usually go together — and today I want to encourage you to undergird yourself so that you can stay on track with what God has asked you to do this month and in the coming year.

Over the course of our ministry, we’ve had many great, effectual doors open to us to do the work of the Gospel. I’ll never forget when I received an opportunity to minister on television in the former Soviet Union. It was as if a great door had suddenly swung open to an entire vast territory — a door that had never before been opened for anyone else — and I knew I was experiencing something miraculous. By faith, Denise and I stepped through that door and began to preach the Word of God on television in this spiritually starved corner of the world.

Given the former socialist-communist campaigns against the Gospel in this particular region, this opportunity was as miraculous as the Jordan River dividing for Joshua and the children of Israel. But with this great open door also came a slew of adversaries, specifically dispatched by Satan to instill fear and doubt into my heart. The devil desperately wanted to prevent me from touching the lives of spiritually oppressed people, so he positioned evil people with insidious plans to try to block my view of what God had in store for our ministry.

I’m telling you that it was like the children of Israel looking at the Promised Land from the far side of the Jordan River. From that perspective, they saw only the fruitful land of blessing that lay before them. But once they entered the Promised Land, they had to fight giants of every kind before they could possess that land and enjoy the blessing. In much the same way, if Denise and I had taken our eyes off the Lord during that tumultuous period — or if we had focused only on the problems and forgotten about the fruit we were pursuing for God’s Kingdom — I’m sure we would have backpedaled to get out of the situation!

But we knew this was a God-given opportunity and worth the fight, so we fixed our gaze squarely on the Lord. Girded with the armor of God and the power of the Spirit, we pushed through every obstacle and possessed the ground that God called us to take. As a result, millions of souls began to hear the Gospel for the first time. We knew that only God could have opened this door!

In First Corinthians 16:9, the apostle Paul wrote about the strategic doors of opportunity that open for the Gospel and the adversaries that usually accompany them. He said, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” Notice that Paul used the words “great,” “door,” “effectual,” and “is opened” to describe the opportunity that had been set before him.

The word “great” in this verse is translated from the Greek word megale, which means gigantic. The word “door” is the Greek word thura, which typically refers to a door, but in this context, denotes a rare opportunity. The word “effectual” is the Greek word energes, and it depicts something that is powerful and ready to be set into motion. Finally, the phrase “is opened” is the Greek word anoigo, which describes something standing wide open. In other words, the door in question couldn’t be any more open! Thus, an alternate translation of Paul’s words in First Corinthians 16:9 could be rendered, “A gigantic, powerful opportunity is already set in motion and standing wide open….”

Paul continued by saying, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me….” You see, Paul knew that the particular door he was referring to had never been opened to anyone else, and he stood in awe of the unprecedented opportunity. Walking through these kinds of doors is impossible without divine assistance, and Paul was fully aware of God’s role in the matter. That is why he specified that this door had been opened “unto me.”

Paul’s prayer request in First Corinthians 16:9 was not for a door to open because it had already opened. His prayer request was to receive God’s wisdom to deal with the numerous adversaries who were trying to come against him. Paul used the Greek word antikeimenoi to describe the vast number of “adversaries” that were sent to attack him. This Greek word describes something that was piled high and lying all around him. In other words, he was dealing with more than a few minor opponents. On the contrary, it felt like opposition was stacked high on every side!

I’ve learned that the enemy will try his best to keep you from stepping through the gigantic doors of opportunity God desires to open for you. Satan is afraid of what will happen when “his” territory is invaded by someone fully equipped with a full arsenal of spiritual weapons. So know this: God will open doors for you — but He needs you to make a determined decision that you will walk through them, no matter the opposition, with the help of His Spirit.

By opening the door, God has already done His part, which would have been impossible without His assistance. Now He beckons you to come, dressed in the whole armor of God and in the power of His Word — and proceed through that effectual door into new territory. It may look like enemies are everywhere, but it is simply a fact that the devil and his forces flee and collapse when they are subjected to a show of strong faith!

As I mentioned earlier, many great and effectual doors have been opened to us over the years to do the work of the Gospel. In each case, we knew these doors were unique to us and had never before been opened for anyone else. And just as Paul experienced opposition, there were plenty of enemies that came against us with each opportunity. But because we obeyed God, the devil was forced to move out of the way, and we walked right into the virgin territory that God had opened for our ministry.

Even if you think your situation looks threatening right now, I want to tell you that God is with you. He wants to supernaturally open new doors for you — doors that have never before been opened for you. He is not beckoning you to walk through these doors so you can fail. He is with you every step of the way, and He will empower you to defeat every foe and bring Him glory in that new territory that is yours to possess in Jesus’ name!

Your open door may be an opportunity to shine the light of God’s Word and God’s love to your family or friends during this holiday season. It may be a door that will open to you in the new year. Regardless of when it is or what it is, the same God who opens doors will empower you to walk through them — and then He’ll be right with you to give you the wisdom and strength needed to overcome any giant that tries to meet you on the other side.

I know this is not a typical December, “Christmas-style” letter, but this is what was on my heart to share with you today. I want you to always know that if we can join you in prayer, we would be delighted to do so. To be honest, we are praying for you anyway, but when we are alerted to know exactly “how” to pray, it increases our effectiveness as we pray for you. So if you have a special need, please either call or write to let us know how we can get in agreement with you for God to show Himself mighty to you according to Jeremiah 33:3, which says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

And please pray for us as we continue marching forward by faith to push back darkness, to shine the light of God’s Word, and to take territory for the Kingdom of God. Together — as partners — we can make a difference in the lives of throngs of people who are crying out to God for help. They are waiting for God to respond to their prayers, and God wants to use us — you and us together — to bring them the answers they desperately need.

But before I close, I want to say we are specifically asking God to do something special for you this month and before the end of the year. I don’t know what it is, but that is what we are praying. We are asking God to do something special that will bless your life! And please, please pray for us as we continue pushing ahead to build our studio in Moscow, to finalize the purchase of our new headquarters in Tulsa, and to continue to minister effectually to every precious soul Jesus brings to us!

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families|Dear Friends,

Greetings in the powerful name of Jesus!

I want to begin my letter today by telling you that we are receiving calls, letters, and emails from all over the world. People are really tuning in on different media platforms because they are looking for teaching they can trust. Providing that kind of material is our prayer — and we are thankful to God for using us to touch so many lives. And…we are thankful to YOU for being a partner and friend who is helping us to carry out this important mission that God has given us. Denise and I, our family, and our team are willing to do the work — and we are working hard — but we can only do it because of God’s grace and the faithful giving of our partners. I often say that our partners are the ones who put gas in the tank so we can take God’s Word to people — and I want to say THANK YOU for the financial fuel you put into the tank so we can fulfill God’s call on our lives!

I’m so glad that many have ordered my new book The Rapture, the Antichrist, and the Tribulation — An End-Times Countdown and What Happens Next — and now it’s time for me to let you know that the Renner Interpretive Version — A Conceptual Interpretation of the Greek New Testament, First and Second Peter will be released in one month! This second volume of the RIV is amazing, even to me. When I finally saw it all typeset and ready to be printed, I was nearly speechless at the vast amount of revelation on these pages. I wanted you to know that it still is available at a special presale discount right now. To order it, simply call 1-800-742-5593 or go online at renner.org. I’m excited for you to get your copy!

In my letter today, I want to continue sharing with you about how to receive the healing that Jesus purchased for you in His work on the Cross. A study of the Scriptures shows that healing and health are an inseparable part of what Jesus provided through His redemptive work on the Cross. As a matter of fact, healing and health belong to you just as much as God’s forgiveness, freedom from guilt and shame, peace of mind, and everything else that belongs to you in Christ. What Christ endured in His scourging and death on the Cross was literally a deathblow to sin, disease, illness, and sickness, and through faith in His work on the Cross, we can enter into wholeness in every part of our beings.

Today, I want to show you what Isaiah wrote about the price Jesus paid to obtain healing and health for us. I really want you to see that healing and health are an inseparable part of what Jesus provided through His atonement. We can be assured that healing and health are safely held in the spiritual bank of Heaven, and they await every child of God to lay claim to them. Yet many Christians find themselves beset by illness, and many are unaware that healing and health have been provided at the Cross. But you are about to see that healing is your rightful inheritance, and it is God’s fervent desire for you to embrace a life of wellness.

A Deeper Look at Isaiah 53:3-5

Nearly 700 years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the suffering that Christ would endure and the purpose for it. In Isaiah 53:3-5, Isaiah wrote, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Throughout the Old Testament, no prophecy about Christ’s suffering and eventual glorification is as clear as what Isaiah presented in these verses. Because these words of Isaiah are so pivotal in this discussion, we will begin with Isaiah 53:3, where Isaiah began by vividly writing that Christ would be “despised” by men.

The word “despised” originates from a Hebrew word frequently encountered in the Old Testament that paints a picture of disdain and scorn. The gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John vividly illustrate how Jesus was subjected to extreme derision by religious authorities, guards, soldiers, and political figures alike. Various translations of the word “despised” include despise, disdain, disesteem, hold in contempt, or scorn.

In the span of His three-year public ministry, Jesus was “despised” and treated with non-stop “contempt” by the religious leaders of His day. Their verbal onslaughts and relentless attempts to undermine Him were unyielding. But their contempt of Him reached its zenith on the night He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot. Upon His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was taken to the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest. It was there that He faced the brutal hostility of Israel’s most revered religious figures. Behind closed doors, these leaders descended upon Him like a brood of vipers, unleashing their fury with words of venom, spitting in contempt, and inflicting physical blows upon Him.

Following His interrogation by Pilate and Herod Antipas, Jesus then endured unspeakable cruelty at the hands of Roman soldiers. They mocked and cursed Him, striking His face with a reed plucked from Pilate’s courtyard fountain. In their brutality, they yanked the beard from His chin and crafted a painful crown from razor-sharp vines and forced it onto His head. As if this torment were not enough, He was led to a whipping post, where two merciless scourgers used their savage instruments to rend His body with each vicious lash.

Ultimately, Jesus’ hands and feet were pierced with nails that secured Him to the cross they used to crucify Him. These acts of brutality were the bitter fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 53:3 that He would be “despised” and shunned by the very people He came to save.

Isaiah 53:3 also prophesied that Christ would be “rejected” of men. The word “rejected” might also be translated abandoned or forsaken. It captures the image of one isolated, shunned by society, and avoided by those around him. Despite moments when Jesus drew crowds, His loyal followers were consistently just a “little flock” (see Luke 12:32). Of that little flock, we are told in John 6:66 that “many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” There were others who believed on Him, but would only come to Him by night, as was the case with Nicodemus in John 3:2. John 7:48 implies that other rulers and great men may have believed on Him, yet stood aloof from him, and according to Matthew 26:56, eventually even His own disciples “forsook him, and fled.” Thus, we see the complete accuracy of Isaiah’s prophecy.

In Isaiah 53:3, the prophet continued to say that Jesus would be “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” The word “sorrows” is very important for us to understand. It is translated from a Hebrew word that is rich with meanings of physical torment, deep anguish, acute pain, and profound suffering. It is derived from a root that means to grieve or to be in pain. It is similar to the Greek word that depicts a scourge that was used by Roman soldiers to torturously rip open the human body and shred it to pieces. Furthermore, the word “sorrows” that Isaiah used in this verse also encompasses both emotional and physical torment. Here, Isaiah prophesied the violent nature with which Christ would be treated.

Isaiah went on to describe Christ as being intimately “acquainted with grief.” The Hebrew word that is translated “acquainted” means to be acquainted or to know by intimate personal experience and personal knowledge. The Hebrew word that is translated “grief” undeniably refers to physical and mental afflictions of the body and mind — diseases, illnesses, and sicknesses. While some might attempt to spiritualize this into a metaphorical spiritual illness, the Hebrew word incontestably points to tangible physical and mental suffering. The use of this word “grief” underscores that Christ personally experienced and tasted physical and mental disease, illness, and sickness in His redemptive work on the Cross.

Then in Isaiah 53:3, Isaiah added that “we hid as it were our faces from him.” The word “hid” depicts such a deep aversion to something that one cannot bear to look upon it. What Christ endured was so ghastly that when these events occurred, those who were close enough to see them turned their heads to conceal from their sight the horrible rending and tearing of Christ’s flesh at His scourging and crucifixion. It was too much for human sight to bear. Isaiah’s prophecy thus was fulfilled.

Forgive me for commenting on a movie, but Mel Gibson’s magnificent 2004 film called The Passion of the Christ is one of the most profound portrayals of Christ’s suffering ever produced. As I sat in the movie theater to see it, during the scene when the Roman soldiers unleashed their brutal scourge upon Jesus, I noticed that I — along with nearly everyone else in the theater — instinctively turned away. In that moment, I inwardly heard Isaiah’s words “we hid as it were our faces from him.” If a cinematic portrayal affected the audience so profoundly, one can scarcely fathom the unimaginable reality of Christ’s suffering witnessed firsthand. In each screening in cinemas worldwide, viewers recoiled from the ghastly spectacle, and every time they “hid their faces,” it served as a testament to Isaiah’s prophecy that witnesses of Christ’s torment would avert their gazes, unwilling or unable to bear the sight of such profound anguish.

For a moment, I must dive into Isaiah 52:14, where Isaiah prophesied just how torn Christ’s body would be in His redemptive work for us. In that verse, Isaiah said, “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.”

The word “visage” in Hebrew describes Christ’s visible appearance as a result of the harrowing ordeals He endured. The Hebrew word translated “marred” means that as a result of His scourging and crucifixion, Christ’s human body was in a state of complete disfigurement. The words “more than any man” lets us know that His condition was unparalleled, surpassing any suffering endured by another human throughout history.

Isaiah 53:3 continues to say that “he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Here, the word “despised” again emphasizes that, despite the fact that He endured such profound anguish for our sake, humanity as a collective scorned His sacrifice and looked upon it with disdain. Even though He endured all this for each of us, humankind looked upon His sacrifice with contempt and despised it.

In fact, Isaiah says that we “esteemed him not.” The word “esteemed” in Hebrew means to appreciate, consider, esteem, or value. The phrase “esteemed him not” conveys a complete lack of recognition. The word “not” in Hebrew is emphatic, which means that, as a whole, we emphatically did not esteem what He was doing on the Cross. This prophecy foresaw that the gravity of Christ’s sacrifice would be lost on those who bore witness.

In essence, this prophecy foretold that at the time of Christ’s sacrificial death, those who witnessed it would not appreciate it, consider what it really meant, esteem what He was doing, or value what was happening. It brings to mind the soldiers who callously watched Him die on the Cross while they cast lots for his garments, or the religious leaders who looked upon Him and spoke blasphemous words against Him — or the thief who verbally abused Him even as Christ was paying the price for him and all the others to be redeemed. Those present during Christ’s sufferings failed to grasp the monumental act unfolding before them, neither appreciating, considering, nor valuing the priceless gift of salvation.

To summarize, Isaiah 53:3 declares that in His sacrifice for us, Christ:

But then Isaiah 53:4 adds, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”

In Hebrew, the word “surely” is imbued with a profound sense of certainty, and it could be rendered categorically, definitely, emphatically, indeed, truly, or verily. This is an emphatic word, and it means Isaiah was making an ardent declaration. He was elevating his tone to hammer home an unquestionable statement. The word “surely” means that “categorically, definitely, emphatically, indeed, truly, or verily…He has borne our griefs.” By choosing this potent word, Isaiah speaks of what is absolutely certain, indisputably and undeniably true, and completely unquestionable.

Then Isaiah adds that Christ “hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” In Hebrew, the word “borne” evokes an image of one who lifts a weight from another’s shoulders and chooses to bear it upon himself. In context, what Jesus lifted from us and took upon Himself is explained by the words “our griefs.” This word “griefs” in the original Hebrew specifically denotes physical and mental afflictions of the body and mind — physical and mental diseases, illness, and sicknesses.

Though some may argue for a metaphorical interpretation and suggest these terms refer to spiritual weaknesses, the original Hebrew text does not support such a reading. An honest analysis of the text reveals that Christ, in addition to purchasing forgiveness of sin, freedom from guilt and shame, and peace of mind, also lifted physical and mental disease, illness, and sickness from us, and He took them upon Himself on the Cross.

If we stopped here, the original Hebrew text has already gloriously told us, “It is absolutely certain, indisputably, undeniably true, and unquestionable that He has personally lifted all physical and mental diseases, illnesses, and sicknesses from us and taken them upon Himself….”

And then Isaiah eloquently reveals that Jesus “carried” or shouldered the immense load of our “sorrows.” The Hebrew word translated “carried” could be rendered as shouldered, and it implies an act of bearing something tremendously heavy or lifting a significant burden. The burden Christ “carried” and “shouldered” for us was our “sorrows.” The word “sorrows” is interpreted from a Hebrew word that depicts physical and mental anguish and pains. The precise choice of these words powerfully underscores that through His redemptive act, Christ lifted from us and absorbed into Himself our physical and mental diseases, illnesses, and sicknesses. He lifted them from us and took them upon Himself at the Cross on our behalf.

Pausing here to reflect on what all this means, the text could be rendered, “It is absolutely certain, indisputably, undeniably true, and unquestionable that He has personally lifted all physical and mental diseases, illnesses, and sicknesses from us, and He has taken upon Himself absolutely all physical and mental anguish and pain….”

Isaiah 53:4 continues to say that “we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” In Hebrew, the word “stricken” conveys the notion of having someone or something subjected to a brutal, harsh, and forceful hand. In the Old Testament, this word is often used to describe a moment when a person (or people) is visited with severity — and very frequently the visited severity manifests as physical disease, illness, or sickness. Meanwhile, its counterpart, “smitten,” portrays the actions of someone who physically lays his hands on someone or something to afflict or severely beat or strike it with the intention to destroy. Notably, this same word is also used militarily to describe a ferocious attack on an adversary during warfare with utter obliteration as the goal. Then on top of all these already intense words, Isaiah adds that Christ will be “afflicted,” which in Hebrew means to be utterly crushed.

Adding all of these meanings to this verse, we find that Isaiah 53:4 could read as follows: “It is absolutely certain, indisputably, undeniably true, and unquestionable that He has personally lifted all physical and mental diseases, illnesses, and sicknesses from us, and He has taken upon Himself absolutely all physical and mental anguish and pain, as God’s forceful hand of judgment came upon Him. God struck the enemy with the intention to completely destroy him, and God did it with such force that it was completely and utterly crushed.”

When all this occurred, God was unleashing a mighty blow against the sin and physical and mental disease, illness, and sickness that Christ had willingly absorbed into His being. God was waging a war against everything Christ took upon Himself — sin, guilt, shame, lack of peace, and every ailment, disease, illness, sickness, and torment — both physical and mental. These were age-old enemies that had been unleashed upon the world from the moment of Adam’s transgression and that had haunted humanity ever since. Yet at the Cross, God launched an attack that was aimed at eradicating them, and He delivered a decisive and fatal strike against them.

Isaiah 53:5 summarizes, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” In the original Hebrew, the word “wounded” conveys a sense of being pierced or deeply wounded, foreshadowing with remarkable clarity the future piercing of Jesus’ hands, feet, side, and brow. Remarkably, Isaiah captured this vision of Christ’s suffering with prophetic precision, seven centuries before the event unfolded.

The Hebrew concept of “transgressions” refers to violations of God’s commandments and God’s nature, including sin, rebellion, and turning against God — all of which are a reflection of humanity’s flawed nature that was inherited from Adam’s initial transgression. Isaiah foretold that Christ would be physically pierced and would bear physical wounds, shedding His blood to pay the ultimate price for our sins and acts of rebellion. That payment of blood was required for Christ to redeem us from Satan’s slave market and to restore us to God’s original intent for our lives.

Then Isaiah says, “…He [Jesus] was bruised for our iniquities…” (Isaiah 53:5). The words “was bruised” are a translation of a Hebrew word meaning to beat to pieces, to crush, or to destroy. This highlights the profound suffering Christ endured on behalf of others and emphasizes themes of substitutionary atonement and redemption. Meanwhile, the word “iniquities” stems from a Hebrew word that encompasses a range of human failings including guilt, moral lapses, depravity, perversity, and shame.

This passage reveals that Christ’s sacrifice went beyond just covering our sins; He obliterated our iniquities. This includes not just our moral failures, but also the guilt and shame attached to them. Through His redemptive act on the Cross, Christ obliterated these burdens entirely, offering freedom from guilt, moral failings, all forms of perversity, and the heavy cloak of shame that once ensnared us. Thus, Christ’s redemptive work on the Cross includes the complete removal of all of these, and He intends for you to be freed from all associated shame that once hounded you because of past iniquities in your life.

Isaiah 53:5 states “the chastisement of our peace was upon him.” The word “chastisement” is from a Hebrew word that pictures punishment for past activities. This illustrates the profound truth that at the Cross, Christ bore the penalty we deserved and paved the way for us to attain “peace.” This “peace” is deeply rooted in the Hebrew concept of shalom, a word that signifies not just tranquility, but an all-encompassing state of wholeness and completeness in every part of a person’s life. This term encompasses happiness, health, prosperity, safety, security, and soundness of mind. It paints a vivid picture of a life that is abundantly blessed and that is flourishing in every dimension. Thus, when Jesus paid the price for us on the Cross, He was not only bearing our burdens but also securing our holistic well-being and ensuring that we could experience a profound peace of mind and that we would thrive in every aspect of our lives.

Then Isaiah 53:5 adds, “…And with his stripes we are healed.” The word “stripes” finds its origins in a Hebrew word that pictures bruises, welts, and the dark-blue marks left by a severe whipping. Of course, this is a reference to the scourging that Christ endured to obtain our freedom from all forms of physical and mental disease, illness, and sickness.

By understanding the meaning of the Hebrew word rapha, which is rendered “healed” in this verse, it’s clear that Christ’s redemptive act brought about not only the forgiveness of sins, liberation from shame, and mental peace, but also physical and mental healing from all manners of ailments. Christ’s work on the Cross provided for the comprehensive restoration of every facet of our existence — spiritual, physical, and mental.

Combining all these Hebrew word meanings in this verse, Isaiah 53:5 carries the meaning:

But he was pierced and deeply wounded for our transgressions — that is, our violations of God’s commandments and God’s nature, including sin, rebellion, and turning against God. He was beaten, crushed, and destroyed for the removal of our iniquities — that is, our guilt, moral lapses, depravity, perversity, and shame. The punishment we deserved for our past activities was laid on him, and we have been given peace in its place — not just tranquility, but an all-encompassing state of wholeness and completeness in every part of our lives so that we can peacefully thrive. And due to the massive, full body bruises, welts, and stripes that were laid on him by a severe lashing of the whip, we are healed from all manner of physical and mental disease, illness, and sickness.

Do you see how vital it is that we understand Isaiah 53:3-5? Having unraveled its profound messages, we are now poised to embark on next month’s letter where I want to talk to you about how to appropriate healing and health for your body and mind.

I realize this letter is a little longer than usual, but I really want you to see what is stated in Isaiah 53:3-5 about what Jesus purchased in His work on the Cross. Jesus paid the ultimate price so you could be set free in all these areas. If you are struggling in any of these areas that Jesus died to free you from, we want to pray with you. We are waiting to join our faith with yours for God to do what needs to be done. Just call 1-800-742-5593 any weekday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT or write to us anytime at prayer@renner.org. And as I always request, please be praying for us as well as we press ahead by faith to do what Jesus has asked us to do in our ministry. As a partner, you are a big part of what we do, and we thank you again for being such a faithful friend and partner!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus,

signature
Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our entire ministry team

P.S. Click here to view the new interactive Ministry Update page or click here to download the printable pdf flyer.

|