As we covered some time ago, the first lesson Israel had to learn if they were going to make it across the wilderness to their Promised Land, was how to turn the bitter waters into sweet, as we read in Exodus 15:22-26:
 

Likewise, if we, as individuals, or the church as a whole, are going to make it to our Promised Land, we have to learn to turn the bitter waters into sweet. As we have been covering, church history has many, bitter waters. The answer is not to hide them, pretending that these things did not happen—that only leaves a bitter source. Like the waters of Marah were healed by the tree, which almost always represents the cross in Scripture, we must apply the cross to our history. The things which led to these tragedies must be faced; we must learn the lessons and repent of the things that caused them. Only by doing this will we be able to keep from repeating them, perpetuating bitter waters instead of sweet.

Just as the Lord promised His people at Marah, when this is done it will not only result in healing, but also in there being a distinction between the people of God and those who are in the world. God's people should not be afflicted with the same diseases of those who are in the world. If this is true for those under the Old Covenant, it should be even more true for those under the New Covenant, which is "a better covenant" (see Hebrews 7:22).

Does this mean that Christians should never be afflicted with disease? Yes. That is exactly what it means. The fact that we are, should not be a cause for making excuses, but for seeking the cause. The cause is that there are still roots of bitter waters that have not been changed into sweet through the application of the cross.

This is not to bring condemnation on any who are now, or have been, afflicted with disease. Christians who suffer disease may not personally be doing anything wrong, or may not personally have any unforgiveness or bitterness in their lives. Although salvation is personal, the ultimate purposes of God must be entered into corporately. This is by His design so that we are forced to love each other. We just cannot make it alone. When the whole church is healed, the individual members are all likewise healed.

Again, at this time, personal afflictions or diseases may not be the result of anything a Christian is personally doing wrong. However, as the body of Christ, there are still many bitter waters flowing through it that the cross must be applied to or they will continue to be an open door for diseases and afflictions, which are not God's will for His people. He truly wants His people free of every disease and affliction. God's people should not have to worry one bit about cancer, the bird flu, or any other disease in this world. Before the end of this age comes, there will be a clear distinction between God's people and the heathen.

As we have discussed before, it was no accident that the Lord gave His people this great promise at the waters of Marah, which means "bitterness." Bitterness, unforgiveness, or resentment, is a main cause of disease. When we have turned every negative experience in our lives into a positive lesson, by applying the cross to it, then disease and afflictions will not have the kind of access to us they do now. We may do this personally and have a measure of personal victory over sickness and disease, but for the body of Christ to walk in this, as the representative of the New Covenant, we must do this corporately. The bitter waters of our history must be turned into sweet.

This has been taking place in remarkable ways in the last two decades, which should give us much hope. Pope John Paul II actually apologized for the persecution of the Protestants. The Reformed Church in Switzerland publicly repented for the persecution of the Anabaptists and even erected a monument to the most famous Anabaptist martyr, Felex, right across from the monument to the great Reformer Zwingli, who persecuted him. We also now have whole reconciliation movements formed to help heal the previous wounds between church movements, as well as between Christians and Jews, and Christians and Muslims. These are absolutely remarkable developments that may be unique in history, should greatly encourage us, and deserve our support.

The main purpose for which Jesus came to the earth was to reconcile the earth to God. As Paul explained to the Corinthians, He has also given us this ministry of reconciliation. Reconciliation is a primary business of the church. However, our ministry of reconciliation to the world will not have much credibility as long as we are not reconciled among ourselves.

Forgiveness is one of the most powerful forces on earth. The cross is the forgiveness of God. He did not count our trespasses against us, but rather died for us so that we could be forgiven. The Lord did not go to the cross and is not coming back so He can get even and destroy His enemies, as many suppose. That is obviously not the heart of God.

Truly all will mourn when He returns, even those who pierced Him, but this includes all of us. We pierced Him with our own sins. He died for all of us because we all sinned. That He would do what He did so we could be forgiven, is the greatest act of love the whole creation has ever experienced, and will forever be the basis of marvel and wonder of our God. If He did this for us, how much more should we, His ambassadors, be willing to forgive any who transgress against us?

God requires us to repent of sin in order to be forgiven. This is so the open door of sin and death will be closed. The first work of the Holy Spirit, leading one to the cross, is to convict us of our sins, and thereby our desperate need for the cross. This is one reason why I repeatedly bring up the negatives of church history. We will keep on repeating them if we do not recognize and repent of them. Once there is repentance, we must be quick to forgive, reconcile, and restore.

To be practical, who is the person, or what is the event that we have the most trouble forgiving? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas of unforgiveness in your life that are releasing bitterness into your soul. It is an open door for disease to come through as well. As Dudley Hall once said, "Bitterness is like drinking poison and hoping someone else gets sick." Do we still have resentment toward parents, teachers, family members, church leaders, or other church members? These negatives must be turned into positives with simple forgiveness.

God has not allowed one thing in your life that was not meant for good. Just as it is by the Lord's stripes that we are healed, the same principle works for us. That is, in every place where we are wounded, we can receive power to heal others, but we must forgive just as Jesus did on the cross. This principle is why, when Paul the Apostle had his apostolic authority questioned, he pointed to his afflictions as the basis of his authority. Every negative thing in our lives is meant to release authority in us to heal others. That healing is always reconciliation with God, our Healer.

We are in the time when true apostolic authority is being restored to the church; we are seeing apostolic power and miracles being restored. Ministries of such dignity and stature, which truly exhibit the grace and forgiveness of the Lord, are being raised up, and they are applying the tree, the cross, to the bitterness that has flowed through the church for so long. Healing is coming, and there will be a time, not only when there is no disease in the body, but rather the power of the resurrection life of the Lord will be so strong in the church that no disease will be able to live near it. Just as Ezekiel was shown the salt waters flowing from the temple being changed into sweet waters, it is beginning to happen.