JESUS IS OUR "POULTICE" OF HEALING

POULTICE is a wonderful word. It vibrantly captures Jesus' healing work at the Cross in a new and fresh way.  A POULTICE is a soft, ABSORBENT and moist mass, which is often heated and medicated. It is carefully spread over a wound, painful part or infected area of the body. The POULTICE then "draws out" the poison from the wound or body. The end result is that the body is cleansed of harmful toxins. POULTICE is also a term used for commercial products which can remove stains from porous stones such as marble or granite. So, POULTICE carries with it the related concepts of “poison and stain removal." 

Snake and spider bites have been treated with poultices for thousands of years. Poison oak, poison ivy and even boils have also long been treated by poultices. POULTICES are called "poison pullers" because they pull poison away from infected areas by ABSORBING THE POISON INTO THEMSELVES. Epsom salt is a poultice, which combined with a bath and an exfoliating loofah sponge, draws out toxins through the pores of the skin. Other poultices include chewing tobacco, tea tree oil, castor oil, aspirin pastes, baking soda pastes, garlic cloves, raw cabbage, Echinacea, ashes, mashed pumpkins, bran, cereals and mustard plants.

Most interesting though, is the fact that bread is one of the more common poultices. This is because of its absorbent quality. Bread is packed into the wound, and then covered with a piece of sacking before being bandaged onto the site. Isn't it amazing that both "salt" and "bread" are common poultices, because Jesus uses these exact two items to describe Himself and us. Jesus refers to Himself as "the bread of life," while He calls us "the salt of the earth."

One application of these terms speaks to the anointing that both Jesus and the Church have to heal the world. It is easy to see Jesus as the ultimate POULTICE FOR ALL OUR SINS AND SICKNESSES. Consider the following prophetic passage where Isaiah describes Jesus' absorption of all our sins. "Surely He hath borne our griefs (lit. sicknesses), and carried our sorrows (lit. pains).... 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.... because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Isaiah 53:4-5,12. What a perfect passage to describe Jesus as our POULTICE!

Jesus, as the bread of life, became the POULTICE which was laid over all our sins and sicknesses at the Cross. Jesus then ABSORBED our each and every sin-toxin into Himself. He absorbed every affliction of our spirits, souls and bodies. He "pulled out" every poisonous thought, impulse or wicked desire from our minds and hearts. He "pulled out" every sickness which has ever affixed itself to the human body. He "pulled out" every Satanic thorn imbedded in our flesh because of the access our sin gave the devil. He absorbed ALL our sins and sicknesses onto and into Himself.

As the Apostle Peter said in referring to Jesus, "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 Peter 2:24. So we, as the salt of the world, should quickly and fervently apply by the laying on of believing hands the POULTICE of the Gospel onto every sin, sickness or demonic obstruction we encounter. Jesus at the Cross absorbed all evil onto Himself, both its causes and effects. All we have to do to receive this great healing truth is to BELIEVE this great healing truth.

As Spiritual medics, we all carry the great panacea for all situations in the pouch of our hearts. Toward all we encounter, we possess the Gospel POULTICE of Jesus to tenderly apply to every human wound and firmly apply to every evil circumstance.  In fact, the POULTICE was already applied 2,000 years ago to ALL our wounds. All that remains is our faith's recognition of it.

Once we believe it, the full MANIFESTATION of our healing WILL occur, and that right speedily. We will proclaim, along with King David, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine inequities; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed as the eagle's." Psalm 103:1-5. And remember, POULTICES not only absorb the presence of poison, but they also remove the stains left behind. All the stains of our shame, guilt and condemnation are no more. Jesus heroically absorbed away all OUR pain and poison onto Himself. Our Hero from Heaven! Hallelujah!