The following is an excerpt from our devotional series The Divine Exchange – Daily Devotions of Gratitude.

THE SECOND EXCHANGE: Jesus bore our sickness and pains, that we, through His wounds, would receive healing. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Is 53:4-5)

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On the physical plane, Jesus bore our sicknesses and pains that we, through His wounds, might be healed.

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The physical application of the exchange is confirmed in two passages of the New Testament. Matthew 8:16–17 refers back to Isaiah 53:4 and records that Jesus: ” . . . healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.'”

It was a Sabbath, and the Jews were not allowed to travel or to carry anything on the Sabbath. In the evening, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. Matthew says that the healing ministry of Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:4–5.

Again, in 1 Peter 2:24, the apostle refers back to Isaiah 53:4-5 and says of Jesus: “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Prayer Points:

1. Thank the Lord for being wounded so that we could receive healing.
2. If you are struggling with sickness or know someone who is, ask the Lord for wisdom and discernment on what specifically to pray. He is the Great Physician.
3. If you are able, take communion today. Meditate on the promise of Isaiah 53:4-5 as you remember the broken body and shed blood of Jesus.

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(Excerpted and used by permission from Derek Prince Ministries. Photo Credit: Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash)