. . . For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. — 1 JOHN 3:8

A number of years ago, I knew a man in Texas who was in the healing ministry. When a tornado came along in the spring of the year, it blew down the tent in which he held revival meetings. He didn’t have any insurance for the 20,000-seat tent, because no one would insure tents at that time.

So we took up an offering to help him buy another tent. During the service, I almost fell off the pew as this supposed great man of faith said, “I don’t know whether the devil or God blew my tent down.” Well, God is not out blowing Gospel tents down; He is putting them up.

No, God wasn’t in that destruction. Floods, earthquakes, and other destructive acts are not acts of God. Where do things that hurt and destroy come from? The devil! The Bible says that when the devil is finally eliminated from human contact, or from the earth, there will be nothing that will hurt or destroy (Isa. 65:25; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10). Get that settled in your mind.

According to First John 3:8, the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. What are the works of the devil? People think about lying, stealing, adultery, and murder as works of the devil. But the Bible says that although sin is behind them, these are works of the flesh (see Galatians 5:19–21). But what are the works of the devil? They are sickness, poverty, and spiritual death. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.

Confession: Since Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and one of the works of the devil is sickness, then sickness does not come from God. Healing comes from God. I receive healing now.