Jesus the Healer with Nancy Dufresne – Episode 126

Title: Discerning Your Part, Part 1
Release Date: December 26, 2022
Host: Nancy Dufresne (with Dufresne Ministries)
Theme:
Understanding the importance of “discerning the Lord’s body” as taught by the Apostle Paul, and how this spiritual discernment directly impacts physical health, longevity, and one’s role and responsibilities within the Body of Christ.

Main Theme and Purpose

Nancy Dufresne explores the deeper meaning behind Paul’s teaching on communion in 1 Corinthians 11. This episode emphasizes that discerning both what Jesus accomplished through His body and blood and the believer’s role within His spiritual body (the Church) is critical for walking in healing, health, and fulfilling one’s place in Christ. Nancy breaks down the relationship between spiritual attentiveness, physical wellbeing, and the corporate life of believers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of God’s Presence for Healing

• “There’s enough power in every sick room and in every hospital room to raise up that sick one. ... Power is present. That power is there to do a work.” (00:10)
• Nancy encourages listeners to actively receive the healing power of God by faith, not trying to acquire what’s already been made available through Christ.

2. The Importance of Impartation

• Nancy highlights Romans 1:11 and how spiritual impartation (“to the end that you would be established”) strengthens believers so they aren’t “swayed off the Word.” (00:42)
• Impartation can come through multiple avenues: “laying on of hands,” “private conversations,” “prayer,” and crucially, “the teaching and the preaching of the Word.” (01:28)

3. Communion: More than a Ritual

• The passage in 1 Corinthians 11 is not merely a “communion passage,” but directly connects to health and longevity in this life (03:08).
• Paul’s teaching wasn’t passed to him secondhand but was a direct revelation from Jesus (04:25).

Notable Quote:

“He received this of the Lord... what he received wasn’t just for him.” (04:25)

4. The Act of Taking Communion

• “Take, eat. You can’t eat it if you don’t take it... What is this? An act of faith.” (05:45)
• Nancy likens “eating” to “feeding on the Word,” meditating and assimilating truth into every part of life.

Notable Quote:

“His body was broken so that ours could be whole. His was broken so that ours won’t be broken.” (06:34)

5. Remembrance Versus Memory

• Communion is taken “not in memory of Jesus, but in remembrance of what he provided” (07:04)
• It matters what you choose to remember and forget — remember Christ’s benefits, especially in times of sickness.

6. The Role of Christ’s Blood

• The cup in communion represents “the new testament in [Jesus’] blood.” (08:10)
• The blood is “the price that purchased the new Covenant, that purchased the blessings, the inheritance.” (09:10)

Notable Quote:

“So, he’s giving us something to do naturally, to remind us of a great spiritual work.” (09:44)

7. The Call to Reverence

• The distinction between “unworthy” (which Jesus has resolved) and “unworthily” (being irreverent/casual towards the sacrifice) (10:15)
• Treating communion lightly dishonors its weight and cost.

Notable Quote:

“To be irreverent is to be casual toward the price he paid... It is not a casual, light thing. It’s weighty.” (11:28)

8. Self-Examination Before Communion

• Examining oneself: “Are we in the faith? Are we being obedient? Are we remembering what he told us to remember?” (12:54)
• Holding to disobedience or sin while receiving communion is irreverent and dangerous.

9. Consequences of Not Discerning the Lord’s Body

• Failure to discern brings a progression: “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep [die prematurely].” (15:38)
• Weakness → Sickliness → Premature death is a progression Paul describes as arising from spiritual neglect or lack of discernment. (16:10)

Notable Quote:

“Catch yourself along the way of that progression. Weak, sickly, premature death. Let’s catch ourselves. Amen.” (16:54)

10. Twofold Application of “Discerning the Lord’s Body”

• First meaning: Failing to discern that Jesus paid the price for sickness and sin with His body means believers will “end up carrying” burdens they shouldn’t bear. (19:30)
• Second meaning: Failure to recognize and function in one’s role within the Body of Christ (the Church)—both in receiving and giving supply to others—brings about weakness, sickness, and premature death (22:06)

Notable Quotes:

“Not discerning the Lord’s body is, number one, not discerning his physical body... but not discerning the Lord’s spiritual body.” (22:39)
“The supply I’m to receive and the supply I’m to bring is life and death.” (25:44)

11. Responsiveness and Responsibility in the Body

• With membership in the Body of Christ comes both “divine privilege” and “divine responsibility.” (23:53)
• It’s not optional—knowing and walking in your “place in the body” is a matter of spiritual (and sometimes literal) life and death.

Notable Quote:

“We have to be taught. Absolutely. But then we have to seek to know also. We have to be good students and not treat my place in the body as optional.” (25:15)

Memorable Moments and Quotes (with Timestamps)

• On Receiving Healing Power by Faith:
  “Say, I receive that power. I receive that power right now.” (00:34)
• On Communion’s Meaning:
  “This is my body which is broken for you… His body was broken so that ours could be whole.” (06:16)
• On Remembering:
  “It matters what we remember, and it matters what we forget. Don’t forget that his body was broken at a time when yours is being attacked.” (07:38)
• On The Blood:
  “Remember the blood… that the blood activated a covenant and brought you into the inheritance of that covenant.” (09:55)
• On Reverence:
  “It costs heaven everything, it cost him everything, it cost the Father his only Son.” (11:40)
• On Self-Examination:
  “Are we remembering that Jesus’ body was broken? Is he remembering the blood was shed to activate the new covenant blessings for you now?... If we forget those things, we’re going to not be walking in the light and we’re going to be robbed from by the enemy.” (13:12)
• On the Dangers of Not Discerning:
  “For this cause, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep… They die prematurely. That’s a progression… Let’s catch ourselves.” (16:10, 16:54)
• On the Body of Christ:
  “With that divine privilege comes divine responsibility… The supply I’m to receive and the supply I’m to bring is life and death. It’s not optional.” (23:53, 25:44)

Timeline of Key Segments

• [00:10] Opening faith confession about healing power
• [00:42–02:30] Introduction of today’s topic, impartation, and faith foundations
• [03:08–05:45] Shift to 1 Corinthians 11 and importance of communion passage
• [05:45–10:00] Deep dive on the meaning and act of communion; faith, remembrance, and the blood
• [10:15–13:30] Reverence, self-examination, and preparation for communion
• [13:30–16:54] Explanation of the consequences of not discerning the Lord’s body (“weak, sickly, premature death”)
• [16:54–22:39] Twofold application: discerning Christ’s physical and spiritual body; the dangers of neglecting either
• [22:39–25:44] The believer’s place, responsibility, and non-optional service within the Body of Christ
• [26:00–27:24] Episode closes with assurance that “Jesus is the healer” and alludes to further teaching in upcoming episodes

Conclusion

Nancy Dufresne teaches that the act of correctly discerning Christ’s sacrifice and actively functioning in one’s role within the Body of Christ are foundational for a life of health, healing, and fulfillment in God’s plan. This episode lays the groundwork for deeper exploration, calling believers to remember, to revere, and to take their place with intention and faith.

Key Takeaway:
Understanding and honoring both what Christ did for you and your part in His body is not optional—it is a matter of spiritual health, and by Paul’s revelation, a matter of life and death.

Upcoming:
Nancy signals further teachings along these lines in future episodes.