Matthew 8:16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses. “
The word fulfilled is: Jesus Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. The work was finished at the cross when Jesus was led as a lamb to the slaughter. Is there a reason for you to hang onto your sicknesses?
Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The prophetic utterance of Psalm 103 is powerful. Speak to your soul to bless the Lord and forget not all His benefits. Forgiveness of sin, healing of diseases, redeeming life from destruction, crowning with lovingkindness and tender mercies, and satisfying your mouth with good things should be the expectation of your heart from your loving God.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is the substance and faith is the evidence. It is the substance of the confident expectation of your heart; it is the body of evidence that says it belongs to you before the natural manifestation comes.
Ezekiel 3:10 Moreover He said to me: "Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears.
We are called to set our heart on the words that God speaks; hear with our ears. Emotions, intellect, life circumstance can get in the way of hearing; hear the word without the earthly filters. If we set our heart to hear in purity the word of God will produce the intended purpose of God.
Mark 7:32 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."
Remember last week when Jesus came to an atmosphere of unbelief He could do no mighty works. Jesus took this man aside from the multitude. Jesus stuck his finger in his ears, and He spit and touched it to the man’s tongue. Does Jesus want to move outside our box of understanding? Will we allow Him to do so? If God does not do it the way we thought are we offended?
Mark 7:35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."
Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed. Have you noticed the suddenly and immediately of the work of Jesus? Awesome Savior indeed.
Mark 8:22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. 24 And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking."
Jesus lead this blind man by the hand out of town. Sometimes a change in the atmosphere is so important. Jesus spit in this man’s eyes; unorthodox prescription indeed. Jesus asked him if he saw anything… I see men like trees walking.
Mark 8:25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town."
Jesus put His hands on the blind man again and made him look up. Note the first look for the blind man was around; Jesus called him to look up! Look up child of God. The man’s sight was restored and saw everyone clearly!
Matthew 9:18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live." 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. 20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."
Next week we are going to center on these healings in Mark and Luke; today I ask you to pay attention to the pursuit of the ruler and the woman toward Jesus.
Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour. 23 When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land.
The woman with the issue of blood pursued Jesus in faith. The father pursued Jesus in faith. Note that Jesus kicked out the noisy crowd of unbelievers. Jesus took the dead girl by the hand, and the girl arose. Note Jesus did not see the circumstance the way the wailing crowd did. The crowd seen it as death; Jesus said she is not dead. He seen in the spirit believed it and responded to what He seen in the spirit. More on this next week.
Luke 5:17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. 20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."
This is the third time we visit this healing; Matthew and Mark being the first two. Repeated truth in the word is so important. When Jesus saw their faith. People moving toward Jesus in faith never left disappointed! Jesus declared to the paralyzed man your sins are forgiven you.
Luke 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
The hearts of the Pharisees were not right; Jesus perceived their thoughts and dealt with them.
Luke 5:23 “Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'? 24 “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"; He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
Don’t allow your heart to be moved away from faith because of the scribes and Pharisee types in your life. The authority of Jesus is just as great to heal as it is to forgive sin. This healing is the proof. If He can forgive sin He can heal; if He can heal He can forgive sin.
James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Jesus may not want to spit in your eye or put spit on your tongue; however, He certainly calls us to obedience to the simplicity of the word. When you get sick do you call the elders of the church or do you call the doctor. Let me say quickly, I’m not against doctors; however, should we not give the word of God preeminence. Call for the elders of the church, and let them pray, anointing with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise up. And if they have committed sins, it will be forgiven. Receive the word of God into your heart and let it change the way you live.
Jesus is the faithful God
God is good all the time!
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