We sometimes have a hard time believing the extraordinary. Even as people of faith, we sometimes have limits to what we are willing to believe. However, Christianity’s history is filled with stories of God’s miracle working power in the lives of those who need it. There are some walls in the carnal mind that keep the impossible on the outside, allowing only the believable on the inside. This kind of faith never sees the glory of God!
Jesus often reached out to some people who did not seem to “qualify” for His healing touch, and in doing so, He breached some borders that existed in the minds and hearts of the bystanders. May we never forget that God is love, and He cares, even when we think we don’t deserve His love.
God made it easy for us to believe, too simple actually, so that it is well within reach of everyone who has a need. We often get discouraged when we look at the definitions of faith in Scripture — although they are true — because we don’t see that level of faith in ourselves. But faith does its work in the background, in the unseen. Our focus should therefore be on the love of God, instead of measuring our level of faith.
It helps to meditate on the character of God, to see Him for who He really is. The Lord never acts our of character as we sometimes do — He is the eternal, unchanging God. He is who He is, despite our circumstances, our spiritual condition, or failure to comply with the requirements of faith.
The Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:2-28 is a good example of the Lord’s unmerited favour. She approached the Lord with the request to free her demon possessed daughter. He ignored her at first, the disciples asked Him to send her away, then He told her that He only came for the Jews and that she, being a Gentile, did not qualify for His help. She persisted through all those rejections, and received what she came for. Did this Gentile understand faith? Most likely not, but she knew Jesus could meet her need, and that was all she needed to know.
Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Matthew 15:28
The verses below tell the story of an equally undeserving man:
Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Mark 1:40,41
Nobody dared to touch a leper in those days, as a matter of fact they had to keep a safe distance to protect others from this dreadful infectious disease. He knew Jesus could heal him, but wasn’t sure if He wanted to — a clear violation of the principles of faith, for faith leaves no room for doubt. (James 1:6-8) Once again Jesus broke through both those barriers, touched him, and healed him.
The woman with the flow of blood was too scared to ask Jesus to heal her; “she said to herself…” She pressed through the crowd, touched the hem of His garment, and was healed.
And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” Matthew 9:20,21
Not a word was spoken; she came quietly from behind, and touched Him. Jesus knew right away that a demand was placed on Him, for He sensed power went out of Him (Mark 5:30)
And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Mark 5:32-34
This woman who was sick for many years, went to many doctors and spent all that she had, faced a hopeless future. Nothing could be done for her, but her hopelessness vanished because she knew what Jesus could do, even though she didn’t ask Him to heal her.
There was also the man whose son was mute because he had a demon. He asked Jesus, “If You can do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.” (Mark 9:22) Desperation and unbelief were on full display here, especially when Jesus told him, “all things are possible to him who believes.”
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24
Jesus rebuked the demon, and he left, despite the father’s confession of unbelief. It seems unbelief is not as strong a barrier as believing a solution is not possible — whatever the need might be. The fact that he came to Jesus with his request was actually an act of faith, without him realizing it.
Jesus is still the same; nothing has changed. He still has compassion, He is still willing, He still crosses mental boundaries, and He still answers wordless prayers. There are powerful testimonies out there that are never shared. We must talk about the wonderful things He did for us to keep the faith alive among us. The Israelites saw many wonders when God led them out of slavery, but they stopped talking about it when life became difficult in the desert. A new generation then grew up without those testimonies that could build their faith in Almighty God. We cannot allow this to happen in our generation!
We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments… Psalm 78:4-7
Let us step out and do what the Lord commanded us to do. Signs and wonders confirm the gospel message, and lead sinners to repentance. Science and human wisdom have no answers to miracles, and they cannot be debated out of existence.
And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!” Luke 5:26
Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men. Matthew 9:8
And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke, and the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!” Matthew 9:33
So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:31
Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” John 9:32,33
The Lord is able. He is willing. He has compassion. He loves you, and cares about you. Don’t be silent when the impossible happens! Never stop sharing your testimony, even when it is old; allow it to build the faith of your children and others.
And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17,18
Jesus’ work never stopped; He continues His work through you. Your work is to lay hands on the sick as an act of faith; His part is to heal. Cast out demons in His name where you encounter them; they have no choice but to go. There is mighty power in the name of Jesus; use it to do His work. Let us create new testimonies of God’s love and compassion, and set a chain reaction in motion to energize the church in our day.
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