The Healing Power of Jesus is Still Relevant Today

Today's Reading:

• Luke 8:40 - 9:6
• Psalm 71:1 - 24

Read Bible Passages Online

Luke 8:40 - 9:6
Jesus traveled to the other side of the lake where he was met by a large crowd.  A man named Jairus met Jesus at the shore and begged him to come heal his daughter, who was dying.  Jesus and his disciples headed out to the home of Jairus.

Along the way, a woman who had bled for twelve years straight touched the robe of Jesus, because she knew if she could but touch it, she would be healed.  When she touched the robe she was instantly healed -- and Jesus felt the healing power go into her.  He praised her extreme faith, saying that it had made her well.

Jairus was met by a messenger that told him it was too late -- the daughter had died.  Jesus told Jairus to have faith, and she would be healed.  Jesus walked into the house and told the girl to get up, and miraculously she did.

Those two miraculous healings took place within a short time of each other.  Although they were two entirely different problems -- one woman who couldn't stop bleeding, and a girl who had already died -- the result was the same.  They were both healed by faith in Jesus.

I am a firm believer that miracles and healing can be achieved to this very day through the power of Jesus Christ.  And I'm not just talking about healing while the person is still alive -- I believe that people can be raised from the dead.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think that happens often, but I think in extreme cases it is possible -- especially when a child dies.

Take for instance this very recent case, where a 26 week old baby was stillborn.  A baby born at 26 weeks has a small chance of survival as it is, but this one was declared dead by multiple doctors.  Twelve hours after the baby died, the mother insisted on seeing the baby in the refrigerated morgue.  There she found that her 26 week old, premature, freezing baby was still alive.  Her response was: "I'm a believer. All of this was a miracle from God."  Indeed it was truly a miracle from the Lord.

If faith alone can (on very very rare occasion) raise a person from the dead, healing from ordinary diseases should be easy.  Healing from terminal illnesses isn't much of a stretch beyond that.  Miracles are still very much occurring today.  We don't need to see Jesus in person for a miracle to occur.  We don't need to touch his robe.  Faith is what is needed.  These people (the woman and Jairus) came to Jesus because they had faith in him before they ever met him.  So have faith and study the word of God.  That's my plan anyway, so that if anything ever comes against my family, I will be equipped with all the bible has to say about that situation.  

Psalm 71:1 - 24
This Psalm doesn't seem to be attributed to a single person.  My study bible doesn't offer me a suggestion of who the author might have been.  I don't think it was David because the psalm doesn't have the same extreme highs and lows that I am used to reading in the psalms of David.

This Psalm is similar to the psalms of David in that the writer is begging the Lord for help, begging that he not be abandoned to his enemies.  The writer seems to be older (And now, in my old age, don't set me aside" verse 9), and he seems to have led a pretty straightforward life in God's favor until this point.

This Psalm might not have the extreme highs and lows of the psalms of David, but it is still a lovely example of true faith in the Lord.  The writer knows that the Lord has been with him his entire life.  He prays to God to be delivered from his enemies, and he praises the Lord over and over.  He tells of how he always has praised the Lord, and how he will continue to praise the Lord,  Psalms truly is a book of praise and worship to the Lord.  It's certainly the book to turn to when you're struggling to get through hard times in your life. 

Sickness, Sin, and the Healing Power of Jesus Christ

Today's Reading:

• Luke 5:12 - 28
• Psalm 65:1 - 13

Read Bible Passages Online

Luke 5:12 - 28
Jesus continued his ministry and healing practices amongst the people.  In 5:13, Jesus healed a man of leprosy and told him not to tell anyone what had happened.  You would think Jesus would want the man to spread his works, but apparently the crowds that were following Jesus were humongous already.  The man did not obey Jesus and more people sought him out.

Some men sought Jesus to heal a man who was paralyzed.  The crowds were so overwhelming that they could not get near Jesus with the mat the man was lying on.  So they took tiles off of the roof and literally lowered the man down to be healed.  Jesus told the man that his sins had been forgiven 5:20 and he was healed.

The New Testament is full of examples of the healing power of Jesus.  In many cases Jesus heals the person and they go on.  In this case, however, Jesus told this man his sins were forgiven and he was healed.  This says to me that sickness can be a result of sin.  I don't believe it's only the result of sin, for there are verses where Jesus is asked whose sin caused sickness in a person, yet Jesus denied any sin had occurred (John 9:2 is an example).

Whether a person's sickness/disability/etc is a result of their sin, the sin or their ancestors, or is not related to sin at all, the bottom line is that the healing power of the Lord allows us to be healed.  Just because something bad happens to a person does not mean that he or she did anything wrong to cause it befall upon them.  But regardless of how or why a person is sick, the power of Jesus can and does heal people, even to this day.

I have personally been struggling with trying to harness the healing power of Jesus.  Jesus has bestowed upon us the ability to heal and be healed in His name, yet there is so much involved in being able to utilize it.  I have written a few posts about this topic.  One of them was titled "Receiving What You Pray For".

With the power of Jesus, I have been healed from the headaches that plagued me multiple times per week.  Even though I had absolute faith that the Lord's power would and had healed me, it was a struggle.  I felt Satan fighting against me.  The first few weeks were a struggle.  Every time a headache tried to spring up, I had to fight Satan down with the power of Jesus.

I have not had a regular headache in many months now -- probably six months.  I have other health conditions, but as hard as it was for my human body to fight against Satan using the power of Jesus, I have not yet attempted to be healed of any of them.  I also have regular sicknesses -- I have had a fever for 20 days in a row now, but I have not been able to successfully break free of it yet.  I have, however, been able to call out sickness from within my children using the power of Jesus.  Why is it easier for me to do that then to fight the battle with something that is plaguing me?

I think it has to do with self doubt and self worth.  I have to remind myself that the Lord wants us to be healed, He wants us to be whole, He wants us to feel good and to be able to serve Him 100%.  And whether the sickness is a result of an attack from Satan or from my own sin, the result is the same.  With the power of Jesus I am forgiven.  With the power of Jesus I am healed.  With the awesome power of Jesus Christ I am freed.  Thank you, Lord!  Amen.

Update: The day after I wrote this post my fever finally broke!  There was no 21st day.  Praise the Lord!

Psalm 65:1 - 13
This is a Psalm of praise to the Lord.  David sings of how the Lord answers prayers and forgives our overwhelming sins.  We are told that prayers are answered with awesome deeds.  I can think of many times were I have prayed and the Lord answered those prayers more greatly than I could ever have hoped.  The Lord is so awesome and so worthy of our praise.  The Lord blesses us even when we have let a chasm come between us and Him.  The Lord loves us, and the Lord takes care of us every step of the way.  The Lord blesses us with overwhelming abundance.

This Psalm goes on to talk about how the Lord blesses the earth.  With the rains the Lord softens the earth and creates rich pastures.  Even "the hillsides blossom with joy" (65:12).

This Psalm is just a fantastic display of the Lord's blessings, and makes me truly grateful to have the Lord on my side, looking out for me and my family and my friends.  For loving every single person on this Earth and for creating such a gorgeous and wondrous place to live and thrive.  I love the Lord with all my heart, and the fact that He can love me even though I am not worthy is truly overwhelming.

Discernment of Demons, Suffering of David

Today’s Reading:
• Matthew 17:10 - 27
• Psalm 22:1 - 18

Read Bible Passages Online
 
Matthew 17:10 - 27
Today I read about how Jesus healed a demon possessed boy.  The boy was mute and deaf and suffered from frequent violent seizures.  The disciples tried to cast out the demon but could not.  This led to Jesus rebuking the disciples for not having enough faith.

This short story leaves me with so many questions. I see reference after reference of how Jesus and his disciples cast out demons and heal sickness, all in the power of Jesus Christ over Satan.  I am beginning to understand that sickness and disease are not the will of God for his children and that, if we use the power of Jesus in true faith we have the power over such things.  Just a few days ago I read a passage from Proverbs (4:20-22) that said:

My child, pay attention to what I say.  Listen carefully to my words.  Don't lose sight of them.  Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.

My biggest question right now is how does one recognize an evil spirit/demon?  Not the commercialized, head spinning, pea soup spitting demon; but rather a demon that is harboring sickness in a person?  To Jesus, to his disciples, to the people at the time, there was no question about whether or not there was a demon in that boy's body. 

Our society places so much value into the scientific explanation of things.  I do believe that we should also use our own readily available devices before asking for divine intervention. If there is a problem that a trip to the doctor and a few antibiotics can fix, then by all means go to the doctor and take the pills.  But what if you can't afford the doctor?  What if the problem isn't something minor?  What if you're battling a condition such as seizures or a cancer?  Are all of those things evil/demonic spirits?

So if we say that yes, those things are evil spirits/demons/Satan's work, then we should very well be able to channel the power of Jesus Christ to have them cast out, right?  I wonder how one grows strong in healing.  The disciples themselves had issue having enough faith to cast the demon out so it's obviously not something so simple that you can just do it as soon as you learn that you can channel the power of Jesus to heal others.

This is certainly a topic of high interest to me.  I certainly have the faith -- of course Jesus has complete power over Satan, there's no question about that.  I guess I need to first pray for discernment so that I might better see the spiritual causes of disease and sickness.  That's not a light prayer, it's actually kind of scary to think about.  Do I even want to open that door?  I do, I don't -- but I do, because for me I can't go stick my head in the sand when I realize something is out there.  Then I must read the Word of God and pray to learn how to overcome the things I can see with my new eyes.

It's not going to happen overnight, but I feel a big shift in my heart as I write these words.  I feel a heaviness and a slight dread.  I am somewhat afraid of what I am asking for, but I really can't go back now.  I must also remember that fear is not of God.  I can tell you one thing though -- when I started this project I really didn't think that I'd be praying for a spiritual discernment of spirits.  This one book has power to change your life so completely.

Psalm 22:1 - 18
This partial Psalm is a sad one because David is suffering greatly by the hands of his enemies.  It's hard for me to relate this to context without having really learned David's life story.  I think I've mentioned a few times now about how I don't know much about David aside from his conquer of Goliath and that he was the greatest king of the Jewish people.  I will certainly have to go back and read the Psalms of David after I learn all about him.

God's Will vs. Attacks from Satan

Today's Reading:
• Matthew 20:29 - 21:22
• Psalm 25:16 - 22

Read Bible Passages Online

Matthew 20:29
Jesus appeared in Jerusalem on a donkey's colt, causing uproar as he made the proclamation of his fulfillment of the prophecy known.  In chapter 21 verses 13-14 Jesus performs his famous clearing of the temple where he let it be known that a church is not supposed to be about ripping the patrons off to grow its own wealth. 

The most interesting part of this reading to me occurs after Jesus curses the fig tree (21:19).  When Jesus' disciples asked him how he did that, Jesus tells them that they have the power to do the same.  In fact, Jesus tells them that they could move mountains if they had but the faith and were without doubt (21:21).

 Jesus also told his disciples that they will receive anything they pray for as long as they have the faith (21:22).  First of all let me say that I do not think this is an open endorsement of receiving all our heart desires.  In fact I would think that it is far from it.  I think that to be in a place of true, pure doubtless faith that is strong enough for us to call on God's power as his own, then our request wouldn't be for our own desires in the first place.  We might pray for our survival or for our needs, but not our desires.

When I read those two verses I think of our ability to wield God's power over Satan.  This includes Satan's influence over our lives -- be it in the form of temptation, "natural" disaster or sickness.  Before you can get to that, however, you have to let go of your doubts.  That is so much easier said than done.

The pastor at my church has covered this topic recently and that's where my added insights come into play on this topic.  For my entire life I have attributed everything bad that has happened as being "God's Will."  I see more and more now that these things in general are not "God's Will".  Sure, God does deal out punishment on people, but His Will is that we we are healthy, strong,provided for, and that we live our lives for Him completely.  I also believe that no matter what happens to us, whatever is thrown at us, that God will take that situation and turn it for the good.  So just because Satan attacks doesn't mean that God won't turn that around for good later.

My overall point for all of this is that we can, with doubtless faith, wield the power of Jesus to overcome Satan.  But like I said, this is easier said than done.  I don't only mean for this to pertain to healing, but that is the application I am applying this to today.  My pastor said, "If you don't have faith in God to heal your headaches, how can you have faith enough to have cancer cured further down the road?"  That really struck home with me, so I am really trying to learn to utilize the power Jesus allows us to use over sickness right now.  It's going to be a long road but I'm going to take it one step at a time.

Psalm 25:16 - 22
In this second half of Psalm 25, David begs the Lord to ransom himself and Israel from all its troubles.  A simple reminder that when life is at its worse, there is only one person to turn to -- the Lord Almighty. 

Jesus Raises A Girl From the Dead

Today’s Reading:
• Matthew 9:18-38
  
• Psalm 11:1-7

Read Bible Passages Online

Matthew 9:18-38
Here we read more about Jesus and his amazing healing power. He even brought back a girl from the dead! (23:27). He cast demons out, enabled the blind to see and healed all kinds of illness and diseases. How lucky those people were, to literally walk with Jesus! To be preached to and healed by him. And how could anyone who literally saw those miracles choose not to believe?  

Psalm 11:1-7 
Another Psalm from David in which he professes his faith in the Lord to protect him. David also states that the Lord judges the violent and the wicked and loves justice. Honestly, I don’t have much more to comment on about this Psalm – not that the message doesn’t ring true – it’s just that most of the Psalms I’ve read thus far have been very similar.  They are all awesome in how they show how to truly praise the Lord.

Having Faith in the Lord

Today’s Reading:
• Matthew 8:1-17
  
• Psalm 9:13-20

Read Bible Passages Online

Matthew 8:1-17
Here we read about the amazing healing powers of Jesus. How could people not believe in a man who could remove sickness and diseases with a touch of a hand? I don’t remember where I heard this, but I have heard that healers were a dime a dozen back then. But surely none came close to the true power Jesus had to heal. It amazes me how people can be faced with the truth and yet turn their eyes away and act like it never happened.

My favorite part of this passage came in chapter 24, where a soldier came up to Jesus and asked him to heal his servant without ever seeing him. He had such faith that Jesus could do that; faith that apparently Jesus had not yet seen in Israel. We take that kind of faith for granted – today we must have faith that the Lord can act without his physical presence. People in the old days got to literally walk next to the Lord. They got to converse with him, they were literally touched by Jesus! Today we have to believe that the Lord can perform these miracles from afar.

 I think it makes it easier for people to deny the Lord's works today, because if they don’t SEE the Lord do it, it can be dismissed as “coincidence.” But it's still heartening that Jesus remarked on the faith the soldier had – faith that Jesus can perform miracles when he’s not right next to someone – faith that we all must have now because we have no other choice if we are to believe.  

Psalm 9:13-20
I read the first part of this Psalm (1:12) a couple days ago.  It consisted of David praising the Lord for overcoming his enemies.  David continues this Psalm by praying for mercy from and vindication to his tormentors.  It then ends with another cry for the Lord to judge the wicked. 

I know that this Psalm is supposed to be a song but it's really hard for me to look at words and imagine them as music -- especially when they don't rhyme!  Yeah, I should know better, but I don't.  I'm sure that if I heard it sung it would be a very powerful hymn. 

The Phenomenal Power of Jesus Christ

Today’s Reading:
• Matthew 4:12-25
• Psalms 4:1-8

Read Bible Passages Online 

Matthew 4:12-25

Yesterday I read about the baptism and temptation of Jesus Christ, and today I read about the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. Matthew talks of the first four disciples – Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John, and how they dropped everything immediately and followed him.

Can you imagine just dropping everything you know in a very instant to follow someone, to devote your life to them, to change everything you know? That’s the awesome power Jesus Christ has! We then got to read about how Jesus cured everything … everything! Diseases, demon possession, blindness – you name it, he cured it. The power there is just phenomenally awesome. No wonder he had huge crowds following him wherever he went – I would have been in those crowds, too.

Psalms 4:1-8

There is much good advice in this Psalm. It talks about how sin occurs when you let anger control you, which is so very true. How often do you say and do things that you shouldn’t, just because you were angry? My favorite part of the Psalm, however, is this verse 4:7

“You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvest of grain and new wine”

It is always joyful knowing that you have the Lord with you, no matter what the situation or what you’re going through, and that he always have a plan for you, as long as you “trust the Lord” (4:5).