Greatness: Matthew 14-20Sample

Jesus’ healings were a hallmark of His ministry. They drew people to Him and, for some, proved He was the Son of God. In today’s passage, many people came to Jesus for healing, and Jesus healed them all. This was not just something Jesus only did back then, but something we should be praying for Him to do today. Jesus said at the end of Mark’s gospel that believers will “lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:18, ESV).

Healing is something I have been reading up on because I need Jesus to heal me from cancer. In my discussions, I have found a spectrum of beliefs on healing. People will pray for me, but I sense different levels of belief in those who pray. I, too, have gone through different levels of belief. We often put our trust in doctors, and absolutely, they heal people, but they have limits. I have read of amazing miracles in Africa through the ministry of missionary Heidi Baker, including raising the dead. God can heal anyone, anywhere. Minister Randy Clark, who has a healing ministry, said once, “God so clearly told me that I was to teach that He still heals today.” Randy expects God to turn up and heal people — and he has seen some amazing healing miracles.

God does not always heal people. I have been to funerals of beautiful, Christian friends and have wondered why they were not healed. A friend was healed only to have the cancer return fatally. Yet healing is an area we should seek God in. We should pray for people to be anointed with the gift of healing in our churches, pray boldly and expectantly for healing of the sick, learn more about healing, and not be afraid of asking. The people Jesus healed expected to be healed. Like the centurion in Matthew 8. After asking Jesus to heal his servant, he said, “…only say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8, ESV). That is expectation. Let us be expectant and pray boldly for those who need healing and for God to raise up those with the gift of healing.

Today, ponder this: Do we believe that God’s healing power is limited today? Are we expectant when we pray? Will you pray for God to raise up people with the gift of healing in our churches?