It’s Sunday morning, a man is brought into church into your church in a wheelchair, easily observed this man cannot walk his legs deformed in such way that he may have been like that since birth. During the worship service, the man is rolled up to the front where he cries out for healing. Some come to pray for the man asking Jesus to heal once again. No one truly expecting anything to happen to the man. This attitude is a reality in many of our churches. We know God still heals but not really getting our hopes up as we never see it.
By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
Acts 3:16
Take a second look at my story, what would happen if at the prayer moment throughout the building a loud crack is heard. Only seen to those who were faithful to come to pray, they see the man’s legs shoot out and start to gain strength and muscle right before their eyes. What if that man climbed out of his chair and put one foot in front of the other and gaining momentum started walking, no running and jumping around the altar praising God, how would the people in the pews react? There would be many surprise reactions, some disbelief others in shock.
This is what is happening here in Acts 3. Peter and John just met a man in need of a life-changing event. He was asking them for money, but they offered him the power of Jesus to be healed. What amazes me about this story is that they offered it but instead of waiting for the man to decided they took his right hand and pulled him up fully expecting him to be healed. Peter and John filled with the Holy Spirit had no doubt in the power of God to heal this man. They had personally seen Jesus do it, he told them they would do it, so they just did it. They gave all the credit to Jesus and the mans faith. They did not want any glory for this act nor should they. It was in the name of Jesus that the man was healed, and they had no doubt that it was going to happen. How would this world be changed it those who trust Jesus had this kind of faith to heal?
I can’t do that, I am no Peter or John, and I am definitely no Jesus. That was all back then and has no power now it just does not happen in this day and age. Jesus promised us that the same Holy Spirit that worked with Him is in us and that we can do the same miracles and healings He did and even more. Why would his promise only extend for a generation or two and then disappear? If you google healings you will find that there are healings happening all over the world. Amazing things are happening in places, mainly in places where believers have less comfort and more reliance on God’s provision. Where I am it is very easy to get health care, but in a third world country where hospitals are in short supply trusting that God will heal seems to have more clout. Can God use you to heal someone right where you are? Yes he can, will you let him use you?
Father, we want to see people being healed. Not to build ourselves up as the ones doing the healing but to give you glory and draw men and woman to you. Strengthen our faith and destroy our disbelief. For far too long we have been quiet about what you can do, some thinking that it was only for the New Testament time period. Even today Jesus use us to reach this world through love, sharing your salvation and even healings. Give us the wisdom to reach the lost. Amen
50 Days of Pray 