Matthew 4:23–25 (NIV)

²³ Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. ²⁴ News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. ²⁵ Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

The power of God in Christ as he went throughout Galilee, teaching in synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and HEALING every disease and sickness.

I must emphasize that healing is on the 3^rd rank in this Jesus’ power ministry: 1^st: teaching, 2^nd: Proclaiming the Kingdom of God; 3^rd: Healing every sickness and disease.

We have focused on the first two for millennia, but have jettisoned much of 3^rd. And I can understand and guesstimate the reasons. First, its messy, because we have no way near remotely as much power of God flowing through us as we prayed for the sick. Second, a lot of theology has minimized it because of the cessation’s theology, except the Pentecostal or charismatics. I think the first reason drives the second. Th reality is , we don’t see instant healings like what Jesus did in every one of them, and people don’t give God the glory as much, as the person may recover say a week later, or a month later, or simply nothing changed. Even with healings a month later, unless it’s a medically hard to cure, such healings will generally be taken as due to medications or natural cure. SO we do have a dilemma. The Pentecostals and charismatics do not have a smooth road either, because granted, they pray for the sick far more, they face the same situation of healing as reason #1. Nevertheless they just press on more. What I am uncomfortable is when it becomes a stage healing rally like a showmanship, it simply drains me, and I believe drains the power of God to heal. However, in a strange way, I also notice that they seem to have more healings in such healing crusade, because of the faith of the people growing. Faith is contagious and spreading.

Daughter, your faith has healed you

Mark 5:30–34 ³⁰ At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” ³¹ “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” ³² But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

These key words came through the mouth of Christ towards the woman with the bleeding problem for years, who pressed in among men to touch Jesus. She did, and she was healed on the spot as she touched him. That’s why there is so much crying from the prayers of many Christians today, “Touch me O Lord”. When Jesus said, “Daughter your faith has healed you.” He means her faith in Christ Jesus healed her! It’s not just your faith will heal you, it’s your faith in Christ that heals you. And of course, this can be overly simplistic, the reality is that thousands of people who put their faith in Christ, don’t get healed! SO then how do you explain?

All sick people would be healed instantly if they were to live 2000 years ago, by the shores of Galilee.

That’s why my theory is that Christ is no more physically present and it makes a difference. I believe, all those who are sick and not get healed by medical means, will ALL be healed instantly if they were to live in 2000 years ago, by the shores of Galilee. But you can also argue that they don’t enjoy as much theology as we do today in growing into the fullness of Christ as we have today with all the NT epistles of Paul, John, Peter, James. You could argue that we live in different generations.

The world longs for the healing power of God in Christ Jesus

As we together with billions of Christians round the globe, prayed, prayed and waited upon our good Lord to touch us and heal us, some to the joyous healings, but also many remain in the doldrum of still sick. I do not mean just physically sick, but in all areas, mental, physical, emotional. All that I have seen healings in the gospel by Christ, is the physical healings plus a number of highly dramatic casting out of demons. Jesus went into the scene where the sick are, and no questions asked, he healed every one of them. So much so that the whole town began to bring all the sick to him , and they crossed lakes, rivers, just to look for Jesus. Who wouldn’t? I would walk even hundreds of miles to get some sicknesses healed, for myself, for my loved ones etc. to find Jesus.

But the big question that hangs over our heads is “Jesus is not here today physically with us”. How I long for the Jesus in the gospels walk with us in New York? In Kuching, or Ukraine, or anywhere? That era has passed. We must embrace the different timing agenda, planning, the sovereign move of God and flow in with his power, calling, and timing.

Jesus is no more here on earth like he was 2000 years ago in Israel, in Jerusalem. But He promised that He will send the Holy Spirit to come and be with us, in fact He lives in all those who believed in Christ and received Christ. Because we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. So anything changed?

Yes, a lot has changed.

Theology

The scene that Jesus healed a crippled from life who’s been waiting by the pool for waves for years. The scene that may invoke when the Lord will heal us. So many sick and broken. How long O Lord? Christianity must not be diminished with theological discourse. Theology is to enhance and bring out the vivid colors of the power of Christ. #powertoheal #powerofchrist

I will just exhort that we continue to believe in Christ’s healing the sick as we pray.

Healing the sick is not an option, it’s a command from our Lord Jesus. It’s not a denominational thing. It’s a doctrinal thing.

Matthew 10:7–8 ⁷ As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. He was phenomenal in healing the sick.

Acts 19:11–12 ¹¹ God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

James 5:14–16 ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Clearly, James in the NT exhorts us to have the elders (Pastor) to pray over the sick and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord, and their prayers offered in faith will make the sick well! And James also emphasized to confess our sins to each other, so we may be healed. Unconfessed sins block healing.

Finally, the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Let’s BELIEVE in Christ’s Words. Amen.