Day 112
Acts 14:9-10
"The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked"
Acts 14 records the marvelous healing of a man who was born a cripple and had never walked. He heard Paul preach the gospel and developed faith to be healed.
It is interesting to note that details about the content of Paul's message were not given. It was simply stated that he preached the gospel. This indicates that healing for the physical body through Christ is a very fundamental part of the gospel.
Over the years, in many circles, the gospel has been diluted. Doubt and unbelief have caused some to eliminate physical healing as part of the gospel. This account of Paul preaching at Lystra indicates that the first century Christians saw healing as a fundamental part of the good news about Jesus. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. The crippled man could not get faith for healing, unless he heard it offered in a convincing manner. Paul convinced him by explaining the benefits of Jesus' mission to earth
We must become convinced that healing is available to us through Jesus Christ. As we read the gospels, the book of Acts, and the letters to the churches, we should get a clear message that healing has been provided for us. The only thing that can hinder us and make the good news ineffective is our entertaining traditions that are contrary to the Bible. Jesus said to the religious leaders of His day in Matthew 15:6 (Amplified Version), "So for the sake of your tradition (the rules handed down by your forefathers), you have set aside the Word of God - depriving it of force and authority and making it of no effect."
May we discard every tradition or any other hindrances to our receiving the benefit Jesus suffered to provide for us. He was brutally whipped 39 times, and the Word says with those stripes we were healed. Let us gratefully receive deliverance from sickness and disease.
I will build faith for healing, because it has been given to me. By the stripes of Jesus, I was healed.