The Healings of Jesus – Part 17
The Canaanite Woman
(John 21:25 AMPC) And there are also many other things which Jesus did. If they should be all recorded one by one [in detail], I suppose that even the world itself could not contain (have room for) the books that would be written.
There were innumerable healings and miracles performed by Jesus, but we do not have record of them all. We do have record of 19 of them and because the Holy Spirit instructed those men to record them for us, we should take the time to study them.
In studying these healings, we can learn that if we will do what the people did, we can receive what the people got. (Acts 10:34)
For this reason, we are looking at the details of each case.
(Acts 10:38 AMPC) How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the [Holy] Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by [the power of] the devil, for God was with Him.
(Acts 10:38 MSG) Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him.
(Acts 10:38 Williams) how God consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and then He went about doing good and curing all who were overpowered by the devil, because God was with Him.
Remember, pay attention to the details. Sometimes the key for you to be able to receive from Heaven is in the details.
In studying these healing miracles, we can learn how to receive healing for ourselves and learn how to minister healing to others.
This is a summary of the ministry of Jesus: He went about teaching, preaching, and healing.
(Matthew 4:23 NKJV) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
(Matthew 9:35 NKJV) Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
We want to emphasize what Jesus emphasized!
These truths belong to us!
Preaching is a proclaiming of the Good News and is designed to draw the attention of people. Teaching brings people into knowledge and revelation of what belongs to us as believers.
- We need to hear proper teaching on healing so that we can cooperate with the healing power of God.
- What you hear, is going to be what you have faith to receive.
- Jesus wants you to have a life of health and healing and for you to walk in it, you must know something about it and be skilled in what you know.
- In teaching these things, we are doing the works of Jesus, so receive your healing!
- As you hear these things being taught, you can receive your healing!
(Matthew 15:21-28 NKJV) Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. (22) And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” (23) But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” (24) But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (25) Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” (26) But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” (27) And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” (28) Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
(Matthew 15:21 NKJV) Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
Tyre and Sidon were regions where the Syrian-Phoenician Gentiles lived and they did not have a covenant with God.
Jews were the only ones that had a covenant with God at that time.
Notice Jesus went where people were that did not have a covenant with God. This is telling them and us, that He wanted to reach those people.
He is showing them that soon, they would not be left without a covenant. Through Him they were going to be able to be participants in a covenant with God.
(Matthew 15:22 NKJV) And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
A woman from that region came to Him. She was a Gentile and without a covenant relationship with God. She has no promise that anything from God belongs to her.
But she doesn’t wait for a promise. She has a big need.
The Canaanites, being Gentiles, did not co-mingle with the Jews. They were considered unclean.
She has heard about Jesus!
(Mark 7:25 NKJV) For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet.
She must have heard that He was a deliverer because that is what she had faith to receive for her daughter.
It matters what you hear about Jesus! What you hear about Jesus determines what you are able to believe Him to do in your life.
(John 10:10 NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
There are two people who are coming after you or have come for you. The devil and Jesus.
Anything that comes to steal, kill, and destroy is from the devil and anything that brings life is from God.
God’s way of teaching is though His Word.
Some question miracles. Don’t doubt today what you might need tomorrow!
What was going on in this woman’s home that opened the door for her little girl to get a devil? If wrong things are permitted in a home, then the devil has an inroad, access, into your household.
In verse 22, she cries out for mercy for herself. Deliverance is a flow of mercy from God.
God wants to stop the disruption that the devil can bring on a household.
You cannot have the devil in your household and have peace.
She cries out to the Son of David. She is referring to what the Jews called Jesus as the Messiah. She must have thought this is what Jesus needed or wanted to hear because she had heard the Jews call Him that.
But Jesus does not want you to address Him based on what you have heard others call Him. These are borrowed words.
He wants to hear what you believe in your own heart. That is why it is so important to have faith for yourself and not just parrot what you have heard someone else say.
(Matthew 15:23 NKJV) But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
When she gets no response from Jesus, she moves on to the disciples and begins to call out to them.
At least she is persistent.
This persistence is a feature of faith!
Jesus is not looking to send anyone away who comes to Him!
His desire is to bring her to a place of right thinking and right believing.
(Matthew 15:24 NKJV) But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
This is a true response. Jesus first assignment was to the Jewish people, but His assignment would expand later, after the Cross.
(Matthew 15:25 NKJV) Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
She came back to Jesus a second time. She approached Him without rehearsed, borrowed words, but with an attitude of worship towards Him from her own heart.
She cuts through all the extra fluff and simply said, “Lord, help me.”
Sometimes you are going to have to cut through all the religious talk and the borrowed words and get very real, simple, and plain with the Lord. Why? Because that is really what is in your heart and that is what Jesus wants.
When you don’t know what else to say to the Lord, simply ask Him for help.
Notice that she came and worshipped Him SAYING something.
You cannot worship Jesus without saying something. Words are what expresses your heart of worship.
This is what gets a response from Jesus.
(Matthew 15:26 NKJV) But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
(Matthew 15:26 AMPC) And He answered, It is not right (proper, becoming, or fair) to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.
Bread is staple item at most tables for a meal.
Healing and deliverance belong to God’s children. Jesus is saying that healing and deliverance is something that should be a staple item for God’s children.
(Psalms 23:5 NKJV) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
It does not matter if your enemy is at the table that God provides for you and tries to bring his things into your life. Why? Because bread is always prepared for you at God’s table. Beside that, the devil does not have a place at the table.
During Jesus’ day, the Gentiles were referred to as dogs by the Jews. He was not trying to offend her. He was trying to get her attention.
It was a very common practice in that day for dogs to not have regular care by an owner. Once they were no longer puppies, they were often left to fend for themselves.
Jesus is merely expressing to her that the “dogs” do not have a caretaker or someone who is supposed to take care of them.
(Matthew 15:27 NKJV) And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
(Matthew 15:27 AMPC) She said, Yes, Lord, yet even the little pups (little whelps) eat the crumbs that fall from their [young] masters’ table.
Notice she did not argue and get offended with Jesus. She changed her approach. She refused to give up for her daughter’s deliverance.
She asked Jesus to give her what the children dismiss, and it falls from the table because they did not eat and partake of it.
Jesus was not trying to offend her; He was simply trying to get what she wants to her. He had to bring some correction and she took it.
She was also saying a crumb of God’s power is enough for her situation!
(Matthew 15:28 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
She had great faith! We can see great faith won’t attempt to protect its pride. Great faith is not easily offended.
She did not start out with great faith, but because Jesus kept working with her, her faith became great. Jesus will do the same for us!