Note: Some of the content in this lesson comes from Pastor Nancy Dufresne of Dufresne Ministries. You can visit their ministry at www.dufresneministries.org.
(John 21:25 NKJV) And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
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.
For this reason, we are looking at the details of each case.
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.
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 to walk in that, you must know something and be skilled in it.
- As you hear these things being taught, you can receive your healing!
Remember the verse we read last week:
(Mark 7:37 AMPC) And they were overwhelmingly astonished, saying, He has done everything excellently (commendably and nobly)! He even makes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak!
(Mark 7:36-37 MSG) Jesus urged them to keep it quiet, but they talked it up all the more, (37) beside themselves with excitement. “He’s done it all and done it well. He gives hearing to the deaf, speech to the speechless.”
(Mark 7:37 BBE) And they were overcome with wonder, saying, He has done all things well: he even gives back the power of hearing and the power of talking to those who have been without them.
- Jesus was skillful in ministering healing to people. God wants us to be skillful in receiving and ministering healing.
(Mark 1:39-45 NKJV) And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons. (40) Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” (41) Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” (42) As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. (43) And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, (44) and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (45) However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.
(Mark 1:39 NKJV) And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.
Isn’t it interesting where the demon possessed people were? People came to the synagogue to get help and to be set free. People ought to be able to get set free at church.
(Mark 1:40 NKJV) Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
This was not inside of the synagogue because according to the law, this leper would not have been allowed to enter the synagogue.
Lepers were no allowed to be out in society much less approach an individual like Jesus in public.
Doing this, he took his life into his own hands.
Notice the man came and found Jesus. He was not sitting at home waiting for Jesus to find him. A lot of people are waiting for someone to bring them something, but this man did not.
Nine out of ten times, what you receive from God is initiated by you and not initiated by God. If you want to receive something from God, you must take some steps of faith. That is what we mean when we say you must initiate it.
If you need help, don’t wait for people to seek you out. If you are part of a local church and you get sick, call them. Don’t sit at home and get offended that no one knew that you were sick.
(James 5:14 NKJV) Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Notice the posture of the leper when he approached Jesus: a posture of humility and worship. This was a proper position to receive from Jesus. The man must have heard and/or seen something about Jesus.
Worship brings the anointing because worship brings the Presence of God.
God always responds to a heart of worship.
Notice the man obviously knew that Jesus COULD heal him. In other words, there was not a question in the man’s heart about Jesus’ ABILITY. BUT there was a question if Jesus was willing to heal him.
Did you know this is the struggle in most people’s hearts where receiving from God is concerned? Most will not question if God is ABLE to heal but they question if He is WILLING to heal them.
This man lacked full knowledge of Jesus, but he did come with what he had. Jesus met the man where he was.
(Mark 1:41 NKJV) Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
Jesus was moved with compassion which motivated Him to minister to the man.
Compassion – moved in the inward parts, to feel viscerally.
Healing is a flow of compassion. We are to carry that same compassion which comes from spending time in the Presence of God.
The more you are with Him, the more you take on His flow.
Spending time with God will cause what motivates Him to motivate you.
Compassion always leads you to action.
Jesus corrected the man’s theology with three words, “I am willing…”
Jesus did not leave this man’s doctrine lacking. Out of His goodness, He corrected the man’s theology. Why? Because the man was worshipping Him. Worshipping is a teachable place and posture. It requires humility.
You cannot receive from God on just any version of faith. Jesus brought him to Bible faith.
Jesus not only corrected the man’s theology but every man’s theology. We now know by what Jesus said that it is His will for men to be healed.
(Mark 1:42 NKJV) As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
Jesus touched the man out of compassion, but He spoke out of authority and power.
Leprosy heard the words that Jesus spoke and left the man.
Sickness and disease will hear your words too! So will things that stand in your way and are part of what Jesus has redeemed you from.
(Mark 11:23 NKJV) For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
(Mark 1:43-44 NKJV) And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, (44) and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
According to the Levitical Law, the Priest was the one who cast the man out of society because of leprosy so it was only the Priest who could let this man back into society.
Jesus still abided within the law in this man’s healing. Also, the Priest was going to see for himself that Jesus was a healer.
(Mark 1:45 NKJV) However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.
The impact of one man’s testimony moved a city and an entire region to pursue Jesus.
When you receive healing, it can lead others to Jesus to receive from Him. Tell your testimony!
(Mark 1:45 TPT) But no sooner did the man leave than he began to proclaim his healing publicly and spread the story everywhere of his healing. Jesus’ growing fame prevented him from entering the villages openly, which forced him to remain in isolated places. Even so, a steady stream of people flocked to him from everywhere.