The Hope Of Healing

The Hope of Healing

Selected Passages

Mexico Seminar Presentation

Introduction

The Bible is filled with events that cannot be called anything except miraculous. There are so many that we can’t even list them all but here are just a few of the ones that come to mind.

The Red Sea parts for the Israelites to pass on dry land

The walls of Jericho fall with a shout

Jesus is resurrected on the third day

Peter is rescued from prison by an angel

God has a way of stepping into the stream of human history and changing everything in an instant. He can do this because, well He is God. God does what needs to be done as it needs to be done and how it needs to be done. The greatest miracle it seems is the fact that He uses us at all in his plans.

Meaning of Miracle (dictionary.com)

1. An effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.

2. such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.

3. a wonder; marvel.

A poll was conducted of adults on the question of miracles. Percentage of adults who mostly agree or completely agree with the statement, "Even today, miracles are performed by the power of God": 82.

In the history of Israel there were three periods of major miracles. These were periods when God revealed His power in miraculous ways to His people.

• The days of Moses: The ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, Manna from heaven

• The days of Elijah: The ceasing of rain, the fire from heaven to destroy the prophets of Baal and the chariot of fire

• The days of Jesus

The Miracles of Jesus (Matthew 4:13-15)

Three major types of miracles in the ministry of Jesus

1.) Power over nature: Calming the storm, changing water into wine

2.) Healings

3.) Casting out demons

Of the miracles of Jesus healings outnumber any other type of miracle. The casting out of demons was often accompanied by the healing of the person who was possessed.

Jesus healed people on 25 separate occasions in the gospels.

Three times Jesus raised people from the dead

Two times Jesus healed people of leprosy

Five times Jesus cast out demons

Nine times Jesus healed people with physical ailments

Six times Jesus healed people with general sicknesses

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching 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. Matthew 4:23-25

Jesus healed anyone of anything (23)

Jesus did not limit His healing to only those who were Jews. From this passage we see that people followed Him from various other countries from that region of the world. We also know that on other occasions Jesus healed the Roman Centurion’s servant and the Canaanite woman’s daughter. Jesus healed anyone that came to Him in faith.

Matthew records that Jesus healed every disease and sickness that was among people. Clearly, Jesus had the power over sickness and disease. There was nothing that He could not heal.

Look at the list of things that Jesus healed: Jesus healed the blind, the deaf, the mute, the lame, the lepers and even raised people from the dead.

Jesus healed the whole person (24)

The Hebrews saw three types of healing: physical, emotional or mental and spiritual. Matthew records these three separate types in verse 24.

Jesus healed people spiritually through healing the demon possessed. Jesus healed people physically through healing those suffering severe pain and paralysis. Jesus healed people emotionally or mentally through healing those with seizures. The word for seizures included those who suffered from epilepsy and mental illness.

One of the best examples of this is found in the healing of those with leprosy. Leprosy was an incurable disease that destroyed the person physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Lepers were considered the walking dead and so they needed physical healing. Lepers were considered utterly unclean and so they needed spiritual healing. Lepers were considered social outcasts and so they needed emotional healing.

Jesus revealed Himself through healings (25)

At the end of these verses there were massive crowds following Jesus. He reveled Himself in power and the people responded. Often, Jesus used the miracles as a means to communicate the gospel to those gathered. When Jesus traveled through the region of Galilee, he was preaching, teaching and healing. All three were needed to effectively communicate the gospel to those who needed it most. Remember the words of Jesus that communicated His message: The Son of Man has come to seek what was lost (Luke 19:10)