God is bigger than any disease, that is one of the certainties that we have his children. There has never been and never will be a disease or pandemic that is more powerful than our God. Let’s not hesitate!
One of the names of God is YHWH-Raphathe LORD who heals. Our God is a healing God and can heal any disease. “I am the Lord, who restores them to health” we read in Exodus 15:26b. That is why we can have all confidence when we go before him to bring our requests for physical, emotional or spiritual health.
When Jesus, God incarnate, ministered to the multitudes that followed him, healings were an essential part of his ministry. Jesus healed many people from a wide variety of diseases, something that we see in these biblical texts that speak about the healing power of Jesus.
1. Matthew 4:23-24
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, announcing the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread throughout all Syria, and all who were suffering from various diseases, those who suffered from severe pain, the demon-possessed, the epileptic, and the paralyzed, brought him, and he healed them.
(Matthew 4:23-24)
Jesus ministered healing from the very beginning of his public ministry. He not only dedicated himself to teaching and announcing the good news of the gospel. Also healed all kinds of illness, pain, physical or spiritual condition. His ministry encompassed both spreading the gospel and ministering healing to the sick. This he did throughout the region of Galilee and his fame spread.
People realized that he had real power. That is why they brought before him people afflicted both by physical illnesses and by the need for spiritual liberation (the demon-possessed). Jesus showed that he has the power to heal the body and to free the human being from the oppression of the evil one.
Reflection: Is there something bothering you today? Take it in prayer before the Lord God, our Savior. He always has something good for you.
2. Matthew 9:35
In Jesus the Old Testament prophecies about the promised Messiah were fulfilled. These announced that the Messiah would bring salvation and healing. In one of them, Isaiah prophesied about what would happen with the coming of the Messiah:
“Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped; he will jump the lame like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb will shout for joy. For waters will flow in the desert, and torrents in the dry land” (Isaiah 35:5-6).
And that is what happened during the ministry of Jesus!
Jesus went through all the towns and villages teaching in the synagogues, announcing the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and illness.
(Matthew 9:35)
Wherever Jesus went, he proclaimed the message of salvation, granting the healing of the soul and also healing the sick regardless of their illness. At no point did Jesus say “well, that disease is too advanced” or “that’s too difficult.” Nope! He didn’t let any kind of ailment, or the severity of it, intimidate him. Jesus even raised the dead! (see, for example, Luke 7:11-17 and Matthew 9:18-26). Have you seen a disease worse than death? God can heal any disease!
Reflection: Bring your petitions before the Lord. Do not be intimidated by the greatness or difficulty of it. Remember that you serve the Almighty God. He always has something that he wishes to give us or do in the midst of every situation.
3. Matthew 15:29-31
Jesus did not heal for the sake of healing or because he longed for fame and recognition. The healings he performed glorified God. ¡When Jesus healed, the people praised God! We see that he carried out all kinds of healings: lame, blind, paralyzed, mute… there were several occasions when he healed everybody those who came sick before his presence. How much power! But he always made sure that the glory went to God the Father.
Jesus left there and came to the shores of the Sea of Galilee. He then he went up the mountain and sat down. Large crowds came up to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the maimed, the mute, and many more sick, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. People were amazed to see the dumb speak, the crippled recover their health, the lame walk and the blind see. And they praised the God of Israel.
(Matthew 15:29-31)
The crowds that followed Jesus were not “Christians” or committed followers of him. They were all kinds of people who lived in the villages. They had heard about Jesus and the miracles he did and they ran to him. Sure, some already believed that Jesus was special and wanted to hear his teachings, but most of them would be pagans. However, after seeing the healing power of Jesus in action, “they praised the God of Israel.”
Reflection: Always give glory to God for his work in your life and in your situations. May your eyes always be fixed on God, on his love and on his company. Strengthen your faith by remembering all that he has already done for you.
4. Matthew 14:34-36
The Bible mentions some people who were healed just by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. Was it a miracle cloak? Nope! The miraculous power flowed from Jesus and reached the people who approached him and touched his mantle seeking the renewal (or the granting) of health.
After crossing the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. The inhabitants of that place recognized Jesus and spread the news throughout the surrounding area. All the sick were brought to him, begging him to let them even touch the edge of his cloak, and those who touched him were healed.
(Matthew 14:34-36)
The interesting thing is that Jesus allowed them to get close to him. He didn’t force people to keep their distance. Quite the contrary! He let them come close and healed them. Let’s learn from them! The power flows when we draw close to Jesus. Let us approach him with our requestsLet us bring our sicknesses and infirmities before him. He has his arms open, he is ready to receive us and work in us.
Reflection: Seek the presence of the Lord and receive everything he wants to give you. Remember that his presence is more than enough to renew your strength. Delight in it!
5. Luke 4:38-39
When Jesus left the synagogue, he went to the house of Simon, whose mother-in-law was sick with a very high fever. From her they asked Jesus to help her, so he leaned over her and rebuked her fever, which was taken away from her. She got up immediately and began to serve them.
(Luke 4:38-39)
Jesus paid attention to all requests, not just the ones that might seem the biggest or most spectacular. Peter’s mother-in-law was in bed with a very high fever and they asked Jesus to intervene with her healing power. Jesus quite naturally came to her and rebuked her fever. The woman was immediately healed, got up and started doing her chores.
Reflection: God attends to all your requests no matter where you are. Trust, he is faithful! Cry out to God in the privacy of your home. Talk to him about what’s bothering you. Wait on him and rejoice in his work.
6. Luke 4:40
At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all those who suffered from various diseases; he laid his hands on each one of them and healed them.
(Luke 4:40)
On some occasions Jesus healed all those who came to him. We see that the sick people of whom the text speaks were not alone before the Lord, other people brought them closer to him. These people had enough love for their sick friends or family members and enough faith in the Lord to act to draw them to Jesus.
Reflection: Do you intercede before the Lord for the health of those you love? Your intercession can make a big difference in the life of each one of them.
7. Luke 8:43-44
Among the people there was a woman who had suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years, without anyone being able to heal her. She came up behind her and touched the edge of her cloak, and instantly she stopped the bleeding from her.
(Luke 8:43-44)
That woman had been ill for 12 years, but she did not give up. She did her best to get her health back. Because of her condition, she was considered impure, she should not have been in the middle of the crowd. But she was willing to bear the consequences of her actions in order to have the opportunity to touch the garment of Jesus. She achieved her goal and the power of God reached her granting her healing.
Reflection: Do you persist in your search for the Lord? Approach him today with your praises and your petitions. No matter how many years pass until you see the answer to your prayers, he keeps praying. At his time, God will work in a special way.
8. Luke 7:11-15
Shortly after, Jesus, in the company of his disciples and a large crowd, went to a town called Nain. When he was already approaching the gates of the town, he saw that they were taking out a dead man, the only son of a widowed mother. He was accompanied by a large group of the population. Seeing her, the Lord took pity on her and said: Do not cry.
Then he went over and touched the coffin. Those who were carrying him stopped, and Jesus said: Young man, I command you to get up!
The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus handed him over to his mother.
(Luke 7:11-15)
The deep compassion of Jesus moved him to manifest his power in the midst of the crowd. The widowed woman, who was on her way to bury her only son, welcomed her son back to life. No one asked Jesus to act on her, he only saw the woman’s affliction and had compassion on her.
Reflection: God sees you in the moments when you experience the greatest pain. Even when you cannot speak because of the deep sadness you feel, he sees your heart and feels sorry for you. He trusts in his love and in his compassion.
9. John 20:30-31
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing in his name you may have life.
(John 20:30-31)
Jesus performed many other miracles that do not appear in the Gospel accounts. However, the purpose of each of the miracles that we know is to manifest the power of God in Jesus so that we believe in him and receive salvation and eternal life. Jesus manifests himself in our physical life so that we recognize the power of God and surrender to him. That way we will live with him for all eternity.
Reflection: Allow God’s work in your life to draw you closer and closer to him. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, enjoying true healing for all eternity!
Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, because you are my praise.
(Jeremiah 17:14)
The mission of the Church today
After Jesus was resurrected, and before going up to heaven, he commissioned his disciples and told them what he expected them to do. They were to take his gospel, his good news, throughout the earth. Along with that command, he gave them an assurance: they would be full of power and they would perform great signs in his name.
These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will take…