Faith That Heals and Forgives / Matthew 9 (TV Audio #537)

Bible Study with David Hathaway (TV Audio Podcast)

'Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralysed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”

'At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”

'Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralysed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.' (Matthew 9.1-8, NIV)

This miracle in Matthew 9 started with the fact that Jesus ‘saw their faith’. We see this so many times in the four Gospels, and particularly in this chapter. We see a dead girl raised from the dead after a woman, who had been bleeding for 12 years, touched His garment and was healed. Her faith was so strong, she didn’t need Him to respond, just reaching out and secretly touching His coat would bring the miracle! She believed her touch, not His, would heal her. This was an incredible demonstration of faith.

Both times with my cancers, I prayed for 3 months before I got my miracle, but I didn’t give up. I had simple faith, reaching out to Jesus, KNOWING THE MIRACLE WILL HAPPEN. It’s a question of what is your faith? Some Christians who come to me for healing have been prayed for so many times before without result. But you see, I’m not a ‘healer’. In every meeting when I pray for the sick, I always emphasise, I am NOT A HEALER! Jesus is! I can’t heal anybody, but I have the faith to know that HE, Jesus, can!

Your faith HAS to be that God will work the miracle.

What am I saying? Jesus Himself linked salvation and healing when He asked, “Which is easier, to say your sin is forgiven, or to say, get up and walk?!” ONLY God can forgive sin, only God can heal. But salvation is a miracle MORE IMPORTANT than the healing.

When Jesus told the sick man, “Get up and walk” He did not simply demonstrate His Power to heal, but through the healing He was demonstrating His Power to forgive sin, and that ONLY through Him can forgiveness of sin and salvation come! The Bible is clear, there is no other name under Heaven by which we may be saved, except through the Name of Jesus.