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July 17, 2023
Great Faith
My child, how great is your faith? You only need faith the size of a mustard seed that will move mountains out of your view, it will calm storms, heal the blind, lame, and paralyzed, deliver those who are bound, restore what has been lost or broken, and save those who are held captive. (Matthew 17:20) Without faith, it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6 NLT) Again, I ask: ‘How great is your faith”? Let me introduce you to a man whose faith was so great, that he knew all Jesus had to do was speak the Word only and sickness and dis-eases would have to obey. He knew his paralyzed servant boy would be healed, and he wasn’t even a believer.
When Jesus returned to Capernaum a Roman officer came and begged Him, Lord my young servant boy is paralyzed, lying in bed and in pain. Jesus said, ‘I will come and heal him’! (Matthew 8:5-7 NLT) But the officer said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just speak the Word from where You stand, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,” they do it.” When Jesus heard this, He was amazed! Turning to those who were following Him, He said, ‘I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all of Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world – from the east to the west – and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites – those for whom the Kingdom was prepared – will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:8-12 NLT)
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed in that same hour. (Matthew 8:13 NLT) Pay attention to the Roman soldier’s great faith. We have no excuse for unbelief and sin. He recognized Jesus’ authority because he was a man under authority and in authority. Humble souls are made more humble through Christ Jesus’ gracious dealings with them. The more we die of ourselves, the stronger our confidence in Jesus and His divine power. All the Father asks of you, and I is to ‘Come’ when He says come, and “Go’ when He says go. Obedience is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15:22 NLT) Where there is no faith, there is no fruit in our lives. Believe, and you shall receive; only believe. (Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24) The word shall in Greek is: ‘It’s a promise from God, and it absolutely has to happen!’ Only believe! When leaders possess authority, their words carry weight. How much weight do your words carry? Who listens to you?
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