Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”— Luke 7:7-8
Healing. The centurion’s request was made in deep humility and simplicity of conversation. He was also a man of authority asking in behalf of someone he dearly loved—who was at a distance. No laying on of the hands; no rebuking of spirits; no reciting a creed; no litany of good works. Simply an acknowledgement done in unblended faith recognizing the Lord’s greater authority and power—and His willingness to snatch one from the jaws of death.
I once did a study of the healing ministry of our Lord for a class I was teaching and learned that out of the 3,779 verses in the four Gospels, 727 relate specifically to the healing of physical and mental illnesses, casting out demons, and the resurrection of the dead. In addition, there are also 31 general references to miracles that include healing.*
All in all there are 41 specific narratives of divine healing by Jesus alone and many more as the early church began to fulfill the Great Commission.
At least 26 specific persons were healed of leprosy, blindness, deafness, the deaf and dumb and paralysis. Jesus delivered others from epilepsy and madness and other long standing illnesses. He resurrected three people from the dead. On top of all this He healed and delivered multitudes from demonic spirits and diseases, often in mass healings.**
There is no doubt Jesus came to heal abd ti save (Matthew 4:23; 9:35-36). He turned away no one and no disease was too great. I pray that the healing ministry of Jesus will serve to draw you closer to the God who told His people in the very beginning, “I am the LORD who heals you” (Exodus 15:26), and Who made this covenant promise to His church, “the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well” (James 5:15).
“In a very real sense, faith is fixing our eyes on Jesus, keeping Jesus in full view regardless of what others may be doing all around us. This is excellent counsel, because as human beings we know we are not sufficient in ourselves.” — A.W. Tozer
I invite you to come to Him with the expectation of what our Lord Jesus did in the past. I have and He has held my cancer at bay. He continues to do the same today for all who believe—because His love and His compassion never end. As the writer of Hebrews so beautifully reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). — Maranatha!
The Centurion Song by Dale Rugge
* Morton Kelsey, Healing and Christianity, Augsburg, 1995, p.42
** Percy Dearmer, Body and Soul, pp.137-38
“God is good all the time. All the time God is good!”
