What was the ‘secret’ to the healing ministry of Jesus? His power and authority came from spending time alone with His Father. In those times of stillness, He received fresh anointing. On one such occasion the disciples were searching for Jesus because the crowds were looking for Him. As a result, Jesus dramatically healed a man of leprosy.
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”
And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.
Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:36-42, NKJV)
The healing ministry of Jesus was completely dependent on His relationship with God. - That is why He would withdraw alone to pray, to seek communion with His Father. He needed these times of spiritual refreshment and empowerment. It is the same for us, if we want to be effective in our walk with the Lord, to see the miraculous, we must prioritise time alone in fellowship with God. There is a danger that we can get so busy in the work of ministry, that we neglect the very person we are seeking to serve.
Jesus said, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” That is exactly what I desire to do through my ministry: to introduce people to Jesus, so that they can experience His love and healing power in their lives. God changes men. He gives new hope to the worn and weary. New life; a new future.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8, NKJV)
As Jesus went into a town there was a man who was critically ill; he had leprosy; he came to Jesus, something he was not allowed to do for fear of contagion. But Jesus was not afraid. Jesus didn’t send him away. As the man fell down at the feet of Jesus, he said, “If You want to, You can heal me. You have the power. You are the Son of God.” I can just imagine this man crying out: “Jesus with You, nothing is impossible.”
This is the truth of the Bible: with God, nothing is impossible. What is impossible to us, is possible with God. What a determination this leper had! If you come to Jesus like that, you will be healed too!
I remember many years ago whilst ministering in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, we were in a football stadium. Thousands of people had come to hear about Jesus. The service was very late in finishing. We were still praying with the sick as the light faded. There were no stadium lights, so we had to close the service and send the people home. I told them to return tomorrow. In the darkness, I was one of the last to leave the stadium. A man stood in front of me. He was only a young man, but he was crippled with rheumatoid arthritis. He was in terrible pain. Although he was only a young man, he could only walk with crutches. Through the darkness he shouted: “I want to be healed!” I replied, “It is dark; go home and come tomorrow.” He responded that he would not go until he was healed! I remember he threw himself down in desperation at my feet so that I could not move: “I will not let you go until I am healed!”
In that moment I cried out to God because I am not the healer. He is the healer! I prayed, “O God, heal Him.” And in that moment the miracle happened. He jumped to his feet. All the pain had gone. He ran off into the darkness totally healed.
Just like that man in Dnipropetrovsk, and the man healed of leprosy in the Bible story, you can be healed today. You can experience the same miracle. All you have to do is call upon the Name of the Lord and say, “Jesus, heal me!”
‘Psalm 23’ used by kind permission of www.vinesong.com