A simple touch and a word

Matt 8:14-16 “Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.  When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick… that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.””

The two accounts found in these verses, demonstrate once again the simple methods Jesus used to heal the sick. 

When we teach people about healing, we encourage them to heal as Jesus did.  Let me be clear here, WE don’t do the healing He does.  However, He wants us to co-labour with Him which is clear from His command in Matthew 10:8. “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”  He does the ‘heavy lifting’ but gives us the privilege of working alongside Him and witnessing His power at work.

Jesus was a busy man. Everywhere He went people flocked to Him to receive their healing, listen to His teaching and learn from Him.

On this particular day, he came into Peter’s house and Peter’s mother-in-law was laid up in bed with a fever.  Without any fanfare or spectacular show, He simply took her hand, and the Bible declares “the fever left her”.

The same day people brought their demon possessed friends and relatives to Him.  He didn’t engage in lengthy deliverance sessions with each of these people.  The Bible teaches us He drove the demons out with a word and healed all their sick.

Healing becomes complicated when we think we have something to do with it.  Healing is simple when we do it His way.  The old hymn puts it this way... “there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.” 

Disciples do what the teacher says and also do what the teacher demonstrates.  Jesus healed with a touch and a word.  He promised we would do the works He had been doing and greater works if we believe in Him (John 14:12).

So what are you waiting for??