"Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them
authority over impure spirits." (Mark 6:7, NIV2)
What does this mean?
"They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many
demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them." (Mark 6:12-13,
NIV2)
Preaching the message, driving out demons and healing the sick was not solely
Jesus' mission. This was also the mandate of Jesus' disciples. They healed
others just like Jesus did. They had received authority from Jesus Himself and
were invigorated with this mandate.
They even became bolder after Jesus' resurrection: "Now, Lord, consider their
threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch
out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your
holy servant Jesus." (Acts 4:29-30, NIV2); and "As a result, people brought the
sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's
shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the
towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure
spirits, and all of them were healed." (Acts 5:15-16, NIV2)
Nothing could stop them. They prayed for boldness, and boldness they received.
All the people "were healed". All of them!
Imagine approaching someone in a hospital suffering from an unknown disease. No
one is around. With boldness, you approach this man and ask him if you could
pray for him. I never heard of any suffering person refusing prayers. While
praying for him, all of a sudden he stands up and shouts: "I am healed! I am
healed!" How would he react towards Jesus? Wouldn't he embrace him fully? After
all, Jesus is the source of his healing.
Is this possible?
It sure was for the disciples, but I must wonder, why would this be restricted
to the first century believers? Would that be fair? The Bible ensures us that
"GOD is fair and just." (Ps 25:8, MSG) This is something to ponder.
The day before, while driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, we
had almost run out of fuel for our diesel automobile. We were at the Craggy
Gardens, and our car was indicating that we only had a range of 40 kilometers.
Instead of not focusing on our lack, we focused on the abundance of our Heavenly
Father, and we prayed accordingly. Interestingly enough, our gage stopped going
down. Instead, the range increased from 40 to 70 kilometers! We had no problems
reaching the next city (See Kingdom Leaven. Do we Truly Believe? Part 6).
The following day my wife woke up long before I did and went out for a walk.
While she was walking, her neck gradually became stiffer and stiffer, to the
point that she couldn't turn her head anymore. I knew nothing about this, until
she told me how our Father came through to her:
"I couldn't turn my neck to the right, and I thought, how am I going to be able
to drive and tow the trailer? Immediately I called upon God's abundant power,
and I was instantly healed. No more pain. I was able to move my neck left and
right without any difficulties."
Interestingly enough, the following day I woke up with a stiff neck, and I, too,
was healed immediately when I relied on the abundance of my Father. Coincidence?
Good luck with that one. After all, "The very hairs of your head are all
numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." (Luke 12:7,
NIV2)
Are healings still valid today? Does our Father still come through for us? Was
our Father favoring first century believers? These are worthwhile things to
meditate upon. If in doubt, ask our Heavenly Father directly. He certainly will
reveal Himself to you.
By the way, do you happen to have a stiff neck? I know someone who can fix it in
the blink of an eye. His abundance is truly overflowing!
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.