“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them”.(Matt. 4:23-24 NIV)
Did you read that? Jesus healed EVERY disease and sickness among the people. There wasn’t anything that Jesus didn’t heal.
What a different situation it had been for Jesus a short while later when He was in His hometown of Nazareth and He couldn’t do many miracles there because of their lack of faith (Matt. 13:58).
What I’m wanting you to realise here is that there is a close relationship between faith and miracles.
So what does faith look like when you are believing for a miracle? Let’s look closely at how the Syrians developed and then presented their faith.
1. They intently listened to Jesus teaching in the synagogues.
2. Jesus taught the good news about the kingdom – people being made whole: mind, body and soul.
3. The Syrians shared this good news far and wide and built up the faith of the listeners.
4. The Syrians rushed from all over the place to bring people suffering with diverse diseases.
5. People expected a miracle and the miracles happened according to their faith.
So you want to see a miracle? A physical healing? A mended relationship? A job? Falling pregnant? Healing a mental disorder?
Follow the pattern set by the ancient Syrians and listen to the teachings of Jesus. Listen as if Jesus was speaking to just you today. Hang on to His words and believe them as if Jesus had just spoken them to you. Remember, there is NOTHING that Jesus can’t heal or restore.
It’s not my faith or anyone else’s faith that Jesus is looking for – it is YOUR faith and when that faith is evident, and there is no wavering when you ask, then “it will be done just as you believed it would” (Matt 8:13 NIV).