Jesus sat in His home in Capernaum, teaching a crowd of people. Four men carried a paralytic on a stretcher to His home, but they could not move through the throng. They carried the paralytic up the stairs to the roof and proceeded to rip apart the roof tiles. Then, they lowered the stretcher, with the paralytic on it, down through the hole in the roof to the floor below.
Because of the noise and the falling debris from the roof tiles, every eye focused on the paralytic as he was lowered down in front of Jesus. The Lord recognized the men’s faith and said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
The scribes and Pharisees got all bent out of shape because Jesus forgave the paralytic’s sins, but then Jesus said something amazing:
“Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk?'” (Luke 5:23)
Most of us probably believe that it’s easier to be forgiven by God than to be healed by Him, but Jesus did not answer like that. He forgave and healed the paralytic.
Because of this story in Matthew 9, Mark 2, and Luke 5, I am convinced that if we have enough faith to believe the Father will forgive our sins then we have enough faith to believe God will heal us or others when we pray for them.
Okay, if this is true, then why aren’t more people being healed in America? And why are people being healed in Third World nations?
Sadly, we Americans have so complicated the gospel with teachings, books, seminars, and religious rigamorole that we can no longer see the simplicity of Jesus’ message. But the people in Third World countries are not burdened by all of this and simply believe His Word.
We need to change!
Today, I prayed for us American believers:
“Lord, open the blind eyes of us Americans to bring us out of our prisons of unbelief.” (Based on Isaiah 42:7)
What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?
Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.
Larry Who 