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"Teaching God's Word to God's World"
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Overcoming Our Difficulties
George
L. Faull
While on earth, Jesus demonstrated distinct powers
in five different areas. He had power over disease, death, demons, nature and
sin. Every miracle He did was a teaching parable, as well as an actual event of
history. This is especially true of His healing miracles, for it is in these we
see His ability to deal with man's sin. One cannot see the forgiveness of sins,
but one can see an impotent man made to walk. Thus Jesus said to one of those
whom He healed, "That you may know that the Son of Man hath authority to
forgive sins, arise and take up thy bed and go to thy house." In this brief
article, we want to see how we can overcome life's problems by looking to
Jesus, who has the answer to every problem in our life. These miracles will
help us see the method He uses to make us "every whit whole."
First, let us look at the leper of Matthew 8. He approached worshiping
Jesus. He, in faith, says, "Lord, if thou will, you can make me
clean." Here is a man who did not doubt Jesus' power. He was sure of
Jesus' ability to heal him. He knew he was helpless, but that Jesus was
powerful. Jesus answered, "I will," and immediately, he was cured of
his leprosy. Let this miracle teach us
that a man must recognize that Jesus wills to help us in our problems, and He
can.
Second, we see
the father of the demoniac son [Mark 9]. The father went to the disciples expecting them to
heal his son. However, the disciples failed, and with their failing, the man's
faith failed. Then Jesus came and asked what his problem was. The man replied,
"I spoke unto Thy disciples that they should cast it out, and they were
not able." And because of the disciples' failure, he said to Jesus,
"If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." He had
come believing, but now he could only hope. What he had heard of Jesus'
abilities he now doubted. Fear grips his heart and he wonders if he is wasting
his time. He had done all that he could do. And the religious leaders of
Judaism who stood nearby were powerless and even mocked those who tried to
help. Jesus' own disciples were of no help. The boy stood there possessed while
religious men stood arguing about it. The father desperately cried to Jesus,
"If you can do anything, have compassion and help us." Jesus said,
"If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."
In other words, the question is not "If I can do anything," but
rather the question is, "If you can believe, all things are possible to
him that believeth." The man then admitted to have a small faith, so he
begged, "Lord, I believe, help Thou my unbelief." His faith was not
perfect, and he confessed it. He asked for it to increase. But the point is,
Jesus did believe with a perfect faith and was thereby able to cast out the
demon. Let us learn from this miracle
the truth that the reason Jesus could heal this boy was because His faith was
perfect. Jesus can help us with all of our problems, but first our faith must
increase.
But let us go on to another miracle. Remember the man by the pool of Bethsaida
[John 5]. He had been unable to walk for 38 years. He dwelt by this pool
where supposedly the waters were troubled by an angel. The first one to jump
into the water when it was troubled, was healed. Jesus asked this man, "Do
you want to be made whole?" What? Isn't that an absurd question to ask to
a lame man? Why did he have his friends carry him to the pool, if not to be
healed? But note, the man never answered the question. He only gave an excuse
for his lameness. "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool, for someone
always beats me." Some people like to stay in their problems. It is easier
to do that sometimes. Many only give excuses for their inability to function as
they should. The man had to be given some hopeful desire to be made whole. A
look and a command from Jesus enabled him to do what he said he could not do.
Jesus said, "Arise, and take up thy bed and walk." He commanded him
to do the very thing he thought he could not do. But that is what a look at
Christ can do. It can give us the desire and will to do what we have been
convinced we cannot do. Christ removes the paralysis that disables us and
enables us to do it. His command makes our excuses invalid. Faith attempts to
do what we know Jesus commands. He said, "Arise, take up thy bed and
walk." The command was not merely to stand, it was to take up your bed.
Don't plan on sitting here again, but walk and continue to exercise your will. Learn from this miracle that you need a
desire to handle your problems. Don't make excuses for your disability. Obey
Jesus. Do what you say you can't. You must desire to arise from your bed of
disability. You must remove the couch of convenience and the temptation to lay
back down. Rise up and walk and refuse to be carried. This is the way Jesus
helps us with our problems.
The man with
palsy is another example. His friends had let him down through the ceiling of the house right
into the midst of the theologians who were fussing at Jesus. Fear was written
on his face. Sin infested his life and he was now in the presence of Him who
was pure. When Jesus saw the faith they had to bring him to Him through the
roof, He said, "Son, be of good cheer. Thy sins are forgiven thee, go unto
thy house." The word "son" is actually the word
"child." "Be of good
cheer" means more actually "Be
of good courage" or "Do
not fear." What comforting words these were to a frightened, sinful
man. But the next words are even greater. "Thy sins are forgiven thee, or
dismissed." The theologians present call the pronouncement of forgiveness
blasphemy and Jesus reminds them, "It is as easy to forgive sins as to
heal." The reverse is likewise true. He therefore said, "That you may
know that the Son of Man hath authority on earth to forgive sins, arise, take
up thy bed and go into thy house." The man did so. Learn from this, that the Lord who says He forgave you, says it is as
easy for Him to aid you with your supposed difficulty. If you accept his
forgiveness, you ought to accept by faith His ability to overcome your problem.
The same lesson is learned from the man with the withered hand. He is told to "stretch out thy
hand." This is exactly what the man on his own ability could not do. But a
look and a command from Jesus convinced the man to obey. He did what he thought
he could not do. Christ makes us face
the inabilities of our own strength and then gives us the power to obey His
commands. This is what Christianity is all about. It is doing through Christ's
power what we cannot do by our own strength. We must see that it is not a
case of obeying when can, or even if we can, it is a case of believing we can
and being obedient. Jesus provides the strength for the obedience. He does not
ever command what we cannot do. Such a thing would be unthinkable of a just and
merciful God. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. That
which He has commanded, He will enable us to perform. He will not allow us to
be tempted above that which we are able, but will with the temptation, provide
the way of escape.
Do you have a problem? What is it you are refusing
to handle in your life? Will you face that there are things that you should be
doing, and are not? These men all knew they had a problem. Some say, like the leper, "Lord, if you would, I
will get over this problem." We have shown you that Jesus wills to
help you. Some are like the father of
the demoniac. "If you can do anything, help us." We have shown that
all things are possible to him that believeth. Jesus can help you. Some, like the man at Bethsaida's pool,
only make excuses for their inabilities to function as they should. We have
shown that they should obey the Lord in faith. Do what he commands and make no
provision for a relapse. The man with
palsy was afraid but was forgiven and was commanded to do what he could not do.
If you accept Jesus' word of forgiveness, you should accept His authority and
do what He commands to be done, trusting Him to provide the ability to perform
the commandment. So it was with the man
with the withered hand. He obeyed and in obeying and stretching forth his hand,
he found it was healed.
It is my hope that these miracles teach you that in
faith and obedience there is healing for your problems. When Jesus command-ed
the lepers to go show themselves to the priests, we are told that as they went, they were cleansed. When
He commanded the blind man to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, he went and washed and came seeing. It
is through faith and obedience that the difficulties and impossibilities of
life are removed. Faith makes no
excuses. Faith asks for help. Faith obeys without question. God then
enables us to be overcomers. All things are possible to him that
believeth." Help us, Lord, to obey You, and never say, "It's no use.
I just cannot do it." Let us see this for the unbelief it really is. Amen.