Read Mark 7:31-37
This morning we continue our series entitled, “The Year of Supernatural Manifestation”, with our mini-series on “The Miracles of Jesus.” Yesterday I told you the story of how Jesus healed a deaf man with a speech impediment. In the message I talked about how creative Jesus was when dealing with the man. I thought about this miracle all day yesterday. The Lord had me meditating it over and over, as He spoke to me about how dedicated He is to the purpose He established for us, before the world began. So this morning, before moving on to another miracle, I feel led to teach in this vein one more time.
Once again, when Jesus arrived in Decapolis (a.k.a., Ten Cities), a man was brought to Jesus who could not hear or speak. The people who brought the man left him with Jesus. Jesus wanted to heal him, but He was looking for the man to release his faith. The obvious challenges were that this man could not hear the Gospel, nor could he speak the language of faith to get his breakthrough. All he had was his sight. So Jesus, being dedicated to getting this man his breakthrough, worked with what the man had.
Jesus took the man away from everyone else and ministered to the him in a way he had the ability to receive. The man could see so Jesus took His fingers and put them into the man’s ears, as if to stir up faith in the man to believe for hearing. Jesus then moistened the man’s tongue with saliva from His own mouth, as if to stir up faith in the man to believe for clear speech. Jesus then looked up to heaven and said, “Ephphatha!” This word literally means, “Be opened!” Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was loosened. He began to hear and speak clearly.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. While God requires you to operate in faith, He has already dealt to you “the measure of faith” you need (Rom 12:3). God will also do all He can to stir-up your faith to the point where you can release it, in order to access His best.
2. Jesus had to get creative with a man who could not hear or speak, and He will get creative with you. He will do whatever He needs to do to get your attention. Once He has your attention, He will engage you in a way that will lead to a manifestation of His best in your life.
3. God is committed to the plans He made for you before the world began. He will do all He can to see them come to pass!
4. God is more committed to you, than you are committed to Him.
a) The Bible says, “Even when we are faithless, He [God] remains faithful, for He cannot deny/disown Himself.” (2 Tim 2:13)
b) If you are Born-Again, you are covered by the Blood of Jesus and called according to God’s purpose. When satan looks at you, he sees sin. When God looks at you, He sees His Son. God sees you covered by the Blood of His Son and filled with His Spirit, so for God to deny you, He would have to deny Himself!
c) Paul told us to establish our confidence in the fact that God is committed to finishing what He started in our lives (Phil 1:6). When life gets tough and your future seems bleak, even when you can’t have confidence in your ability, have confidence in God and in His commitment to your success!
5. God is looking for ways to bless you. He will make ways (if He has to), to manifest His best in your life.
6. God’s plans for you are much greater than anything you could have ever thought of, dreamed up, or imagined (Eph 3:20).
I will close with somewhat of a personal testimony. When I think about the current state of my life (where I am today) and where I know God is leading me (my future), I sometimes get overwhelmed. There are times when I simply sit in the presence of God and weep, thinking of His goodness. Everytime I think I can’t handle any more, he loads me up with His grace and assures me that I can handle another level of His goodness, blessing and favor. Take it from me, there is nothing God can’t do IN, WITH and THROUGH a person who simply gives themselves over to Him!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. You have dealt to me the measure of faith I need, and You then work with me to stir up my faith to the point where I release it! I declare that You won’t have to work hard. I am quick to release my faith. I look at every situation through the lens of faith. I speak to every issue, declaring the language of faith. I literally live by faith every second of every day. And while all of this is good, I know Your commitment to me is even greater than anything I do! You are constantly looking for ways to bless me, to cause me to prosper, and to use me for Your glory in the earth. You load me up with Your grace, You open doors for me no man can close, and You look for creative ways to manifest Your best in my life! So I enter this day with fearless confidence, because my confidence is IN YOU! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
