Read Luke 13:10-18
This morning we continue our series entitled, “The Year of Supernatural Manifestation”, with our mini-series on “The Miracles of Jesus.” In Luke 13 we find Jesus in a synagogue ministering the Word of God on a Sabbath. While He was teaching, He noticed a woman who was bent over and could not straighten up herself. As He looked into the issue, He found out that she had been that way for 18 years. Jesus looked at the woman and immediately perceived the root of the problem. This woman was not bent over because of a back spasm, a slipped disk, or a spinal condition. Jesus looked past the natural and into the supernatural. Jesus saw what I call, “The force behind the scene.” This woman was crippled by an evil spirit. So, right there, in the synagogue, on the Sabbath, in the middle of His message, Jesus called the woman forward and spoke the language of faith. He did not speak what He saw, He spoke what He expected. He said, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Jesus then laid His hands on her and IMMEDIATELY she was able to stand up straight.
The ruler of the synagogue was highly upset because Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath. This man had the audacity to say, “There are six days for work. So come to be healed on one of those days. Don’t come for healing on the Sabbath day.” Jesus was furious! He responded, “You people are hypocrites! All of you untie your work animals and lead them to drink water every day—even on the Sabbath day. This woman that I healed is a daughter of Abraham. But Satan has held her bound for 18 years. Surely it is not wrong for her to be made free from on a Sabbath day!” When Jesus said this, all those who were criticizing Him felt ashamed of themselves.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Religious people are always focused on the wrong thing.
a) The ruler of the synagogue had the audacity to tell people that they had 6 days of the week to get healed on and that they were NOT to come for any type of healing on Saturday (the Sabbath). This man got upset because Jesus healed a woman on a Saturday when he could not heal anyone on any day!
b) Religious people are quick to point fingers, because they are hiding behind a religious façade.
c) The religious people in the text treated their animals on the Sabbath, better than God’s people. They would lead their animals to water on the Sabbath. How could an animal be more important than a child of God?
d) The Bible says that Jesus came to make us “able ministers of a new agreement from himself to his people. It is not an agreement of written laws, but it is of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Cor 3:6).
2. Jesus restored us to The Blessing enjoyed in the Garden of Eden, before the fall of man.
a) When Jesus delivered the woman who was bent over for 18 years, He reminded the ruler of the synagogue that this woman was a daughter of Abraham. This meant that she was a Jew and an heir of the covenant made to Abraham. This covenant included healing and wholeness. Those of us who are in Christ are Abraham’s seed, making us heirs of this same covenant (Gal 3:29). But we are also not limited to the covenant of Abraham. The writer of Hebrews told us that we have a better covenant with better promises (Heb 8:6). As Born-Again, New Covenant believers, we have the Blessing of Abraham AND the Blessing of Jesus! We are to live a blessed and complete life.
b) Jesus did not die to restore us back to Abraham. No, Jesus died to restore us ALL THE WAY back to what Adam had in the Garden of Eden, before the fall. Adam walked with God and God walked with him. Adam received divine revelation from the Father. Adam ruled, governed and dominated the planet. Adam operated with divine power. This is how we are called to live.
3. Once you are Born-Again, you can operate in the divine discernment of the Spirit, like Jesus did.
a) Jesus was able to look at a woman who was bent over for 18 years and immediately discern what her issue was: a demon spirit. This did not come to Jesus by education, this came to Him by revelation. This was not an act of human ability. This was an act of spiritual ability. And guess what? Once you are Born-Again, you have access to the same ability.
b) Sometimes people are bound and they don’t even know it. The woman in the text was bent over for 18 years and she did not know why. Jesus took one look at her and He immediately knew the problem was spiritual and not physical.
c) You cannot address supernatural issues with natural solutions. Which is why God gave us His Spirit. Once God’s Spirit is living inside of you, you are able to (like Jesus), look at a situation and discern the “Force behind the scene”.
d) Jesus came to enable us to discern, not just learn; to operate with divine instinct, not just human intellect; to rely on revelation, not just education.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. I open my heart to receive and to walk in all Jesus died to give me access to. I declare that I walk in divine discernment and supernatural power. I am not going to waste time trying to counsel-out what I must CAST-OUT! By Your Spirit I am able to deal with the spiritual forces behind the scene. You have called me to a supernatural life and I declare that the supernatural is natural to me. I enjoy The Blessing of Abraham, which is a natural blessing, and The Blessing of Jesus, which is a supernatural blessing. Both are in operation in my life! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
