Read John 4:43-54
This morning we continue our series entitled, “The Year of Supernatural Manifestation”, with our mini-series on “The Miracles of Jesus.” Today we will go back to a miracle that occurred early on in Jesus’ ministry. In John 4 we find Jesus arriving in Galilee after returning from Jerusalem. Along the way Jesus took a famous detour through Samaria, where He met a woman at a well and what He did for the woman caused a revival in the surrounding area. When Jesus and His team arrived in Galilee, the people there welcomed him with open arms. They had been at the Passover festival in Jerusalem and had seen everything Jesus did there.
While Jesus was in Galilee He went to visit Cana. Cana is where He had changed the water into wine. One of the king’s important officials lived in the city of Capernaum. The royal official’s son was sick. The man heard that Jesus had come from Judea and was now in Galilee. So he went to Jesus and begged him to come to Capernaum and heal his son, who was almost dead. Jesus said to him, “You people must see miraculous signs and wonders before you will believe in me.” The man probably internally acknowledged the fact that the statement previously applied to him, but at this point all he was not pursuing signs, he just wanted his son to live. The man said, “Sir, please come before my little son dies.”
Jesus always dealt with people according to their level of faith. He would never respond to someone on a level the person could not handle. For Jairus, when his daughter was dying, Jairus’ faith could not handle a simple Word. Jairus needed to see Jesus physically go to his house and lay hands on his daugther. For the Roman Centurion, this was not required. The man believed God to the point where He asked Jesus to simply, “Speak the Word only”, and his servant would be healed. In this case the king’s official saying, with his lips, “Please come to my house and heal my son before he dies.” But Jesus looked past his lips and into his heart. Jesus knew his heart already believed. So Jesus said, “Go. Your son will live.” With that, the man believed God and went home on a Word!
On the way home, the man’s servants came and met him. They said, “Your son is well!” Of course, this man already knew that. But as if to confirm how specific God is, the man asked, “What time did my son begin to get well?” They answered, “It was about one o’clock yesterday when the fever left him.” The man immediately acknowledged that it was one o’clock the previous day when Jesus said,“Your son will live.” So the man and everyone in his house believed in Jesus.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Your level of faith dictates how God is able to work in, with and through you.
a) If it is true that all things are possible for him who believes (Mark 9:23), and it is; then it is also true that certain things are NOT possible for the ones who don’t believe God. It’s not that the “thing” is not possible. It’s just NOT possible for the one who fails to believe God.
b) You are only limited by your capacity to believe God.
c) Your capacity to believe either releases God TO, or restricts God FROM, moving in your life.
d) Your fear, doubt and unbelief put limits on a limitless God. It’s not that God is limited. It’s just that He is limited from operating in YOUR life because you fail to believe.
e) For God to heal the royal official’s son, Jesus was looking for his faith. Even though his lips were saying, “I need you to come”, Jesus knew his heart was saying, “I just need you to say!” Since he could handle Jesus simply speaking a word of healing, that is exactly what Jesus did. Jesus only ministered on this planet for 3 1/2 years. He had a lot to do in 42 months. He did not have any time to waste. If the man’s faith could not handle Jesus simply SPEAKING the healing, then Jesus would have had to take the time (something He did not have a lot of), and walk all the way to the man’s house in Capernaum. But since the man was capable of believing, this free Jesus to simply SAY IT!
f) When you require more of God before you simply believe Him, you are slowing Him down. There are many things God could have already done in your life if you had simply believed Him.
*** Your faith is dictating how God is able to work with you and then work through you.
*** Are you slowing Him down, or is your faith at the point where He can do what He wants to do in your life?
2. Manifestations of supernatural power draw the lost to Jesus.
a) After Jesus healed the royal official’s son, with just one Word, the man’s entire household believed in Jesus. This is why God is not against manifesting His power in the earth. Many people need to SEE God move before they believe.
b) There are people within your sphere of influence that God wants to reach, but they want to SEE God do something BEFORE they believe. God is willing to do whatever it takes to reach them. He is willing to manifest His power before right before their eyes. He is willing to do it through you, but you have to believe Him in order for Him to do it. Do you? Do you truly believe God? Are you open to the supernatural? Are you ready to be used of God in a supernatural way today, so God can reach the world?
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. I am a believer and not a doubter. I walk by faith and not by fear. Fear has no power over me. I have grown my faith to the point where I doubt every doubt. Doubt and unbelief have no place in my life. I believe You Father and I believe there is nothing You cannot do. So my heart to open to beleive, my mouth is available to speak, my hands are available to touch, my legs are available to go, my entire being is available to You, to be used of You for Your glory. Whatever You want to do Father, You can do it through me, because I remove every artificial limit I have ever placed on You! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
