Today we continue to teach on our overall theme for the year: “GREAT FREEDOM.” We have been looking at 2 Corinthians 4:13 for a while now. I keep driving home the importance of our words. Let’s go back to it today, as we continue to flow in the same vein. After looking at our main verse, we will look at a story in Matthew 8 that aligns with it.
(2 Corinthians 4:13 NKJV)
And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak.
In Matthew 8 we find Jesus coming back home to His ministry headquarters in Capernaum. As Jesus entered the city, a Roman Army officer came to him, begging for help. The officer said, “Lord, my servant is very sick at home in bed. He can’t move his body and has much pain.” Jesus said to the officer, “I will go and heal him.” The officer responded, “Lord, I am not good enough for you to come into my house. You simply need to SPEAK THE WORD ONLY, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I understand authority. There are people who have authority over me, and I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and my servant obeys me.” When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. He said to those who were with him, “The truth is, this man has great faith. I have not found this type of faith, not even in Israel.” (see Matthew 8:5-10)
There is a lot to cover in this story. We will not cover it all today.
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. It takes humility to properly interact with divinity.
a) At the time of the text, the Israelites were subject to the Romans. For a Roman officer to submit himself to a Jew, and to even call the Jew, “Lord”, was a true act of humility on his part.
b) The culture of the Kingdom of God is based on honor. This Roman officer did not focus on his position of leadership (he was in charge of 100 Soldiers), or the fact that Romans were ruling over the Israelites. He honored the anointing on Jesus’ life enough to come and submit himself to that anointing. My point here is that if you ever want to receive from the anointing on a man or woman, you must honor the man or woman. If you cannot honor the human, you will not receive from God in the human. This stranger, a Roman, had more honor for Jesus, then the Jews themselves.
c) I also want to point out the fact that this Roman officer did not go out of his way to find Jesus for his wife or his son. This man left his home, looking for Jesus, in order to find help for a servant! He was serving his servant! This is true leadership! Godly leadership serves those you are blessed to lead.
d) It takes humility to tap into divinity. This man was humble. Pride would have kept him from receiving from the God in Jesus. Please don’t allow pride to keep you from receiving from God.
2. It takes an understanding of authority to access supernatural power.
a) The first thing the Roman officer said, after claiming to understand how authority works, was to explain how his superiors had authority OVER HIM. His authority was derived from HIS SUBMISSION! You cannot be IN AUTHORITY if you are not UNDER AUTHORITY! This is why Jesus was so powerful. Jesus’ authority in the earth came from His SUBMISSION to the Father in heaven. Jesus was completely submitted to the Father. If we want to operate in the type of power Jesus operating in, we must live as Jesus lived. Our authority will come from our SUBMISSION!
b) The Roman officer said that he could tell people to “Go” and “Do”, because he obeyed his leaders when they told him to “Go” and “Do”. What he was saying was, “Whoever I have authority over, is SUBJECT TO MY WORDS!” I can say, “GO” to someone I DON’T have authority over, and they DON’T have to GO! I can say, “DO” to someone I DON’T have authority over, and they DON’T have to DO! But if I say “GO” or “DO” to someone who is under my authority, they have to do what I say. Why? Because they are subject to my authority.
Now I am going to give you what I believe the Roman officer was saying to Jesus in the Rick Piña Version (RPV). He was saying, “Mr. Jesus, I am not here because I am a Roman and You are a Jew. That has nothing to do with it. I am here because I perceive that You have authority over sickness. I don’t. If I did, I would have simply SPOKEN to the sickness and it would have to go. But I don’t have that type of authority. This is why I am here. I believe You have authority over sickness. This means that sickness is subject to your WORDS! Therefore, I don’t need you TO COME, I just need you TO SAY! Speak the Word ONLY and my servant will be healed!”
c) This man understood authority and he honored the authority (and the anointing) of Jesus. He was so convinced that Jesus had authority over sickness that He did not need to see Jesus do anything with his own eyes. Unlike Jairus, he did not need Jesus to come to his house. He did not need Jesus to lay hands on his servant. He believed in the authority of Jesus so much, that he was willing to have faith in a WORD SPOKEN! Jesus called this man’s understanding of divine authority, “Great faith!” Jesus had not seen this type of faith amongst the Jews. Based on this, I have some questions for you:
— Do you have this type of faith?
— Do you believe in the authority of Jesus?
— Do you believe in the authority Jesus has delegated to you?
— Do you believe in the anointing that is on your own life?
— Do you believe in the power of your own words?
— Do you understand the power God has placed inside your mouth?
*** Everything Jesus has given you authority over is SUBJECT to your WORDS!
*** When you speak words that you believe, power is released. The problem is, this works both ways. God is speaking to you and satan is speaking to you. Which one will you believe? If you believe satan, and you speak what he is saying to you, from a believing heart, you are activating FEAR! But if you believe God, and you speak what He is saying to you, from a believing heart, you are activating FAITH! Faith and Fear operate the same way. Both are expressions of your confidence. Once has confidence in satan and what the enemy is saying. The other has confidence in God and what God is saying. Whose report are you going to believe? Faith or fear? Which words will you speak today?
That’s enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for sending Your Son Jesus, the Christ, my Lord, to the earth. Jesus took back everything the devil had stolen in the Garden. All authority has been given to Jesus, in heaven, in the earth, and under the earth. Jesus then delegated that authority to me. I am authorized to use His name. You have given me power and authority in the name of Jesus. Everything under Jesus’ authority is under my authority when I use His name. And everything under Jesus’ authority is subject to Jesus’ words. In the same way, it is all subject to my words, when I operate in the name of Jesus, and when I speak words of faith from a believing heart. So I enter this day ready to SPEAK THE WORD ONLY, and I will whatsoever I say! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
