This morning, we continue our series, “The Miracles of Jesus.”
Before we get into the miracle, let’s look at the foundational scripture I will share with you all year.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us. I pray you get refreshed and restored as we study each miracle.
(John 4:43-54 KJV)
43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.
Setting the stage.
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 them 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 changed the water into wine. One of the king’s key 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 that point, 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 daughter. 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 said, with his own 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 for you today? A few things:
1. Your level of faith dictates how God is able to work in, with, and through you.
— 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.
— You are only limited by your capacity to believe God.
— Your capacity to believe either releases God TO or restricts God FROM moving in your life.
— 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.
— 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 dealt with this man according to his faith.
— As soon as Jesus believed the man was ready to receive the Word of healing, Jesus spoke it, the man believed it, and he walked away like it was already done. That’s faith. That’s how Jesus lived. And when he got home, I love the fact that he asked, “What time was my son healed?” He wanted to verify that it was the EXACT time that Jesus spoke the Word of healing. Look at God! Jesus said it, and healing traveled to a home that He did not need to visit. His prayers went where He did not, and in an instant, the boy was healed! There is a lot to learn in that portion of the story. Things to consider about prayer and the power of God!
— 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 (notice that the trip was more than a day’s journey). But since the man was capable of believing, this freed Jesus to simply SAY IT!
— 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?
I have more to say about this point, but I will leave it for tomorrow.
2. Manifestations of supernatural power draw the lost to Jesus.
— 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 on the earth. Many people need to SEE God move before they believe.
— 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 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?
— When people look at you, they want to see proof that your God exists.
— If your life was on trial and you were being accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to have you convicted? Or is all your evidence circumstantial? Is there evidence of God’s power in your life? Or will your trial just be a bunch of “he said, she said”?
— If God’s power is never manifested in your life, the problem is not. Just let that sink in.
— God does not just want to be your God on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. He wants to be your LORD, and He wants to use your life to show people His glory. If He is doing that, it is because you are NOT OPEN to Him. If you are OPEN, He will flow through you in ways where people will have to acknowledge the hand of God on your life!
— Paul said, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s power” (1 Cor 2:4). People are looking to see if your God is real. They want to see demonstration and power. God is ready to do it through you. Are you?
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me!
I have grown my faith to the point where I doubt every doubt, and I dismiss every fear.
Fear, 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 believe, my mouth is available to speak, my hands are available to touch, and my legs are available to go!
My entire being is available to You, to be used by 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 am a believer, and not a doubter. I walk by faith and not by fear. Demonstration and power flow through me and my life for all the world to see! GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
