What steps can we take to increase our faith in Jesus' healing power? The Miracle That Sparks Faith Matthew 15:31 — “The crowd was astonished when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing—and they glorified the God of Israel.” Steps for Growing Confidence in Jesus’ Healing Power Step 1: Fix Your Eyes on His Track Record • Revisit passages that showcase Jesus healing every kind of need (Matthew 4:23-24; Luke 7:22). • Let the hillside scene in Matthew 15 settle into the heart: nothing was too hard for Him, and the people left glorifying God. • Faith strengthens whenever His unbroken record of success is kept in view. Step 2: Feed Faith with the Word • Romans 10:17 — “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” • Schedule daily, unhurried exposure to healing promises (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17). • Read aloud; hearing yourself speak Scripture reinforces conviction. Step 3: Recall and Retell Testimonies • Psalm 77:11 reminds believers to remember the works of the Lord. • Keep a written list of times Jesus has healed you or others. • Retelling what He has done moves His past power into present expectation. Step 4: Pray Boldly, Yet Honestly • Mark 9:24 — “I do believe; help my unbelief!” • Combine honest confession of weakness with bold requests for wholeness (James 5:15). • Pray the exact words of Scripture; His promises carry their own authority. Step 5: Act on the Word You Hear • James 2:17 — “Faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.” • Lay hands on the sick (Mark 16:18), anoint with oil (James 5:14), or take a step you could not take before—small obedience invites large breakthroughs. • Crowds in Matthew 15 “brought” the hurting to Jesus; bringing others is active faith. Step 6: Worship Before, During, and After • The hillside crowd glorified God after the miracles; believers today glorify Him beforehand as well, showing trust in His character (2 Chronicles 20:21-22). • Singing truth displaces fear and tunes the heart to receive. Step 7: Guard the Heart Against Doubt • Proverbs 4:20-22 — His words are “life … and health to the whole body.” • Limit voices that contradict Scripture’s report. • Meditate day and night (Joshua 1:8) so the promise, not the problem, dominates inner focus. Step 8: Stand in Agreement with Others • Matthew 18:19 — agreement invites the Father’s action. • Join corporate prayer meetings, healing services, or small-group intercession. • Shared faith multiplies courage and perseverance. Step 9: Persevere Until the Answer Arrives • Luke 18:1 — always pray and never lose heart. • Keep asking, seeking, knocking (Matthew 7:7-8). • Refuse to adjust theology to match experience; instead, insist that experience rise to Scripture. Living the Lesson Continual exposure to Jesus’ proven power, anchored in Scripture, remembered through testimonies, expressed in bold prayer, and reinforced by obedient action steadily enlarges faith. The same Savior who thrilled the Galilean hillside still restores today, and every deliberate step toward Him positions believers to witness His healing touch anew. |
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