Focus: Miracle-working Faith (Pt.1)

Text: Act.14:9

"The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed."

Do you know that your faith is everything? You can't have a relationship or fellowship with God without faith. You can't approach the throne of God without faith. You can't worship God, walk with God, or work for God without faith.

It is by faith that you can boldly approach the throne of grace. Paul tells us that by Jesus Christ "we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." Again he says that it is in Him that "we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him" (Rom.5:2; Eph.3:12). Did you get that - "the faith of him"? The faith of Christ. Paul says, "I live by the faith of the Son of God." Jesus Christ says, "Have the faith of God." That is how central and crucial faith is. Faith and Christ are linked. Faith and God are linked.

Now there is a saving faith. We read, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Act.16:31). You believe to be saved.

There is a justifying faith. We read in God's word, "Therefore being justified by faith…" (Rom.5:1). You are saved and justified by faith.

There is a sanctifying faith. We read in God's word that "…they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me" (Act.26:18). You are saved, justified, and sanctified by faith.

There is also obeying and praying faith. By faith Abraham obeyed and followed God's revealed instruction. By faith we call upon and pray to God. Faith is essential in dealing with God.

Now faith heals, works miracles and moves mountains just the same way that faith saves, justifies, sanctifies, obeys and prays. 

If you can believe God to be saved, justified and sanctified, you can also believe God to be healed and set free from the shackles of the enemy.

Our text reveals to us of what happened at Lystra under Paul's ministration. He took notice of a cripple in the audience - a man impotent in his feet and born a cripple from his mother's womb. While the word of God was being preached, Paul became aware in his spirit that the cripple had faith in his heart to receive the healing touch of Christ. With a loud voice, Paul says to him, "Stand upright on thy feet." Faith taps into the illimitable power of Christ. 

Luke records that the cripple "leaped and walked." Paul had God's power operating in him, and the cripple had faith to be healed. Listen, he didn't just have faith to be physically healed, but also faith to be saved. The word 'healed' is sōzō in the Greek, and it signifies total healing or perfect deliverance. It is the kind of healing that affects, touches, or reaches the whole person - body, soul and spirit. The cripple was healed in his body and also saved in his soul. By believing the preached word from the lips of Paul, he was both saved and healed.

Faith saves, heals, moves mountains and works miracles. You can have faith to be saved and not have faith to be healed. A lot of us believe in salvation by faith, but they do not believe in divine healing. They have been constantly and consistently inundated with teachings that keep them focused on medicine. They rely more on medicine and lean less on God - our Great Physician. God says to Israel, "I am the LORD that healeth thee." God is our real healer. Doctors collect the fees for your healing, but God Himself does the healing.

In Hosea 11:3, Israel is indicted by God. God says to them, "I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them." 

We are so unaware of the healing virtue of Christ that has been working in us all along and all the time. Listen, the power of God is still present to heal us (Lk.5:17). God delights in us being healthy, not being sick. Our faith is a miracle-working faith.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter