MY TURN FOR EVIDENCE
You may have heard other people’s testimonies and keep wondering how true it is. After all you have been praying for a long time and your mountains appear immovable and insurmountable. You have heard that the lame walked, the blind saw and dumb spoke and even the demon possessed delivered. You’ve been saved and daily try to live in purity and righteousness. By this you’re a child of the kingdom of His dear son and have right of benefits of heaven, even while you live here on earth. You had fasted and prayed ceaselessly and even engaged the services of prayer warriors and attend mid night deliverance services but your yokes persist. Sometimes they attribute your persisting situation to lack of faith and perhaps sin in your life. You begin to wonder does God hear your prayers. It could be you are not praying well or does it mean all the diverse tongue speakings’ are in vain. Yet God is in the business of changing lives and situations of life. It does not matter how hopeless the circumstances appear to look; He heals even terminal diseases and turn around lives. God still speaks and light shines in the midst of tick darkness; He does what men consider impossible [miracles]. What God’s Head did during creation, His son, Jesus Christ did same while on earth. Today, even though Jesus is in heaven but He’s still doing wonders here on earth through His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Church. This truth I desire to experience.
The Gospel of Mark 1:29 to 45 exposes Jesus’ ministry in action. Jesus and His disciples went to the home of Simon and Andrew. Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law of fever. The news of His healing power spread everywhere like wild fire that the people brought many who were sick and those who were demon possessed to Him. That evening Jesus healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases and drove out demons. He did not allow the demons to speak out because they knew who He was. Very early the next morning, long before it was daylight, Jesus got up and left the house. He went out of the house to a lonely, solitary [secret] place, where He prayed. “The secret of a strong Christian life is the daily quiet time.” This is a time spent alone with God in the study and meditation of the word and in prayers. Because of the healings a day before, many people stampeded His abode looking for Jesus. Simon and other disciples were forced to go and look for Jesus. When eventually they found Him they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for you.” Why do you think they were looking for Jesus: for a relationship or Jesus healing power?
Jesus traveled with his disciples to Galilee preaching in places of worship, healing people of sickness and drove out demons. A man with dreaded sickness may have said to himself, I have heard this man healed diseases and cast out demons, it’s my turn for evidence, it’s my turn for performance and my turn for accomplishment; it’s now or never. I don’t care whether I stink or ‘am unacceptable; a social reject or despised person, I am determined to go to Jesus for my healing. That expresses the application of a stubborn type of faith. That leper came to Jesus, knelt down and worship and begged Him for help. He said to Jesus, If you want to, you can make me clean. What is that sickness or demon which had possessed you that Jesus can not healed or He can’t cast away? If a despised leper could obtain cleansing; what about you child of God? What is debarring you from coming to Jesus? It is fear that He will find out your secret wrong doing? Jesus is omnipresence and already knows all about us. He knows that we lift ‘holy hands’ in the Church and live in impurity outside. We grudge, hate, lust and hoard; do not forgive or forsake. We should know that Jesus knows all about our struggles and had already paid in full once for all, for all our iniquities. The Psalmist says, “If the Lord should count iniquities, no one can stand” [Psalms 130:3]. Jesus is not only our Savior; He is also our Advocate and Judge. He invites all who are labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest [Matthew 11:28].
The leper knew something many of us do not know. He knew the Lord will not cast out anyone that comes to Him in faith. Even though to the world he was a public reject but Jesus accepted and loved him unconditionally. The leper determined to walk himself into victory, humbly kneeled down before the Lord Jesus. Kneeling symbolizes total surrendered of himself and laying all his burdens at the feet of Jesus. This dispersed man knew he had no personality or credential of honor; had suffered shame and reproach for years, so he had nothing to loose. He knelt down and worshiped the Lamb of God, the Ancient of days and the King of kings. As his worship went up to the throne of mercy and provoked the compassion of the Jesus, blessings and healings came down. This man of leprosy did not just stoop down in worship, he begged for help, saying, “if you want to, you can make me clean.” So, it is not only crucial to walk into God’s presence, whether in Church or in private worship but most importantly, you must say what you need in the right manner. Your mountain is removed when you don’t doubt. You have what you say [Mark 11:23; Proverbs 18:21]. He simply said, if you are willing, if it pleases you, Lord Jesus show me uncommon kindness and mercy. I know I’m a sinner but you are the Savior of all mankind and I need help. This is my turn for an unusual miracle.
Jesus was filled with compassion and empathy; He stretched out His hand and touched him. It was illogical and unacceptable for one to touch a leper but Jesus did just that anywhere. It was evidence that Jesus had powers over principalities, iniquities and infirmities; whatever had tied us against the will of God, He has power to untie it. Ponder on what the Jews who came to console Mary and Martha said, “Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind have caused that even this man should not have died?”[John 11:37]. Saying same to himself, could not this man who healed many who were sick of diverse diseases and drove out demons not able to heal me of leprosy? [Mark 1:34]. It does not matter the kind of sickness, how long I have suffered it and the sources and causes of the disease. Jesus blood is the healing pill that takes away any disease. By His stripes we are healed. With God nothing is impossible. The leper did not live in denial or tried to explain away his dreaded situation or kept exaggerating consequences of its effects; blamed himself or others living and dead, for causes of sickness or dwell on negative thoughts should Jesus despised him. Funny enough many of the negative exaggerations never happen. The leper knew that the tongue is a creative apparatus and he used it to create what he desired.
Jesus responded, “I will, so be clean.” This could mean I want and have the authority to do so; it’s my Father’s will and my pleasure. That’s why I came to this world and exactly what my ministry’s manifesto contain [Luke 4:17-19] – manifest the kingdom of God here on earth. Jesus was once despised and rejected by man, a man of sorrow and familiar with sufferings……[Isaiah 53:3-4]. Jesus then healed this leper by touch of hand. If Jesus could put out His hand and healed a despised person, a reproach and sinful leper, why would He not take away the sinfulness and sickness of his own brethren and friends? If an unbelieving sinner knew how to provoke Jesus’ mercy and healing power, no child of God has excuses to die in his sickness or any adverse situation of life [Proverbs 6:2; James 1:7-8].
Stop trying to explain away or make people understand or sympathize with your problems and in the process, magnify the works and power of Satan. You have no problem. Jesus solved all your problems. He said on the cross, it is finished. Say and believe what God says about your salvation and deliverance. Learn to talk your desire and not your situation or frustrations. God confirms what you say when you believe it in your heart [Numbers 14:28; Romans 10:9-10]. Use your tongue to create life and health. It does not matter what medical prophesy or name your sickness and situation has been given. Sickness or diseases of any kind is a curse and Christ had redeemed us from the curse of any sickness [Galatians 3:13-14; 1 Peter 2:24]. We must begin to announce our deliverance and redemption in every area of our need. This is our opportunity to come to Jesus to obtain salvation and healing. It’s our turn for the impossible; it’s our turn for evidence. Begin now to believe God for the impossible and He will make your evidence to manifest. Today is the most favorable time. It is a rare opportunity in the presence of the Lord. Tap into it without delay and God will surprise you with evidence or uncommon testimony.
Reach: Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill @ weefreeministries.org or P. O. Box 720035, Houston, Texas, 77272.