SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/9/2020
9:16 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-2 “Healing”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matt.
4:23c-25
Message of the verses: “and healing every
kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. 24 And the news
about Him went out into all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, taken
with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He
healed them. 25 And great multitudes followed Him from Galilee and Decapolis
and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.”
As
we look at the last part of verse 23 we see that Jesus healed “every kind of
disease and every kind of sickness among the people.” Just think of the word “every” for a moment
and you have to come to the conclusion that there was no one left sick where
Jesus went. Verse 24 tells that this was
universal in character as the healing expanded: “And the news about Him went
out into all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, taken with
various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed
them all.”
We
have to understand where Syria was in the day when Jesus was on planet
earth. Syria was a Roman province that
actually took in all of Palestine, including Galilee. MacArthur adds “In the context of this verse,
however, it may refer only to the northern part, of which Damascus was the
major city. In any case, the point is
that Jesus’ fame spread well beyond the area in which He was ministering. From a wide surrounding area the people ‘brought
to Him all who were ill,’ in hope that He would heal them.” Can you imagine if this would have happened
in our digital age that we live in now?
Things
were surely different in those days when Jesus was on earth as sanitary and
medical was not what it is today, and so when a plague came it would not stop
until it just ran its course, but while Jesus was here on earth He made things
wonderful for those that He touched and healed.
We
can see that Matthew mentions three specific types that Jesus healed. MacArthur adds “Diseases signifies the many
maladies, whereas ‘pains’ refers to the many symptoms.”
I
think it best if I allow MacArthur to explain this first type of illness that
Matthew mentions: “The first type of
malady was that suffered by ‘demoniacs,’ those whose afflictions were caused by
demons. It is clear from Scripture,
especially the New Testament, that many physical and mental afflictions are
caused directly by Satan through the operation of his demons. Chapters 9, 12, and 17 of Matthew, and
chapters 9 of Mark and 13 of Luke give abundant evidence of demon-related
afflictions. The ability to cast out
demons is often referred to as the gift of miracles (literally, ‘powers’; 1
Cor. 12:10, 28-29), the divine power given specifically to combat the demonic
powers of darkness (see Luke 9; 10:17-19; Acts 8:6-7; cf. Eph. 6:12).”
I
will have to cut this short as something has come up, but I do want to take
care of something that I mentioned on Friday that I would continue to look at
and that is to continue my quotes from ”The Strategy of Satan.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I have to wonder or better learn more
about how Satan can attack believers in our day, but I do know that he attacked
Job who certainly was a believer.
My Steps of Faith for Today: “Remember:
in the battle against Satan, the only way to conquer is to surrender—surrender
to God.
“therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to
the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’
Submit therefore to God. Resist
the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:6-7.’
“Let me be very practical about this
matter of Christian surrender. The verb ‘present’
in Romans 12:1 carries the meaning of ‘a once-for-all surrender.’ It is not necessary for you to keep walking
an aisle to be a yielded believer. Make
a once-for-all presentation to God of your body, mind, and will. But it is good to reaffirm that surrender at
the beginning of each day. When you
first awaken, immediately give your body to God as an act of faith; and prove
that you mean it by getting out of bed. The discipline of getting up in the morning is
a part of spiritual victory.” So, Lord
willing we will continue to look at what Warren Wiersbe had to say in this
section in our next SD.
3/9/2020 11:34 AM
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