Your Faith Matthew 9:22

Faith is a tricky subject.  Many Christians have experienced deep discouragement, sadness, and guilt, because they believed for something that didn’t happen as or when they thought it should.

I don’t claim to have all the answers.  I like to think I have some.

Seven times in the first three gospels, Jesus told somebody that their faith had saved them.  These were all stories of physical healing.  The word ‘save’ is used in the Bible in more ways than simply a person being saved from sin and hell.  In fact, twice in the book of Acts, this distinction is entirely blurred.  You can’t tell the one from the other.

Matthew 9:22 ²² But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has saved you.”  And the woman was saved from that hour.

Mark 5:34 ³⁴ And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”

Mark 10:52 ⁵² And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.

Luke 7:50 (NASB95) ⁵⁰ And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 8:48 (NASB95) ⁴⁸ And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 17:19 (NASB95) ¹⁹ And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Luke 18:42 ⁴² And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.”

Acts 4:9–12 (NASB95) ⁹ if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been saved, ¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. ¹¹ “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. ¹² “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 14:8–10 ⁸ At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. ⁹ This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be saved, ¹⁰ said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk.

I would make the case that physical healing is part of the whole package of salvation.  But that would take a lot longer space.

Suffice it to say, always believe God for healing for your physical, mental, emotional problems.  It may not come as fast as you would like or how you would like.  But expect it to come, and no, I would never say that death is God’s answer.  But, yes, it happens. 

But you will never get anywhere if you keep thinking about what happened to other people or even yourself in the past.  All you have is today, and you are only ultimately responsible for yourself.

Seven times in the gospels, Jesus told somebody that their faith saved them.  Exact same words.  The perfect tense in Greek that emphasizes their present state of wellness. 

I learned a while back.  Pay attention to the gospels.  The life of Jesus, but more importantly, what He actually said and did.

Like Peter walking on the water (Matthew 14), it’s all about focus.  Keeping your eyes on Jesus and not on all the noise and things around you.

On a personal note, I have had cancer three times.

The first time was in 1996.  It was stage 3, and I turned down treatment, and then they said I didn’t need it.

The second time I had a lump on my neck the size of a tennis ball.  That didn’t go away like I expected, so I had treatment.  But I wasn’t clean of the whole thing until after the doctor said he didn’t expect the treatment to make any difference.

Now it’s a different kind of cancer, and no, I haven’t had any treatment.  Another test next week.

I’ll let you know what’s going on, but like Jesus told a man whose daughter had just died: Stop being afraid.  Only believe.  (Mark 5:36)