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“Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all.” Matthew 12:15 KJV

Healing in the New Testament

Do you find yourself wondering if Jesus is willing to heal you? Let’s look at the ministry of Jesus Christ, whom the Bible says is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV). That means if He did it before, He will do it again. As you read about the many healings and miracles Jesus performed on a continual basis, it will cause your faith to grow and your expectation to rise. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 KJV). Throughout the gospels, people with various sicknesses went to Jesus for healing. Some were near death, and some were actually dead. There were people with strong faith, and others who struggled to believe. All the people Jesus healed were unsaved, as Jesus had not yet purchased salvation on the cross. The keys to every one of these miracles are: (1) Those who were sick made sure they were in the presence of Jesus; (2) They willingly received His word and acted on it. Read about some of the miracles Jesus performed: (1) Simon’s mother-in-law healed of a fever (see Matthew 8:14-15); (2) The resurrection of Jairus’s daughter (see Mark 5:21-24, 35-43); (3) Healing of the woman with the issue of blood (see Mark 5:25-34); (4) A deaf man healed (see Mark 7:32-37); (5) A severed ear restored (see Luke 22:47-51); (6) A blind man healed (see John 9:1-41). Jesus never said no to a cry for help and healing: “Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all” (Matthew 12:15 KJV). And what He did for them, He can do for you if you pray and believe His Word.

“…’n Groot skare het agter Hom aan gekom. Hy het al die siekes onder hulle gesond gemaak.” Matteus 12:15 NLV

Genesing in die Nuwe Testament

Wonder jy of Jesus gewillig is om jou te genees? Kom ons kyk na die bediening van Jesus Christus, wat die Bybel beskryf as ‘…steeds dieselfde [is] - gister, vandag en vir altyd!’ (Hebreërs 13:8 NLV). Dit beteken dat as Hy dit voorheen gedoen het, Hy dit weer sal doen. Soos jy oor die vele genesings en wonderwerke wat Jesus voortdurend verrig het lees, sal dit jou geloof laat groei en jou verwagting laat styg. ‘Die geloof volg uit die aanhoor van die boodskap. En die aanhoor van die boodskap volg uit die prediking van die Goeie Nuus wat handel oor Christus’ (Romeine 10:17). Regdeur die evangelies het mense met verskeie siektes na Jesus vir genesing gegaan. Sommige was op die rand van die dood en sommige was eintlik reeds dood. Daar was mense met sterk geloof en ander wat gesukkel het om te glo. Die sleutels tot elk van hierdie wonderwerke was: 1) Diegene wat siek was, het seker gemaak dat hulle in die teenwoordigheid van Jesus kom; 2) Hulle het sy Woord gewillig ontvang en daarop gereageer. Lees oor sommige van die wonderwerke wat Jesus verrig het: 1) Simon se skoonmoeder is van koors genees (sien Matteus 8:14-15); 2) Die opstanding van Jaïrus se dogter (sien Markus 5:21-24, 35-43); 3) Genesing van die vrou met bloedvloeiing (sien Markus 5:25-34); 4) ‘n Dowe man is genees (sien Markus 7:32-37); 5) ‘n Afgesnyde oor is herstel (sien Lukas 22:47-51); 6) 'n Blinde man kon weer sien (sien Johannes 9:1-41). Jesus het nooit vir ‘n hulpgeroep en genesing nee gesê nie: ‘…’n Groot skare het agter Hom aan gekom. Hy het al die siekes onder hulle gesond gemaak’ (Matteus 12:15). Wat Hy vir hulle gedoen het, kan Hy vir jou ook doen, wanneer jy bid en sy Woord glo.

“He has created us anew in Christ Jesus…[to] do the good things he planned for us.” Ephesians 2:10 NLT

You must know who you are

A farmer once caught a young eagle in the forest, brought it home, and raised it among his chickens and turkeys. Five years later, a naturalist came to visit him and saw the bird. “That’s an eagle, not a chicken!” he said. “Yes,” said the farmer, “but I’ve raised it to be a chicken.” The naturalist said, “It has a wingspan of fifteen feet. It’s an eagle!” The farmer said, “But it will never fly.” The naturalist disagreed, and they decided to put their argument to the test. First, the naturalist picked up the eagle and said, “Thou art an eagle; thou dost belong in the sky and not to this earth; stretch forth thy wings and fly.” The eagle saw the chickens and jumped down. The next day, the naturalist took the eagle to the top of the house, said the same thing, and let the eagle go. Again, it spotted the chickens below and fluttered down to join them in feeding. “One more try,” said the naturalist. He took the eagle up a mountain. The trembling bird looked around, and then the naturalist made it look into the sun. As he spoke its true identity once more, suddenly the eagle stretched out its wings, gave a mighty screech, and flew away, never to return. You must know who God created and called you to be. And that takes place in the right environment, the right company, and with the right input—God’s input! “He has created us anew in Christ Jesus…[to] do the good things He planned for us.”

“…Hy het ons in ons verhouding met Christus Jesus só gemaak dat ons die goeie werke wat Hy vir ons bestem het, kan uitlewe.” Efesiërs 2:10 NLV

Jy moet weet wie jy is

‘n Boer het eenkeer ‘n jong arend gevang, hom huis toe gebring en tussen sy hoenders en kalkoene grootgemaak. Vyf jaar later het ‘n natuurkenner hom kom besoek en die voël gesien. ‘Dis 'n arend, nie ‘n hoender nie!’ het hy gesê. ‘Ja,’ het die boer gesê, ‘maar ek het hom grootgemaak om ‘n hoender te wees.’ Die natuurkenner het gesê: ‘Hy het ‘n vlerkspan van vyftien voet. Dis ‘n arend!’ Die boer het geantwoord: ‘Maar hy sal nooit vlieg nie.’ Die natuurkenner het nie saamgestem nie en hulle het besluit om hul argument op die proef te stel. Eers het die natuurkenner die arend opgetel en gesê: ‘Jy is ‘n arend; jy hoort in die lug en nie op hierdie aarde nie; strek jou vlerke uit en vlieg.’ Die arend het die hoenders onder hom gesien en afgespring. Die volgende dag het die natuurkenner die arend na die bokant van die huis geneem, dieselfde ding gesê en die arend laat gaan. Weer eens het hy die hoenders onder op die werf gewaar en afgefladder om by hulle aan te sluit om te eet. ‘Nog een probeerslag,’ het die natuurkenner gesê. Hy het die arend teen ‘n berg opgeneem. Die bewerige voël het rondgekyk en toe het die natuurkenner dit in die son laat kyk. Toe die natuurkenner weer vir die voël sy ware identiteit vertel het, het die arend skielik sy vlerke uitgestrek, ‘n magtige krys gegee en weggevlieg om nooit weer terug te keer nie. Jy moet weet wie God jou geskep en geroep het om te wees. Dit vind in die regte omgewing, tussen die regte geselskap en met die regte insette, plaas. ‘…Hy het ons in ons verhouding met Christus Jesus só gemaak dat ons die goeie werke wat Hy vir ons bestem het, kan uitlewe.’

“I can do all things through Christ.” Philippians 4:13 NKJV

Be an “I can” person

Consider these examples of resistance to inventions that we now consider commonplace and enjoy every day: In Germany, “experts” said that if trains went as fast as fifteen to twenty miles an hour—considered a frightful speed—blood would spurt from the travelers’ noses and passengers would suffocate when going through tunnels. In America, experts said the introduction of the railroad would require the building of many insane asylums, since people would be driven mad with terror at the sight of the locomotives. When the idea of iron ships was first proposed, experts insisted that they would not float, it would be difficult to preserve the iron bottom from rust, and that iron would play havoc with compass readings. In 1797, when the first cast-iron plow was invented, farmers in New Jersey rejected it, saying the cast iron would poison the ground and stimulate the growth of weeds. When the YMCA in New York welcomed the invention of the typewriter and announced typing lessons for women, protests erupted on the grounds that the female constitution would break down under the strain. Now consider these statements, each of which is a product of a negative mindset: (1) “Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible” (Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, 1895). (2) “Man will never tap the power of the atom” (Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize winner in physics, 1923). (3) “Everything that can be invented has been invented” (Charles H. Duell, U.S. Patent Office Director, 1899). If you want to accomplish great things and be used by God, become an “I can” person.

“The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” Proverbs 20:24 NLT

God has different ways to get you there

Marian wanted to become a concert singer, a challenge that was doubly difficult because of the colour of her skin. Her mother, however, had a patient trust in God. Marian later said, “Mother’s religion made her believe she could receive what was right for her if she was conscientious in her faith. If it did not come, it was because God had not considered it right for her. We grew up in this atmosphere of faith that she created…We believed as she did, because we wanted the same kind of haven in the time of storm.” When Marian was denied admission to a famous music conservatory on account of her race, her mother said, “Someone would be raised up” to help her accomplish what she hoped to do at the conservatory. That someone arrived a few weeks later. One of Philadelphia’s outstanding voice teachers, Giuseppe Boghetti, made room for her to become one of his students. And Marian Anderson was on her way to becoming one of the most popular singers of the twentieth century. On Easter Sunday in 1939, she sang to seventy-five thousand people at the Lincoln Memorial and gave a performance never to be forgotten by those present. Solomon said these two things about God’s guiding hand in our lives: (1) “The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” (2) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT).

“Ek kan onder alle omstandighede regkom deur Hom wat my krag gee.” Filippense 4:13 NLV

Wees ‘n ‘ek kan’ persoon

Mense het erge weerstand gebied teen uitvindings wat ons deesdae as alledaags beskou en elke dag geniet. In Duitsland het ‘kundiges’ gesê dat as treine so vinnig as vyftien tot twintig myl per uur sou ry - wat as ‘n skrikwekkende spoed beskou is - bloed uit die reisigers se neuse sou stroom en passasiers sou versmoor wanneer hulle deur tonnels gaan. In Amerika het kenners gesê die bekendstelling van die spoorlyn sou veroorsaak dat baie nuwe inrigtings vir kranksinniges gebou sou moes word, aangesien mense mal van vrees by die aanskoue van die lokomotiewe sou word. Toe die idee van ysterskepe die eerste keer voorgestel is, het kenners daarop aangedring dat hulle nie sou kon dryf nie, dat dit moeilik sou wees om die ysterbodem teen roes te bewaar en dat yster kompaslesings sou verwar. In 1797, toe die eerste gietysterploeg uitgevind is, het boere in New Jersey dit verwerp en gesê dat die gietyster die grond sou vergiftig en die groei van onkruid sou stimuleer. Toe die YMCA in New York die uitvinding van die tikmasjien verwelkom en tiklesse vir vroue aangekondig het, het protesoptogte plaasgevind omdat daar geglo is dat die vroulike konstitusie onder die druk daarvan sou ineenstort. Kyk nou na die volgende stellings, wat elkeen die produk van ‘n negatiewe denkwyse was: 1) ‘Vlieënde masjiene wat swaarder as lug is, is onmoontlik’ (Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, 1895). 2) ‘Die mens sal nooit die krag van die atoom benut nie’ (Robert Millikan, Nobelpryswenner in fisika, 1923). 3) ‘Alles wat uitgevind kan word, is al uitgevind’ (Charles H. Duell, Direkteur van die Amerikaanse Patentkantoor, 1899). As jy groot dinge wil bereik en deur God gebruik wil word, moet jy ‘n ‘ek kan’ persoon wees.

“Die Here bepaal ‘n mens se lewe. Hoe kan ‘n mens verstaan wat met hom moet gebeur?’ Spreuke 20:24 NLV

God het verskillende maniere om jou daar te kry

Marian wou ‘n konsertsangeres word, ‘n uitdaging wat twee keer so moeilik as gevolg van haar velkleur was. Haar ma het egter ‘n geduldige vertroue in God gehad. Marian het later gesê: ‘Ma het geglo dat sy dit wat reg is vir haar sal ontvang, mits sy pligsgetrou in haar geloof is. As sy iets nie ontvang het nie, was dit omdat God dit nie as reg vir haar beskou het nie. Ons het in hierdie atmosfeer van geloof wat sy geskep het grootgeword. Ons het geglo soos sy, want ons wou dieselfde soort hawe in storms hê.’ Toe Marian toelating tot ‘n bekende musiekkonservatorium weens haar ras geweier is, het haar ma gesê dat iemand oor haar pad sou kom om haar te help om dit wat sy by die konservatorium wou doen, te bereik. Daardie iemand het ‘n paar weke later opgedaag. Een van Philadelphia se vooraanstaande sangonderwysers, Giuseppe Boghetti, het plek vir haar om een van sy studente te word, gemaak. Marian Anderson was op pad om een van die gewildste sangers van die twintigste eeu te word. Op Paassondag, 1939, het sy voor vyf-en-sewentigduisend mense by die Lincoln-gedenkteken gesing en ‘n optrede gelewer wat nooit deur die aanwesiges vergeet sou word nie. Salomo het hierdie twee dinge oor God se leidende hand in ons lewens gesê: 1) ‘Die Here bepaal ‘n mens se lewe. Hoe kan ‘n mens verstaan wat met hom moet gebeur?’ 2) ‘Vertrou op die Here met alles wat jy het. Moenie staatmaak op jou eie insigte nie. Vra na die wil van God in alles wat jy doen. Hy sal die regte pad vir jou wys’ (Spreuke 3:5-6 NLV).

“We will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 NIV

You need more of the Holy Spirit (2)

The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom beyond our knowledge, power beyond our strength, and gifting beyond our ability. With His help, we become better than our best effort and better than our best thought. We become the best version of ourselves possible. Of course, this takes a lifetime. Hence, Paul wrote: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” It’s hard to imagine a farmer planting a crop of beans and then being surprised that it didn’t produce corn. Why? Because you reap what you sow. Yet some of us seem shocked when the seeds of sin yield their crop. So, what are you planting? Love or hate? Joy or ingratitude? Patience or impatience? Self-control or self-indulgence? You cannot break the law of sowing and reaping, but it can break you or make you—if you keep sowing the right seeds. Want a bumper crop? Then you need more of the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit can’t fill you if you’re full of yourself. So, a prerequisite to having more of the Holy Spirit is being honest, being humble, and being hungry. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the nine fruits the Holy Spirit produces in our lives. So, if you want more of the Holy Spirit, it means you literally want more love, more joy, more peace, more forbearance, more kindness, more goodness, more faithfulness, more gentleness, and more self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23 NIV). The good news is, you can have as much of the Holy Spirit as you want.

“Moet dus nie moeg word om goed te doen nie, want as ons nie tou opgooi nie sal ons op die regte tyd oes.” Galasiërs 6:9 NLV

Jy benodig meer van die Heilige Gees (2)

Die Heilige Gees gee ons wysheid bo ons kennis, mag bo ons krag, en gawes bo ons vermoëns. Met sy hulp word ons beter as ons beste poging en beter as ons beste gedagte. Ons word die beste weergawe van onsself. Natuurlik neem dit ‘n leeftyd. Daarom het Paulus geskryf: ‘Moet dus nie moeg word om goed te doen nie, want as ons nie tou opgooi nie sal ons op die regte tyd oes.’ Dit is moeilik om ‘n boer voor te stel wat ‘n landery vol koring plant en dan verbaas is dat dit nie mielies oplewer nie. Hoekom? Omdat jy maai wat jy saai. Tog lyk sommige van ons geskok wanneer die saad van sonde hul oes oplewer. Wat plant jy dus? Liefde of haat? Vreugde of ondankbaarheid? Geduld of ongeduld? Selfbeheersing of selfbevrediging? Die wet van saai en maai kan jou breek of jou maak - mits jy aanhou om die regte saad te saai. Wil jy ‘n oorvloedige oes hê? Dan het jy meer van die Heilige Gees nodig. Die Heilige Gees kan jou egter nie vul as jy vol van jouself is nie. Die voorvereiste om dus meer van die Heilige Gees te hê, is om eerlik, nederig en honger vir sy leiding te wees. Galasiërs 5:22-23 gee ‘n lys van die nege vrugte wat die Heilige Gees in ons lewe voortbring. As jy meer van die Heilige Gees wil hê, beteken dit dat jy letterlik meer liefde, meer vreugde, meer vrede, meer geduld, meer vriendelikheid, meer goedheid, meer getrouheid, meer sagmoedigheid en meer selfbeheersing wil hê (sien Galasiërs 5:22-23). Die goeie nuus is dat jy soveel van die Heilige Gees kan hê as wat jy wil.