To say the times are hard is an understatement; so many have
lost jobs, businesses, homes, relationships, reputation and the likes. As a
result of these losses, some children of God are questioning God’s love for
them: If truly this way is the right way and the only way for them. Some even
believe it is the will of God for them to remain in their dire straits as they
believe they have tried everything to come out of their situation and nothing
seem to be working. To such, their service to God is just mere lip service as
their hearts have left the faith. If you are in such a situation, I am here to
tell you that Jesus Christ is truly the ONLY WAY and the RIGHT one at that. It doesn’t
matter what you see, if you come to Him on His terms, not yours, He is ABLE and
WILLING to deliver you from whatever is holding you bound. This is not strange
or peculiar to our time.
In Luke 5:12-14, we see an account of a man that had a
skin disease that approached Christ for healing. “While He was in one of the towns, a man was there who had a serious
skin disease all over him. He saw Jesus, fell facedown, and begged Him: ‘Lord,
if You are willing, You can make me clean’” (Luke 5:12). Looking closely at
the man’s request one can actually sense his hopelessness. It’s very possible
that he was once a rich, influential family man; his skin disease which other
Bible translations called leprosy caused him to lose everything. His wealth,
could not buy him healing. His influence could not change the law of God
concerning his condition: “Command the Israelites
to send away anyone from the camp who is afflicted with a skin disease…so that
they will not defile their camps where I dwell among them” (Numbers 5:2-3).
Neither could the love he has for his family keep them from abandoning him. How
did he then get his healing? The Bible says, when he saw Jesus, he fell
face down! Beloved, you have carried on in this situation for so long; you have
prayed and fasted but to no avail. Heaven is asking, ‘have you seen Jesus and
what is your response to Him’? When this man saw Jesus, he fell face down and
worshiped. This meant, he came across the divine and he had to bow. Friend,
what is your relationship with the Master. True, you are born again, but is
your heart/life bowed before Him? In your prayers, we see you kneeling but Heaven
sees you standing against God in your heart and accusing Him for not answering
you. This man fell face down with everything that he thinks he is or was. The
offering of the woman with the alabaster oil was accepted because she poured
out all she was on the Master’s feet! You cannot claim to be bowing and a part
of you is standing in defiance and rebellion against God’s word. You may fool
the people but you cannot fool God! His bowing face down in all humility and
submission was his entrance.
Now, listen to his request: he said to Him “If You are willing”…beloved, our
deliverance is NOT A MUST and a condition to serve Him! If you put your request
in that manner, Christ has the prerogative to answer or not. But when the man
said “if You are willing”; that phrase summarized all his sufferings, faith and
trust in God and it touched the heart of God, Whose desire is for us to have
life in abundance as He originally planned it. No wonder He replied: “I am willing; be made clean, and
immediately the disease left him” (Luke 5:13b). He then told him to go back
to where he was cast out and do the needful as a testimony to them. Beloved,
you may have been cast out, when you fall face down at His feet, in those same
places or areas you were defeated you will be celebrated again and all that you
had lost will be restored to you in Jesus Christ name: “At that time I will bring you back, yes, at the time I will gather
you. I will make you famous and praiseworthy among all the peoples of the
earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes. Yahweh has spoken”
(Zephaniah 3:20). So…fall face down in humility, obedience and total surrender
at His feet and see Him move the very mountains for your sake. God bless you!
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