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The Power of Jesus

There are a lot of people who claim to have the power of Jesus.  Faith healers and charismatic leaders often speak of the gifts they have from the Holy Spirit.  Last night in prayer meeting we examined Mark 1:29-34 and we saw the true nature of the power of Jesus over illness and demon possession.

 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.
And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. (Mar 1:29-34 ESV)

Three observations about the Power of Jesus:

  1. He didn't have to rent a big venue and have 3 months of advertising prior to the crusade to draw a crowd.  The Sabbath Jesus had attended the synagogue in Capernaum and had cast out a demon.  The power of that miracle before the attendees immediately spread by word of mouth so that when the Sabbath ended that Saturday night, the whole town was outside the door of Peter's house waiting for more miracles.
  2. Jesus healed everybody that was brought to him.  Nobody was missed because they "didn't have enough faith." There were no cadres of stretcher bearers at the back of the auditorium who were kept in the hallways to hide the patients that the faith healer couldn't heal.  There is not one single record in Scripture of any person who came or was brought to Jesus for healing who was turned away.  Every single one of them was healed -  and they were healed completely.  When Simon's mother-in-law was healed no lingering after effects of her illness existed.  She was healed and was given the vitality o immediately get up and hep with supper.
  3. No offering was taken.  Nobody paid for their miracle.  Jesus worked his amazing power purely for the glory of God and as authentication that He was the longed for Messiah. 

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