The Power of the Word

^“Jesus answered him, ‘Go in peace;  your son lives!’ And the man put his trust in what Jesus said and started off.”  John 4:50

 In John 4:46-54, we witness the power of Jesus’ word and a progression from faith to faith in a royal official who is desperate for Jesus to heal his son.  His reality was that his son was gravely ill. He heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee; he traveled 20 miles to find Jesus and begged Him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.  Initially, Jesus rebukes the unbelief (of seeing before believing), yet the official is undeterred and persists in asking Jesus. He humbles himself under Jesus’ authority and cries out, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”  Jesus answered his request, “Go in peace (untroubled, undisturbed well-being); your son lives.” And the man put his trust in what Jesus said – believing before seeing, confident in what he hopes for and assured of what he cannot yet see, he takes Jesus at His Word, being fully persuaded and in obedience, returns home.

 On his way to his promise, a servant meets him with the good news that his son’s fever had left; the boy healed when Jesus spoke the word.  You see, faith doesn’t deny the reality but leaves room for God to grant a new reality! The official believed enough to ask Jesus; he believed Jesus’ assurance that his son would live and acted on it.

It isn’t enough to say we believe; we need to live as though we believe Jesus, being confident in who He Is: loving Savior, trustworthy and faithful, compassionate and present in our reality.  He is the living Word, the transforming Word.  The royal official believed Jesus; in faith, he lay hold of the promise of healing and acted on it, leaving no room for doubt. And out of the abundance of his trusting Jesus’ word, not only was his son healed but he and his household were saved.  Jesus is the same yesterday in John 4, and He Is the same Today, in your reality, He will be the same forever!

As I wait in my reality, I realize that so often, we are waiting on God to act when He is waiting on us to GO IN THE POWER OF HIS WORD.  Go! Being fully persuaded in Christ Jesus and in the power of His Word, let our declaration be “Lord You said it, I Believe It! It is Done!” Amen & Amen.