Matthew 12:13………..Working

Matthew 12:13………..Working

12:13 Then (He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts-Mark 3:5) he said to the man, (Stand up in front of everyone.”-Mark 3:3) “Stretch out your hand”. So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. (Displays how Jesus’ healings leave people completely restored and whole again.)

Continued From Book

“Teaches how were not to allow the criticism and negativity of others keep us from ministering to people.” ⇒ Will you still bless and help people even if it upsets others? Know your going to feel opposition, but don’t let it intimidate you into stepping back or caving in. Will you do what is right and good no matter who doesn’t like it? Will you still carry out God’s will even if it makes you unpopular? Don’t let those who don’t know what you know about how good Jesus is and what He can do robe others of being healed.

“Teaches with God’s commands, comes God’s enablement. (If God gives you a command, He’ll give you the power to do it!)” ⇒ If God gives you a command to do something, you can’t think “Well I don’t know if I can do that. “I don’t have the background for it. I don’t have the training for it. I don’t have the money for it, I don’t have the degree for it,  I don’t have the resources for it. I’ve never done it before, it’s impossible!” As a believer we need to remember with God’s Word comes the enablement. When God speaks, things come into existence. If God can speak creation into existence,-(Gen.1:1-10) He can speak healing into your situation! If God can command Ezekiel to speak life into dead bones.-(Ezk. 37:1-14) God can speak truth back into your dead life. What if God said, I’m going to use your life to radically change the world, your town, your neighborhood. You would probably think, “Not me”, impossible. I don’t know how to preach, I don’t know how to teach, I don’t know how to talk about my faith or witness to others about Jesus. When what we should be saying is; God I know you wouldn’t have called me for this, if you weren’t going to give me the ability to it. And if that’s what you want me to do, then lets go!

“Teaches how obeying Jesus and doing what the Word says comes miracles. Faith with obedience will result in amazing things.” ⇒  Jesus has done everything that He can do for us, it’s now our responsibility to respond to what He has done on our behalf. The first step is to repent and believe that Jesus died for your sins and was resurrected from the dead. Followed by a life that is living by His power, authority, and ability. Are you living and acting in response to the Word of God? Only by taking action on the Word of God can we build, grow, and stretch our faith. Only by obeying and doing what God’s Word says is our miracle, breakthrough, and victory waiting for us.

“Teaches true faith responds regardless of apparent obstacles or disabilities. (Excuses can hinder God’s work in your life!)” ⇒……….(To be Continued)

“Even today, Jesus want’s to bring restoration and healing back into our withered lives if we would only stretch out our faith and receive the breakthrough He has for us.” ⇒ Before we can receive your breakthrough, your healing, your growth, and your miracle Jesus is going to ask you to step forward and reach out in faith no matter how scary or impossible it may seem. If you don’t stretch, you’re going to be where you’ve always been. If you don’t stretch, you’re going to stay in the same condition. If you don’t stretch, you’re going to sit in the same chair. If you don’t stretch, you’re going to have the same job. If you don’t stretch, you’ll never get out of your predicament. How many times has God extended to you an opportunity and you missed the opportunity because you failed to stretch. If you are going to experience what God has for you, you have to stretch beyond your limitations. You have to stretch beyond your opinions. You have to stretch beyond your revelation and go where you have never gone before so you can do what you have never done before. It is time for you to stretch. Stretch in your perception of God. Stretch in your understanding of yourself. Stretch beyond your situation.

More Notes & Applications

Interesting to note; because Jesus healed the man only by a word, He therefore gave the Pharisees no ground for accusation. When Jesus did this miracle, He did not break any of the Pharisees’ laws. Other times when He did miracles on the Sabbath day, He did.  But here He does not touch the man, He does not rub any mud on his arm, He does not do any work.  He does not tell the man to do any work.  He does not say to him, “Carry your bed” or whatever.  He simply says, “Stand up, stretch forth your hand.”  He speaks. And what they had come to catch Him in, working on the Sabbath so that they could accuse Him of that, they cannot. The man is healed by an invisible work of God’s power.  His hand is restored just like the other.  And all that Jesus did was speak the word.