For the last two weeks, I’ve been sharing how God is the ultimate difference maker. He specializes in changing people for the better! I’ve written about how God can change a person’s thinking and how He can change a person’s path. This week, I’d like to share how God can change a person’s health.
The book of Acts tells us, “And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). One of the most common ways Jesus changed people for the better during His earthly ministry was to heal their bodies of sickness, disease, or dysfunction. Matthew tells of a time when Jesus encountered a man with a withered hand. “Then He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other” (Matt. 12:13). Luke tells of a time when a blind man cried out to Jesus that he would receive his sight. “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.’ And immediately he received his sight and followed Him, glorifying God” (Luke 18:42-43). Jesus didn’t leave people with dysfunctional bodies; He changed them for the better!
In addition to the many examples of Jesus healing people, there are also examples of God letting His healing power flow through other believers. In the third chapter of Acts, we read how Peter and John encountered a beggar who had been lame from birth. Peter told the man they had no money to give, but they would give him what they had. “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk,” Peter declared (Acts 3:6). Then Peter took the man by the hand, lifted him up, and immediately the man gained new strength in his feet and ankles. The man started “walking, leaping, and praising God” (v. 9). What a miracle! What a change!
The great news is that the healing power of Jesus is still available today just like in the days of the Bible! I’ve seen many examples for myself and in my own family of God changing a person’s health even when it seemed medically impossible! Years ago, my mom experienced a miracle in her eyes in which God improved her vision, allowing her to stop wearing the thick glasses she had worn all her life. By natural standards, poor vision is a condition people just have to learn to live with and compensate for, but God changed her condition for the better! When my wife, Christin, was a child, God healed her of a very severe form of cancer despite doctor reports that said her chance of survival was less than 5%. In the natural, she was given a near death sentence, but God changed her situation and has blessed her with abundant life! Just this weekend, my father-in-law, Tommy, experienced a light stroke that took away his ability to speak. However, people all around started to pray, and in a matter of minutes he re-gained his speech and returned to a normal condition! God totally changed the situation, replacing confusion with perfect peace!
If you or a loved one is experiencing poor health or been diagnosed with a certain medical condition, know that your body doesn’t have to stay in that condition! God can change your health for the better! He wants you to be strong, healthy, and completely whole! God says in His word, “I will take sickness away from the midst of you” (Exodus 23:35). Believe those words, trust in Him, and expect God to change your condition for the better! Remember that He is a difference maker, and He wants to make a difference in your health today!
Reflections 