GOD IS WILLING

• DAY 207
• FEAR FILE: A LEPER
• SCRIPTURES: MATTHEW 8:1-3

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Today we begin a new series where we look at some of the miracles that Jesus performed from the perspective of those that were beneficiaries of the miracles. How they exhibited fear, courage, or faith that brought about their miracle. 

Leprosy is a chronic, curable infectious disease mainly causing skin lesions and nerve damage. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. It mainly affects the skin, eyes, nose and peripheral nerves. Symptoms include light-coloured or red skin patches with reduced sensation, numbness and weakness in hands and feet. It can transferred through airborne droplets like mucus. Leprosy can be cured with 6-12 months of multi-drug therapy. Early treatment avoids disability. It is also called Hansen’s Disease.

As scary as leprosy is today, it is nothing compared to how it was in Jesus’ day when there was no cure but to wait it out or get a miracle. Not to mention that a leper had to be isolated from people, announce their presence, and avoided and if healed, inspected before returning to the society. It’s safe to say that this disease carries a stigma. So it not only affected the body but the mind. 

So for this leper to come before Jesus he had to have had courage. Courage to disregard how he will be perceived, courage to come out amongst people and seek his healing. He had heard about what Jesus had done. He knew of the healing power of Jesus. So he approaches Jesus with reverence and humility, bowing and worshiping Him as the Lord that He is.

Ability and Willingness

However, it is possible to be confident in Jesus’ ability and still lack the faith to benefit from His power because there is doubt about Jesus’ willingness to use that when it comes to you. And this was the case of the leper. He knew that Jesus “can” make him clean. He knew that Jesus was Lord over that leprosy but what he wasn’t sure of is whether or not Jesus “will” be interested in cleansing him.

A couple of us feel the same way this leper felt. So we go to Jesus unsure of His will concerning what we need. We even go as far as presumptuously concluding that he is not willing because of our flaws. So when we should come boldly to the throne to obtain mercy, we come timidly thinking that we are already disqualified. We may have even read the scripture or heard the preacher tell us that God wants to bless us, prosper us, or heal us but we listen to the devil recount the stories of everyone who read the same thing but didn’t get the same result. And so we conclude that there is a specialty for those who eventually become beneficiaries of miracles.

Yet, Jesus came for everyone without any exceptions, and God is no respecter of persons. If we believe, we receive no matter who we are. We cannot live in the “if” realm if we want the best of God. We have to live in the “confident assurance” realm. And God is merciful and patient with our imperfections. He responds immediately to the leper, saying, “I will!”

Jesus Says

“I am willing to do the thing you’re asking me, and I will even do exceedingly abundantly. It is my pleasure to give you all the good things. I am pleased to give you everything that pertains to life and godliness. If I did not withhold Jesus, why will I not give you all the things you desire freely? I said in my word that if you abide in me and my word abides in you, I will do whatever it is that you ask of me. Even to help you, save, heal, deliver, uphold you, and give you an expected end. If it is in my word for you, then it is in my will for you. But you need to ask without a doubt. You have to come to Me and believe that I reward those who seek me with what they are seeking. I am willing. But you have to trust that I can.”

Beloved, trusting God also requires that you trust His timing as well. The fact that He didn’t answer now doesn’t mean He isn’t willing, He is. This is a reminder that not only does God want to do it, God can do it. So ask Him that thing you want to right now and He will answer in Jesus’ name.

Shalom

P.S

Don’t be afraid to ask God what His will is concerning what you’re praying about. You can ask Him and He will respond through His word and Spirit.