UNDER DIVINE AUTHORITY

There was a uniqueness in the ministry of Jesus. He never really prayed for a sick person. He used the authority His Father gave Him.

One day Jesus met a man in the synagogue who had a withered hand. Jesus did not pray for him to be healed. He looked at the man with the withered hand and said, “Sir, stretch forth thy hand.” Jesus spoke the word. In obedience to His spoken word the withered hand came out and became perfectly whole (Mark 3:1-5). “Speak the word.”

A leper came to Jesus and bowed before Him on the street comer. He said, “If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.” Jesus did not pray for him. He looked at him and said, “I will; be thou clean.” When He spoke the word, the leprosy disappeared. The man’s flesh instantly became perfectly whole like that of a new baby under the authority of the spoken word of Jesus Christ (Matthew 8:2-3).

He said to the man at the pool, “Rise.” (John 5:8)
He said to the blind, “See.” (Luke 7:21)
He said to the deaf, “Hear.” (Mark 7:32-35)
He said to the demons, “Come out” (Matthew 9:32-33) and the religious leaders of His day said: …What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. (Mark 1:27)
He said to the winds and the waves, “Peace, be still.” (Mark 4:39)

When Jesus stood outside the tomb of Lazarus as the stone was rolled away, He looked up at His Father and said, “Father, the power is so strong, the anointing is so strong, the authority You have given to Me is so strong, I could just look in that tomb and Lazarus would come out. But because of all the people who are standing by here, I am going to say it.”

. . .Jesus did not go into the tomb and massage Lazarus.
. . .He did not give him spiritual mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
. . .He did not even pray for him. Jesus looked in that grave and said, “Lazarus, come out of there. Come forth!” He spoke the word and Lazarus came out still wrapped with grave clothes. Jesus said, “Cut him loose. Let him go free” (John 11:44).

Jesus was a Man under divine authority. That same divine authority is available to you today.