Faith Healing

As they approached Jesus, ten men suffering from leprosy cried out, “Have mercy on us” (Luke 17:13). Leprosy was a feared disease, a terminal illness in the time of Christ. But Jesus did indeed have mercy on them. When He saw them, He simply said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests” (verse 14).

He did not tell them to wash their eyes in a pool.

He did not apply a healing solution.

He didn’t so much as spend time interviewing them.

He simply told them to go and see the priests, whose job it was to declare a leprosy sufferer officially healed of their illness.

On another occasion, a leper approached Jesus and said, “Lord, if You are willing, you can make me clean” (Matthew 8:2).

Jesus’ response to the lone leper differed from His response to the ten. “Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed” (verse 3.) The touch of Jesus’ hand accompanied by His Word was all that was necessary to effect healing for the suffering man.

In the case of the ten, the Bible says, they were healed “as they went.” Jesus didn’t heal them and then send them on their way.

He sent them on their way, and then they were healed as they went believing His Word. This is an example of how real faith works.

Acting on the Word of God and expecting it to do what God says it will do —as in the case of the ten lepers— is faith in action.

You can possess that same faith and expect to see the same results. When you claim the promises of God and expect them to do what they say in accordance with God’s will, you can expect to see God work. Jesus invites us to take Him at His word and trust that He will act on our behalf. The Word of God will do what it says it will do.