Faith Which Comes Through Him

This morning I am back in the Book of Acts, chapter 3.  My meditation yesterday morning is continuing to produce fruit in my mind and spirit, so I figured it is good for another day! :-)

Here are the verses I am reflecting on this morning - Acts 3:6-16,19-20 NIV:

[6] "Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” [7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. [8] He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. [9] When all the people saw him walking and praising God, [10] they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him." 

[11] "While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. [12] When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? [13] The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. [14] You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. [15] You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. [16] By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see." 

[19] "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, [20] and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you---even Jesus."

I just love this story, for the miraculous restoration of the man's legs, his muscles, tendons, ligaments and the ability to use them in an instant is just not possible outside of God's intervention.  The best medical science we have today, could not accomplish this!  Even if you completely surgically replaced his legs, with working ones, and were able to reattach all the nerves so that they worked perfectly, it would take the man months of rehab, to learn how to walk, as He had never been able to do so from birth.  In an instant he is completely restored, and not only are all the muscles and connective tissues working, he is able to stand walk, and even leap!  The people were rightly filled with wonder and amazement!

What is every bit as wonderful is that God is doing similar things even today!  He has never stopped working miracles, and healings in the lives of people, we just don't hear much about them, unless they happen in our immediate relationships, or go searching for them.  There are three ministries that I am aware of that regularly see miracles and healings.  The Ministries of Randy Clark and Global Awakening, Bill Johnson and Bethel Redding, CA, and Heidi Baker, and Iris International.  I know there are many other ministries, but these three are good places to start if you want to hear and see what God is doing, even today.  Randy Clark, specifically, has worked hard to bring medical verification into the church, so that we are presented not just stories, but medically verified proof.  Each of these ministry web-sites have healing testimonies, and are worth checking out.

Secondly, the verse that really caught my attention was verse 16 - "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see."   I like the New King James version of this verse a little better - Acts 3:16 NKJV:  And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all."

The idea that the faith comes through Jesus is interesting.  In my past I have heard how its the faith of the individual, or the faith of the one praying, but here we see that faith comes through Jesus.  It is as if Jesus is supplying the faith, to have faith in His name and faith that brought healing and restoration.  He really is the whole solution, if I could say it that way.  He is able to do what only God can do, because He is God!   

Lord, I pray that once again You would stir up faith in Your Name, faith that You are the Son of God, faith that You are able to heal, faith that leads to healing and restoration, faith that leads to times of refreshing and repentance!  Lord, we want to fully experience Your sovereignty, authority and power that we might bear witness to You, and to Your Name!  We pray that once again people would be filled with wonder and amazement at Your works in our lives.  Help us to walk in that same faith, the faith You provide, the faith that comes through You!

Amen and Amen!