Discipleship Training: Week 11 by Heather Compton

Turn in your bibles to Matthew 8

Today, let's take a deep dive into some of the miracles of Jesus. This chapter alone documents 6 separate times where miracles manifested. 

The first miracle listed is Jesus cleansing a leper. You can also read about this in Mark 1:40-45 and Luke 5:12-14. It took great faith for this man to even come to Jesus and ask for a miracle.  By law, he wasn't permitted to be around other people. Take a look at verses 3 and 4. We see that Jesus stretched out His hand and touched the man.  This demonstrates the authority He had over this extremely contagious disease and the law which prohibited anyone from touching a leper.  Jesus wasn't afraid of the leprosy or the law. He simply went around and did His fathers business. The same authority Jesus walked with, He transferred to us. We have authority over sickness and disease. We also see that the leper asked Jesus if He was willing to heal him and Jesus replied that He was willing! It is His will that we all walk in health. Healing is a part of your benefit package of the believer (see Psalms 103:1-6)!  This is something to rejoice about. 

The second miracle was the healing of a centurion's servant. You can also read about this miracle in Luke 7:1-10. Jesus was willing to come with the man and heal his servant, but the centurion responded that he understood authority and the power of HIS word.  At this Jesus marveled at this man's faith. It is documented the man was healed at the very time that Jesus spoke the Word! His Word is powerful (alive and active-see Hebrews 4:12). His Word still works the same today. Speak HIS WORDS over your situation and watch it turn around for your good! 

After this, Peter's mother-in-law was healed and many more that evening were healed and delivered.  This miracle is also recorded in Mark 1:29-31 and Luke 4:38-39. With Peter’s mother-in-law, He simply touched her and she was healed. The manifestation was immediate, so much so, she was able to get up and serve them. That's complete and immediate healing! With the others, He spoke the Word (His Word) and they were healed and demons were cast out.  Again, His Word works!  Speak it today over your life.

The next miracle documented was when the winds and waves obeyed him (we discussed this miracle a few weeks ago). We see the disciples in the boat with Jesus when the storm started. He simply rebuked the storm with his words and then there was great calm. He looked to his disciples and asked why they were so fearful and asked them why they had such little faith.  

Internal Reflection: What words are coming out of your mouth daily?  Are you speaking what you currently see, or what you expect to see?  Are you finding out what He has to say about your situation and speaking that or are you speaking the report the world has given you? What you say dictates what you will see. Jesus never approached a situation and spoke what He saw. He looked past the natural and by supernatural power changed what He saw. We have this same authotity. What can you do NOW to fix your mouth? Use a separate sheet of paper for this.

There is one more miracle documented in this chapter. What miracle is it?  What can you take away from this miracle? Can you find this miracle in any of the other gospels?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Memory Verse: Hebrew 4:12 (take time to memorize)

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.