Source: https://nightlightblogdotcom.wordpress.com/tag/victory/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 07:03:41+00:00

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5] And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, 6] they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. 7] And they were preaching the gospel there.
8] And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. 9] This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10] said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. 11] Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12] And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13] Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.
Paul and Barnabas had escaped for their lives from those who were trying to kill them at Iconium and had come to the cities of Lystra and Derbe, where they were preaching the gospel there, v. 7. Not even the threat of death could deter these men from doing what the Lord had called them to do.
There’s probably a great deal that happened in the lives of the early church that we’re not told. That’s true of all the narrative portions of Scripture, not just Acts. For this reason, we ought to pay more attention to what is told us. It isn’t just words to fill up a quota, like a student who might have to write a paper of so many words. It’s important.
What is told us in our text is about a man, whose condition was terrible. And that condition is emphasized. He was a man without strength in his feet. He was a cripple from his mother’s womb. Because of his disability, he had never walked. In short, he was hopeless and helpless.
Even so, he was not beyond the reach of grace and mercy.
Verse 9 says that Paul saw that he had faith to be healed. I’m not exactly sure what to make of this. We’re not told how Peter saw this man’s faith. It doesn’t really matter.
In some circles much is made of “faith healing,” and it’s said that if a person isn’t healed, it’s because he didn’t have “faith.” Now, I believe that God heals. My own mother was told that, because of complications, she wouldn’t walk after she gave birth to me. Well, she did. Yet at least once in our Lord’s ministry, He healed a man who was arguing with him about it, John 5:1-8, although “arguing” is perhaps too strong a word. And in that crowd that surrounded the man, his healing is the only one recorded.
There’s a lot of confusion in current Christianity about this matter of “faith”. Some people seem to think it’s some sort of cosmic bell you ring so that God will come running to see what you want. Other’s say it’s believing what you know isn’t true. Others seem to think it’s some sort of “abracadabra” or “open sesame”. But it’s really very simple. According to Hebrews 11, faith is an active, obedient response to God.
Abraham packed up and moved a long way simply because God told him He would show him when to stop, v. 8. Sarah herself was enabled to become a happy mother when she was at an age where she was way beyond such things, v. 11.
The armies of Israel conquered an impregnable city by simply walking around it for seven days, v. 30, Joshua 6.
To return to Acts 14, there might be more to this healing than is seen at first glance. Luke wrote that he leaped and walked, v. 10. He went there from a place of inactivity and inability. A little child has to go through several stages to learn how to walk, let alone leaping. This man made that transition all at once, with all the knowledge and balance needed.
Leaping and walking, the man was probably also exclaiming and shouting for joy, “I can walk! I can walk!” A natural response. This demonstration of power electrified the crowd, who immediately acknowledged what happened as something only the “gods” could do, and they set about to give these two men the proper reception, as they saw it. They were going to worship them.
Lord willing, we’ll see the response of Paul and Barnabas in our next post.
Acts 3:1-10, An Incident of Healing.
1] Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer. 2] And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of those who entered the temple; 3] who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4] And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5] So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6] Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7] And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8] So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them – walking, leaping, and praising God. 9] And all the people who saw him walking and praising God. 10] Then they knew it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Our post today isn’t so much about this man and his miraculous healing, though we look at it, but about the idea of healing and those who claim to have that gift and ministry. Before we start, I do believe in divine healing. God can heal any disease or deformity. He often does. I just don’t believe in “divine healers,” for reasons given in the post.
In ch. 2:42-47, we have a general statement about the activity of the early church, as well as the attitude of the people and rulers toward it. We believe chapters 3 and 4 give only one incident out of many which could have been given.
2. Whether in the Gospels or in Acts, healing seem to have been given to those obviously and absolutely without hope, humanly speaking, Luke 8:43; John 5:2-5, etc. The Lord or the disciples never just cured a cold.
3. Perhaps because of this “selectivity,” as well as their obviousness, these healings were indisputable. The evidence was open and available to all, cf. Acts 4:14.
4. These healings were almost always public. In our text, it was right in the temple area, a place thronged with people, v. 1. Even in the raising of Dorcas, Acts 9:36-42, though the actual miracle was done privately, v. 40, there was a public presentation of her immediately afterward, v. 41.
6. In line with the above, these healings were spontaneous. There was no advance preparation, publicity or promotion by the church. They did not get together a “healing crusade.” There seems almost to be an “off-handedness” about the whole things, as if “healing” were not preeminently important. In the case before us, Peter and John were on their way to worship and, if there had been no commotion, would have simply continued on their way.
7. The healings were done in order that Christ might be glorified and the Gospel verified, Acts 3:13; Mark 16:18.
“What do you mean?” questioned my friend.
“I don’t ache any more!” was the reply.
If this gentleman had truly been healed after the New Testament manner, he would not have needed the wheelchair!

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