Just Say The Word

Matthew 8: 8-9 *The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, *‘Go,’ *and he goes; and to another, *‘Come here,’ *and he comes; and to my slave, *‘Do this,’ *and he does it.” *

Whose in charge?

The Centurion in the bible passage above believed that Jesus could say the word and his servant would heal. A Centurion was an officer in the Roman Army with a hundred men obeying his every command. Do you have anyone obeying your every command? While I raised my children to “obey,” I can honestly say that I don’t know what it’s like to hear, “Yes, Ma’am, right away, Ma’am.” I am not an officer and have no first-hand knowledge of this kind of obedience. However, there was an officer in the Roman Army who had a hundred men obeying his every command. He understood authority, and he recognized Jesus’ authority. This Centurion believed in Jesus and believed He was God. He knew He had supernatural power and commanded a supernatural army. The Centurion recognized the King of Kings.

Only Say the Word

This pagan Centurion soldier knew more about Jesus than any of the people of Israel. Where did he get this knowledge? How did he come to know Jesus? He knew that Jesus only needed to say the Word and the wind, the waves, the mountain, disease, sickness, even the stars, the sun, and the moon would obey without thinking twice. The Centurion believed that Jesus controlled the universe and everything in it with His Word. This soldier recognized Jesus’ authority and power and that he was God. “Only say the Word,” the Centurion said. “It will be done for you just as you believed it would be done,” Jesus said. This man was a believer, his faith was extraordinary; Jesus blessed him for it.

I can hear him now, telling his servant, “Don’t worry, I am going to get Jesus; I am leaving to go get the healer.” Jesus will heal you. All I have to do is ask.

Jesus heals everyone.

Jesus does not discriminate who he heals (i.e. Gentiles, Jews, etc).  In the Old Testament, Gentiles were not allowed to share the same roof with a Jew, let alone a Rabbi. Gentiles knew their place among the Jews. The Centurion knew where he ranked in relation to Jesus: he knew he was not worthy of having Jesus come into his house. He knew where he stood, yet, still, he believed not only that Jesus could heal, but that He would heal even the Centurion, a Gentile. His faith was so complete; Jesus described it as “GREAT FAITH.”

“Time doesn’t heal all wounds; God heals wounds.” – Pete Wilson

The Centurion must have known not only the power and might of Jesus but also His heart. Jesus wants us to see that He loves us enough to heal us. Don’t doubt it: be like the Centurion and expect His love for you, His child. The Centurion believed in Jesus’ love for him. He believed Jesus would heal him even though he did not deserve it.

After asking for prayer, believe!

Faith is essential. Believe God cares for you. Believe enough to ask with expectancy. Ask God, and then believe He will do it for you. Often, though, something like this happens. Someone will ask for prayer because they are desperate, and right after the prayer, they continue to complain as if they hadn’t prayed at all. Believe and do not let complaining rob you of your answer to prayer. Complaining is the opposite of faith. When we complain we doubt our prayer was heard.

Our faith is based on believing without seeing.

We have more faith than we know. Let me suggest: we have even MORE faith than the Centurion. We never saw Jesus face to face, yet we believe. Jesus didn’t pass through our town in the flesh, yet we believe. We can say we have more faith than the Centurion because we believe without seeing!

Lord, I am not worthy.

As Catholics, we pray right before communion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, just say the Word, Lord, and my soul shall be healed.” The words were changed to this recently. It used to say, “Just say the Word, Lord, and I shall be healed.” Because that is what the scripture passage says, I still say it this way. The passage talks about physical healing. I may even add a name of a friend who is battling illness; for example, “Just say the Word, Lord, and Vivian will be healed.”

Matthew 8: 10,13 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.”… 13And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” And at that very hour, his servant was healed.

Do you have the faith of the Centurion?

Jesus was amazed at the faith of this Centurion. No one in all of Israel had faith like this man. What kind of faith was it? We should all want to duplicate this kind of faith. Did he go to church once a day; did he pray the correct prayers and obey all the commandments? What earned him this attention? Why did Jesus proclaim the Centurion’s faith to those following Him? What made his faith greater than everyone else’s faith? Simple: this Centurion believed in Jesus’ love. He believes His love extended even to the lowly servant of a Gentile. This man put no limit on God’s love.

I want the faith of the Centurion to speak to God like I am His child, and He is my father who loves me and wants to give me the world. We limit God all the time.

Are you suffering from disease, depression, cancer, Alzheimer’s, dementia…..?

God wants you healed, and I want to prove it to you.

“Be Healed in the Name of Jesus”