He said, “I go to prepare a place for you. He has been there for nearly two thousand years getting it ready. Christ has gone to heaven to prepare a glorious place for us, and what a place it must be. Jesus has given that very same authority to us as His servants today. “Behold I give you authority over all the power of the enemy–over all the powers of the devil–over all the powers of hell–over every diabolical spirit or demon.” (Paraphrased from Matthew 10:1 and Luke 9:1-2) The Word of God preaches healing, and I’m going to preach healing because God is a God of healing. The disciples preached and practiced healing. In Matthew 10:8 Jesus told His disciples, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” Some people say we shouldn’t preach on healing. Christ did not need this authority, He already had it. In Luke 9:1 it says, “He called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.” He said they were to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Now Christ gave His disciples this same authority. Healing comes as you recognize that Jesus has authority over sickness–all He has to do is speak the Word and it shall come to pass. The very moment that you appropriate that faith you will be healed. And dear friend, today, if you have faith in the authority of the Name of Jesus over sickness you will be healed. The thing that brought healing to that centurion’s servant was his faith in the authority there was in the Name of Jesus over sickness. You don’t need to come to my home, all you have to do is say the Word and that sickness will have to leave because you have authority over it.” And Jesus marveled and said, “I have not found such great faith, not in all Israel.” (Paraphrased from Luke 7:3-9). I will tell them to do this or do that and they do what I command them to do.” And he said, “Now Christ, you have authority. The ones over me tell me what to do and I have to obey. The centurion came to Christ, and said, “My servant is sick at home and I want you to heal him.” Jesus said, “I will go.” The centurion said, “Jesus, you don’t need to go and heal him, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but speak the Word and my servant will be healed.” He said, “I am a man of authority. He had the right to enforce obedience, and He had the right to act in the official capacity as the Son of God. He had the right to command the sickness to leave and the devil had to obey. Christ had authority over sickness and the devil. Authority means the right to command obedience, the right to enforce obedience, and the right to act officially. Mark 13:34: “For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.” He gave AUTHORITY to his servants and to every man his work. From “The God of Miracles Lives Today” by Velmer Gardner – 1950
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