“And it came to pass also on another Sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, ‘Stretch forth thy hand.’ And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other” (Luke 6:6,10).
A man with a withered hand was in the synagogue, and Jesus called him forth. He said, “Stretch forth your hand,” and He made the man’s hand as whole as the other. A miracle had just occurred. However, that miracle wasn’t just something that fell on this man; his faith worked.
How do we know that? Well, remember the man had a withered hand. Jesus called him forward and said, “Stretch out your hand.” If that man had just been waiting on a miracle, he might have said, “What do you mean, stretch it forth? That’s why I’m here – it doesn’t stretch! I’m waiting for You to heal me so I can stretch it!”
But this man’s faith was in operation. You see, faith always does what it can do. But if it stops there, it isn’t real faith. Real faith does what it can do and then attempts to do what it cannot do.
So when Jesus said, “Stretch out your hand,” the man stretched it out. A person can’t stretch a hand that doesn’t stretch, so the man wouldn’t have even tried to stretch his withered hand if he weren’t expecting something to happen.
Why did the man expect something to happen? Because he was in faith. How did he get in faith? Verse 6 says that Jesus “entered into the synagogue and taught.” The man had heard Jesus teach.
That was the way it usually happened in Jesus’ ministry. Before most of the major miracles occurred, the people first heard Him teach. Then after they had heard the Word, they were healed. And the same is true today!
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
I hear the Word on healing and act on what it says to me,
and I confidently believe I receive my healing!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
For over 40 years, Pastors Mark and Janet Brazee have traveled throughout the world sharing the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Together they've shared the powerful truths of faith and healing in more than 50 nations.
Today Mark and Janet pastor World Outreach Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they base their ongoing outreach to the world. The Brazees still travel as the Lord leads, and they are raising up a congregation who share their passion to reach Tulsa and the world.