He Sent His Word and Healed Them — Joshua Daniel

Welcome to the Lord's Challenge, our weekly quarter-hour broadcast bringing the reality of God's Word to all people everywhere. Stay tuned as Joshua Daniel challenges us to a walk with God and the corresponding impact that it will have on our lives, families and society today.

God's Word Sent to Heal and Deliver

Now folks, let's first of all turn to Psalm 107. This scripture has become very meaningful to me and I lean heavily upon this word. Psalm 107, verse 20. He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions.

Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. He sent his word. Sometimes I ask myself, am I denuding the word of its native power, intrinsic power?

The Reliability of God's Word Compared With Human Promises

You know friends, this is a word which proceeds from God and it shall accomplish that which he pleases. Now that's the kind of word that we need, you know. I often make fun of the words of politicians, a bunch of lies, many of them.

And I say, hey, the newspaper is full of the words of politicians and others who promise but can never deliver. But the word of God is so different. He sent his word and healed them. On one occasion as I was traveling along, I had to catch a train.

Trusting God's Word for Healing

But they said to me, here's a young fellow who's critically ill and there's an epidemic of jaundice in the city and many are dying in the ward and we have just a few minutes. Could you pray for this young man?

I did want to pray for him. So I got on the pillion of a little scooter and was taken to the ward. And I saw this young man, prayed with him and upon inquiry, I heard from the other doctors, converted doctors, that medicine was doing him no good at all.

His condition was no better. And around him, people were dying. However, I don't do this often, but I said to him, you had better go home. God will heal you. And you know, the doctors would not let him go.

They said, first of all, give us an assurance. Sign this paper that at your own risk, you're leaving. But he did and was healed. So on a few occasions like that, I've seen how the word of God, you know, friends, we talk about faith, but I tell you, we are employing faith just to a very minimal extent.

Faith, Healing, and the Limits of Human Ability

Faith in the Lord Jesus. Now, it's all a wordy type of sing-along type of religion. Not real. The situation around us is so critical today that people are crying out for help. And medical men, in spite of their hard work, are finding themselves inadequate.

And so many diseases, they come out and tell you, we have no cure. We have done all that can possibly be done, and there's no cure. He sent his word and healed them. What about that? It becomes very hard when the crowd becomes 100 ,000 or 10 ,000, 8 ,000, big numbers like that.

You can't see everybody, but I expect the word of God to do it. It's not me. You know, somehow preachers, whether they like it or not, tend to make people to focus on them. What is in man? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

And some people, of course, employ these things as a means to get money. It is simply shocking. The many people whom my father prayed for, and people who would have been in the grave years ago, and still living, some of them, never were they asked for a penny.

Never. It has nothing to do with money. Your money perish with you, said Peter. What? You want to buy the gift of God and this power through money? No. Money has no relevance here. Absolutely nothing.

Anchoring Hope in Christ Rather Than Money

Faith. Unfortunately, we have sunk very low in faith. And therefore, we subject ourselves to a lot of unnecessary suffering. When a father and mother cannot be agreed in prayer over the healing of a child, what happens?

The child suffers. You know, sometimes I have seen a father far away and falling into some sin, and the children get attacked at home. You know, folks, I come across very real situations. A young man said, my mother is in coma in the Middle East, in one of those oil countries.

What? Your mother? She left the children and went there? Yes, there are many people who are going to the oil countries and where they can find some money, neglecting their families, husbands, leaving the family, the mothers.

And she died there. And this son had to retrieve the body of his mother. You know, either you're anchoring your hope in money or you're anchoring your hope in Christ. You can't have both choices. The lifestyle and values that people are choosing today, and those values make money the goal.

Anyone who makes money their goal is going to be a very sad, disappointed person. But that's how it is today. When we come to our Lord Jesus Christ, you will see in Matthew 8, 5,. And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

The Centurion's Faith in Christ's Authoritative Word

And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof, but speak the word only, speak the word only. And my servant shall be healed, for I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me.

And I say to this man, go, and he goeth. And I say to another, come, and he cometh. And to my servant, do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to them that followed, Truly I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Just think of that. Here was a Roman captain, and he applied his military order, you know, the kind of ordering that a military man knows, he was applying it to the realm of religion and healing. Speak the word.

I'm a captain. When I say come, there comes my soldier. When I say do this, there goes my servant immediately and does it. You don't have to come under my roof, for I am not worthy. You know, friends, when we come before the Lord, I can't see how I can ever feel worthy.

He picked me up out of the miry clay. Let us pray. Let us tell God, Lord, am I depleting, am I denuding the power in your word? Lord, is your word treasured in my heart? Do I have a word to pass on to someone in great need?

Lord, teach me to do your will. Teach me to be faithful. We ask this in Jesus' holy name. Amen.

The speaker on this program was Joshua Daniel. He would like to know what your response has been to the Lord's challenge and would be delighted to hear from you. Please write, and if you have burdens you want to share and want prayer, do let us know.

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