SCRIPTURE: Mark 1:29-39
OBSERVATION:
Jesus performs a variety of miracles, but does not see healing as His primary purpose.
Jesus made the time to be alone with the Father.
Jesus silenced the demons, not because Jesus didn’t want people to know but because the demons could hinder His mission with popularity.
Jesus rebukes the fever… as a conscious spirit or as a unconscious disease?
Jesus does not set His schedule according to the demands of the people by to the Father’s plan – which He learned through His ‘quiet time’.
APPLICATION:
Where/when do I get my instructions, do I pay attention to Your leading to choose my path?
Am I doing the Lord’s will, or pandering to the will of the people (the squeaky wheels in church) – feed me, heal me, listen to me, comfort me, take care of me.
Do I have a clear sense of my purpose, like Jesus did, which helps me schedule my day?
If I was more aligned to Your purpose, would I also see more miracles (greater things)?
PRAYER:
Lord, remind me of why You have called me. Help me to see beyond peoples’ demands and expectations to what You want me to do. May I daily set time apart with You to allow Your Spirit to guide me. And please grant that I may see miracles occur through Your work in/through me. Amen.
Mark 1:29-39
Jesus seems to equate preaching with healing and driving out demons, especially the latter ( verse39)
Jesus healed many, not necessarily all
Jesus let nothing distract him from solitary prayer time with the Father.
Jesus
Physically touching the sick seems to be required for healing.
Intimacy with the Father is of first importance if I am going to see healing and deliverance. If even Jesus had to find time to commune with the Father how much more do I have to go into the secret place with my Father.
Jesus did not engage the demonic powers in a conversation let alone a debate. May I too discern such evil powers but like Jesus did never give them any credence by engaging them in discussion but rather in the authority of Jesus name cast them out. I know we all tend to avoid even thinking about demons in our enlightened world except perhaps in a figurative sense but Jesus ministry makes it clear to me that demons are real entities that seek to deceive and destroy us. Jesus does not focus on demons but almost as an aside, as he heals people of their diseases and preaches the good news of the kingdom he also drives out demons. May we also as good reformed Christians not just focus on the word and the kingdom and find our work undermined or sabotaged by demonic forces we fail to recognize and drive out.
Lord I pray for the gift of discerning of spirits and the boldness to speak to demons and drive them out in Your name and set the prisoners free. I also ask for Your protection even as I write this prayer because I know that without your angels we cannot engage the enemy. But Lord I thank you that you, who live in my heart are much greater that he who is in the world. I praise you that you made a mockery of Satan and his demons at the cross. Satan you are a defeated foe. Thank you Jesus for the promise that nothing can separate me from the love of God …including angels and demons. Thank you Lord for setting me free. You are Lord and an awesome God.