Faith Comes Before the Physical Evidence

The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” Jesus said to him, “Go your way, your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.                                                                                                                                    -John 4:49-50

The nobleman said, “Jesus, if You come, my son will live; if You don’t, he’ll die. Work a special miracle. Move in a sovereign way.”

Jesus replied, “Go your way, and believe what I say: Your son lives.”

That put the nobleman in a difficult spot. He had traveled more than twenty miles to see Jesus. That was a long trip, even if he had the fastest chariot around! He didn’t see or feel anything—no burning bush, no goose bumps, no gifts of the Spirit in manifestation. All he had to hold on to were the bare words of Jesus the master.

So the nobleman had to make the choice: Should I stand here and argue with Jesus, or should I take Him at His Word?

The man decided to turn around and head home. He simply stepped out, believing the word that was spoken. As he traveled back to his home, the devil probably tried to talk to his mind, saying, How can you just accept Jesus’ words? Your son is in bad shape! Don’t you have any feelings? Jesus isn’t coming back with you!

The nobleman demonstrated true faith. He traveled home, believing his son was well, with nothing but the Word of God to stand on. He probably traveled at least ten miles before he met his servants, who gave him the good news about his son: “Your son lives” (v. 51).

The nobleman had already believed for an entire day with no physical evidence that his son was getting better. Then he heard the good news about his son’s healing and realized it had occurred at the same time that Jesus had said, “Go your way, your son lives” (v. 50)!

This is a picture of faith toward God. The minute the nobleman believed the spoken Word and headed for home, acting as though it were true, his son began to amend.

CONFESSION:

The Word says by Jesus’ stripes I am healed. I believe that Word, not according to how I feel, but according to what God has said. I count the work done! My body will begin to amend from this very hour!

From: A Devotional for Divine Health Prescription for a Miracle, Mark Brazee, 1999