Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.
ACTS 14:9–10
The man with the crippled feet listened attentively to these two followers of Jesus. As he listened to them preach, he marveled at their boldness. They preached with such authority, such certainty that Jesus was truly the Messiah and that God was offering salvation to anyone, Jew or Gentile, who came to Him through Jesus. He heard these men had done many miraculous signs and wonders in the neighboring town of Iconium in Galatia, but their preaching caused controversy. They were forced to run for their lives to his hometown of Lystra when a murderous mob decided to attack and stone them to death. Nothing seemed to stop them from preaching this good news.
He had been crippled since birth. He had never walked. As he listened to their words, something deep inside him began to stir. What if it was true? What if this Jesus truly was the Son of God who came to take away the sins of the world? What if He had the compassion and power to heal and restore? They said that by the power of His name, the blind see, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, and the lame walk. The lame walk. What if… What if I could walk? His heart filled with hope at the thought of a completely changed life—no more crutches, no longer using his knees as feet, no more dragging his worthless limbs through the dirt. He saw himself walking.
At that moment, Paul noticed him. Paul looked into his eyes and could see he had the faith to be healed. He stopped his preaching and called out in a loud voice to the crippled man, “Stand up!” Without thinking, he found himself jumping to his feet. He could walk! Praise Jesus, he could walk (Acts 14:8–10)!
The Holy Spirit gave Paul the knowledge that this crippled man had taken God at His word. He believed that Jesus could make him walk. He believed before he received. Jesus said we can pray for anything, and if we believe that we’ve received it, it will be ours (Mark 11:24). But most of us pray backwards. We lift up our requests to God and wait for the answers to manifest. When we receive an answer, then we believe. Paul didn’t even have to pray for this man. He simply asked for the evidence of what this man believed to be revealed. He proclaimed out loud what had already been done in heaven.
Like this crippled man, you can rise up in faith and take what you believe rightfully belongs to you. You can take by faith what God has promised and hold on to it for dear life. You can believe and receive.
Father God, I know healing is no problem for You. Help me have faith like this crippled man. Help me to take You at Your word, to rise up in faith and take hold of Your promises. Help me to see myself healed and to see myself in perfect health. Help me not to focus on my current circumstances, but to believe the eternal things that are not seen (2 Corinthians 4:18). Please give me faith to “[call] those things which do not exist as though they did” (Romans 4:17 NKJV). When I read Your Word, help me to truly believe You are speaking to me and that I can have all that You promise. Help me to believe and then receive.
When we pray as You taught us, that “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we are praying for the heavenly reality to be evidenced here on earth. Lord, there is no sickness in heaven. If this condition that I suffer from cannot exist in heaven, then it cannot exist here. Right now, I call heaven to earth. I see myself healed and restored. I take You at Your word. And I ask for evidence of what I believe to be revealed. I stand up in faith and take what rightfully belongs to me. Lord, I believe. I receive by faith all that You freely give.