A few weeks ago I was talking with a man about the Bible. In the conversation he brought up a certain well-known minister and started making fun of him. He thought it was funny because this particular minister taught healing. Then he started going through the usual worn out jokes about faith healers.
Then it hit me. That’s just the way it was when Jesus was here on earth. He went from village to village teaching the gospel and healing the sick. Jesus was a faith healer. Let me explain.
In Mark 5:25, a woman had been sick for twelve years. She had gone to the doctors of the day and suffered many things. They had taken all her money and to top it off, she was in worse condition after her treatments than before.
Then she heard about Jesus. She pushed her way through the crowd until she was behind him. Then she reached out and touched the hem of His garment. She knew that if she could just touch His clothes, she would be made well. As soon as she touched His robe, she was healed. She knew and felt the healing in her body at that very moment.
The Bible says that immediately Jesus knew that power had gone out of Him and He turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” When He saw the woman, she was trembling and she fell before Him at His feet.
At that point Jesus turned to her and said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”
Jesus didn’t say that her church attendance healed her. Her donations didn’t heal her. Even her righteousness didn’t heal her. What healed her? According to Jesus, her faith made her well.
Is faith required for healing? Well, it sure looks that way. Any time God moves, faith is involved.
During another conversation, a man said, “You aren’t one of those faith people, are you?” That question put a smile on my face. It felt good to see that someone noticed I had a desire to walk in faith. My response was this, “Yes, guilty as charged! I am one of those faith people!”
Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Faith is required by God to please God. What is faith? Faith is simply believing that God will do what He said He would do and believing it so much that you instinctively place all your trust in His Word.
So today, I encourage you. Believe the Word of God and act on it. That’s faith. And faith is the catalyst to the Word of God. God has promised us many things in His Word. As we reach out and touch His Word, it is our faith that activates it.
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Dr. Larry Ollison is founder and Senior Pastor of Walk on the Water Faith Church and founder of Larry Ollison Ministries. With over forty years in the ministry, he is a very popular speaker nationally and internationally and ministers the Word of Faith through radio, television, Internet, and daily e-mail devotionals. As the author of eight books (including The Power of Grace, The Practical Handbook for Christian Living, Breaking the Cycle of Offense, Life is in the Blood, and recently released The Paradise of God), he is in frequent demand for radio/TV interviews, book signings, and magazine publications.
Dr. Ollison was raised a Southern Baptist. While majoring in theology at Southwest Baptist University, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For many years he traveled extensively speaking at Full Gospel Business Men's meetings and conventions. He later earned an M.A. in Theology and a Ph.D. and Th.D. from Life Christian University.
Currently President of International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM), Dr. Ollison is also Vice-President of Spirit FM Christian Radio Network, Missouri State Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and a Trustee on the boards of several international ministries. He is also the host of The Cutting Edge Radio Broadcast and authors The Cutting Edge Daily Devotional.
As the owner of a marine dealership, his extensive business background brings a unique flavor to his teaching. He founded and served as chairman of the Missouri State Marine Board, President of the Marine Dealers’ Association, Vice-President of a bank holding company, along with holding several directorships in various corporations.
Dr. Ollison's strongest areas of teaching are the blood of Jesus, faith, relationships, the Hebrew language, the Holy Spirit, the end times, and heaven. During ministry, he operates freely in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His use of humor and his ability to make a theological concept simple makes it enjoyable and easy for everyone to understand. Countless testimonies have been received from people who say their lives have been changed after experiencing Dr. Ollison's unique ministry.
Dr. Ollison is a pastor, pilot, teacher, and author. His number one goal is to meet the needs of the people through the teaching of faith in God's Word. He and his wife, Loretta, have two children and six grandchildren.