During his ministry on earth, Jesus healed men and women in diverse ways. One of them was healing by touching.
Anything Jesus touched, no matter how damaged it was, it was restored. But Jesus was not just touching for the sake of it. His act of touching had a message behind and was also by itself a message.
In the Gospel of Matthew, we find the story of Jesus who touched the leper and healed him.
Matthew 8:3 And Jesus put forth [his] hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
According to Jewish law, if a person touched someone who was unclean, they became unclean also. Leviticus 5:3 states,
“If he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort his uncleanness may be with which he becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty.”
The reason of this law was simple. Leprosy was a dreaded disease in the ancient world. People who contracted the disease were expelled from society and were forced to live on the margins feared and avoided by all. The purpose therefore was to quarantine the leper who was unclean for the protection of non-lepers.
Jesus could have healed the leper with a word. He didn’t need to touch him. In Matthew 8:16, the Bible says,
"When the even was come, they brought to him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick"
So why did he feel the need to touch the leper?
1st reason : Jesus was in no risk of being infected because he is God and is sinless.
The leper could not transmit to Jesus the corruption of his disease but by touching him, Jesus transmitted to him the cleansing of His divinity.
The touch said, "People weren’t supposed to touch you because the disease would be spread, but I touch you, so that the cure could be spread."
A WORD FOR YOU : Jesus did the unthinkable by stretching out His hand and touching the leper … In this season, have faith and believe from your heart that the same way Jesus did to the leper, he is still able to do the unthinkable for you.
2nd reason : Jesus was practically demonstrating love to the unloved, acceptance to the rejected, care to the uncared and consideration to the despised.
The touch said, “I love you. I accept you. I care for you. I sympathize with you when no one else does. I understand you ...”
A WORD FOR YOU : If Jesus was willing to reach out the worst of the lot, he is also willing to reach out and save those family members for whom we may have lost hope – the untouchable ones that seem so cold, so far gone, so hardened to the saving power of Jesus that we should have given up on them a long time ago.
3rd reason : Jesus was confirming to the teachers of the law that He is the end of the law.
Matthew 5:17 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill."
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes.The touch said, "I touch you to put an end to the condemnation of the law and bring you to your place of restoration"
A WORD FOR YOU : In Christ, there is no more condemnation for you. No devil, no demon, no evil spirit, no sickness, no poverty, no challenge, no lack, no stress, no depression are ever permitted to condemn you.
4th reason : Jesus was showing that there is still hope even where there seems to be no hope.
The touch said, "I touch you because there is hope for you"
A WORD FOR YOU : No matter what you go through there is hope for you. No matter the medical report, there is hope for you. No matter how dark your future looks like, there is hope for you. No matter how bad your situation might appear, there is hope for you.
APPLICATION
Rather than seek the lost out, we often run from them because we are scared of the situations that might arise if we befriend them. We all need to make attempts to love those who often go unloved. That is what Jesus modeled here for his disciples. If we are his disciples, we will do the same thing.
Ask yourself those questions today,
Who in your life needs to be touched?
Who in your neighborhood needs a loving word said to them, or a kind deed performed for them?
Do you know that Jesus is still touching lives today? It makes no difference who you are or what you may have done, you are not so bad as to be beyond His glorious touch.
Are you ready to experience His wonderful and personal touch?
PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS AND PRAYERS
PRAYER 1 | FATHER, I SURRENDER TODAY TO YOUR ABLE AND MIGHTY HANDS. THE SAME WAY YOU STRETCHED YOUR HANDS TO HEAL YESTERDAY, STRETCH THEM TO HEAL ME TODAY. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE TOUCHED ME TODAY. I BELIEVE I AM HEALED. I BELIEVE FROM HENCEFORTH MY LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS AND NO ONE WILL PLUCK ME OUT OF IT. IN JESUS NAME I BELIEVE. AMEN !!!
PRAYER 2 | FATHER, CLEANSE. FATHER, ANOINT. FATHER, SANCITFY IN JESUS NAME
"And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt ANOINT IT, TO SANCTIFY IT." (Exodus 29:36)
PRAYER 3 | FATHER, WE PRAY FOR YOUR MARVELOUS DOINGS AND STRANGE ACTS IN OUR MIDST, SUCH AS HAVE NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
"And he said, Behold, I MAKE A COVENANT: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the Lord : for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee." (Exodus 34:10)
SO SHALL IT BE
IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST !
JESUS IS LORD !
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Pastor T.D. KASUKU K.K.
The Word Of Life Church International
Nairobi/Kenya
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