Magnificent Prayer #227
Magnificent Prayer #227
A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demonpossession.”
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”
“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Matthew 15:22–28
While we recognize the doctrine of divine sovereignty, this should no more keep us from asking in faith for the healing of our bodies than the doctrine of election should prevent our asking with the fullest assurance for the salvation of our souls. We must not bear so hard upon divine sovereignty as practically to deny man’s freedom to ask or expect miraculous healing.
Some even push God almost into an iron fixedness where even the Almighty is not at liberty to work miracles any longer—as though God was under bonds to restrain this office of His omnipotence since the apostolic age. We must keep these two great elements of prayer in equilibrium: believing strongly but asking submissively. We should present our request with one hand holding up “Thus saith the Lord,” and the other hand holding up “The will of the Lord be done.”
A. J. GORDON
Pray About It: In recent decades the subject of divine healing has largely been preached in Pentecostal churches. It wasn’t always that way. Many men and women of God believed strongly in the power of God to heal the sick: Andrew Murray, A. B. Simpson, R. A. Torrey, and A. J. Gordon to name just a few. Study the Word, read books by men and women of faith, and apply the Word to your situation. Divine healing is the children’s bread. You’re one of the children.
O! Be not hopeless, be not despondent. There is a balm in Gilead, there is a Physician there, there is healing for our sickness. What is impossible with man is possible with God. What you see no possibility of doing, grace will do. Confess the disease, trust the Physician, claim the healing, pray the prayer of faith.
ANDREW MURRAY
From the book
