Focus: The Ministry of Christ

Text: Mt.9:35

"And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, TEACHING in their synagogues, and PREACHING the gospel of the kingdom, and HEALING every sickness and every disease among the people."

The ministry of Jesus Christ is in three categories or dimensions. He taught, preached and healed. Each aspect of His ministry touched a different part of the human personality.

He stirred the heart by preaching, spurred the mind by teaching, soothed the body by healing, and by so doing He brings the whole personality together. He left no aspect of the personality untouched.

Our ministry today should not be different. People are broken and need mending. They are mentally shattered and scattered and need reassembling. They are sick from top to bottom, and need cure. Through the instrumentality of the word we are able to effect changes and work miracles in people's lives.

Jesus says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, THE WORKS THAT I DO SHALL HE DO ALSO; and GREATER WORKS than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (Jh.14:12). The believer takes over from Christ and represents Him here on earth. What Jesus Christ began to DO and TEACH while here on earth we are called to continue and get it done (Act.1:1). We continue in the place of Christ.

We are called to do the very works Jesus did, and even more. How did Jesus do it? He tells us, "But the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works" (Jh.14:10). The Father living in Him did all the works. He simply consecrated and yielded Himself to the Father. He made Himself useful and useable. Same thing for us. The Christ in us will do the works. Ours is to be available for His ability to work through us. Ours is to believe God for the miraculous.

God says, "For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,' says the Lord" (Jer.30:17). God Himself is the healer, not us. We are vessels in His hands.

God's word works. God's word informs the mind, forms the heart, and cures the body. Let your prayer be: Lord, use me for Your own glory. Pass through me to others. Touch lives through me.

The Word says, "And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul" (Act.19:11). God can do the unusual through you. God can make your hands work incredible miracles. Remember the works of God are done by the believer, not the super saint or the super-anointed. The supernatural work of Christ has nothing to do with titles or academic degrees, but with simple faith in Christ and with the mantle of the Holy Spirit.

As you are reading this, I call on the Lord to touch your heart, transform your mind, and heal your body, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter