Just Get Me to Jesus

[B]y the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established ~Deuteronomy 19:15b

[B]y the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established ~Matthew 18:16b

This is the Biblical standard for handling a situation. Be it a legal matter, a Church debate, or organizing an argument, the Scripture tells us to base our defenses on more than one proof. That is how God, Himself, operates. He doesn't lay down a standard or system for His people that He does not apply toward Himself. In fact, this standard of witnesses is repeated six times in the Bible (Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:5; Matthew 18:16; 2Corinthians 13:1; 1Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28). God followed His own standard - times two. I think five should be enough...

Jerry Savelle, pastor of Heritage of Faith Christian Center, in Crowley, Texas, says "God never intended prayer to be guesswork." Whether we realize it or not, many of us are guilty of that very thing. 1John 5:14-15 says, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." When an issue is already covered in Scripture, we should not go to God with an attitude of "let's pray about it and see what happens." However, that is exactly what we do at times. Phrases like, "Lord, if it is Your will..." or "Whatever comes, Your will be done" prove the point. While it is essential that we center our lives on the will of God, He has already showed us great depths of that will in His Word. For us to continue to pray as if we didn't know what He wanted to do is to show a great lack of faith in that Word. The Bible tells us that there is a time to pray "if the Lord wills," and it is in regards to situations such as where to live or what job to take (James 4:13-17). However, according to 1John, there are circumstances when prayer should be based on the known will of God. Ephesians 5:17 commands us to find out that known will of God. You're still wondering about the "five," aren't you?

Let's look at five instances where people were not concerned about whether or not Jesus would or would not answer. These individuals had great confidence that, if they could get to Jesus, He would remedy their situation. No guesswork, but complete knowing.

Centurion (Matthew 8:5-13)

Here we see a Roman official approach Jesus on behalf of a sick servant. And what do we see him say to Jesus? "Only speak a word, and my servant will be healed." That is all this man needed. He knew that all he needed to do was ask Jesus to command it, and the healing would come. 

Hemorrhaging Woman (Mark 5:25-34) 

This woman didn't even ask! This woman knew that all she needed to do was get close enough to touch Jesus, and she would receive her healing. This woman, under Levitical law, should have been executed for being in that crowd. Yet, she knew that getting to Jesus was the key. She didn't say, 'maybe I will be healed if I can get to Jesus." She said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

 Jairus (Luke 8:41-56)

 While this situation with the woman was taking place, Jairus is standing by trying not to lose his cool. He approached Jesus the moment He stepped off a boat in Capernum and implored that Jesus come and heal his daughter. He was waiting by the shore for Jesus to arrive, because he knew that if he could get Jesus, his daughter would be made well. He didn't implore Jesus by saying, "Lord, if it be Your will." Mark 5:23 tells us that Jairus said, "come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live." He knew that if Jesus got involved, his situation would be fixed. 

Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52)

 This man would stop at nothing to get Jesus' attention. He sat on the ground, hollering out over the noise of the crowd, in hopes that Jesus would look His way. He didn't care what he looked like, he just knew that if he could get Jesus to look his way, he would receive the petition of his heart. 

The Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)

 These men were so determined to get their friend to Jesus, that they tore up the roof of Jesus' house to do it! That is determination. They ripped up the house, and lowered the man in. At this point, they didn't need to ask - it is obvious what they wanted. Jesus just watched it unfold, and then forgave the man of his sins and healed him. There was no guesswork involved with Jesus; they knew that they had to get to Jesus, and that He would heal their friend if they did.

How do I know that all these people knew Jesus would respond they way they wanted? Jesus tells me. In the case of the Centurion, Jesus said, "I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel... Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” To the woman who broke the law to touch Him (without asking), He declared, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Jesus had to make sure Jairus didn't waver in the faith he had approached Jesus with in Mark 5:23, so He said “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” Jesus told Bartimaeus that, "your faith has made you well.” And it was "When Jesus saw their faith," that He moved on behalf of the paralytic man. 

I used five instances concerning healing, because that is without a doubt the most difficult thing for us as Christians to believe for. We have seen too many people suffer without relief, and it has weakened our ability to believe that it is the Lord's will to heal, every time. Yet, according to the Biblical standard, we have more than sufficient proof that it is the Lord's will to heal, and that it is our faith that is the determining factor in whether we receive it or not. 1John 5:14 shows us that the same holds true with all of our prayers. We are not to pray with an attitude of "Let's see what God thinks about it," unless the situation is not directly addressed in the Bible (again, James 4:13-17). If we have Biblical evidence, we are to stand on and pray according to it. Jesus told us to believe that we have received the answers to our prayers when we pray them (Mark 11:24). He told us that if we center our lives around Him, we will have whatever we ask of the Father in His name (John 15:16). All we have to do is go to Jesus on the authority of His Word, and He will remedy our situations. All of them.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God ~Romans 10:17

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] ~John 16:33, AMPLIFIED