Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them (Luke 5:17).
From Luke 5:17-26 we have an extraordinary storyline of the Lord Jesus Christ reaching out to the Pharisees and teachers of the law - “the power (Gk.dunamis: force, might or strength) of the Lord was present to heal them.” Who would think these leaders to need healing? Yet, why not, given the enslaved, oppressed, and despairing condition of Israel and the powerlessness of these leaders to bring healing to their nation? Would not these keepers of the covenant and promises of God be disillusioned with God? Would they not feel helpless, sick in soul, while still trying to represent and encourage the faith of their people? The very corruption in their ranks (as woefully declared in Matt.23) was the symptom of a grave illness.
The power was present to heal. Oh, does not power answer all things?! We can dispute doctrine over and over, but when God acts in power, doctrine is established immediately on the basis of what we have just experienced. Understanding comes clear, certain for its meaning and we become all the more confident in our walk with the Lord. Is not the testimony of power the answer to every argument? (Acts 11:1-18 is a perfect example of that.) Can we not see these leaders being drawn into believing in Jesus with the power present, exuding from Him to heal? Were not many of us the same with first hearing words about Him and wondering about their truth, until a testimony of power was brought to bear on us in a meeting, a chance encounter. Yes, we felt the spark of real faith taking hold of us and the want to have testimony ourselves, that something that answers our deepest longing. Oh, would we not then follow Him with our whole heart?
But, with this power of the living God present and wooing them, there suddenly comes an abrupt halt in heart with these words of Jesus reaching the paralytic lowered by friends through the roof, “Man, your sins are forgiven.” This issue could have stumbled any of us: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” How can man in flesh be God? Is this not above and beyond man’s reasoning and yet, regrettably, they now reduced this power to their finite minds making themselves "slow of heart to believe..." (Lk.24:25).
Jesus deals with their struggle by saying, "Why are you reasoning in your heart?" Let me translate this with 'Why are you allowing your reasoning to overtake what your heart knows to be true because of the power?' Jesus continues, “Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, ‘Rise up and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has power…” Their reasoning silenced, Jesus goes on to heal the paralytic and glorious pandemonium ensues. In the midst of the people’s amazement and being “filled with fear,” we must realize the grief of God for these learned ones who, for the moment at least, lost the opportunity for their own healing. Many words of God can be said, but the presence of God in power reveals the knowledge of God. Are we reducing God to our natural reasoning by refusing obedience to His word – His thought and leading? Is this not why we become impotent of His power?
Now, to flash forward to another amazing time of power imparted. Look at that incredible day of Pentecost, "... you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to Me" (Acts 1:8). If it is not a stretch for you, power will yield understanding and that power will be in His witnessing presence through the Holy Spirit. Their spirits, as with ours, are witness to Him (where He is) not merely witnesses for Him. In other words, as scripture says, “Wheresoever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (liberation, power).” How important it is to know His leading, His whereabouts with this flesh of ours, so we can continually be under the influence of His power - to even display it, reveal Him!
God is always, by His sharp, two-edged-sword-Word coming to us, trying to "separate between our soul (reasoning, emotions, will) and spirit (heart)" since it is our heart that has the capacity to receive all that is of God. The word of God separates our soul’s reasoning where we can then discern His thoughts (Heb.4:12). But, it does not eliminate our choice to reject them, which is ultimately rejecting Him. It is not until we being under the influence of His power or persuasion, provide our bodily sacrifice of obedience, that His Word and way becomes a “reasonable service” or "worship" of Him. Herein, do we begin and continue to learn "the good, pleasing and perfect will of God" (Rom.12:1, 2). Let’s pay heed to being governed at heart by the power of the Word of Life, so our soul’s reasoning has no argument over our walk with God.
Rom.10:10 "For with the heart man believes unto righteousness (right being and right doing with God)..."
- DSC
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