Bible Lesson: Miracles Of The Power Of The Holy Spirit: Sick are made well.
God's Messenger: The Apostle Paul.
Bible Location: Island of Melita.
Bible Text:
Acts 28:7-10 NLT
7 Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days.
8 As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him.
9 Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed.
10 As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.
Dear brother and sister in Christ. Time and time again we have seen it in New Testament stories. When ever there is great work that may be done for the Kingdom of God, there is the devil, to do his best to thwart that action.
If you have not read the last bolg posting …..stop now and do so.
Miracles Of The Power Of The Holy Spirit: "Any Deadly Thing, It Shall Not Hurt Them." (Mark 16:18 KJV)
Satan, the old serpent, had done his best to STOP the Apostle Paul, be it by storms or serpents, of no avail, because...
I John 4:4 KJV
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Oh, yes, the enemy, knew well the potential at Melita, and so he tried his best to stop it.
I Chronicles 29:11 KJV
Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as Head above all.
I John 5:4 KJV
For whatsoever is born of God over cometh the world: and this is the victory that over cometh the world, even our faith.
Acts 28:7 KJV
Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days.
Publius was the Roman ruler on the island of Melita. His courtesy to all from on board the ship was beyond benevolence.
Matthew 7:16-20 KJV
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Romans 12:10 KJV
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Colossians 3:12 KJV
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering;
Acts 28:8 KJV
As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him.
Our precious Lord Jesus, was not only called by the Father to preach the gospel of salvation to men, but to care for their bodies as well! Christ is Saviour, not only of the soul of man, but his body as well!
Luke 4:18,19 KJV
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Exodus 15:26 KJV
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
Deuteronomy 7:15 KJV
And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee..."
Isaiah 53:5 KJV
But He (Jesus the Messiah) was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.
Jeremiah 30:17 KJV
For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord..."
Matthew 10:1 KJV
And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Mark 3:14,15 KJV
14 And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach,
15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:
Mark 16:15-18 KJV
15 And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (See the blog...... Kept By The Power Of God )
John 10:10 KJV
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
I Corinthians 12:9 KJV
To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
I John 3:8 KJV
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Acts 28:9 KJV
Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed.
Publius' father, was not, the only sick person on Melita!
Word spread quickly, that Publius' father had been healed.
Soon a village of sick and wounded were at Paul's door, seeking deliverance!
Isn't that what the church is to be all about? What ever happened to that idea?
Our Lord when He called His men to do “greater works than these,” He wasn't commissioning them to open medical institutes, not that's there's anything wrong with them, but He called His men to have the Power of God in their lives, to be able to do the works of God!
If your church doesn't call hurting people forward to the altar to be prayed for by your pastor and deacons …..there is something drastically wrong!
James 5:13-16 KJV
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
As we read verse 9 once again, how wonderful....yes Paul prayed for everyone, and all “were healed.”
Matthew 17:14-21 KJV
14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to Him a certain man, kneeling down to Him, and saying,
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to Me.
18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
It has been well said, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is strongest on it's knees.
It's time to pray and fast, because the needs of the people are great.
Acts 28:10 KJV
As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.
How grateful the people of Melita were! A terrible storm had brought the wonderful saving message of the of the Lord Jesus Christ to them, and not only that but the healing of their bodies as well.
In turn they loaded the Apostle, the sailors, other prisoners and passengers, down with all the supplies they would need for the rest of their journey.
And the greatest thing, the Lord Jesus would remain in Melita, in the hearts and lives of all those who had been touched by the very hand of God.
Romans 8:28 KJV
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
Salvation Prayer
