Kenneth Copeland - The Only Evidence You Need For Healing
Let's go to Matthew, Chapter eight. Now, we're looking here at how easy it is to receive from Jesus. And, it is the perfect will of God. Matthew, eight, we read the second verse. Let's go down to the fifth verse. When Jesus was entered into Capernaum, home. There came to him a centurion beseeching him, and saying "Lord, my servant lieth at home, sick of the palsy, grievously tormented". Jesus said, "I will"! Now, notice that, I will. "I will come and heal him". He didn't even ask him to. Are you listening? He said I'll come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I'm not worthy that you should come unto my roof".
Now see, he realized that he's not a Jew. But, he knew enough about the word, and you'll see why as we read these accounts of him. Speak the word only and my servant shall be healed. I am a man under authority, having soldiers unto me. I say to this man, "go", and he goeth. To another "come," and he cometh. And, to my servant, "do this" and he does it. When Jesus heard it he marveled and said to them that followed, and that included his own disciples. "Verily I say unto you, I've not found so great faith, not in Israel". Praise God.
Now then, let's go over to Luke 7:1. Now, when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people he went home. Don't you love it? A certain centurion servant who was dear unto him was sick and ready to die. When he had heard of Jesus he sent unto him the elders of the Jews beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus they besought him instantly saying that he was worthy for whom he should do this, for he loveth our nation and, he hath built us a synagogue. So, this is a man that as a Jewish proselyte, he was spending time in the synagogue.
Now, that's the synagogue where Jairus was a leader of the synagogue. Isn't that interesting? So, now he knows that since he's not under the Abrahamic covenant that he's not covenant worthy of Jesus coming into his house. Now, don't get the idea that that'll work for you. Lord, I'm just unworthy... no. Don't you start that. No sir. Are you born again? Then, you're a new creature. God didn't make any new creatures unworthy. No, he bore our sins in his own body on the tree. Amen. Any man that's in Christ is a new creature, a new creation. Old things have passed away, behold all things become new, and all things are of God. He who knew no sin was made to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Now, don't get over into that unworthy business. That's a strong badge of unbelief. Now, when they said he built us a synagogue, he loves our nation. Jesus went with them, and when he was not far from the house the centurion sent friends to him saying, "Trouble not thy self. I'm not worthy that that should come under my roof". Wherefore, neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee. But, say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man under authority. Having unto me soldiers and I say to one, "go" and he goes. To another, "come", and he comes. And, to my servant, "do this", and he does it.
When Jesus heard these things he marveled at him. And turned him about and said unto the people that followed him, "I say unto you, I have not found so great faith. No, not in Israel". Praise God. And, they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. So, why was this a marvel to Jesus? Why did he marvel at that faith? Because he demanded no evidence other than the word. You say the word, and my servant will be healed. He recognized the authority of the word of God. Now, you and I not only have the authority of the word, we have the authority of the name, hallelujah. Thank you Lord Jesus.
Turn in your bibles to Matthew, Chapter nine, verse two. Matthew nine, second verse. We'll I'll read the first verse. He entered into a ship and passed over, and came into his own city, which would be? Capernaum. And, behold they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying in a bed. Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, "Son, be of good cheer. Cheer up! They sins be forgiven thee". The whole certain of the scribe said within themselves, "This man blasphemeth". Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Where for think ye evil in your heart? For whether is easier to say thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say arise and walk? But that you may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins". Then saith he to the sick of the palsy, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to thine house".
He arose and departed to his house. When the multitude saw it they marveled and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. All right. Now, Mark, chapter two. And, first verse. Now, Matthew said that he said, "Cheer up"! Amen. Cheer up, be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven. And again, he entered into Capernaum after some days and it was noised that he was in the house. So, he's at home? Now, I thought for a long time that this was a hostile crowd. But, it was not. He was not in a synagogue. They had come to his place. Amen. This is very, very important. And, straight way, many were gathered together in so much there was no room to receive them. No, not so much as a bout the door. And, he preached the word unto them. And, they come unto him bringing one sick of the palsy, which was born of four. When they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the bed where in the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, "Son, thy sins be forgiven thee".
Now, can't you see him? He's standing up there preaching the word. The place is jam packed. They've come in there from the whole area. And, you know, can't you see the smile on his face? They're letting this guy down in front of him, and he's standing there, and before they can even get him down before Jesus, can't you just see him? "Hey! Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven"! Before he ever got to the floor. Now, those present, that distracted them. Now, we know what he's teaching. The spirit of the Lord is upon me. For he has anointed me. So, you know he took them into the book of Isiah. One account said he's preaching. Another account said he was teaching the word. So, which was he doing? Both.
I noticed this in the eight chapter of the book of Luke, he's teaching the sower sows the word, and suddenly it said he shouted with a loud voice, "He that has ears that hear, let him hear"! That's not teaching. That's preaching. He's a preacher. That's where we get that. That's when we get excited we holler loud. You understand what I'm saying! We get it from him. Amen. When you boys get older, and you get up and you start preaching you going to start shouting loud too. Amen. Just like that old man Copland does. You're like your daddy though. Amen. Thank you Lord Jesus. Amen? So, and he's an excited man. Oh, he'd preach. Amen. And teach, and heal. Thank you Lord.
Now, see I done run off from my book. Get excited, glory to God. Thank you Lord Jesus. Oh Lord, where was I? Okay. Yeah. Now, when he said that it distracted them. They didn't get out of sorts with him, but their religion drew their attention and they began to think instead of listen. Now, it didn't have to be a theological thing. You can just get distracted. I've seen it happen. You get right into... and some little disturbance take place in the congregation. People turn around and look. That's because you're not committed. Now, when you make a decision to be a doer of the word, and not just a hearer only... I mean, somebody set a firecracker off underneath a pew and it wouldn't make any difference. You still locked into the word of God. Amen. You just don't pay any attention to anything else. But see, they got distracted. So now, and follow this with me. You can do it. It can be something silly.
Gloria's best friend, she... baby's been a hair dresser since she was a little girl. She's done Gloria's hair for I don't know how many years. So, she told me back when I was talking about this, she said, "I really have to be careful because I keep from looking at people's hair". You know, she gets fixed on a... she sees something about somebody's hair, and she gets to thinking about it. You know, I wonder how they did that? Or, why did they do that? Or, you know, just enough of the devil to distract you just enough where you miss something that's important that was feeding your faith. You get over in your mind, yet out of your spirit, and get over into your carnal mind. Amen. And, to be carnally minded is death.
So, that's what was happening to them. But, Jesus perceived it, and ministered to them. Now then, this man speaks blasphemes, verse seven. Who can forgive sins but God only? Immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they sow reason within themselves, he said unto them, "Why reason these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, thy sins be forgiven thee? Or to say, arise. Take up your bed and walk. But that you may know that the son of man hath power on earth it forgive sin". He saith to the sick of the palsy, "I say unto thee". Now, notice he's using his words as tools. He didn't just say, "Arise". He said, "I say unto you".
So, we know he believed it in his heart. And, he said it with his mouth, and knew it would come to pass if the man would act on it. If he would act on it, because when he said it, he's still paralyzed. He's still lying there... he had to act. Now, and immediately he arose. Took up the bed, went forth before them all, in so much they were all amazed and glorified God saying we never saw it on this fashion. So, see, they were amazed and glorified God. They were not a hostile crowd. Now, let's go to the book of Luke, in the fifth chapter again, please. Luke 5:17. And it came to pass on a certain day as he was teaching. So, we found out that he preached and that he's teaching. That there were pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which will come out of every town of Galilee and Judah, and Jerusalem. Amen. And, the power of the Lord was present to heal them. The power of the Lord was present to heal them. Well, how was the power present? Well, Jesus was there. The power was present. Amen?
It's his will for all them to be healed. And, the word was there. So, praise God. They were hearing the word. Now, up until they got interrupted we don't know how long that had been. But, we do know that he was preaching and teaching. Amen? And preaching and teaching the blessing of Abraham, and not the law. Amen? So, since that was happening, we know faith was coming because they were not hostile. They had come to his home to hear him. Amen. Oh! Glory be to God. So, we know faith was coming. Now, Jesus is the healer, and he's the same yesterday, today, and forever. But he needs you to receive him.