ONLY BY FAITH NOT COMPLAINT
It is not those that complain about and beg God in their present circumstances that receive from God, but those who have faith in Him.
Luke 17:12 And as He was going into one village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance. 13 And they raised up their voices and called, Jesus, Master, take pity and have mercy on us! 14 And when He saw them, He said to them, Go [at once] and show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, they were cured and made clean. 15 Then one of them, upon seeing that he was cured, turned back, recognizing and thanking and praising God with a loud voice; 16 And he fell prostrate at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him [over and over]. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, Were not [all] ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was there no one found to return and to recognize and give thanks and praise to God except this alien? 19 And He said to him, Get up and go on your way. Your faith (your trust and confidence that spring from your belief in God) has restored you to health. AMPC
I want to point out to you today that the lepers called out to Jesus to have pity on them and Jesus heard them. Next, He gave them a command, a faith action to do. He said — “Go [at once] and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went they were made clean. All ten were cleansed because they did what Jesus told them to do (faith action).
One man returned to Jesus and was thanking Jesus over and over. This man was restored to health, Jesus said because of his faith. The other men were only cleansed, which means they may still have the effects of leprosy which could be a disfigurement and maybe a disability. The man that was restored to health was restored completely to health from whatever effects the leprosy had on him, Jesus said because of his faith.
I was thinking, what if that happened differently? Just as a scenario, what if nine of the lepers didn't believe and never went to show the priest? What if instead, they were thinking, this is crazy nothing is happening, we’re the same, who are we fooling? Therefore they don’t go and they don't get healed.
Isn't that how most think today? Not in faith but in complaint? Yes, and then they decide it isn’t God’s will. Which is saying it is not His plan for them to be healed. Really? Then why did Jesus make that provision ahead of time, why did He take those stripes for your healing(Isaiah 53:5)? To make a movie? I think not.
Except one—What if one out of the ten went even though he didn't see anything happening? He would be healed!
What if he came back even though he didn't see anything or feel anything, he knelt before Jesus and thanked Jesus over and over? He would be healed! Jesus would say your faith has restored you to health! Go your way!
That's the way it happened to me. I had a shattered knee cap and on the way home from my faith action, it was restored to health. Another time I had a broken tibia bone and after my faith action I was healed—but not until the next day! I did what Jesus told me to do and my faith healed me. I thanked Him anyway, even though I didn't receive right after my faith action, and I was made whole.
We have to know that Jesus is not saying no. He instead is saying yes, go and tell the priest. Yes run down the road, go! He is giving us a faith action so we can get healed! Our faith will make us well. Jesus said that over and over in the Word!
If you don’t see anything right away from your faith action back to Jesus, get on your knees, and thank Him over and over! Your faith will make you well!
James 2:17So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead). AMPC
As tradition seems to play out, we haven’t the revelation of faith and so we keep acting sick instead of doing what Jesus said. If you respond to Him you will be made well because you had faith to respond. You are not waiting on Jesus, He is waiting on you to get faith and then to use your faith to be made well.
Thank Him, appreciate Him for the direction He gives you so that your faith can work for you. Don’t doubt Him, but please Him and go ahead and receive what He already did for you!
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. AMPC
Do you know why it is impossible to please Him without faith? Because then He can’t move on your behalf. Without faith, nothing will happen.
Do you know why Jesus said go at once and show the priests? Because if you don't do what He told you to do at once, you will talk yourself out of what He said to do. You will decide it doesn't make sense and you won't do it. Do it today! Get an instruction from Jesus and then run and do it! Your faith in His instruction will make you well! Then when you don't see it go back to Jesus and thank Him earnestly for it!