CHRIST'S ABILITY

Matt. 9:28

Morning Meditation 9/1/17

"And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord."

We see the context of this miracle in the following verses: Matthew 9:27-31, "And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country."

The Lord wants us to walk by faith. It is as important for us to walk by faith today as it has been in any age in the past. Since this is true, we must be in the Word of God daily. Romans 10:17, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The word of God tells us what He is able to do, and believing that God cannot lie, when we discover what He can do, and that He is available to do it, we can go to the Him with whatever our need is, and pray knowing that He who promised will be faithful to do for us what He has promised.

These two blind men came to Jesus with their great need. They were blind. From a human standpoint, they had a malady that would take no less than a miracle to restore their sight. When they came to Jesus and asked for mercy Jesus asked, "Believe ye that I am able to do this?" They answered, "Yea, Lord." When they answered in the affirmative the Scripture says, "Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you." Then we are told, "And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it."

Note the following:

1. They must believe He is able to preform this miracle. He asked, "Believe ye that I am able to do this?" The plural you was used by Jesus. When you find, in your King James Bible, the pronoun "ye" it is the plural you. The KJV translators give us many helps like this. Jesus addresses both blind men at the same time. They both came, they both ask for healing, and they both were asked, "Believe ye that I am able to do this?"

2. Jesus had to be able. Jesus said, "Believe ye that I am able to do this?" A lot of people are going to places and people who are not able to help them. On the subject of salvation, no church is "able to do this." There are men in healing ministries who promise what they are not able to deliver. Only Jesus is able. So these two blind men came to Jesus because they believed He was able.

3. So first of all, we see the problem, i.e., blindness. Second, we find one who was able to do what they were asking. Third, He was willing to heal them of their blindness. We are told, "Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country."

Jesus told them not to tell anyone who had done this. But the miracle was too great and the blessing was too great for them to keep this secret. So they spread it abroad where ever they went.

Let's notice some things where the stress is on Christ's ability:

HE IS ABLE TO ESTABLISH US ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL

Romans 16:25, "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,"

The word "power" translates "dunamai" and is the root word from which we get our word dynamite and dynamo. Paul is referring to Jesus as the power giver. He is able to stablish you. The word "stablish" translates "sterizoto" and means, "to make stable, place firmly, set fast." The words "According to my gospel" is not referring to another gospel. There is only one gospel and that is Paul's gospel. Paul says in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Paul defines the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"

Paul preached the gospel but Jesus took what he preached, and when believed, Jesus literally transformed the believer into another person. Salvation is creating a new man within the old. There is no way to describe the miracle that takes place when a sinner is saved. Paul is careful who gets credit for the change that takes place and the power to live out that salvation experience.

Jesus came to be the Saviour of the world and He will be to those who believe the gospel. Paul says in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." First of all, this is not another gospel. The gospel of Christ is Paul's gospel. Paul is saying that he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because he had never been ashamed of that gospel because it had worked in the salvation of the unsaved every time without exception. And Paul is saying that it will not cause you shame. It will work for you, just as it has worked for me. It has transformed me, and it has transformed all those who have believed it since, and will continue to be powerful to save the greatest sinner so long as he believes it sincerely.

HE IS ABLE TO SUPPLY OUR EVERY NEED

Ephesians 3:20, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,"

The words "Now unto him that is able" translates "dunamai" and means, "with power, like as in explosive power." It is a present participle. The present tense means He continues to be able. He never runs short of power. He is omnipotent.

The words "to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think," mean, "to exceed some number or measure or rank or need." The Lord never ceases to amaze us at His power, and willingness to use His power, to save the lost and deliver the saved.

Then Paul adds, "according to the power that worketh in us." This is a truth that we need to remind ourselves of daily. The Lord is able to supply our every need. He dwells in every believer. So our bodies are called the temple of God in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

The Holy Spirit within knows what our needs are and is ready to supply those needs. I have heard so many great testimonies of those who have had strange experiences because of this. A preachers daughter gave testimony about her first experience with faith promise. She had pledged a dollar a week to go into the church for world missions. The first Sunday morning had arrived and there was no money. She explained how poor they were and making a commitment to give a dollar a week was a large amount. But she said the Lord had really spoken to her about this and she had promised to give $1.00 a week by faith. As she was walking from the front door of their home to the car the wind blew something across her path. As she looked to see what it was, she discovered that it was a $1.00 bill. We all rejoiced with her because we believe that faith promise is a way of Giving to missions that all can get involved in. And the small gifts are as important as the large ones. The thing that really counts is that the believer, no matter what age or financial status, one can give as God lays it on one's heart, and see God work to fulfill His promise to us. It is literally amazing to see God supplying our every need. Sometimes a believer will get to doubting the imminence of God. But not after an experience like this. Amen!!!

Ephesians 3:20, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us," There is such a feeling of fulfillment when God on a weekly basis can get his/her faith promise and sometimes deliver it on the wings of the wind!!! Someone hold my mules!!!

HE IS ABLE TO SUCCOUR THE TEMPTED NO MATTER WHERE HE IS

"For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." Jesus knows the feeling of temptation. He knows the mental strain that it puts one under. This is the reason He can succor the tempted because He Himself has been there and been pushed to the limit. But just as He was delivered from temptation, He assures us that He will be faithful to deliver us.

The Lord is alive and is committed to us and has made a definite promise to us concerning temptations. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Sometimes the Lord does not deliver us from being tempted, He delivers us from yielding to the temptation. This is one of the main things I need. If I can receive His help, He is there to fulfill His promise to me that He will never leave me nor forsake me.

HE IS ABLE TO SAVE TO THE UTTERMOST

Hebrews 7:25-26 says, "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" The word "able" translates "dunamai" and speaks of God's power and ability. The words "to the uttermost" translates, "panteles" and means, "completely, perfectly, utterly." So God's salvation is eternal and God is committed to keep His children. He will save us to the uttermost. Someone has said, "From the gutter most, to the uttermost." I'll definitely have to say amen to that!!!

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White