Act On It!

Matthew 12:¹³ “Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.” (ESV, emphasis added).

We will kick-off today’s devotional with our final thought from yesterday. When Jesus spoke to this man, the Words of Jesus carried the authority of Heaven and backed up the man’s action. Therefore, in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the things you have been unable to do, the authority of heaven will back up your actions. In the places where you have been restricted or hindered, or you have experienced withering, you will begin to stretch out in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Did you notice that it was the man who stretched out his hands, not Jesus? Jesus did not say stretch out your hand, then use a rope to pull the man’s hand out.

There are things that God will not do for you. There are things you have to do for yourself, like stretch out your hand. No one is going to do it for you. You have to do it for yourself. Stretch out the hand means stretch out the hand. Obey immediately, disregard the Pharisees and the naysayers, and stretch out the hand. Why? The Word has gone forth, and the authority of God is here backing you up in the Name of Jesus. Stretch out that hand, and as you stretch it out, it will be restored, and it will be healthy in the Name of Jesus.

In the case of the woman with the issue of blood, she said in her heart, If I can just touch the hem of His garment, I will be made whole, right? And she moved and moved and touched Jesus. And boom, she was made whole. Immediately, Jesus said, “Who touched me?” And eventually she came forward. Then Jesus said to her in Mark 5:³⁴ “…Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (ESV). Note that the issue of blood had stopped already. Yet Jesus said it was her faith that made her well. What are we saying here? Jesus was a constant in the equation. God is a constant in the equation of life. God is present with us. It is your faith that will make you whole. It is how you activate and connect to God that determines your wholeness. Jesus said to the woman, I am present here with everyone else. So, they could all have been healed, but only you got healed. God is a constant; your faith is the variable.

If your faith is zero, nothing happens. But if your faith is activated, something happens. What does that mean? In the case of this man, Jesus said, “Stretch out your hand”, and by himself he stretched out his hand in obedience. The woman with the issue of blood not only thought of her healing, but she also acted on it. Stop waiting on God to tell you what to do. He has already given you the initiative and spoken to you. What are you waiting for? Get moving!

Prayer: Father, I act and stretch out on the strength of Your Word, in the Name of Jesus. Amen!