Do you think the faith of a friend can make an impact on your life? Is it possible that a friend’s faith can change your destiny? I want to share my story of how the faith of a friend changed my life when I was believing a lie.
Twenty-seven years ago, on January 6, 1995, my life took a dramatic turn when I skidded on black ice on my way home from work. I had stayed late at the office and didn’t realize a snowstorm had been brewing outside. I was cautious driving home as the roads appeared wet, but what I didn’t realize was that the last turn toward my house would send my car skidding on black ice spinning my car and my life out of control.
The purpose of sharing this story today is to show how the impact of a friend changed my destiny. My story has a happy ending and an amazing healing testimony. It is similar to the incredible story in Luke 5:17-26 about the faith of four friends.
For those who aren’t familiar with this story, it is about a paralyzed man who was carried by his four friends with a goal of laying him before Jesus for healing. Because of the crowd, they couldn’t reach Jesus, so they decided to cut open the roof of the house and lower him into the room in the midst of Jesus.
In the New King James Version (NKJV) the title for this scripture is “Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic.” There is so much more to this title of Jesus forgiving and healing. Jesus was most likely teaching from the scriptures and revealing God’s heart and truth. I can only speculate that as he taught, Luke 5:17 came alive, “that the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” This scripture reveals that everyone sitting or standing in that home where Jesus was teaching could have been healed of anything they might have been experiencing. It is interesting that the only person healed was the man who was paralyzed. Have you ever thought about that? Do you know why?
If we look closely at this story, we can detect some clues that might help someone on their own healing journey. First, Jesus was teaching the Word. If someone is teaching, the audience must be hearing and learning from what is being spoken. Romans 10:17 says, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. The people around Jesus were hearing the Word; however, not all were receiving what He was saying.
What is faith? Webster’s dictionary describes faith as “complete trust, belief, and trust in and loyalty to God, firm belief in something for which there is no proof. The four friends didn’t have any proof that their paralyzed friend would be healed; however, they had the faith to believe in what they had heard about Jesus and what Jesus was teaching. Jesus saw the faith of these four friends, just as He saw the faith of my friend. While my friend didn’t cut open a roof, she heard the truth about healing and what Jesus did on the cross and believed. To read and/or listen to my healing journey, you can check out my website at Healing is For Everyone where my book, From Night to Light, as well as a Healing Journey are available.
The four friends in this story are an inspiration because they believed and took the initiative to bring their friend to Jesus. They were ordinary people who are not even named in the Bible; however, they had winning faith. They believed so strongly that Jesus could make a difference in their friend’s life that nothing discouraged, deterred, or dissuaded them. When the crowd blocked their way, they found an alternative.
If your faith muscles are struggling, get into the Word and “hear” what God is saying to you. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Find a friend who has the faith to believe what the Word of God says that by the stripes of Jesus, you are healed. Don’t get discouraged, deterred, or dissuaded by what you see in the natural realm, trust in the promises of Jehovah Rapha, the Lord that heals.
Happy New Year and may you be blessed, prosperous, and living healed and whole in 2022!
~Donna Jones