Matthew 8:1-4

Jesus has just finished the Sermon on the Mount and is coming down the mountainside when suddenly He is approached by a man with leprosy. It makes sense that this man waited until the crowds dispersed, because by law he had to declare, “Unclean!” everywhere he went. There were an estimated 5,000 people or more listening to the Sermon on the Mount. His presence could have caused a stampede.

Yet the Bible says he fell at the feet of Jesus Christ. I imagine he must have been listening to Jesus from a distance, and faith welled up in his soul that he could be healed of his affliction. He just wasn’t sure if Jesus was willing.

How many of us are like that? We know Jesus has the power to heal, but we aren’t really sure He means us. So we pray prayers like this man: “If You are willing, You can heal me and make me clean.” And while it sounds humble to pray that way, it can also be revealing. If He is willing? If He weren’t, what would that say about Him?

Jesus puts that thought to rest and tells the man — and us — “I am willing!”

That should be music to our ears. He is willing, and He is always willing. As Peter the Apostle wrote:

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”
1 Peter 2:24 (NLT)

Jesus carried and paid for everything on the Cross, including our sins and sicknesses. He brought Kingdom life, manifesting it for all to see, so we could partake in it. We simply have to come to the place where we know that we know. In the words of Jesus:

“What do you mean, ‘If I can?’ … Anything is possible if a person believes.”
Mark 9:23 (NLT)

Anything means anything. The Kingdom of God, along with all its benefits, is available to us as believers — but as believers, we must truly believe.