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Ananias of Damascus and Saul and the Lord Jesus Christ
Praise be the the Lord Jesus Christ who through his Prophet Ananias restored the sight of Saint Paul!
Now, Paul before he could become a saint and believer in Jesus Christ was also called Saul. And this Saul was one of the most dangerous persecutors of Christians especially those in Jerusalem and also played part in the murder of the first martyr Stephen. So much was the persecution that the Lord Jesus as mentioned in the Book of Acts of the Apostles Chapter 9 decided to intervene personally on behalf of the Church.
Saul was not just admonished by Jesus Christ but also lost his sight due to the glory of Christ that came as light from Heaven. Then when Saul decided to walk the humble path upon hearing the voice of Jesus, he was told go to Damascus.
The Lord Jesus then worked out healing in Saul through Ananias as per the below verses in the Book of Acts:
10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Behold, I am here, Lord.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight. And look in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he prays.” 12 “And in a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hands on him, so that he might receive his sight.” 13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man; how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 “Moreover, here he has the authority of the chief priests to bind all that call on Your Name.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Go. For he is a vessel chosen by Me to bear My Name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the children of Israel.16 “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My Name’s sake.”
17 Then Ananias went, and entered that house, and put his hands on him, and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you on the way as you came, has sent me, so that you might receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”18 And immediately something like ‘scales’ fell from his eyes. And suddenly he received sight, and arose, and was baptized, 19 and received food and was strengthened. So, Saul was with the Damascus disciples for some days.
A few lessons to learn from this:
- The Lord Jesus will bless those who follow his Word even those who are the worst of sinners that repent.
- Like Saul be ready to obey the Lord Jesus to move up to your higher calling in God.
- Like Ananias keep yourself ready in all prayer, so that when the time comes then you’re able to do great healings and good works towards those whom the Lord leads you to bring salvation and deliverance in their lives.
- If you have any doubts towards doing any good deed be humble enough to ask the Lord for his good counsel instead of rejecting doing good altogether.
- The Holy Spirit will work through you if surrender to Will of God.
O Jesus heal the sick and the weak
O Jesus, I confess that you the world’s Saviour,
Pardon me for all my bad behaviour.
Give me the grace as I pray,
And let me not go astray.
O Jesus, heal the sick and the weak,
Save them from situations bleak.
They need your healing and grace,
Hide not from us your Holy Face.
O Jesus, heal the sick and suffering,
For I believe in your Divine offering.
You gave for us Your life on the Cross,
That we be saved from a fate that is gross.
O Jesus, I know that you will heal,
For the Father loves us with full zeal.
Have mercy for those I have come to you to pray,
Give them healing before they despair and fray.
O Jesus, you raised the people from the dead,
And you have crushed down the Serpent’s head.
Work your grace for the sick and weak,
That they with gratitude your praises speak.
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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Bible verses against plagues and disease
You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. (Psalm 91:5-6)
Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place the Most High, who is my refuge no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. (Psalm 91:9-10)
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.(Pslam 121:1-2,7)
And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you knew, will he inflict on you, but he will lay them on all who hate you. (Deuteronomy 7:15)
No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble. (Proverbs 12:21)
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
Suggested prayer inspired by the above Bible verses:
In the name of Jesus, I will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. I have made the Lord my dwelling place the Most High, who is my refuge and by faith I know that no evil shall be allowed to befall me, nor plague come near my dwelling. When I look up to the hills, I know for sure that my help comes from the Lord,who made heaven and earth. I believe that the Lord will keep me from all evil and he will keep my life. I pray that the Lord will take away from me all sickness because by his Holy Word I know that no harm befalls the righteous who trust in the Lord God. And I confess that Jesus himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds I have been healed. Amen.
I pray to Christ for your healing
I pray to Christ for your healing,
So you’d be made whole in your feeling.
I pray to Christ for your healing,
So your pleas go beyond the ceiling
I pray to Christ for your healing,
That with repentance you’re dealing
I pray to Christ for your healing,
That you confess to God without concealing.
I pray to Christ for your healing,
So that at Church worship bells be pealing.
I pray to Christ for your healing,
So no longer in darkness you’re reeling.
I pray to Christ for your healing,
That none ever this be stealing.
I pray to Christ for your healing,
That in restful adoration you be kneeling.
Jesus Heals The Ten Lepers
On his way to Jerusalem in his ministry actually,
Jesus passed by the border between Samaria and Galilee.
There he met some lepers numbering ten,
In that village he healed them, amen!
They called Jesus from a distance afar,
Hoping to be healed of each leprous scar.
“Jesus, master, have pity on us!”
In their misery they called out to Him thus.
Upon Christ’s word to their priest they all went,
As they walked they got healed with no lament.
One of those cleansed did greatly rejoice,
And came back praising God in a loud voice.
He was the only one of the ten lepers who returned,
To give thanks to the Lord as Jesus had discerned.
The Lord Jesus questioned this Samaritan who became fine,
As to where were all the other nine?
For the Lord Jesus heals because he is faithful,
And expects those healed to be grateful.
Remember Jesus to the Leper did solemnly tell,
“Rise and go: your faith had made you well.”
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Bible reference : Gospel of St Luke 17:1-19
9 Lessons From God Concerning Sickness
Sickness is meant…
1. To make us think, to remind us that we have a soul as well as a body – an immortal soul, a soul that will live forever in happiness or in misery – and that if this soul is not saved we had better never have been born.
2. To teach us that there is a world beyond the grave, and that the world we now live in is only a training place for another dwelling, where there will be no decay, no sorrow, no tears, no misery, and no sin.
3. To make us look at our past lives honestly, fairly, and conscientiously. Am I ready for my great change if I should not get better? Do I repent truly of my sins? Are my sins forgiven and washed away in Christ’s blood? Am I prepared to meet God?
4. To make us see the emptiness of the world and its utter inability to satisfy the highest and deepest needs of the soul.
5. To send us to our Bibles. That blessed Book, in the days of health, is too often left on the shelf, becomes the safest place in which to put a bank-note, and is never opened from January to December. But sickness often brings it down from the shelf and throws new light on its pages.
6. To make us pray. Too many, I fear, never pray at all, or they only rattle over a few hurried words morning and evening without thinking what they do. But prayer often becomes a reality when the valley of the shadow of death is in sight.
7. To make us repent and break off our sins. If we will not hear the voice of mercies, God sometimes makes us “hear the rod.”
8. To draw us to Christ. Naturally we do not see the full value of that blessed Savior. We secretly imagine that our prayers, good deeds, and sacrament-receiving will save our souls. But when flesh begins to fail, the absolute necessity of a Redeemer, a Mediator, and an Advocate with the Father, stands out before men’s eyes like fire, and makes them understand those words, “Simply to Your cross I cling,” as they never did before. Sickness has done this for many – they have found Christ in the sick room.
9. To make us feeling and sympathizing towards others. By nature we are all far below our blessed Master’s example, who had not only a hand to help all, but a heart to feel for all. None, I suspect, are so unable to sympathize as those who have never had trouble themselves – and none are so able to feel as those who have drunk most deeply the cup of pain and sorrow.
Summary: Beware of fretting, murmuring, complaining, and giving way to an impatient spirit. Regard your sickness as a blessing in disguise – a good and not an evil – a friend and not an enemy. No doubt we should all prefer to learn spiritual lessons in the school of ease and not under the rod. But rest assured that God knows better than we do how to teach us. The light of the last day will show you that there was a meaning and a “need be” in all your bodily ailments. The lessons that we learn on a sick-bed, when we are shut out from the world, are often lessons which we should never learn elsewhere.
~ J.C. Ryle
(I Am) The God that healeth thee (Video)
Lyrics:
I am the God that healeth thee
I am the Lord your Healer
I sent my Word
And healed your disease
I am the Lord your Healer
Bible verses:
He said,
“If you listen carefully to the LORD your God
and do what is right in his eyes,
if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees,
I will not bring on you any of the diseases
I brought on the Egyptians,
for I am the LORD, who heals you.”
Exodus 15:26
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5
Disciples of hope 