Matthew 8:5-13. When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
You are in the covenant of God. That is why your confession of faith can move the throne of heaven. Your prayer is powerful and effective (James 5:16). When you speak in faith, the kingdom of God comes and the things pertaining His kingdom will appear. When you act in obedience, the Holy Spirit changes everything by His power. Through you, Christ brings life, healing, and restoration to the mission field He has entrusted to you.
In Today’s Word, a Roman centurion approaches Jesus with a burden he cannot solve. His servant is paralyzed and suffering terribly. But unlike many in Israel who doubted or questioned Jesus, this Gentile officer displays a faith that astonishes Him.
What made his faith so remarkable? First, He recognized Jesus’ divine authority. As a commander, he understood authority. When he spoke, soldiers moved. When he gave an order, it was carried out. So he reasoned: if human words carry human authority, then the Word of Jesus—God in flesh—carries divine authority. He saw Jesus not merely as a healer or rabbi, but as the One whose Word commands disease, demons, and creation itself.
The centurion also believed that Jesus is the Word who transcends time and space and knows no limits. So he exclaimed, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You under my roof… but just say the word and my servant will be healed.” He believed that the Word of God accomplishes what God desires and achieves the purpose for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). It is not limited by location, conditions, or human constraints. And the centurion believed this wholeheartedly. This is pure, childlike faith that amazed Jesus.
Acknowledging the absolute impossibility of man and the absolute possibility of God and the Word is true humility. Though a man of significant authority, he humbled himself before Christ. His humility opened the door for God’s power. Scripture says that God gives grace to the humble, but opposes the proud (James 4:6).
When Jesus heard this, Scripture says, “He was amazed.” What could possibly amaze the One who spoke galaxies into existence? Faith—simple, pure faith. Faith that takes God at His Word. Faith that trusts His authority above circumstances and human understanding. This is the kind of faith that moves the throne of the Triune God.
Your situation today may seem impossible. You may feel as helpless as the centurion’s servant, trapped in circumstances you cannot fix. But when Jesus speaks, everything changes. His Word is living and active. His Word carries the Creator’s authority. So rise today with renewed confidence in the authority and power of God’s Word.
Prayer. Father, give me childlike faith in Your Word. Help me overcome my unbelief. Let the power of Your Word fill, heal, and restore every part of my life and every place You send me today. Fulfill Your Word in me and through me, that Christ may be known. In Jesus’ name, Amen.