Open Heavens 23 October 2016: Sunday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Touch of Faith

Topic: The Touch of Faith [Sunday 23, October 2016]
Memorise: Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. – Matthew 9:29
Read: Matthew 9:20-22 (KJV)
 20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Bible in One Year: Obadiah 1, Jonah 1-4, Psalms 85
MESSAGE:
 There is tremendous power in a touch. It may be positive or negative as there are categories and types of touches. Naaman knew the power in a touch, especially from representatives of God and said with a sense of disappointment when Elisha did not come out to touch him when he went to Samaria:
“…Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.” - 2 Kings 5:11
 A touch can bring death as in the case of Uzzah in the book of Samuel:
“6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.” - 2 Samuel 6:6-7
 During one of our Conventions at the Redemption Camp in Nigeria, the Lord asked me to lay out a piece of cloth for people to touch by faith and receive their healing, with a warning that it should simply be touched and not held. A man went ahead to touch (I will say without faith) because he also grabbed the cloth. It took special grace and forgiveness of God for him not to die the moment he touched outside of faith; his entire body began to shake uncontrollably from morning till evening. It would have been a touch of death but for God’s intervention.
 Another touch can bring healing as in the case of the woman with the issue of blood in our Bible reading for today.
“For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” - Matthew 9:21
 This is the touch of faith. The touch of faith can work for the one who touches and for the touched. In the same chapter of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus Christ was met by two blind men who were crying for mercy of healing. When Jesus found out that these men had faith to receive divine touches for healing, the Bible says:
“29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.” - Matthew 9:29-30
 The touch of faith is required anytime you need a miracle. I pray for someone using this devotional; the Lord will touch you for healing and deliverance today, and will have a testimony in Jesus’ name. I also pray that whatever you touch by faith today will prosper in Jesus’ name.
 Prayer Point: Father, please touch me in the areas where I need Your intervention today and let my joy be full in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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