Bondage to Infirmity

“and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” (Luke 13:11-16)

“Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. (Matthew 9:20-22)

As part of this miracle Yeshua shares an astounding insight about this woman’s sickness and healing. She was kept bound by Satan for eighteen years. Satan keeps certain people bound by sickness. We do not know how or why, but Yeshua came and set her free as a result of her faith in Him. Yeshua came to destroy the works of Satan. (1 John 3:8) One may speculate as to the nature of Satan’s bondage over these two women. Even the disciples questioned whether infirmity was due to sins of the infirmed person or their parents. (John 9:1) What we know is that Yeshua demonstrated power over Satan to set people free from insanity, demon possession and physical ailments including birth defects, diseases, even death. The Pharisees and others presumed many things regarding Yeshua, His works and Scripture. It can happen today, when we presume about causes of bad health, financial status, disaster, scripture and God’s purposes. (Luke 13:2-5)

Faith in God and surrender to the Holy Spirit is the pathway to obedience, avoiding presumption and pleasing God.  We can be certain that God’s grace is not wasted, nor ineffective for the purpose He ordained. Likewise, His timing is perfect like His swift judgment or instant quieting of storms or deliverance of those bound in prison. Faith is sight from Heaven’s perspective where God’s perfect goodness and lovingkindness play a symphony with each note, high and low harmonizing in majestic delight. There is no chaos in God’s presence, nor ever risk of failure of His promises or the least word from His throne on high. Love never ends. “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” (Psalms 30:5) The most understated thing in the universe is God’s perfection and grace.