Our Divine Commission

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe; in my name…they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” ---Mark 16:15-18

I would like to point out there are a lot of definites in this scripture. First of all, it is written in red, which means that Jesus said it! There is an authority, an ambassador of Heaven and representative of God Almighty that spoke this mandate. Secondly, He spoke it with the confidence that indicates that it is affirmed from heaven and confirmed by the Father. What validates this is the word “will.”

Why is it that we accept that when one believes and he is baptized, he is saved and if he doesn’t believe he is condemned? But when it comes to laying hands on the sick that they will recover is dismissed as though it doesn’t even exist? The saved and healing were intended to go together and benefit mankind so they will know that God is a caring God and wants people to be well.

Jesus didn’t say, “When you run across sick people, fast and pray to see if they are part of the chosen few God wants to heal.” Nor did He say, “Lay hands on the sick, and if it’s My will, they will recover.” No, Jesus said, “Go find the sick and preach the Gospel to them; then lay hands on them, and they will recover.” This is one of the signs He said would follow all believers.

We should be interested in learning how to operate in faith so we can, first of all, take hold of our own healing. And, if we’re going to be assets to the Kingdom of God, we should be even more interested in learning how to minister healing to sick people – ourselves! That’s what God has been trying to get across to us through His scriptures.

Another thing to point out about this Scripture is that it doesn’t say, “And these signs shall follow apostles and prophets.” No, it says very clearly, “These signs shall follow them that believe.” If you are a Believer, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t be helping out your family members and others, who are sick, to receive their healing. You see, we all have a divine commission to preach the Gospel, and the supernatural signs Jesus listed in these verses will follow us as we preach this message to others.

So tell people the Good News and that is that it’s God’s will to heal them. Show them Matthew 8:16 and Matthew 9:35 and Matthew 10:7,8. Let them know God loves them and has a plan and a purpose for their life. It is not God’s plan that they be in pain, torment or grief, but that they be healthy and whole so they can share the Gospel with those they come in contact with. Then lay hands on them, pray to God for mercy for that person and speak wholeness and life into their body. Then watch God’s promise of healing come to pass in their lives!

Confession: I can tell others the good news that Jesus walked on this earth sharing the news of the Kingdom of God and demonstrated God’s love for mankind by teaching, preaching and healing. He then was crucified, died and was raised from the dead to deliver mankind from sin and sickness. I can also help others receive healing by laying hands on the sick so they can recover to health and wholeness.