It Shall Be Done As You Have Believed

Reading Scripture: Matthew 8:13 

Verse to Memorize: Matthew 8:13

 Reference: 1 John 3:21-22 Goal: to help believers possess faith worthy to receive answers transcending space and time by believing the Lord completely like the centurion in the Bible Matthew 8:13 "And Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.' And the servant was healed that very moment." 1 John 3:21-22 "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight." 

Some people feel like God turns His back on them or He does not love them when they are faced with tests and trials. It just shows that they do not believe God completely. God is almighty who governs the universes transcending space and time. Since David believed completely in such a God and loved Him, He relied on God in hardship and difficult situations. So he could receive answers and blessings.

• 1. All creatures obey the original voice

In Genesis chapter 1, God the Creator created the heavens and the earth and all things in them by issuing forth the original voice. When He said, "Let there be light" there was light. Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them"; and it was so. Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night." In this way, all creatures including nonliving things obey God's original voice because He created all of them with the original voice. 

Just like the sound recognition device works reacting to specific sound, the heavens and the earth and all things in them react to God's original voice in obedience since His original voice is in them. Jesus who existed in the form of God also issued forth the original voice. Mark 4:39 reads, "And He [Jesus] got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Hush, be still.' And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm." Even the wind and the sea obeyed the original voice. People can hear with ears and are able to gain realization because they have the ability to reason. Then, they have to immediately obey the original voice issued forth by God the Trinity. Then, what is the reason why many people do not recognize the original voice, are controlled by the enemy devil and Satan, and practice things of darkness and the untruth?

• 2. People could no longer hear the original voice

Adam the first man was created as a living spirit so he listened only to the truth, that is, the Word of God and obeyed. When he was created, God allowed him to choose whether to obey or disobey according to his freewill. This is because God did not want children who obey unconditionally like robots. He wants His children to love God from the depth of their hearts and to obey the Word voluntarily. God told him that he would surely die when he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. After a long time had passed, Adam failed to keep that command of God in his heart. 

He ended up eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He fell into temptation and committed the sin of disobedience. Adam who committed this sin and all his descendants became the servants of sins. That is, they became servants of Satan and came to speak, think, and act under the evil spirits' control. So, because of sin they did not hear the original voice and committed sins again and again, and finally there was no alternative but to fall to death and into Hell. 

But Jesus the Son of God came to the earth in the form of man and redeemed all people from all sins. Jesus died as atoning sacrifice and became our Savior by overcoming death and resurrecting. Therefore, as said in Romans 8:2, which reads, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death," by believing Jesus Christ, we can reach salvation and come to hear the original voice of God again. And anyone who hears the original voice and obeys it can receive answers to whatever they ask for.

• 3. Faith of the centurion with the heart of goodness

In Capernaum, Israel, there was a centurion who had been dispatched by the Roman Empire. He heard that Jesus had preached the gospel of the kingdom of heaven and performed amazing signs and wonders. He was also told that many diseases had been healed, the blind come to see, the mute to speak, the deaf to hear, and the lame to stand up and walk through Jesus. And he believed all of these things. People reacted differently to Jesus when they heard He had manifested such astounding works. 

Due to their own strong self-framework of faith, they could not recognize the works of God even though they witnessed them, but instead they just judged and condemned Him. They were the Pharisees, scribes, high priests, priests, and elders. Some people believed and followed Him just thinking that Jesus was one of the great prophets of God. Some others realized from the heart that Jesus is the Son of God and came to the earth to become the Savior, and believed Him. 

Those who had goodness in their hearts believed that He is the Son of God just by seeing all the works Jesus performed. Such was the case with the centurion. Though he was not a person of Israel who had served God but a Roman, he heard what Jesus had done and believed everything. Since he had the heart of goodness he came before Jesus.  

• 4. The centurion experienced the work transcending space and time

The following verses from Matthew 8:6 talks about the centurion. He came before Jesus and asked for his servant's healing. "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented." Then, Jesus issued forth the original voice, saying, "It shall be done as you have believed" and healed him transcending space and time. How could it happen? This was because the centurion trusted Jesus completely. So, he had the heart to obey anything Jesus would command him to do. 

Also, his love for his servant was sincere. He came to Jesus feeling his servant's pain as his own though he was not his parent, brother, or child. Then, how could Jesus not have been moved by him! In addition, his servant was lying paralyzed, fearfully tormented. It was a serious disease that couldn't be cured with medicine. Parts of the body were paralyzed and he could not move. So, he needed a lot of help. As a Korean saying says, "If someone is sick for a longtime, it is hard to find people who can continually take care of him with love and devotion," there were few who loved the servant as their own bodies even though they were even his family members. But the centurion had compassion for his servant and loved him. 

That is why he came before Jesus. So, Jesus said to the centurion who loved his servant as his body, "I will come and heal him." In Matthew 8:8, the centurion said with faith from the bottom of his heart, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed." He believed completely that his servant would be healed only with the Word of Jesus although He didn't spend time and energy visiting his place. Then, he added to Him, "For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." His mindset was to be able to obey anything Jesus would say to him. Then when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel" (Matthew 8:10). 

Then, Jesus said to him, "Go; it shall be done as you have believed." Right away, the servant was healed that very moment transcending space and time when Jesus gave out the original voice. In the same way, when we obey the Word of God telling us 'to do, not to do, to keep, and to throw away,' we can have confidence before God and ask for what we need. 1 John 3:21-22 reads, "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight." The centurion had perfect faith in Jesus who performed His power just with His Word. Though he was a Roman commander, he humbled himself before Jesus and obeyed Him completely. That is why he could receive answers transcending space and time.

Na Iwe Kwako Kama Ulivyoamini

Soma: Mathayo 8:13

Mstari wa kukariri: Mathayo 8:13

Marejeo: 1 Yohana 3:21-22. Lengo: kuwasaidia waumini kuwa na imani inayostahili kupokea majibu yanayovuka wakati na nafasi, kwa kumwamini Bwana kikamilifu kama jemadari wa Biblia.

Mathayo 8:13 husema Yesu alimwambia jemadari, “Enenda zako; na iwe kwako kama ulivyoamini,” naye mtumishi wake akapona saa ile ile. 1 Yohana 3:21-22 husema tukimwamini Mungu kwa moyo usiotuhukumu, tutapokea tunachoomba kwa kuwa tunashika amri zake na kufanya yanayompendeza. Wengine wakipitia majaribu hufikiri Mungu amewaacha au hawapendi; hii huonyesha hawamwamini kikamilifu. Mungu Mwenyezi hutawala ulimwengu wote akivuka wakati na nafasi. Daudi alimwamini na kumpenda, akamtegemea katika shida, akapokea majibu na baraka.

• 1. Viumbe vyote hutii sauti ya asili

Katika Mwanzo 1, Mungu Muumba aliumba mbingu, dunia na vyote vilivyomo kwa kutoa sauti ya asili. Aliposema, “Nuru iwe,” nuru ikawa. Alisema maji yakusanyike na nchi kavu ionekane, ikawa hivyo; nchi ikatoa mimea na miti ya matunda; akaumba mianga mbinguni itenge mchana na usiku. Viumbe vyote, hata visivyo hai, hutii sauti ya asili kwa kuwa viliumbwa nayo.

Kama kifaa cha kutambua sauti kinavyoitikia sauti maalumu, mbingu, dunia na viumbe vyote huitikia sauti ya Mungu kwa kuwa sauti hiyo imo ndani yao. Yesu, aliyekuwapo katika umbo la Mungu, naye alitoa sauti ya asili. Marko 4:39 husema alimkemea upepo na kuiambia bahari, “Tulia, nyamaza!” Upepo ukakoma na kukawa shwari kabisa. Hata upepo na bahari vilitii. Wanadamu wana masikio ya kusikia na uwezo wa kufikiri na kuelewa; basi wanapaswa kutii mara moja sauti ya asili ya Mungu wa Utatu. Kwa nini wengi hawaijui sauti hiyo, hudhibitiwa na ibilisi na shetani, na kutenda giza na uongo?

• 2. Wanadamu hawakuweza tena kusikia sauti ya asili

Adamu, mwanadamu wa kwanza, aliumbwa roho hai, hivyo alisikiliza ukweli tu—Neno la Mungu—na kulitii. Mungu alimpa uhuru wa kuchagua kutii au kutotii kwa sababu hakutaka watoto watii bila hiari kama roboti; anataka wampende moyoni na kutii Neno lake kwa hiari. Mungu alimwonya kwamba akila tunda la mti wa ujuzi wa mema na mabaya hakika angekufa. Baada ya muda mrefu, Adamu hakulihifadhi tena agizo hilo moyoni, akashawishiwa na kula tunda; akatenda dhambi ya kutotii.

Adamu na wazao wake wakawa watumwa wa dhambi na wa shetani, wakaanza kusema, kufikiri na kutenda wakiongozwa na roho za uovu. Kwa sababu ya dhambi hawakusikia sauti ya asili, wakaendelea kutenda dhambi, na hatimaye wakaelekea mautini na jehanamu. Lakini Yesu Mwana wa Mungu alikuja duniani akiwa mwanadamu, akawakomboa watu wote kutoka dhambini. Alikufa kuwa dhabihu ya upatanisho, akaishinda mauti na kufufuka na kuwa Mwokozi wetu. Warumi 8:2 husema sheria ya Roho wa uzima katika Kristo Yesu imetuweka huru kutoka sheria ya dhambi na mauti. Tukimwamini Yesu Kristo, tunaokolewa na tunaweza kuisikia tena sauti ya Mungu. Kila anayeisikia na kuitii anaweza kupokea majibu ya maombi yake.

• 3. Imani ya jemadari mwenye moyo mwema

Katika Kapernaumu ya Israeli alikuwapo jemadari aliyetumwa na Milki ya Roma. Alisikia Yesu alikuwa akihubiri Injili ya ufalme wa mbinguni na kufanya ishara na maajabu: wagonjwa waliponywa, vipofu wakaona, mabubu wakasema, viziwi wakasikia na vilema wakasimama na kutembea. Akaamini yote aliyoyasikia. Watu waliitikia kazi hizo kwa njia tofauti. Mafarisayo, waandishi, makuhani wakuu na wazee walitazama mambo kupitia mawazo yao yaliyokuwa yamejengeka; hata walipoona kazi za Mungu, hawakuzitambua bali walimhukumu na kumlaani Yesu. Wengine walimfuata wakidhani ni nabii mkuu tu; wengine walitambua moyoni kuwa Mwana wa Mungu na Mwokozi. Wenye moyo mwema walimwamini Yesu kwa kuona kazi zake. Jemadari huyu, ingawa hakuwa Mwisraeli aliyemtumikia Mungu bali Mrumi, alisikia habari za Yesu na kuamini; kwa moyo wake mwema alimwendea.

• 4. Jemadari aliona kazi iliyovuka wakati na nafasi

Mathayo 8:6 husema jemadari alimwendea Yesu na kumwomba amponye mtumishi wake: “Bwana, mtumishi wangu amelala nyumbani, amepooza, anaumwa sana.” Yesu akatoa sauti ya asili: “Enenda zako; na iwe kwako kama ulivyoamini,” naye akaponywa bila Yesu kufika nyumbani. Hili liliwezekana kwa sababu jemadari alimwamini Yesu kikamilifu na alikuwa tayari kutii amri yoyote.

Upendo wake kwa mtumishi ulikuwa wa kweli. Alimwendea Yesu akihisi maumivu ya mtumishi kama yake mwenyewe, ingawa hakuwa mzazi, ndugu wala mtoto wake. Mtumishi alipooza na kuteseka sana; dawa hazingeweza kumponya na alihitaji msaada mwingi. Ni vigumu kupata watu wanaomtunza mgonjwa kwa upendo na kujitoa kwa muda mrefu, hata kama ni wa familia. Lakini jemadari alimhurumia mtumishi wake na kumpenda.

Ndiyo maana alimwendea Yesu. Yesu alimwambia, “Nitakuja, nimponye.” Jemadari akasema kwa imani ya moyoni, “Bwana, sistahili wewe uingie chini ya dari yangu; lakini sema neno tu, na mtumishi wangu atapona” (Mathayo 8:8). Aliamini kabisa mtumishi angepona kwa Neno la Yesu pekee, bila Yesu kutumia muda na nguvu kutembelea nyumbani kwake. Akaendelea, “Mimi nami ni mtu niliyewekwa chini ya mamlaka, nina askari chini yangu; nikimwambia mmoja, ‘Nenda,’ huenda; na mwingine, ‘Njoo,’ huja; na mtumwa wangu, ‘Fanya hivi,’ hufanya.” Alikuwa tayari kutii chochote Yesu ambacho angemwambia. Yesu akastaajabu akawaambia wafuasi wake, “Amin, nawaambia, sijaona imani kubwa namna hii kwa mtu ye yote katika Israeli” (Mathayo 8:10).

Yesu akamwambia jemadari, “Enenda zako; na iwe kwako kama ulivyoamini.” Mara moja, sauti ya asili ilipotolewa, mtumishi akaponywa akivuka wakati na nafasi. Vivyo hivyo, tukitii Neno la Mungu linalotuambia tufanye nini, tusifanye nini, tushike nini na tuache nini, tunaweza kuwa na ujasiri mbele zake na kumwomba mahitaji yetu. 1 Yohana 3:21-22 husema tukishika amri zake na kufanya yanayompendeza, tutapokea tunachoomba. Jemadari alikuwa na imani kamili katika Yesu, aliyeweza kufanya kazi kwa Neno lake tu. Ingawa alikuwa kamanda Mrumi, alijinyenyekeza mbele ya Yesu na kumtii kabisa; ndiyo maana alipokea jibu lililovuka wakati na nafasi.