You read verses about healing and authority, and it sounds clear. Then real life hits. Someone is sick. You pray. Nothing seems to move.
So you pull back.
Was that really for today? Did I misunderstand something?
Or are you sitting on something you’ve been given… but haven’t stepped into?
Let’s see what the Scripture actually says.
“Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.”
Luke 9:1–2 (KJV)
This starts with Jesus.
They didn’t earn this. They didn’t build up to it. He called them, then gave.
“Power” speaks to ability.
“Authority” speaks to permission and right.
You can have ability and still hesitate. Authority removes hesitation.
Do you see that?
This isn’t just about what you can do. It’s about what you’re allowed to do.
And He gave both.
“Over all devils”
That word “all” matters.
Not some. Not the easier ones. All.
That means the authority isn’t limited by the situation.
It doesn’t adjust based on how severe something looks.
That challenges how we usually think.
We tend to measure the problem first.
Jesus defines the authority first.
Which one have you been focusing on?
“To cure diseases”
This isn’t vague.
It doesn’t say “comfort the sick.” It says “cure.”
That’s direct. That’s practical.
And it’s connected to what He just gave them.
In other words, healing isn’t separate from authority. It flows from it.
Notice where that starts?
Not with effort. With what He gave.
“He sent them… to preach… and to heal”
They weren’t told to wait.
They were sent.
And notice the order. Preach the kingdom. Heal the sick.
The message and the action go together.
The kingdom isn’t just explained. It’s demonstrated.
That’s not what most people expect, is it?
What’s happening in this moment
This is early in Jesus’ ministry with the twelve.
They’ve been watching Him heal. Watching Him cast out devils.
Now He turns and gives them the same authority.
Not later. Not after years of training.
Right there.
And then He sends them out to do what they’ve seen Him do.
This shows something important.
What He demonstrates, He intends to reproduce.
Scripture that confirms and expands this
In Luke 10:19, He says,
“Behold, I give unto you power… over all the power of the enemy.”
Same pattern. Given authority. Not earned.
In Mark 16:17–18,
“These signs shall follow them that believe… they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
That moves beyond the twelve. It connects to believing.
In Acts 3:6, Peter says,
“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”
That’s authority in action. No hesitation. No negotiation.
The internal struggle you probably feel
This is where it gets real.
Because you can read this and still feel unsure.
“What if I try and nothing happens?”
“What if I get it wrong?”
So instead of stepping out, you step back.
Quietly.
And over time, you stop expecting anything.
Is that what’s been happening for you?
Have you slowly lowered what you expect because of what you’ve seen?
What this is actually calling you into
This isn’t about trying harder.
It’s about taking seriously what He said He gave.
Power. Authority. Over all.
And then moving like it’s true.
That might look like speaking instead of staying silent.
Praying with expectation instead of uncertainty.
Acting on what He said instead of waiting for a feeling.
It also means aligning your focus.
Not on the size of the problem. On the source of the authority.
What would it look like for you to respond as if this was actually given to you?
Bringing it back to you
Jesus didn’t just heal people Himself.
He gave authority and sent others to do the same.
That hasn’t changed in this passage.
The question is not whether authority was given.
The question is whether it’s being used.
So when you’re faced with something that needs healing… are you stepping back, or stepping into what He already gave?
