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Wounded Healers

Words of Faith Final

Wounded Healers
Words of Faith 12-5-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Mark 5
[18] As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. [19] Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." [20] So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Mission accomplished. Jesus had come across the lake, weathered and calmed a storm, and then cast out a legion of demons. Now, it was time to go home. The formerly demon-possessed man was now dressed and in his right mind, to the amazement of everyone. Now, he wanted very much to join up with the band of disciples. This made sense. After all, the people in town were still quite upset about the pig thing. But it was not to be.
Why? It is because the power of this man's testimony would be most significant among those who had known him during his years of spiritual agony. Going on the road with Jesus would have had only a limited impact. But make no mistake; the Lord had a ministry for this man.
We are sometimes tempted to think of ministry only in terms of traveling tents, TV shows, or Billy Graham crusades. In fact, the ministry that God gives us by his grace always starts close to home. "Tell your family how much the Lord has done for you..."
Of course, home is usually the most challenging mission field of all. This man's family may have prayed for him for years, or they may have written him off entirely. Whatever the case, nothing would engender or build faith more than testimony from this relative of how God put him in his right mind and drove out the demons that haunted him. Next, he went into the region of the Decapolis, marked by the ten Roman cities of the area. He went into pagan enemy territory and gave witness to the power of God over evil. God had a plan.
God desires to give each of us a ministry. Our ministry is never about showing people how slick and well-dressed we are or how much we can mimic the styles and trends of the current culture. Ministry comes from an experience of grace with the Lord Jesus Christ that transforms our painful life circumstances for His glory. He gives us grace that heals and grace to heal others.
Followers of Christ are not perfect people; they are wounded healers. How does that happen? First, we allow Him to name our demons and cast them away. Then He sends us first to family, then friends, and then others. "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you."

Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. Heal me of the wounds inflicted by this world. Transform my wounds so that they may glorify You. Give me grace and mercy so that I may be used to heal others. Here I am. Use me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.