A Crippled Man Walks
And [throughout Lycaonia] they preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: the same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. —Acts 14:7-10
Paul and Barnabas were preaching the Gospel, the Good News, in the cities of Lycaonia. Good news to a sinner is that he can be saved, good news to a poor man is that his needs can be met, and good news to a sick man is that he can be healed. As they preached in Lystra, a crippled man who had never walked sat in the crowd. Suddenly, something radically changed his condition. What was it that changed the course of his life? "The same heard Paul speak." The man heard the Gospel. Healing had to be part of the Gospel Paul and Barnabas were preaching. How do we know? Because Romans 10:17 says faith cometh by hearing and hearing the Word of God. Therefore, the man had to hear on healing to have faith for healing. (Rom. 10:17.) Then, while he heard, Paul "stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked." A miracle happened that day, but the first step he took that set a new course in his life was to hear. He tapped into the connection between hearing and healing.
Confession: Hearing God's Word produces faith in me. Therefore, as I continually hear the Word, I walk in divine health, peace, and abundance.