And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone” (Matthew 8:3-4).
I have noticed many prayers answered for healing during the past decade and the healings are increasing. However, the healings, unless you have faith, might not be noticed as healing.
I call them shadow healings.
In the Gospels, Jesus constantly hides His ministry. He tells those healed not to tell anyone, He asks the disciples to not repeat His teaching, and He commands demons to not speak.
Jesus spoke cryptically at age twelve when telling His mother about doing His Father’s business. He taught in parables. If Jesus were alive today, imagine the disciples’ frustration when He forbade them to post a TikTok© video of His walking on water while Peter sank.
Why the secrecy? The calling of Jesus had timing.
Jesus said, “It’s not my time.”
He hesitated at His first miracle of changing water into wine. Once, He couldn’t be arrested, and He quietly traveled to Jerusalem several times – because it wasn’t His time.
Time came to meet Him at the cross and the empty tomb.
Today, Jesus heals. The miracles are often hidden. Yesterday, a friend who had asked me to pray for her son’s surgery texted, “Everything is great, He came through surgery better than expected.”
Shadow healing. Those who have faith know exactly what happened, while the surgeon probably thought He had a good day.
I believe in the very last days the healing and power of the Spirit will come out of the shadows and be undeniable. Timing at the first coming of Jesus, but also timing before the second coming of Jesus.
I’m not saying that God doesn’t perform the spectacular today. When someone asks me to prove the existence of miracles, I have them read Craig Keener’s books, Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts (2 vol.), which document thousands of miracles in their 1238 pages.
God always does the supernatural – it’s His nature – He’s supernatural. As a baseball player swings a bat, God performs miracles!
However, Jesus does work according to His timing. Timing for the first coming and timing for the second coming. Slowly at first and then – wow!
Relevance to you right now?
If God heals in the shadows, give Him that chance. I’ve heard too many say, “I didn’t think the sickness was that bad,” or “I didn’t want to bother the elders to come and pray for me.”
Please, at the first hint of need – pray! Then ask others to pray. Miracles will happen. They might seem natural and not miraculous, but still a miracle. When we get to heaven, we will see the record of thousands of shadow miracles.
Despite my sensing God’s timing in shadow miracles, I still pray for all sickness…
In the name of Jesus, be healed!