When Jesus Could NOT Do Miracles (But Could Still Do Therapeutic Cures)

Mark Virkler's picture

Key idea: Faith and love must both be present for miracle-working power to flow.

The picture I have of Jesus in my mind is that His power was unstoppable! Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons and raised the dead. The miracle-working power of God flowed through Jesus unhindered, and over and over it says everyone got healed (Matt. 4:24; 8:16; 12:15). This was until Jesus returned to His hometown.


Miracle-working dunamis power did NOT flow when faith and love were NOT present

To help us understand the role of faith working by love, let us explore why Jesus could not do any mighty works (dunamis) in His hometown (Mk. 6:1-6). Even though there was the dunamis force/power of the Holy Spirit present in Jesus to do miracles, this force needs something to interact with. That something is "faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6).

Dunamis is released when it interacts with faith and love. Dunamis flows when faith and love are present, and these were NOT present in His hometown. They 1) did not believe and 2) they took offense at Jesus, (i.e. no love) so no mighty works occurred.

  1. And they took offense at Him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household. And He could do no miracle (dunamis) there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed (therapeuō) them. And He wondered at their unbelief." (Mk. 6:1-6)
  2. Therapeuo in the above verses is the word we get "therapeutic" from, which involves various modalities to heal a person. So Jesus could not get dunamis to work because of no faith or love, but therapeutic approaches were still possible. Some remedies mentioned in the New Testament which are found in the verses which have therapeuo in them include: anointing with oil, leaves of the trees, and laying on of hands. I assume this is just a sampling, not an exhaustive list, since other verses in the Bible describe other approaches to getting well – casting out demons, fasting, a merry heart, healing the wounds of the heart, confessing sin, herbs and exercise to name a few.  

Faith and love must BOTH be present for dunamis miracles to occur

  • Principle: Faith + Love + Dunamis = the release of a miracle (mighty work) of God.
  • Faith working through love (Gal. 5:6).
  • Jesus felt compassion for them and healed their sick (Matt. 14:14).
  • Jesus could do no miracle (G1411 dunamis – instantaneous healing) there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed (G2323 therapeuō - process healing) them. And He wondered at their unbelief (Mk. 6:5,6).
  • Love: So far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men (Rom.12:18).

Want to learn more about faith, love, and releasing miracles? Join us for our free online video event: Overflow of the Spirit (Aug. 22 – 30th)


 

Add new comment

Add new comment

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Results

Results 381 - 390 of 487

Pages

Through the Bible eBook

Through the Bible eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 142 Pages

Listening to God through Scripture! Were not our hearts burning within us while He was ... explaining the Scriptures to us (Lk. 24:32)?  This book will guide you in letting God reveal truth to you as you meditate on the stories and teaching of those who have gone before you. Your heart will be set afire by God!

Price: $19.95
Transformed by His Spirit

Transformed by His Spirit

eBook by Rob Bruce

Worthless or priceless? Your image of yourself directly impacts God's destiny for your life. Experience God's rest by smashing your religious and distorted mirrors and replacing them with God's mirror of grace.

Price: $9.95

Twenty Key Biblical Principles for Management eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 111 Pages

Does the Bible contain principles which should be followed if you are managing a business, a church or a home? Do the most successful businesses, churches and homes follow these principles? The answer to both questions is, "Yes!" Do you know what these key principles are for successful management? If not, this book is for you. The book is designed with quick, easy evaluation worksheets provided for each of the 20 principles.

Price: $12.95

Vibrant Health eBook

Click here for Kindle version. At age 40 I took full responsibility for my health, and I have not needed an appointment with an MD for the last 22 years. I focused full time on health from ages 40-42, and 60-62, and part time during the intervening years. My health is better at age 62 than it was at age 30. Yours can be too!

Price: $9.95
Wading Deeper Into the River of God eBook

Wading Deeper Into the River of God eBook

by Mark Virkler | 212 Pages

This book is the story of Mark’s personal journey toward revelation knowledge. With his trademark transparency and humor, you’ll identify with his challenges along the way and rejoice in his breakthroughs as he endeavors to continually wade deeper into the river of God.

Price: $16.95

When Everything Changes eBook

by Steve Stewart | 242 Pages

Jesus Christ declared a Gospel that is radical in its scope and implications, and powerful enough to bring change to everything it touches. When Everything Changes enlarges our worldview, inviting and challenging us to become active, passionate participants in God's Greater Story of rescue and restoration. As we learn to recognize and move in the rhythm of God's Kingdom, we step into a place of exciting new possibilities where healing, justice and mercy move through us to transform entire communities.

Price: $9.95
When Heaven Touches Earth - Front Cover

When Heaven Touches Earth eBook

by Greig, Virkler, Rogers, Goll, Fuller | 140 Pages

The central theme of this book is that average Christian believers can learn to exercise the eyes of their hearts and receive Spirit-led visions to worship in heaven, to receive the Lord's healing of their hearts, His authority, and His strategies to bring heaven down to earth (Matt. 6:10). Heavenly encounters initiated and led by Jesus with angels and those who have gone before us may sometimes be a part of these visionary experiences, as they were in Scripture.

Price: $14.95

Words of Life: From the Father's Heart of Love eBook

by Graham J. Marriott | 115 pages

This is a book of two-way journaling accompanied by color pictures on nearly every page. You will be blessed and inspired as you read! You receive this ebook in three formats: Kindle, PDF, as well as an EPUB version. This will ensure you can read it on all of your devices.

Price: $5.75

Your Extraordinary Life PDF eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 197 Pages

Can you imagine starting new believers off with the Holy Spirit! What if the first thing you were taught as a newborn Christian was how to connect easily and daily with the Holy Spirit Who was living inside you, anointing you, empowering you and transforming you?

Price: $10.95
Ethical Network Marketing eBook

Ethical Network Marketing eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 62 Pages

Direct selling, or network marketing, has been taking an ever larger niche of the business market in recent years. Network marketing allows the individual to begin a home-based business with just a few hundred dollars, and then nurture its expansion across the nation, or even the world. The network marketing business of a skilled communicator and promoter can grow very large. This book provides you with keys for building such a successful business.

Price: $9.95

Pages