12/09/2021 - THE OBLIGATION TO SAY: “EPHPHATHA”

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 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” Mark 7.34

God has not called us to be the embarrassment of His Kingdom, weak and powerless. His will is that we should come to the stature of Christ, so that we might be the good fragrance of the Lord, among the lost (2 Corinthians 2.15). We will never be able to do the same things that Jesus did, if we don’t let the Holy Spirit use us. Whoever believes in the Lord must always be ready to participate in His wars!

The example of how we should walk is seen in Jesus, who walked everywhere, doing good, as commanded by the Father. Some Pharisees came to the Master and told Him to leave that place, because Herod intended to kill Him: He replied, Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ (Luke 13.32). God’s servant is bold as a lion (Proverbs 28.1).

A man possessed by many demons had become strong and dangerous. Jesus then saw that the time had come to set him free. Although no one had interceded for that life, the Master got into the boat with His disciples to help him. The Son of God knew how to act and when they reached the other side of the sea, the man ran to Him, begging Him not to torment him. But Jesus soon set him free (Mark 5.1-13)!

In Matthew’s account of this episode, the evangelist quotes a second demon-possessed person, saying that they went to meet the Lord. Which is right, one possessed or two by the devil? Perhaps I will stick with Matthew’s record, since he was a disciple of the Master, he must have witnessed the scene. Mark and the evangelist Luke wrote about what people told them. Probably, one of the oppressed was the “chief” and the other, a “disciple” of his. But only God knows for sure!

Christ didn’t use the disciples to hold the man possessed by the legion of unclean spirits, as any leader would do; He subdued him by the power of God. The Savior promised that we would receive power at the descent of the Holy Spirit, saying: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1.8).

One day a deaf man, who spoke with difficulty, was brought to the Master and the people asked Him to lay hands on him and heal him. Jesus took him out of the crowd and apart, He put His fingers in his ear and spitting – touched his tongue. Then the Master raised his eyes to heaven and sighing, said: “Ephphatha,” which means, “Open up” (Mark 7:32-35). He taught that, after having received the power, being led by the Spirit, you can express yourself this way (John 14.13). 

Moses should have obeyed the Lord, so that the second time, he would draw water from the rock – but this man of God didn’t observe the order he received, and he struck the rock, again. Whoever fails to observe the heavenly direction cannot enter Canaan. Be conscious of the mission given to you and fulfill it completely, so as not to change the Lord’s plan!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares