Summary:
The prayers of the Canaanite woman with the flow of blood and the centurion who pled for his servant’s healing were effective. She deemed herself unworthy and accepted her status with humility; that was why she wasn’t discouraged by the words of the Lord Jesus. He was a man of authority but came before Jesus with humility, love and faith. Let us emulate their attitude in prayer, that our prayers may be effective too.

This exhortation will cover two examples of prayer. Although Jesus did not have direct contact with the recipients of healing, the prayers for these recipients were effective. Furthermore, they weren’t made by the chosen people or God, and yet they received mercy.

Canaanite woman

Matt 15:21-28
Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon which was outside the territory of Israel. A woman of Canaan cried out to him for her daughter was severely demon possessed. She called Him ‘Son of David’, reflecting her acknowledgement that He was the Messiah. Even a non-Israelite knew Jesus was the Messiah! Demon possession was not something that could be healed by physicians. No human being can overcome demons.

We look at how Jesus replied her. He ignored her! He didn’t answer a word. What about the disciples? Then didn’t have a shred of pity at all and found her a nuisance. They wanted Jesus to send her away. The first reaction she got from Jesus was rejection, but she didn’t give up.

Jesus answered her plea with, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of Israel.”

Didn’t this indicate to her she had not chance at all? Even so, she didn’t give up. She came before the Lord and worshipped him.

Jesus said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

Effectively, He was saying she was not worthy. Jesus wanted to see how she would respond. Comparing a child to a dog made it seem like Jesus was trying to humiliate her. But she responded beautifully; with courage, she asked was mercy. Because she knew her own status; she knew she was not worthy. She answered, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters legs table.” She knew the grace of God was so great, even a shred/crumb was enough.

Jesus said, “O woman, great is your faith!”

She wasn’t hindered by external circumstances and completely acknowledged Jesus was the Messiah.

“Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Jesus didn’t touch her daughter, but she was healed. This shows that even though there’s no laying of hands during this Spiritual Meeting, we can still receive the Holy Spirit. Even when it seems God is not answering, just like how it seemed Jesus did not respond to the Canaanite woman’s pleas, let us continue to be persistent like she was.

Centurion

Matt 8:5-13
Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

The centurion was an officer, a person with authority, yet he looked for Jesus Christ. Who was Jesus Christ? Just a son of a carpenter. Yet he came to Jesus Christ and addressed him as ‘Lord’. He had the power to command people to do his will, but he didn’t do that to Jesus. He came before Jesus and pleaded, because he was aware before Jesus, his status as an officer was nothing.

The centurion pled before Jesus for his servant who was paralysed. The fact that he was pleading on behalf of his servant reflects he was a person with love.

The centurion was of high authority but he couldn’t command the paralysis of his servant away. But he knew just a word of Jesus could do it.

The centurion said he was not worthy that Jesus should come under his roof. He understood Jesus’ authority transcended time and space, and He would be able to heal His servant even without being in contact with him.

The centurion caused Jesus to marvel at his faith. We should emulate him. He was humble, love, and acknowledged Jesus’ authority.

How should we pray? When our attitude is like the centurion; when we come with humility, love and faith, our prayers can cause our Lord to marvel too.

With one statement, the centurion’s servant was healed. Jesus didn’t even meet him. No name was mentioned, how would Jesus know which one to heal? But he was healed.

This also shows the power of intercession year prayers. Jesus teaches us the correct attitude we ought to have in prayer. Intercessory prayers are effective. There are testimonies where people who interceded for others ended up receiving the Holy Spirit themselves.

Let Jesus see our faith.

Jas 1:7
For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord

Faith is important in prayer. If we don’t have faith, we should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Faith is still a determining factor.

Let us consider the prayers of these two people who were not part of the chosen race. They had faith and their prayers were effective.

Mark 11:23-24
For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

We need to believe in the power of God. If we have faith, even a mountain can be moved. Even if we have an obstacle as big as a mountain, faith can overcome it.

Learn from the attitude of the Canaanite woman. She deemed herself unworthy, that was why she wasn’t discouraged by the words of the Lord Jesus. She accepted her status with humility. Because of this, Jesus esteemed her prayer.

Let us remember not just to pray for ourselves but to pray for other people as well.