Testimonies

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Matthew 14:34-36

Jesus had just met His disciples out on the Sea of Galilee by walking on water. They were completely astonished, not only because Jesus was able to walk on water, but also because Peter was able to for a short time.

Then the winds died down, and they arrived at the other side of the lake to a place called Gennesaret. This was an extremely fertile stretch of land along the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee only three miles from Capernaum.

When the people of that area recognized Jesus, they sent word to the surrounding villages that Jesus was there. People brought their sick in order for Jesus to heal them. But usually what the crowds were expecting was for Jesus to place their hands on people so that they may be healed (Luke 4:40). So why are people in this region begging Jesus to let them touch the edge of his cloak?

It seems as though the testimony from the woman in Matthew 9 who had been bleeding for 12 years and was healed by touching the edge of Jesus’s cloak had spread through that area.

Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

Matthew 9:20-24

So, apparently, this woman’s testimony of healing spread throughout that area. And once Jesus returned to that region, people not only had faith to believe they would be healed if Jesus touched them, but they had faith to believe that if they just touched the edge of His cloak they would be healed.

So were they right? Or was healing by way of touching Jesus’s cloak just for the bleeding woman?

Matthew 14:36 confirms that “all who touched it were healed.”

This is the power of testimony. What God did for this one person, He can do for you. Testimonies of healing are not someone bragging. They are not someone boasting. They are giving credit where credit is due. Jesus gets all the glory! And testimonies strengthen the faith of those who hear them. Testimonies, when heard with the right heart condition, help people to believe that what Jesus did for that person, He can do for me.

If you’ve been healed, don’t stay silent. Share your testimony. Let people know what God has done in your life. Celebrate how God’s Kingdom has invaded this world! Doing so can strengthen the faith of those around you. Your testimony could create a break-through in healing for someone else!