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The central theme before us is *authority and faith*—specifically, how true faith operates when it recognizes the authority of the Word of God.
Let us look at what the Word of God says:
> “When Jesus heard it, he marvelled and said to those who followed, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I haven’t found so great a faith, not even in Israel. I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way. Let it be done for you as you have believed.’ His servant was healed in that hour.”
> — Matthew 8:10–13 (WEB)
The Holy Spirit has preserved this account to show us:
1. What *great faith* looks like.
2. How faith relates to *authority*—both earthly and heavenly.
3. How the Word of Christ, spoken with authority, accomplishes healing and deliverance at a distance.
4. How God responds not to religious background, but to faith.
The centurion did not ask for a sign. He did not need Jesus to come physically to his house. He understood that the Word of Jesus carries the same authority as the presence of Jesus. That is the essence of this passage.
The lyrics you supplied are almost a direct rendering of Matthew 8:5–13. They take us line by line through a living demonstration of faith in action. This is not theory. This is how the Kingdom of God operates.
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We must put ourselves in the historical and spiritual context of this narrative.
### The Setting: Capernaum
Matthew 8:5 begins:
> “When he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him for help…”
Capernaum was a significant town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It functioned as a kind of ministry base for Jesus (see Matthew 4:13). Many miracles and teachings occurred there. Yet, tragically, despite great light, Capernaum later faced severe judgment (Matthew 11:23–24).
So, in a place of much privilege and much responsibility, God chose to highlight the faith of a Gentile soldier.
### The Centurion
A centurion was a Roman military officer, typically commanding about 100 soldiers. He was:
Luke’s parallel account (Luke 7:1–10) adds several details:
This was not a casual or superficial man. He had used his position and resources to honor the God of Israel, even though he remained a Gentile.
### The Need: A Tormented Servant
The lyrics quote:
> “Lord, my servant lies in the house paralysed, grievously tormented.”
The centurion’s request was not for himself. It was for his servant. In the Roman world, a servant (Greek: *pais*, which can mean boy, servant, or even a beloved young attendant) was often considered expendable. Yet this centurion carried deep concern and compassion.
We see immediately:
He comes, *asking him for help.* The Greek suggests earnest pleading. This was not casual prayer. This was urgent intercession.
### Jesus’ Immediate Response
> “Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’” (Matthew 8:7)
Notice: Jesus does not hesitate. There is no racial barrier in His heart. No religious obstacle. He is ready to go to a Gentile’s house and heal a Gentile’s servant.
At this point, most people would have been content. Many in Israel had not even received this much encouragement. But the centurion’s response opens a deeper revelation of faith.
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To understand the depth of this passage, we will look at two key Greek words: *exousia* (authority) and *pisteuō* / *pistis* (believe / faith).
### 1. Authority – ἐξουσία (*exousia*)
Though the word “authority” does not appear explicitly in Matthew’s version, Luke 7:8 includes the concept clearly, and Matthew 8 reflects it in the centurion’s statement:
> “For I am also a man *under authority*, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and tell another, ‘Come,’ and he comes…”
The word used elsewhere for “authority” is ἐξουσία (*exousia*). It means:
It is not simply *dynamis* (power, ability), but legal right to command and expect obedience.
The centurion is saying, in effect:
“I understand how authority works. I am *under* a higher authority (Rome), and because I am under that authority, I have authority *over* my soldiers. When I speak, my word carries the authority of the empire behind me. They obey not because of my personality, but because of the authority I represent.”
He recognizes the same principle in Jesus. He does not see Jesus as a mere healer, but as one operating under and with the authority of God’s Kingdom. Therefore:
“If You only *speak the word*, the sickness will obey You.”
Here we learn: faith is not vague optimism. Faith is the accurate recognition of divine authority.
### 2. Faith / Believe – πίστις (*pistis*), πιστεύω (*pisteuō*)
Jesus says:
> “I haven’t found so great a *faith* (πίστιν, *pistin*), not even in Israel…
> ‘Go your way. Let it be done for you as you have *believed* (ἐπίστευσας, *episteusas*).’” (Matthew 8:10, 13)
*Pistis* (faith) and *pisteuō* (believe) carry the sense of:
Faith is not merely mental agreement. It is trust that leads to obedience and corresponding expectation.
So Jesus is saying:
“You have placed such accurate, confident trust in My authority that what you have believed will now be your reality. The Word you trusted is the Word that heals.”
The depth of the Greek here shows us that “great faith” is not just intense emotion. It is clear, reasoned confidence in who Jesus is and what His Word accomplishes.
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We will walk through the narrative as reflected in your lyrics and draw out the spiritual principles.
### A. “When he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him for help…”
This is the posture of biblical faith: coming to Jesus with a definite request.
Hebrews 11:6 teaches:
> “He who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.”
Faith:
1. Comes to God.
2. Believes in God’s nature.
3. Believes in God’s willingness to act.
The centurion does not argue theology. He does not debate doctrine. He comes with a need and a request. Many believers today are hindered not by lack of theology, but by lack of direct, humble coming to Jesus with specific petitions.
### B. “Lord, my servant lies in the house paralysed, grievously tormented.”
We see:
This points us to a broader biblical reality: sickness, particularly grievous torment, often has a spiritual dimension. It is not always merely physical. The New Testament frequently connects sickness, oppression, and demonic torment (Acts 10:38; Luke 13:11–16).
The centurion is not confused. He does not minimize the suffering. He brings the full seriousness of the condition to Jesus. Faith does not deny problems. Faith brings real problems to a real Savior.
### C. “Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’”
Two critical truths:
1. The will of Jesus is to heal.
He does not say, “Maybe I will,” or “Let me see.” He says, “I will come and heal him.” This reveals the heart of God: willing to intervene, willing to restore.
2. The initiative of grace.
The centurion had not even asked Jesus to come. He had simply reported the condition. Yet Jesus volunteers. We are often afraid to ask much, but Jesus is inclined to give more than we dare to request (Ephesians 3:20).
### D. “The centurion answered, ‘Lord, I’m not worthy for you to come under my roof.’”
Here is genuine humility, not false humility:
This balance is essential. Many believers oscillate between pride and self-pity. The centurion is neither proud nor self-condemned. He is humble but bold in faith.
### E. “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
This is the heart of the passage.
He is saying:
In Psalm 107:20 we read:
> “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
The centurion is embodying this Old Testament truth in New Testament reality. He understands that where the Word of the King is, there is authority (Ecclesiastes 8:4).
For us today, Jesus is not physically present in the flesh. But His Word is present. The same principle applies: *“Just say the word.”* We have His spoken word recorded in Scripture. When we receive, believe, and proclaim that Word, we are aligning with the same authority that healed the centurion’s servant.
### F. “For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers…”
He explains his reasoning. His faith is not irrational. It is logical.
Because he is rightly related to authority above him, he can exercise authority below him. He knows that:
He recognizes that Jesus is *under* the Father’s authority (John 5:19–23; 6:38) and therefore exercises authority *over* sickness, demons, and nature.
This is a critical principle of spiritual warfare:
You only have authority to the degree that you are under authority.
Many believers attempt to wield spiritual authority while resisting God’s authority in areas of obedience, holiness, submission, and order. The centurion shows the correct pattern: submitted to authority, therefore able to exercise authority.
### G. “I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and tell another, ‘Come,’ and he comes…”
The centurion likens sickness and torment to disobedient soldiers under command. When a true authority speaks, the only correct response is obedience.
In the spiritual realm:
Faith sees sickness not as an equal power struggling with God, but as a subordinate condition that must yield to the authority of Christ.
### H. “When Jesus heard it, he marvelled…”
There are very few occasions in Scripture where Jesus “marvelled” (was amazed). One is here at the faith of a Gentile. Another is at the unbelief in His own hometown (Mark 6:6).
Faith pleases Him. Unbelief grieves Him.
He then says:
> “I haven’t found so great a faith, not even in Israel.”
This is a sharp statement. Among the covenant people, with all their Scriptures, rituals, and privileges, He did not find this quality of faith. Yet He finds it in a Gentile soldier.
This warns us: religious familiarity does not guarantee faith. We can be surrounded by Bibles, churches, sermons, and yet fail to exercise the kind of faith that recognizes and rests in the authority of Jesus’ word.
### I. “Many will come from the east and the west…”
Jesus moves from individual healing to prophetic revelation of the Kingdom.
> “Many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness…” (Matthew 8:11–12)
Points to notice:
1. God’s Kingdom is inclusive of all nations
Those from “east and west” represent Gentile believers coming into the blessings of the patriarchs through faith in Christ (Galatians 3:7–9, 29).
2. Natural privilege is not enough
“The children of the Kingdom”—that is, those who assumed acceptance because of their Jewish heritage—would be cast out if they lacked true faith.
3. Outer darkness, weeping, and gnashing of teeth
Jesus speaks plainly of eternal judgment and exclusion. Faith in His authority is not optional. It is the dividing line between those who feast with Abraham and those who are cast out.
Thus, the centurion’s faith is a prophetic sign of the coming Gentile harvest and the danger of presumption for the religious.
### J. “Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way. Let it be done for you as you have believed.’ His servant was healed in that hour.”
The miracle is immediate and exact:
This shows us a principle repeated throughout the Gospels:
God’s power is constant. It is our faith that determines the measure of what we receive. The centurion did not limit Jesus by demanding physical presence. He honored Him by trusting His word alone. And his servant was healed.
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We must now ask, how do we apply this pattern in our own lives? I will give four practical steps and then some sample proclamations.
### Step 1: Recognize and Submit to Christ’s Authority
First, we must establish Jesus’ authority in our hearts and lives.
Submission means:
If we are not under His authority, our spiritual authority will be weak and inconsistent.
### Step 2: Honor the Word as Fully Sufficient
Second, we must adopt the centurion’s attitude: *“Just say the word.”*
Practically, this means:
Faith is not created by feelings. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17).
### Step 3: Align Your Confession with God’s Word
Third, we must bring our words into alignment with God’s words. The centurion’s understanding of authority was expressed through his speaking. He knew that authority operates through words of command.
Likewise:
Our mouths must become instruments of authority, not instruments of doubt. Proverbs 18:21 says:
> “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
This is not mindless affirmation but deliberate agreement with the written Word of God.
### Step 4: Exercise Authority in Spiritual Warfare
Fourth, once we are under Christ’s authority and aligned with His Word, we must actively exercise authority over:
This includes:
We do not beg the devil to stop. We command him to leave, on the basis of Christ’s finished work and authority.
### Sample Proclamations (Modeled on the Centurion’s Faith)
You may say aloud, in faith:
1. “Lord Jesus, I recognize that You have all authority in heaven and on earth. I submit myself completely to Your rule in my life.”
2. “Your Word is enough for me. I believe that when You speak, it is done. I choose to trust Your Word more than my feelings and circumstances.”
3. “In Your name, I speak to every form of sickness and torment affecting me or those under my care. I command it to go. I declare that Your Word brings healing and deliverance.”
4. “As I am under Your authority, I exercise Your delegated authority over the powers of darkness. I resist the devil, and he must flee from me.”
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### Proclamation of Faith
Say this out loud, thoughtfully and deliberately:
> I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
> He has all authority in heaven and on earth.
> I submit myself to His authority—spirit, soul, and body.
> I believe that His Word is living and powerful.
> Like the centurion, I say: “Lord, I am not worthy in myself,
> but Your Word is enough.”
> I receive Your Word as final authority over my life and circumstances.
> I declare that sickness, torment, and every work of darkness
> must submit to the name of Jesus.
> According to my faith in His Word,
> it is done unto me and to those for whom I stand.
> I am not moved by what I see or feel.
> I am moved by the Word of the living God.
> In Jesus’ name. Amen.
### Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
I acknowledge You today as Lord and King, the One under whose authority all things must bow. I thank You for the faith of the centurion, recorded for my instruction.
Where I have doubted Your Word, forgive me. Where I have honored feelings above Scripture, correct me. Bring me into the same clarity of faith that sees Your Word as sufficient, powerful, and final.
I place myself under Your authority. Search my heart and show me any area of rebellion, unbelief, or compromise. I renounce these and submit fully to Your Lordship.
Now, in Your name, I bring before You every person, every situation, every area of sickness or torment laid upon my heart. Just as the centurion did, I present these needs to You and say: “Only say the word, and they will be healed, delivered, and restored.”
Send Your Word and heal. Send Your Word and deliver from destruction. Let it be unto us according to Your Word and according to our faith. Establish us as people who live, speak, and act under Your authority, manifesting Your Kingdom wherever we go.
I ask this in Your mighty name, Lord Jesus.
Amen.
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