Countering Unbelief

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. Mark 6:5-6 (KJV)

Jesus was from Nazareth, but was not received by them. This restricted the supernatural works that He could do there. He healed just a few sick folks. Jesus marveled at their unbelief, so He went about teaching. This points to biblical teaching as the cure for unbelief. Jesus taught the Word of God. We need sound biblical teaching to know truth and to receive who Jesus is. That releases faith to allow Him to heal, save, resurrect, and much more.

Good, Bible-based teaching will produce what we need. Jesus taught the Word to cure unbelief so people could receive from Him.

And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. Mark 6:34 (KJV)

Jesus looked at the people as sheep having no shepherd, meaning no pastor. A shepherd is one who has a flock, a congregation, and feeds them God’s Word, teaching the whole counsel of God, His entire Word, from Genesis to Revelation, line upon line.

Jesus did miracles and healings. Anointed teaching leads us into miraculous provision, spiritual growth, and fulfillment of purpose.

 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Matthew 4:23 (KJV)

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matthew 9:35 (KJV)

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18-19 (KJV)

These verses describe Jesus’ ministry: teaching, preaching, and healing. He preached and taught God’s Word, which resulted in the manifestation of healing. The Word does not return void.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16 (KJV)

This passage tells us what the five-fold ministry will do for us today. Jesus gave us these ministry offices, and it includes teachers. Why did He give them? It is for the perfecting, or the maturing, of the saints so we can do the work of the ministry. The five-fold ministers are not to do all the ministry work; we are. The goal is body edification and unity of the faith. It is for our maturity. Solid teaching will help us grow up in God. It helps us to know Christ and grow in the knowledge of God so we can be like Him. It keeps us from remaining spiritual children that can be easily “carried about with every wind of doctrine.” It enables us to determine truth from error, so we aren’t easily deceived. As a result, we are able to speak the truth in love to others because we know the truth of the Word. This promotes the maturing of the body of Christ, and it allows for body ministry, or ministering to other believers. Thus, we all do that Christ did. He is the Head and we are His body. As we all contribute, we work together and the body increases where we’re all built up in love.

Teaching brings knowledge of God’s Word, which brings faith and releases the supernatural manifestation of healing and the other spiritual gifts. To grow and operate in the signs and wonders that the Bible speaks of, we must counter unbelief with good Bible teaching.