How Jesus Fulfills Your Deepest Need

What is your biggest need today? If God showed up in a dream and asked, “What is the one thing you want me to do for you?” What would you say? Would you say you need money to pay your bills? Or maybe you or someone you know is sick and needs healing. Some might say their biggest need is for God to save their spouse or a family member who’s close to them. I don’t know what you would say, but I want you to think about what that biggest need is because what God has been teaching me lately, and what I’m trying to grasp is that sometimes what we think we need is not really what we need. I want to help you think about how Jesus fulfills your deepest needs. 

17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” (Luke 5:17-26)

1. Jesus Knows Your Deepest Need.

The paralyzed man who was lowered down in front of Jesus was there to be physically healed, but Jesus was after something much deeper than a physical issue. Jesus wanted to give this man something he needed even more than physical healing.

This should give us confidence and help build our faith. Jesus isn’t trying to figure out what you need. He’s not perplexed by what you need. He’s not waiting around to see what you’re going to do so He can come up with a plan to help you. He knows exactly what your deepest need is today. 

Your deepest need in life is to be forgiven, to be reconciled with God. That is the most important thing that any human being could ever experience. You and I were created to be in a relationship with God, to know Him, and to bring glory and honor to Him. But our sin separates us from God. Your greatest need isn’t for a friend; it’s not for money; it’s to be forgiven so that we can be reconciled to our God.

2. Jesus Has the Authority to Meet Your Every Need.

Jesus says very clearly that He is forgiving this man and then proves that He has the authority to forgive sin by healing the man. Referring to Himself, Jesus says, “The son of man has authority to forgive sin.” The man shows up for physical healing, but Jesus starts with forgiveness. 

What’s exciting is that Jesus is always going to give you more than you expect. You weren’t looking for it; you weren’t even sure what it was. But He is giving you more than you realize.

Forgiveness is not something that you can get on your own. It’s not something you can get from a friend, a priest, a pastor, or any spiritual leader. Of course, we can forgive each other for the wrongs that we do to each other, but I’m talking about the debt that you owe God for sinning against Him. That forgiveness can only be provided by Jesus.

If Jesus has the authority to forgive you of sin, reconcile you to God, and give you heaven when you die, He is more than capable of meeting all your other needs. He may not answer every prayer the way that you want, but Jesus is faithful in meeting every single need you have today.

3. Jesus Has the Authority to Heal You.

Jesus wants to make the point to everyone who is listening to Him, especially the Pharisees, that He, in fact, does have the authority to forgive sin, and that is why he heals the man. In verse 24 He says, “That you may know,” meaning, this is the purpose of why I’m about to do what I’m about to do. “That you may know that I have authority to forgive sin. Rise up and go home.” The man gets up, picks up the mat he’s been lying on, and goes, praising God for the healing that he has just experienced. 

This is the good news! Jesus has the authority to heal you! He has authority over cancer, He has authority over anxiety, He has authority over every physical problem you have. 

The religious leaders watching this happen got angry and upset, and they thought evil thoughts, and Jesus knew what they were thinking. He says, “Why do you question?” Essentially, why don’t you believe? Then, He comes up with a rhetorical question. In verse 23, He asks, “What’s easier, to heal or to forgive sin?” 

Which is easier for Jesus? It’d be like asking me, “Trent, what’s easier for you? Dribbling a basketball or passing a basketball?” The answer is that they’re both easy. What’s easier, sitting down or standing up? I mean, unless you’re over 50. The point is that healing and forgiving sin are both easy for Jesus.

Is it easier for Jesus to cure you of cancer or make the sun come up tomorrow? Is it easier for Jesus to restore your marriage or give you eternal life? Is it easier for Jesus to save your wayward child or resurrect Himself from the grave? He can do it all. It’s in His hands, in His power. He is sovereign. Of course, this is easy for Jesus. He has the authority to forgive us of sin, but He also has the authority to heal us. He has authority over sickness, over demons, over every type of oppression we might be experiencing. 

So yes, keep asking and praying, keep believing in His authority to do whatever it is we are asking Him to do. But you also must realize that sometimes what you think you need isn’t your greatest need, and this is where faith has to move into your heart. You think you need XYZ, but maybe your greatest need is a deeper faith. You think that you need a spouse, but perhaps your greatest need is to find purpose. You think you need more money, but maybe your greatest need is to deepen your commitment to Christ.

Sometimes, what we think we need isn’t our greatest need, but we can trust that Jesus knows exactly what we need and that He will provide it at just the right time. We’ve got to begin to open up our hearts and say, “God, here’s what I think I need, but Your will be done. I know you’ll give me what I need today because your grace is sufficient. I’ll trust You, and I’ll focus on You.”

The paralytic was only hoping for Jesus to heal him physically, but he got more than he was expecting. Jesus fulfilled his greatest need (forgiveness) and his greatest hope (physical healing). May God do the same in your life today.