Matthew 8:16 speaks volumes!! And it’s all in one little word.
verse 16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.
verse 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
they brought to him: The “they” might be the disciples, but it could also be the crowd, and it could also be those who knew of him in Capernaum. Either way, it’s a sweet thing that these people believed Jesus could help people.
were oppressed by demons: Does this still happen? Yes. Most certainly yes. It may not look the same as it did back then, but the devil and his demons are always at work making people miserable. Does it happen to Christians? Yes, to a degree. We are not possessed because we are filled with the Holy Spirit, but the devil can make our life miserable too! Why doesn’t God stop this?? What the devil intends for harm, God always intends and plans and uses for good (see Genesis 50:20!). God will always beat the devil at his wicked game. God is teaching us through this.
he cast out the spirits with a word: This is the most important phrase, and it contains the most important word. God does all that He does through his word. He created everything through his word, people come to faith by his word (see Romans 10:17!!), and we are changed by His word (see John 17:17!!).
God works directly and effectively through His word. Never underestimate the power to change things in your life through God’s word. It. Changes. Things!!
He took our illnesses and bore our diseases: In the three previous miracles (the leper, the centurion’s servant, and Peter’s mother-in-law), and now in the demon possessed and the sick, Jesus takes away, and takes on what ails people. What does this mean? He touches a leper, he heals a Roman’s servant, he touches a woman, and he heals people with demons. All this brings Him (God!) into the physical world of unholy humans. In doing so, he took the leprosy away and becomes unclean in the process. He healed a non-Jew, which made him bear the criticism of befriending an enemy.
All the miracles involve Jesus taking away something and bearing a burden in the process.
Ultimately, and most importantly, Jesus does this on the cross. He takes the illness and disease of our sin and bears the full weight of the wrath of God on our behalf. He became our substitute. He died the death we should have died.
If your reading the book of Romans
The Men's Bible Reading Idea 