8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
Where did this cripple get the faith Paul perceived he possessed? Do you think he generated it from his own will? The answer is no. Any kind of faith, whether faith to be healed or faith to be saved, is a gift from God (Romans 12:3; Ephesians 2:8).
What was the difference between this man and many others present who were simply doing what they customarily did on the Sabbath? Answer - God was working in this man (John 6:29) and drawing him to the truth. And what does Jesus say about God drawing a man? “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:44).
When reading that, please don’t stop the reading of that verse with the text before the semi-colon. Jesus continued and said, “...and I will raise him up on the last day.” There is no option and there is no availability of salvation; the Father draws, and those the Father draws, Jesus raises up. He doesn't raise up only those who accept, He raises each and every one the Father draws. Do you know why? They have already been given to Jesus (John 6:37) and it happened before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4).
But the point of this Bible Truth is that the Holy Spirit showed Paul this man had the God-given faith to be healed. It was not self-generated, God gave it to him.
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