Jesus the Healer w/ Nancy Dufresne
Episode 109 | The Blind Man Of Bethsaida
Date: December 1, 2022
Host: Nancy Dufresne
Theme: Exploring the significance of the healing miracle of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22–26) — understanding how faith, atmosphere, and community affect receiving from God.
Main Theme & Purpose
Nancy Dufresne examines the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida, taking listeners step by step through the biblical account. She emphasizes:
- The importance of faith—both personal and corporate—in receiving healing.
- The effect of the environment (believing or unbelieving) on miracles.
- How Jesus’ methods highlight the necessity of being led by the Holy Spirit, not formulas.
- Keeping your healing by maintaining a faith-filled environment.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Power is Present for Healing [00:10–01:05]
- Dufresne begins by affirming that God's healing power is always available, encouraging listeners—especially those sick—to "say, I receive that power. I receive it right now. From the top of my head, to the soles of my feet."
- “It cost Jesus everything so that we could live healed. And so we need to honor the price he paid by living healed.” (Nancy Dufresne, 01:03)
2. Studying Jesus’ Healing Miracles [01:06–02:18]
- Nancy notes that of Jesus’ many miracles, the Holy Spirit highlighted 19 individual cases for us to learn from.
- “In those we find everything we need to know to receive healing or to minister healing to someone else.” (01:23)
3. Setting the Scene: The Blind Man Is Brought to Jesus [02:19–05:24]
- Reads Mark 8:22–26. Notes that the blind man’s friends brought him to Jesus, showing compassion and faith in Jesus’ healing power.
- Contrasts with Blind Bartimaeus' story, where the crowd discouraged him; here, friends bring him to Jesus.
- “You always want to be that friend that helps people get their miracle…Be a faith friend…Don’t be a fear friend.” (03:52)
4. Why Did Jesus Lead the Man Out of Bethsaida? [05:25–12:34]
- Unique among miracles, Jesus leads the man out of town.
- Dufresne reviews Matthew 11:21–24, where Jesus pronounces judgment on Bethsaida for resisting/rejecting miracles.
- “This is how much Jesus wanted to heal this blind man…This community won’t receive that power anymore. So I’m going to lead him outside the community so he can receive his miracle. That’s how much God wants us healed.” (09:46)
- Explains the significance of “healing voices” in a region or household and how unbelief/words can affect whether miracles happen.
- Calls on listeners to choose communities, churches, and friends who believe in God’s healing.
5. Compassion vs. Faith: Who Helps You? [12:35–17:25]
- Highlights: Just because people care about you doesn’t mean they have faith for your healing.
- Shares account of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5). Jesus put out mourners who loved the family but didn’t have faith for a miracle.
- “Don’t confuse love and faith. Faith is a very different demand on you.” (16:22)
- Warns about letting well-meaning but unbelieving loved ones influence your stand for a miracle.
Memorable Story [14:58–17:25]
- Shares about a man healed of AIDS-related complications in her church, who lost his healing after a family member (out of fear) discouraged him from testifying per instruction.
- “Just because someone loves you doesn't mean they have faith for your miracle. Don’t confuse the two.” (16:04)
- “You need to have people in your life who encourage your faith and speak faith into you.” (16:38)
6. God Leads Uniquely: No Set Formula for Healing [17:26–20:18]
- Jesus spits and touches the man’s eyes; later, asks if he can see. First: partial vision. Second time: total restoration.
- “There’s no set formula. The formula is: follow the Holy Ghost. That’s the formula.” (18:37)
- “Don’t limit God to one way... Nothing humiliating about a miracle and whatever method that gets the miracle.” (19:41)
7. Healing By Degree — Keep Believing [20:19–22:20]
- The man was healed in stages, not instantly—sometimes faith works that way.
- “He was healed by a degree, not all at once. Sometimes when we believe God for healing, there's improvement, but not total healing...Just keep believing.” (21:05)
- Jesus had to lay hands twice due to the man’s faith being affected by the unbelieving community—not a lack in Jesus.
8. Protect Your Miracle: Guard Your Environment [22:21–25:20]
- Jesus instructs the man not to go back into the village: “Don't even enter the village or tell anyone there.”
- “Go around those who love you and have faith…and not around those who care about you, but don't have faith.” (24:24)
- Key principle: to keep your healing (or miracle), stay around faith-filled people and environments.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“Just because someone cares about you, doesn’t mean they have faith for your miracle…Don’t confuse love and faith.”
— Nancy Dufresne (16:05) -
“The formula is: follow the Holy Ghost. That’s the formula.”
— Nancy Dufresne (18:37) -
“How do you always receive what Jesus has for you? Accept his word instead of arguing with it, instead of resisting it, instead of rejecting it.”
— Nancy Dufresne (11:58) -
“Healing is for everyone, and Jesus wants it for everyone. Amen.”
— Nancy Dufresne (11:16) -
“Go home. Go around those who love you that have faith and not around those who care about you, but don’t have faith.”
— Nancy Dufresne (24:25)
Important Timestamps
- 00:10 — Power is present for healing
- 01:06 — Why study the 19 miracles in detail
- 02:19 — Reading Mark 8:22–26, setting the scene
- 05:25 — Why Jesus led the blind man out of Bethsaida; review of Matthew 11
- 12:35 — The difference between compassion and faith
- 14:58 — Story: Healed man lost his miracle due to unbelieving family’s words
- 17:26 — Unusual method: Jesus spits, touches man’s eyes
- 21:05 — Healing by degree, not instant; importance of persistence
- 22:21 — Jesus’ instruction: Don’t go back to unbelieving company
Summary Takeaways
- Faith is necessary—from you and those you surround yourself with—to receive from God.
- Atmosphere matters: Stay around people and places that foster faith, not unbelief.
- Follow the Holy Spirit, not formulas, for ministering or receiving healing.
- Guard your environment after receiving a miracle to keep what God has given.
- Love and faith are not the same: Be a “faith friend,” not merely a well-meaning companion.
For more teachings or Nancy Dufresne’s book “The Healer Divine,” visit dufresneministries.org.
“Jesus is the Healer. God bless you!”