And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague Mark 5:25-34
Our story starts with a series of events that happened one after the other. They are all interconnected, but because of our restraints of time and space, we will focus on one in particular. Jesus had been teaching to the multitudes and then went over to the other side of the sea to a place called Gadara, just to meet with one man. He does that you know. He is intimately concerned with each of us, and in you in particular.
This man was mad… possessed by evil spirits and Jesus wanted to set him free. On the way a fierce storm came up out of nowhere. The devil wanted to kill them all, but Jesus had a plan and His plan always works. After casting those evil spirits out of the man, He came back to find that a crowd of people had gathered at the wharf, an influential man was waiting for Him and a special woman stopped Him in His tracks, making a demand on Him by drawing from His anointing.
This story occurs three times in the bible in Matthew 9, Mark 5 and Luke 8, which means that it is important. Often times when God want see to see something important, he repeats it. Bible students may know of a law of biblical interpretation called "the Law of Much mention”. If this story appears three times, there might be an important message we need to understand. God wants us to understand His ways, but they could be like a precious diamond that is buried in the ground. We may have to dig for it to unearth its inherent beauty as we bring it into the light.
When reading the bible, we sometimes see hidden truths available only by revelation as the Holy Spirit our teacher opens up the scriptures the way Jesus did to his disciples. He brought light to it. He often spoke in parables. People who were not close to Jesus never understood the meaning because such truths are often hidden to those who are not in covenant relationship. The truth is there, but hidden like that diamond had been hidden. Diamonds in the rough must be cut and polished to fully reveal their inner beauty.
Jesus clearly explained hidden truths to His disciples and those who drew close. This is evident in Mark chapter four. If you look at Mark 4:1-2, Jesus taught as He often did, speaking in parables to the multitude. Later in the chapter when He was alone with His disciples and others who cared to draw close, He explained all things (see Mark 4:11, 34 and John 15:15). Always remember that God does not hide things from us; He hides things for us!
His ministry started with a display of miracles, the first being the turning of water into wine according to John 2:11.
His ministry comprised preaching, teaching, healing the sick and the casting out of evil spirits. It was always miraculous and our ministries should follow suit, otherwise we are not following his command and example. Luke chapter three describes his baptism by John, followed by his baptism in the Holy Spirit. He never did a thing until after he received the Holy Spirit, so if it was so important for him, it should be more so for us today.
Paul said that the preaching of the Gospel should have clout, saying- For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 1 Corinthians 4:20. See also 1 Thessalonians 1:5.
We need more of this Holy Ghost power today, not religion and it was this same Holy Ghost power that caused the woman in our story to respond to Jesus.
In Luke chapter four, Jesus, full of the Holy Ghost, was led into the wilderness where he was tempted. In verse fourteen, Luke says that Jesus Returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee… and a fame of him went into the region. What made him so famous in such a short time? Something must have had such an impact on people that they would go to great extents to see him. Would you get up before dawn, or stay awake until late at night or go out into a wilderness just to listen to someone preach? Most preaching today hardly raises an eyebrow. Something grabbed hold of people and it was more than nice words and rhetoric.
When he spoke, it was as if he really did know what he was doing and the religious people admitted it.
When he came into town, crowds gathered around, because the word got out that he was not just a good teacher, but the miracle worker… the anointed one, which is what the word Christ means. Things happened when he was around. He came to the church in Nazareth and asked for the bible. The preacher gave him one and he turned to Isaiah 61, which says that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, told everyone what it was all about (all I have just been describing) and then said, “I am this one. The prophecy is now fulfilled” and no one there got it. They did not believe him there, but wherever others did… things happened! In Capernaum, thing did happen because they believed.
They were amazed at His teaching, for His word was with authority and ability and weight and power. Luke 4:32.
The same things happened in Luke 4:36-37 and Luke said that his fame preceded him. Luke said that he laid his hands on ALL those who had any kind of disease and they were ALL healed. If you have any doubts if God will heal you… then stop thinking like that. It is certainly his will for you to be healed.
When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Mark 8:2-3.
In our story, Jesus had been to Gadara where he set a man free from evil spirits, with his word… one word, Go and the evil spirits obeyed HIs command. He then returned and on his arrival the news went out that he was in town.
When Jesus arrived, a rich and very influential man called Jairus came to Him with an urgent request. He bowed to the ground, prostrating himself at the feet of Jesus. No Jewish leader ever did that, but he realized and acknowledged who Jesus was… the Son of God and begged Him to come back to his home to heal his daughter. The girl was dying, so the need was great. Without a second thought, Jesus agreed and they both turned and began walking down the busy streets towards the man's home. All he could think of was his little girl laying on her deathbed. All he was interested in was getting Jesus to her bedside, knowing that if Jesus were there, everything would work out well.
Jesus and His disciples were walking with Him, when something that was horrific to Jews, especially Jairus, was that someone else was also in that crowd and hindered their progress.
A woman, whose name is not even mentioned in the account, pushed her way through that jostling crowd. She had but one thing on her mind and her need was just as great as the need of the man Jesus was following. She reached out and grabbed hold of Him.
Mark says that she came up from behind and touched the hem of His garment. She could not directly approach Him from the front for several reasons.
He was a Jew and to touch Him directly in her condition was against the Law of Moses, punishable by stoning to death. Just being out in public was sufficient cause should someone accuse her.
She was unclean, having an incurable ailment that was an unstoppable issue of blood coming from her body.
She had emotional issues such as personal shame and disgrace that she overcame by the pressing need to reach Jesus, regardless of the risk to her life.
As she held onto a special part of this Jew’s garment, she made a demand by faith on His anointing.
The instant her hand touched the tassels on His garment, that anointing started to flow into her body and instantly dried up the flow of blood.
He felt it. Turning around, He asked a pertinent question, "Who touched Me"?
That seething jostling through of the curious, the spectacle seekers, the mockers, the answer seekers, the spectators and those who also had needs were all pushing and shoving everyone, but only one person… that woman… had enough faith going for her that triggered a release of His anointing and He wanted to obtain a confession, or a testimony from her.
He knew who she was all the time and turned to look right in the eye of the woman who stopped God in His tracks.
And when Jesus had recrossed in the boat to the other side, a great throng gathered about Him, and He was at the lakeshore. Then one of the rulers of the synagogue came up, Jairus by name; and seeing Him, he prostrated himself at His feet And begged Him earnestly, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, so that she may be healed and live. Mark 5:21-23.
We have seen that this man publicly humbled himself before Jesus. He was a rich and influential man… a leader in the community and a ruler of the synagogue. As such he was fully aware of the possible implications of his actions and request, for he bowed in public, which was something any good Jew would never do. At best, he could have been kicked out of the church. At worst, he risked his very life by bowing to another man because Torah said he should not do that.
Take note of this man’s position, action and his conversation.
He had a need. Do you have a need? Is there a situation or a problem in your life that you cannot handle?
He was desperate. Have you tried everything you can but it is still not working and reached the point of desperation?
He came to Jesus for the solution. Are you turning everywhere, seeking answers in all sorts of places, doing everything you can but not gone to God in his way? He had done all that, but realised that Jesus is the answer.
He humbled himself before Jesus. Sometimes we try to handle the situation ourselves and not realize that it could be a stubborn pride... a self-sufficiency... a self dependency that has to be dealt with. Whatever it is... Jesus Christ is Lord of it. Every knee and every tongue will eventually bow to him and confess that Jesus is indeed Lord. The devil and his followers will do so by conquest, but we do so because we want to. If you humble yourself before God, he will exalt you and answer you. He spoke the answer. The power of death or life is in our tongue. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21.
He explained his situation.
He declared the solution.
He established a point of contact by faith giving Jesus grounds on which He could act. Jairus did not complain. He did not have a pity-party. He told Jesus his need and saw Him walking into his home to lay His hands on his daughter... and saw her well!
He told Jesus the truth or the facts. His daughter was sick and she was dying.
We do not deny facts, but we deny their right to control our lives. The outcome often depends on which report we believe.
Facts may say you are sick (that is fact), but the truth of the matter is that we are healed by Jesus' stripes. See 1 Peter 2:24.
This story happened before Calvary and we are now possessors of the great legacy or inheritance Jesus left us. We now have the power of his name and the power of his blood and we can have the same abilities he had when we receive the Holy Spirit.
Jairus said that once Jesus laid his hands on her, she would live. It was a positive statement. It was not a hope so approach. He never said things like, "I wonder if this will work." Do not negate a thing by any semblance of doubt or unbelief.
He stated, "My daughter will be made well." This faith evoked an immediate response from Jesus. He said, "OK. Let's go" and started to follow the man. Verse 24 said that Jesus went WITH him. When you are walking by faith, God is right there beside you.
As they were walking down the street, people started to follow them. The noise carried around and people started coming to see what was happening. True to his style, Jesus would probably have paused momentarily to reach out and stroke the cheek of a little girl, grasp someone’s outreached hand, kiss a grandmother on the forehead, but He never stopped. He was on a mission. I say this, because the bible shows me that He never turned anyone away, but no one in that crowd did what this lady did.
He was following Jairus down the street towards this man’s objective, which was his home. That was the man’s point of contact. It was his vision and everything seemed to be opposing it. Obstacles kept getting in the way, slowing Jesus down and even stopped him.
"Come on! Come on!" Jairus could have been thinking. "What’s keeping you?"
Have you ever thought like that? If you have a vision and it seems that everything is getting in the way, then keep picturing Jesus in the vision there with you, just like Jairus did. He saw Jesus standing in his home at his daughter’s bedside and raising her up.
Don’t Quit! Don’t let go. Make sure that it is a godly vision and not one of your own. Keep confessing his word into your life and keep seeing the finish.
An Olympic champion trains for years for his or her one great event. Year after year that training goes on, sometimes with great pain and the need for much patience but what drives them on is Gold. They are disciplined to their sport! Discipline is sometimes like a dirty word with some Christians and the results often speak for themselves. Those athletes see that finish line ahead of them. That is their objective. The reward drives them on, but there is an appointed time for it. In this illustration, the appointed time happens once every four years for the Olympic Games.
There are appointed times and seasons in God (see Habakkuk 2:3) but you can recognize when your window of opportunity or appointed time arrives. Do not miss it. Do not arrive at the wharf only to see the ship disappearing over the horizon.
Jairus had a good attitude and so did this dear woman. She was a champion with a perseverance attitude that helped when everything was against her. She just would not quit! What was it? She was a daughter of Abraham. She was an heir of the covenant promises that God made to Abraham and his seed and they are our promises as well. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants and heirs, as God promised. Galatians 3:29.
She was in a bad way, but kept picturing herself well again. You must picture yourself as already having your answer. Never say things like, "One of these days", or, "I hope so"... because you are continually putting it into the future.
She had suffered for year after year, going from one doctor to another, from one quack to another. They told her to do this and to do that. They poked and prodded her. Gave her diets and medications to take, drink, wear, eat and goodness knows what else. They told her to stop this and do that and charged her top dollar for each consultation until she was not only broke… she was getting worse.
She was suffering from continual loss of blood, broke, had no social security benefits, and was a social outcast. Her condition meant that she was suffering shame and was treated with contempt. She was not allowed in public unless she cried out Unclean; Unclean and was definitely not supposed to touch anyone. I guess that some people would have accused her of some sort of sin in her life that was causing this punishment on her and in itself is absolute garbage. See our separate studies on healing and the atonement and you will see the truth on that stuff.
This was no mere sickness but something that tormented her and continually harassed her and beat on her day after day after day. The Greek describes her condition as being a plague using the word Mastix.
It not only describes a plague like condition, but pictures it as like being whipped or scourged.
It was as if she was a criminal being continually whipped in the same way the Roman used a flagellum for criminals.
This disease was a scourging plague. The romans would beat their victim mercilessly and stop, take them back to the cells and allow them to partially recover before dragging them out and continue the beatings.
The process was repeated.
This woman had been continually tormented by her plague like that for twelve years.
This woman received her healing because of her approach to the matter.
The steps she took for her recovery are listed here as a guide for you.
Your situation could be vastly different to hers, but you can apply what is required for you up to receive your miracle
The starting point is knowing what can be done.
For that to happen, we have to hear the truth of the matter. Her first step in receiving her miracle was listening to something.
Everything depends on what we hear and whose report we believe. This is not simply a hyped-up "positive confession", but hearing what God can do in your situation. The issue is what He says about it.
God responds to faith and operates by His spoken Word. The creation story in Genesis the first example. Nothing happened until He said something. The phrase And God Said appears 101 times alone in Genesis, eleven times alone in chapter one.
He spoke, and it came into being. He gave the order, and there it stood. Psalms 33:9.
John 1:1-4 tells us that Jesus is the word revealed and that He created everything that exists. In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was already with God in the beginning. Everything came into existence through him. Not one thing that exists was made without him. He was the source of life, and that life was the light for humanity.
This is reinforced in Hebrews 1:1-3.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors at many different times and in many different ways through the prophets. In these last days he has spoken to us through his Son. God made his Son responsible for everything. His Son is the one through whom God made the universe. His Son is the reflection of God's glory and the exact likeness of God's being. He holds everything together through his powerful words. After he had cleansed people from their sins, he received the highest position, the one next to the Father in heaven.
God has ordained that by the foolishness of preaching (not the preaching of foolishness) is the vehicle to bring us into divine harmony and relationship with Him. To put it another way... God uses preaching, or words, to achieve His plan and purpose on the earth and this is precisely what I am doing now. Paul said- The message about the cross is nonsense to those who are being destroyed, but it is God's power to us who are being saved. Scripture says, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will reject the intelligence of intelligent people.” Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the persuasive speaker of our time? Hasn't God turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense? The world with its wisdom was unable to recognize God in terms of his own wisdom. So God decided to use the nonsense of the Good News we speak to save those who believe. Jews ask for miraculous signs, and Greeks look for wisdom, but our message is that Christ was crucified. This offends Jewish people and makes no sense to people who are not Jewish. But to those Jews and Greeks who are called, he is Christ, God's power and God's wisdom. God's nonsense is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.
That's preaching! That is telling someone about Jesus. Someone told her that Jesus was in town, so she heard about Him.
There may be great teaching on all kinds of topics and wonderful meetings in churches, but church life as we know it may change forever and never return. The COVID-19 virus has affected us all.
The reality is that for anything to work for us, we need the ministry of the Holy Spirit and some form of personal contact with Jesus. To do that, someone has to tell you about Him; not church, not meetings, not music, worship, or any other form of what we called church.
You have to hear the truth and God has designed it that someone has to tell you. The Ethiopian Eunuch was reading the bible but never understand a word until the Holy Spirit sent Philip to him. The account is found in Acts 8:26-40.
This is but the beginning however, because once someone tells us about Jesus, we have to do something about it. Believing is not enough. You have to do something about it. You must activate it.
However, what else does it say? “This message is near you. It's in your mouthandin your heart.” This is the message of faith that we spread. If you declare that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God brought him back to life, you will be saved. By believing you receive God's approval, and by declaring your faith you are saved. Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be ashamed.” There is no difference between Jews and Greeks. They all have the same Lord, who gives his riches to everyone who calls on him. So then, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can people call on him if they have not believed in him? How can they believe in him if they have not heard his message? How can they hear if no one tells {the Good News}? How can people tell the Good News if no one sends them? As Scripture says, “How beautiful are the feet of the messengers who announce the Good News.” But not everyone has believed the Good News. Isaiah asks, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Romans 10:8-16 (emphasis mine).
Someone preached Christ and she listened!
We have seen that she heard something, but that is merely the beginning.
You can hear a lot of things, but do you believe them? You see, if you do not believe what you hear, then you will not act on it. This happens every day to all of us. If for example, you wake in the morning and want to make coffee for breakfast, you must believe that when you plug that machine into the electrical outlet that the water will heat up. You cannot see the electric current, but it is real. I once had a capuccino machine that made coffee. All I had to do was to put beans into the top, fill up the water container and push the button and there was a coffee! To do that however, I had to read the manual and then believe that it would work as the book said!
My friend, you have to believe and do what the user manual says. It was one thing to hear that Jesus was in town, but another for this woman to actually believe that He was there and then actually do something about it. I would never have had a coffee if I had not taken the thing out of the box, followed instructions, filled it up, switched it on and then do something. Believing was not enough. Belief and action on that belief... based on the spoken word of God is what is required.
The bible says that faith without works is dead. You must be active in this thing. No one will receive a thing if they merely wish for things to change. There must be corresponding action based on what the Word of God says. James says- My brothers and sisters, what good does it do if someone claims to have faith but doesn't do any good things? Can this kind of faith save him? Suppose a believer, whether a man or a woman, needs clothes or food and one of you tells that person, “God be with you! Stay warm, and make sure you eat enough.” If you don't provide for that person's physical needs, what good does it do? In the same way, faith by itself is dead if it doesn't cause you to do any good things. Another person might say, “You have faith, but I do good things.” Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do. You believe that there is one God. That's fine! The demons also believe that, and they tremble with fear. You fool! Do you have to be shown that faith which does nothing is useless? Didn't our ancestor Abraham receive God's approval as a result of what he did when he offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice on the altar? You see that Abraham's faith and what he did worked together. His faith was shown to be genuine by what he did. The Scripture passage came true. It says, “Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded by God to be his approval of Abraham.” So Abraham was called God's friend. You see that a person receives God's approval because of what he does, not only because of what he believes. The same is true of the prostitute Rahab who welcomed the spies and sent them away on another road. She received God's approval because of what she did. A body that doesn't breathe is dead. In the same way faith that does nothing is dead. James 2:14-26.
Don't say you believe in God. The devil and evil spirits believes in God too and it doesn't work for them (see James 2:19!
The belief factor must accompany corresponding responses. This dear lady hear something and beieved it. She then acted on what she believed.
There is a big difference between being able to read a bible and actually knowing what God says. Anyone, including the devil can read a bible, but knowing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit is a totally different manner. Our whole relationship with God is more than mere belief. We can recite prayers and repeat creeds like the "Apostles' creed" that uses the phrase "I believe in..." and nothing necessarily works. James 2:19 confirms what I have said.
We need to have the mind of Christ and see things from God's perspective. Regarding health and healing, we need to be firmly established in our hearts... to know and understand what God really says about the matter.
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 John 1:2.
There are scores and scores of scriptures to clearly reveal God's desire for us to live well, live long, live a healthy and fulfilled life and prosper in true biblical balance.
We could go from one extreme swing of the pendulum concerning prosperity or poverty; healing or suffering in our belief structures and never walk in the truth.
The excess poverty and suffering doctrines that have wreaked havoc in the lives of good folk are lies. The devil is the thief and the liar and God never tempts anyone, sends sickness or poverty to test us or teach us lessons. Those matters are always subject to change, but the Word of God however never changes. The word of God is where we receive instruction, guidance, input, teaching, correction, advice and all that and Jesus sent the best teacher in existence to guide us into all the truth. Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action), So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Jesus said- If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:15-26. See also John 15:26; John 16:13.
The amplified version says it this way- But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].
Please notice the emphasis on truth. God's own people live far less that His best for them because they do not know the truth.
It is not knowing the truth (intellectually or theologically perhaps) that works, but the application of it or putting it to work that does!
They may know church tradition, culture, history, catechism, apostles creeds and more, but not necessarily the truth!
Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]—blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he. Proverbs 29:18.
God's truth is that Jesus paid the full price for everything at the cross. He redeemed you from the curse and this includes your healing and finances and restoration of your liberty.
This dear woman, was of the seed of Abraham, but was suffering in more ways than one. She had an incurable disease. She was living with a social stigma on her in ostracism, shame and disgrace. She was unable to take a simple a stroll down the street. She had lost her financial stability and had been subjected to all kinds of medical tests, trials and experiments, all at great expense and got worse.
Jesus stopped in mid stride when she touched Him and, turned around to peer intently at her. I am sure that He knew who it was. She had been confessing her healing. I will be healed when I touch Him. I will be healed when I touch Him. I will be healed when I touch Him. The Amplified version says- For she kept saying, If I only touch His garments, I shall be restored to health. Mark 5:28.
My friend, the anointing is tangible. It can be felt. I know from experience that there is a kind of flow that emanates form within when this happens and Jesus knew that someone had tapped in to the source.
The seething throng around Him never tapped into this anointing as she had and He turned around to see who it was! As she did so, she was immediately healed.
And immediately her flow of blood was dried up at the source, and [suddenly] she felt in her body that she was healed of her [distressing] ailment. And Jesus, recognizing in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around immediately in the crowd and said, Who touched My clothes? And the disciples kept saying to Him, You see the crowd pressing hard around You from all sides, and You ask, Who touched Me? Still He kept looking around to see her who had done it. Mark 5:29-32.
God knows my friend. He knows!
She made a positive declaration. That was important. It is important to give God and in her instance, she told everything.
But the woman, knowing what had been done for her, though alarmed and frightened and trembling, fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. Mark 5:33.
What Jesus said next is very important. Please grasp this. Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague." Mark 5:34.
The King James version says- And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
The word Peace here is not just a state of well-being, or feeling good, but a powerful statement of what God wants for you!
The original words for Peace and Whole describe a state of total restoration. The words include peace, peaceable, peaceably, quiet, quietness, rest, as one, set at one again, to be sound and whole, well, to grow, to increase, giving increase, enlargement and prosperity.
He gave her back her health, her wealth, acceptance in the community, her self esteem, her confidence, her everything! The words he used were, You are made whole and Go in peace, or Shalom. That speaks of nothing missing, nothing broken, nothing out of place, nothing undone or left to be done.
She was not just healed… she was made into a completely brand new woman.
This woman stopped God. So can you.
Once you have heard and believed, then the next thing to do is to do something about it.
She formulated a plan of action and put it to work. This woman saw herself healed and not just said so, but placed herself in a position to receive!
An Olympic athlete sees himself standing on the centre dais when someone places that that gold medal around his neck.
A major component in receiving your desired outcome is to believe in yourself.
She believed that she would be healed and acted on that belief. She might have had to shuffle painfully with much fear and trepidation to the place where she met the Lord, but she saw it happening and she kept talking about it to herself!
She committed herself to a course of action, no matter what opposition or hindrance came her way and overcame every possible obstacle. There was a seething mass of people there. The King James Version says that she came in the press behind (Mark 5:27).
The original language described it as a throng, rabble, a riot, a company, multitude and a great number of people. That bunch of people was there for many reasons and no one cared a hoot about her. She could have said to herself, "Why bother? There’s too many people here. I’ll never get to Him" and turned back home to face an eternity of sickness and suffering, but she refused to be deterred no matter what. Anyone could have demanded her punishment for being out there and she knew the risks she took but determined in her heart to get the answer.
He might have walked past the very door of her home on the way to Jairus' house and she could have missed out on her healing if she had been inactive and said nothing.
She had a vision or a picture of herself getting well again. If you cannot see yourself getting your answer…you probably won’t get it.
She had a specific aim or objective. She kept her focus on that and nothing else.
She established a point of contact whereby she could exercise her faith and then lay a claim on God’s promises, reached out and acted on that decision, grabbing hold of Jesus’ Garment.
Jesus was a Jew and good Jews wore a garment that had tassels on the fringe or the hem. They represented the covenant promises of God. I have a prayer shawl called a Tallit. On either end is embroidered a series of knots and tassels called the Tzit Tzit. From my understanding, this was what she grabbed hold of. She knew about Jacob when he wrestled with the angel until he got his breakthrough, so she was not going to let go until she get hers. That knot… the tassel was her point of contact and she got hold of it and would not let go. You can find your own point of contact also and grab hold of the promises of God.
She spoke it out over herself, "I will be made well again. I will receive my healing." There is something about speaking it into your life.
Thinking it does not work.
Wishing for it does not work.
Saying what God says about the matter works.
God Said things when he created this planet. Jesus did not say that we are to pray for a mountain to be removed but say to the mountain to be removed. Speak to that thing. We have to say whatever it is that must be said in a situation. She said, “I am well. I will be healed when I touch Him. I have my breakthrough. I’ve got it.” She kept it up until she suddenly found a small enough space between the people to touch Jesus and did it.
I have discovered that somewhere between Amen and There It is, can be a great gulf and a universe of adverse experiences.
Opposition can and often does come and on occasions even from those who are near and dear to us. The very people we think would understand and come to our aid just might be the ones who turn against us, disappoint us, or frustrate us, but do not let that be a deterrent to you. ...the son despises his father. The daughter defies her mother. The daughter-in-law defies her mother-in-law. Your enemies are right in your own household! Micah 7:5-6 See also Matthew 10:34-36.
Dream killers are also very real. Joseph's own family thought he was mad and his brothers plotted against him.
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. Genesis 37:5.
They finally sold him to become a slave in Egypt. That was God's plan however and the things that were designed to get rid of him were the instruments used to save a nation!
God said that a deliverer would come and the king tried to kill all the baby boys, but one child. Moses was saved.
David had been anointed to be King of Israel, but Saul often tried to kill him.
A Messiah was promised and when the baby was born, the king killed all the baby boys in an attempt to kill Him. Like all the other attempts, he failed.
Problems are definitely going to beset you. Have no doubt of that, but you can be certain that God always has a way. God will always be there with you. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you. Isaiah 43:2.
The Hebrew boys in Daniel 3:6-26 were not touched although their bonds were burned off them.
I could go on with more illustrations, but what am I saying?
I am saying that even if opposition comes, it is not the end to it. That barrier will come down. Your giant will fall. The sun will rise in the East tomorrow and a new day will dawn for you.
Jesus never told us to pray about the mountain but speak to it and that little woman spoke to her situation and told it that the barrier would not stop her from reaching Jesus.
A blind man had the same opposition. And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. Mark 10:46-52.
He too heard of Jesus and did something about it.
He yelled out to Jesus and they tried to shut him up. The more he called out, the more they tried to stop him, but this got Jesus' attention and He called for him. "Barty", Jesus said, "What do you want?" He replied, "I want my sight." You can get His attention too!
He knew what he wanted. So did Jesus. Hindrances were between them, but like this little woman, he would not take no for an answer and he was healed.
This woman had enough going for her to overcome all the problems and obstacles, hindrances and opposition that were designed to shut her down and die, but she never wallowed in self-pity. She knew what she wanted and went for it no matter what and she got it.
If you have a need and if you have a word from the Lord... which is now the case after reading this... you can place a demand on the promises of God the way this woman did and release the flow of Divine power. Why not try something right now. Pray a prayer of faith. All it would take is a simple statement, “Lord save me”. “Lord I confess that by our stripes I am healed.”
Place your hand on your monitor as a point of contact and release your faith in the Name of Jesus and then write to me and tell me what God did for you!
I mentioned before about how this woman established a point of contact. Now our faith rests in the revealed word of God and on the totally completed work of Jesus. When He triumphantly cried out It Is Finished in John 19:30, the word used was Teleo and it is a powerful word.
Its meanings include accomplish, end, finish, fulfill, go onward, pay, perform, to end, to complete, execute, conclude, to discharge a debt and more. In other words there is nothing left undone. You cannot do anything other than to simply believe and receive and trying to gain an entry or work for God's favor in some other way is denying His plan.
What I am saying is that you do not need anything else, no matter what it is. God has provided everything necessary to bring you into His presence and into the blessing and into eternal life and if you try a substitute, you are denying the efficacy of the cross. Having said that, there may be times when you may need assistance. Someone to agree with you and pray the prayer of agreement, or something to use as a point of reference to aim at... not that the point of reference is the objective in itself, but merely as something to help you release your faith. The problem with many religious folk is that such things become venerated beyond the point of reason and become an idol.
See the page Burn The Thing to see more.
One thing that I believe in our story is that this woman used such a point of reference by which she released her faith. I am not advocating that you use anything to replace the written revealed word of god or applying the principles of faith, but add this portion as illustration. Mark says- When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. Mark 5:27-28.
She had heard. She believed, She acted and she SAID what she was going to do. She had determined in her heart to touch the hem of Jesus' garment, but what does this mean? What is the significance? Let me say that Jesus was a Jew and is still a Jew. He knew the word of God with remarkable clarity and had revelation knowledge of it and came to fulfil the Law. See Matthew 5:7.
When she touched His clothes, she reached out to something that good Jews wore and still do to this day. I firmly believe that it is the Prayer shawl, or Tallit. It may be an incorrect assumption on my part, but it she did touch something and that act of touching stopped Jesus on the spot. There is no mystical power or ability with a piece of clothing like a Tallit whatsoever. It is merely a piece of cloth, but is worn to remind Jews of certain matters. The Lord said to Moses: Speak to the Israelites and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of the Lord and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge. Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God. I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, the Lord your God. Numbers 15:37-41.
That is its purpose, nothing more and nothing less. The Bible does not command wearing of a unique or certain kind of prayer shawl or Tallit, other than what is stated in the above scripture.
The people already wore outer garments of some type to cover themselves and they were instructed them to add fringes known as tzitzit to the four corners. See Numbers 15:38 & Deuteronomy 22:12.
These passages do not specify tying particular types or numbers of knots in the fringes and they do not specify a gender division between men and women, or between native Israelite/Hebrew people and those assimilated by them. The commandment was addressed to all adult Israelites and those of the mixed multitude that made the Exodus from Egypt with them. Tradition and ritual observances have since then been added.
The point I want to make is that the modern day Tallit has tassels or fringes hanging from it and there are four main threads called Tzitzit hanging from the four corners. The Tzitzit is most interesting. Jewish custom is extensive when it comes to this matter.
Tying Tzitzit is like a Jewish form of macrame.
A hole is carefully inserted in each corner of the Tallit and three short strands of twine are inserted with one long strand. The longer strand or Shammash is wound around the others. The three short strands are doubled evenly and fixed to the Tallit with a double knot. There are thus seven ends of threads. The longer cord is wound around the strands seven times in a spiral motion and another knot is made.
The Shammash is then wound around the strands eight times and another double knot is made.
The shammash around eleven times and another double knot is made.
The shammash is then wound thirteen times around the strands and the last double knot is made.
The Tzitzit will then have a series of 7-8-11-13 windings between the double knots. What does the 7-8-11-13 windings pattern mean?
There are a number of wonderful interpretations for this pattern of windings.
One interpretation is that each set of windings corresponds to one of the four letters in God's name.
Another interpretation employs Gematria, Jewish numerology, which assigns to each Hebrew letter a numeric value.
The letter Aleph is 1, Bet is 2, Gimmel is 3, etc.
The numbers 7-8-11-13 of the windings of the Tzitzit, could thus have special meaning.
The numbers 7 and 8 added together totals 15, which in Hebrew is written yod-hay. Yod-hay is the first two letters of God's name (the Tetragrammaton).
The number 11 equates to Vav-Hay which are the third and fourth letters of God's name.
The first three windings could therefore spell God's holy name. The last set of windings, 13, is equivalent in value to the word Echad which means One.
All four windings could therefore be interpreted to say, God is one.
Another way to look at it is that the Gematria value (see the meaning here) of the word Tzitzit which is tzadi-yod-tzitzit-yod-taf is 600.
Adding the eight strands and the five knots to this totals 613. According to tradition, God gave us 613 mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah.
Just looking at the tallit with its Tzitzit, therefore, reminds us of the commandments, You should see them and remember all God's commandments and do them.
What I am saying therefore is that this woman could well have made a legitimate claim on the covenant promises of God as revealed in His word, reaching out by an act of her faith to touch the Hem of the Jew's garment.
We do not need to do this literally today of course, but you can and should make a similar demand by faith on the covenant words of God to us regarding healing. Please do not make a tradition, or apply any set formulas to the things of God. Consider such tings merely as a means to reach out to God. He and not the items used is the healer.
Without being brash and irreverent, "remind God of His promises."
Jesus said- Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6
Jesus also stated very clearly- And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Luke 11:9-10
John stated- I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him. 1 John 5:13-15.
I shared these scriptures to illustrate that God is more willing to give that we are capable of receiving. James speaks about not having because we do not ask, or that we ask erroneously. He spoke about asking for wisdom in James 1:5-8, but why limit this to receiving wisdom alone? Why not apply this to everything in life, including health and healing?
If we know God's will, which we can, we can pray according to it and receive the answers.
The problems many people face are that they do not believe that God will meet Me! They have all kinds of false imaginations that range from feelings of inadequacy, unworthiness, the need to do penance, false humility and so on, little realizing that they risk offending a good God who wants to lavish His goodness on them.
Everything that we receive from God comes by Grace. Salvation is a free gift. Everything else we receive from God is also a free gift. If we did not need these things to be given as a free gift, we can obtain themselves by our own efforts and thus become our own gods and do not need Him! But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you are saved! — and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. Ephesians 2:4-10. See also Romans 5:8,18.
One of the biggest hindrances of receiving anything from God that I see in people is the ability to receive. People are suspicious, looking for the catch. I learned this lesson many years ago when in a meeting, the preacher took a $50 note out of his pocket and held it up saying that he wanted to give this to someone.
No one responded.
He repeated his statement and still no one responded.
I knew what he wanted to do of course, but was amazed that not one single person acted on his promise.
After a while, I stood up, walked to the front to him and merely took that note from his hand.
I took him up on his offer of giving away that free gift and there were no tricks, no strings attached.
God often states things like that to us. "I want to give this to you" and waits for someone to take Him up on His offer. How we must hurt Him at times.
Jesus was in town and this woman knew what He had to offer and she wanted it! She was the only one in that crown who did something about it and she received it! I wonder if there was other "blind Bartimaus" there who did not respond. I wonder if there was another leper there who could have told Jesus, "Lord, if you will, you can make me whole".
My friend, Jesus is offering you so very much today. All that you really have to do is the same that this woman did and that is to receive it!
Robert's version of Matthew 5:6 states- Blessed are they who expect nothing for they shall not be disappointed.
Expect answers from God. If you see it in His word, it is a valid basis on which you can base your expectations. He is not a disappointment.
An "and suddenly" moment
This dear woman had suffered for years.
She had tried everything she could, but nothing worked for her until the day came when Jesus came into town.
After all those years of pain and anguish, she heard about Him and acted upon it and at that moment in time, her long awaited miracle arrived.
You and I are bound by the limitations of time whereas God is not. The bible tells many stories about how God made a promise and it seemed as if it would never come. We do not always understand why there is what we call a delay, but there are no delays in God. He has what we often see due seasons, or appointed times.
When that due season or appointed time arrives, everything seems to suddenly come together. Call this "An suddenly event".
We could go to sleep one night with all kinds of problems and dramas and wake up the following morning when everything changes just as it did for this woman. She had been holding onto God's promises and went to bed one night as a desperately sick woman. When she woke up the next morning, a commotion was suddenly heard in town. Her "and suddenly" moment had arrived.
Someone cried out, Jesus is in town and she heard about it, and did something about it. She did not sit in her house having a pity party and feeling sorry for herself and se shall see what she did shortly.
Some people wonder why nothing seems to happen for them and often cry out, "Why doesn’t God do something for me?" He did… 2000 years ago!
It could be your "And Suddenly" moment today...
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