“And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind Him, and touched the hem of His garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.”
Matthew 9:20-21 KJV
Do you need something from Jesus today? Are you facing situations beyond your control? Have you tried everything and have been left with the problem unresolved? Has the diagnosis caused you to despair of hope? What have you been saying to yourself? Your victory is tied to whatever you have been saying within yourself.
The Bible says faith cometh by hearing, not came, that speaks of a continuous exercise, and hearing,not having heard, and not just any word, but by hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17. This tells me that our ability to face difficulties and be victorious, is tied to what we’re hearing and what we’re saying. It’s apparent that the woman in this text had been hearing something that bolstered her faith in Jesus’ ability to heal her. So much so that she risked being stoned, got on her hands and knees, and while in this inconspicuous position, she kept saying within herself while she pressed through the throngs “ if I can only get close enough to touch His garment, I shall be whole.” Notice what she didn’t say. She didn’t say she’d be healed, she said she’ll be whole.
A lot of Christians only have faith to feel better. This woman wanted total restoration. Physically, spiritually and financially. The Bible said she had spent all she had, trying to get better. Mark 5:26. She put action to her faith, encouraged herself, chose her moment and received what she had been saying within herself. So what have you been saying within yourself. Have you been storing defeat? Have you settled in and wrapped yourself in the enemy’s lies? Or have you been speaking to yourself the Word of the living God?
This woman suffered for twelve years, we give up after twelve minutes. She kept searching for a cure. Until one day she heard about Jesus. Under the Old Testament laws, her discharge rendered her unclean. But her faith compelled her to act. She didn’t allow doubt, unbelief or the crowd of spectators following Jesus to deter her. I like the way the amplified Bible reads her account.
“And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, And who had endured much suffering under [the hands of] many physicians and had spent all that she had, and was no better but instead grew worse. She had heard the reports concerning Jesus, and she came up behind Him in the throng and touched His garment, For she kept saying, If I only touch His garments, I shall be restored to health. 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. 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. And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your trust and confidence in Me, springing from faith in God) has restored you to health. Go in (into) peace and be continually healed and freed from your [distressing bodily] disease.”
Mark 5:25-34 AMPC
She kept saying what she wanted until it manifested. And received even more. Ephesians 3:20-21 faith will always produce the more than enough results.
Be continually healed and go into peace. I love that! She never had to concern herself with it ever coming back, nor would she need to be agitated or anxious about anything. That peace spoke of nothing missing nothing broken. All is well. Jesus never leaves us with a partial restoration, He does everything fully and completely. He saw to her wholeness. I’m sure she left His presence with unshakable confidence. Whenever you speak in faith, not wavering or doubting, you will have whatsoever you say. Mark 11:23-24 This wasn’t remission, this was eradication.
She believed what she had been saying within herself. Do you? Are you a part of the crowd, close to the miracle but leave with the disease?Are you a toucher or a spectator? Unbelief creates apathy. Jesus is unable to, and will not, do any miracles where doubt and unbelief is present. Matthew 13:58 But, wherever He finds faith, miracles happen. Matthew 4:23 This woman wasn’t touched by Jesus. She literally by her inner confession, and conviction, pulled her healing from Jesus. That’s great faith. She didn’t wait to be touched, she didn’t wait for the circumstances to be favorable, she pressed through the crowd to receive what she had been believing and speaking. What have you been saying within yourself about Jesus? What was the result? She received what she said. Why? She didn’t allow herself to be distracted by her situation.
Discouragement was out the door once she heard about what Jesus was doing.
You could say she had a made up mind. She received what she was believing for. We can too. There is no situation too great or too small that faith in Jesus can’t change. We just need to say the right words within ourselves. By His stripes I am healed! Greater is He who is in me, than he that is in the world! Christ in me, the hope of glory! The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in me! My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus! For the Lord is perfecting that which concerns me! He will guide me with His eyes upon me! The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want! I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, with my mouth will I make known His faithfulness to all generations! I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth! Get the picture? These are written promises in the Bible for us.
What you’re saying within yourself during times of trouble is of utmost importance. First words sets the tone for what follows. Be quiet, take no thought saying.... doubt and unbelief will rob your confidence in Christ Jesus. Open your Bible and read scriptures that speaks to whatever you’re facing. Stand on it no matter what. That’s what that nameless woman did. She kept on saying within herself. She had no idea how her bold faith would be impacting lives centuries later. You have no idea how your faith will impact the next generation. This is not the time for fainting. It’s the time of faithing. Yes He made up a word, He gets to do that. If you’ll receive it you’ll achieve it. Jesus’ highest joy is believers who believe.
Are you a believer? Then watch your mouth! If what you’re saying is not of faith it will lead you to sin. I gave you a jumpstart on some faith producing verses from scripture, now speak to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. Then you’ll hear Him ask; “ for what purpose do you touch Me.”
Never speak as if you’re trapped by the enemy. Don’t give in to panic when faced with a challenge, God always has a strategy for your way out.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
March 30, 2021