KEY INGREDIENT FOR HEALING
And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” Mark 5:34 (NLT)
The gospels are full of accounts of Jesus healing people. Some circumstances are known, while others are a mystery to us. John concludes his gospel by telling us that if everything Jesus did were written down, there wouldn’t be enough books in the world to contain it all.
Mark 5:21-43 contains two incredible stories about Jesus healing people. The key ingredient in both healings is faith. Jairus had faith that Jesus could heal his sick daughter. By the time Jesus arrives, she has actually died. But death cannot stand against Jesus, and He resurrects this little girl. All because her father believed that Jesus could miraculously intervene.
The second healing is of a woman who had a blood condition for twelve years. She’d seen every doctor around, emptying her bank accounts along the way and actually getting worse for all her trouble. But then she heard about Jesus. She believed so powerfully in who He was and what He was doing that she believed if she could just touch His robe, that she would be healed. And that’s exactly what happened.
On a scale of 1-10, how strong is your faith right now? Not the answer you’d give in your Community Group. Not the answer you’d give if asked by your kids. But truly—how strong is your faith? Do you believe that God can and will move on your behalf? Pastor Tony Evans says this: Faith isn’t merely feeling like God is telling the truth. Nor is it saying God is telling the truth. For faith to truly be faith, it involves acting like God is telling the truth. That’s why the Bible calls it walking by faith, not talking by faith or even feeling by faith.
Belief to the point of action is what we’re talking about. Jairus believed Jesus could heal his daughter, so he went to get Him. This woman believed Jesus could heal her body, so she touched His robe. What step of faith do you need to take today?
APPLICATION: List the times you’ve seen God prove His faithfulness. Think of when you desperately needed Him to come through and He did. Reflect on these instances, and then ask Him to grow your faith. The second most repeated command in Scripture is to remember—so let’s remember how God has proven worthy of our faith and trust in the past.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for all the times in my life You’ve demonstrated Your faithfulness. Help my faith to grow. Help me to believe that You can truly move in power on my behalf. You are good, compassionate and kind. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?