I have come to understand that, as I’ve grown older, the things I
thought that I fully understood, I don’t fully understand at all. There is
always more to learn, no matter how much I know. The story in Luke chapter
eight of the woman being healed of an issue of blood is one of those stories
that I only thought I understood, until I looked again.
The facts surrounding this
miracle are easy enough to understand. The woman in the story had been sick for
12 long years. She had done everything she knew to seek help. She was growing
weaker every day and unless she had a miracle, she was going to die. She had
reached the end of her rope and had lost all hope of receiving help.
In addition to her health issue,
there was the added social and spiritual issues of her condition. Her condition
labeled unclean, and she could not mix with other people. She could not attend
worship, she was shunned by others because if they touched her, they too would
be considered unclean. So, we must assume that she stayed to herself most of
the time. She may have had friends before her condition came upon her, but now,
they kept their distance.
When I read this story this week, I was reminded that all of us
are born with an issue of blood. We are all born in sin, our blood is tainted by
the blood of Adam. We have inherited a fallen nature. No matter how hard we try
and purify ourselves, we are considered spiritually unclean; lost in the eyes
of God and dead in sin. Until we come to Jesus and are born again, we are
living flesh with a dead spirit that is growing weaker every day, and closer to
the grave with every breath. No matter what remedies we try to revive our
spirit, all our efforts are futile. There is no solution that man can offer us
for our issue.
I have been there myself, and so have some of you. I tried
everything that man had to offer to make me feel better: drugs, alcohol, I went
everywhere and spent everything trying to feel better, but I still ended up
hopeless. No man-made pleasure, no earthly remedy has the power to purify our
blood. Only the blood of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Ghost can deliver us
from death. Just like the woman in the story, whatever it takes, we must get to
Jesus!
The woman must have heard that Jesus was coming, and a spark of
hope arose in her heart! This was the Great One, the Rabbi that has the power
to heal, the one who performs miracles of healing and deliverance wherever he
goes! She must have thought, ‘maybe, just maybe, if I can only get to him! If
only…’
I imagine as I read this story
that she must have planned out her mission to the best of her ability. She would
wait in the shadows, until Jesus walked by. But once there, the crowds of people
everywhere, thronging him and surrounding him! I can begin to feel the cries of
her heart: How will I ever break through to touch him? I am weak, sick, and
unclean! If they notice me, will they stone her for trying! Even if I get to
Jesus, will he even touch me publicly and cause himself to be unclean? So many
questions, but there was only one answer for her desperation, she had to get to
Jesus, no matter how much it cost her!
I can tell you from experience
friends, you don’t know how much you need Jesus until Jesus is the only hope
you have left! Everything else fades into the background of your priorities
when you reach that point in your life where no one else but Jesus has the
power you need!
It has been over 6 years now
since I have had a drink or used any drugs. I have shared my life story openly
before, so I’ll be as brief as possible. I felt the call to be a pastor when I was
14 years old. I fought it with all my might, but eventually gave in to what
others told me was inevitable. I went to bible college straight out of High
School and spent the next 22 years in ministry. But I never really surrendered
control of my life to the Holy Ghost.
In 2007 I became very ill and required several surgeries. When
all was said and done, I had become addicted to the pain medicine. I lost my
church, and after 6 years of abusing drugs and alcohol, I had lost the respect
of my children, and nearly lost my marriage. I was locked in hopelessness, I wanted
to stop, but I didn’t know how. I had reached a point where I was cut off from
almost everything and everyone. I missed the birth of my granddaughter because
of my sin. That was when I said, “I must get to Jesus.”
I cried out to Jesus and told Him, I don’t have the answer Lord,
I don’t know what to do, I have tried to stop but I can’t find the strength. I
felt the Lord speak to me like I had only felt once before in my life: “If you
will surrender your life to Me, I will give you the strength.”
I did, and Jesus has kept His promise. Clean and sober for over
6 years! I am born again of the water and the Spirit, baptized in the name of Jesus
and filled with the Holy Ghost. And Jesus has even restored me to a place where
I can minister to and help others.
The woman with the issue of blood finally reached Jesus and
touched the hem of his garment, and her faith healed her. Because of her faith
to believe and receive, the power flowed from Jesus and into her body,
instantly performing the miracle that she needed. Jesus did the same for me
when I finally reached out to Him, and He has done it for so many others.
That’s what God wants to do for everyone who still suffers an
issue of blood! He wants to remove the burden of sin and shame, and bring you back
into a right relationship with Him, and He wants us to know that it’s purely a
work of faith; faith in the power of His shed blood to cleanse us; and in the
power of the Holy Ghost to save us. All you need to do, is get to Jesus!
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