Press Your Way
Scripture: Mark 5:21-29
21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.
22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.
23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”
24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.
25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.
26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,
28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”
29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
Just a little overview about Mark 5, it is a story of a woman with the issue of bleeding and had been hemorrhaging for 12 years. She had spent all her money and had visited many physicians to try to get healed and get treatment but none of them has been able to help her. No one was able to give her a cure, if anything her condition got worse everyday. Back then, in those days, the Jewish law declared her to be unclean, due to this hemorrhaging issue that she had. She was an unclean individual. This meant that she was not permitted to enter into the temple at all, and according to the law, anything or anyone that came near her or touched her would also be considered unclean. So just think about the emotional issues that she had to deal with for 12 years.
So I want to talk about how this particular woman pressed her way to receive her miracle, We must do the same in our difficult times.
Here are 3 points I want to point out in this story,
The first thing I want to share is how she had gotten to a point of desperation. She had gotten tired of her condition and she wanted to come out of it. She actually needed complete healing!! She had spent all of her money. And it seemed as if none of the doctors could help her , or if anything, things get worse.
The second thing is her faith. When she had heard the people speak of the power of Jesus,she began to have hope, and began to believe. She said that if she could just get to Jesus, if she could just touch the hem of his clothes,she knew in her heart that she would be made well.
She had faith and determination.
She knew that her healing and deliverance was in Jesus!! She knew it was gonna be tough. Firstly because she knew she was an outcast and people didn’t want to be near her since she is considered unclean. But she pressed her way to be able to get to Jesus. You can only imagine what she has gone through in those 12 years. Imagine her emotions and how she felt alone, because she could not have any interaction with anyone. No one wanted to be around her. And no one really could be around her because they would have been stated as unclean as well. She couldn't go out in public. Basically it was 12 years she had to be quarantined. So in order to get to Jesus, she had to press her way through the crowd and the many obstacles she would face.
So a lot of times, we have to press our way through the crowd. Think about how she was in a desperate state, how she had heard people speak about the power of Christ. She believed in her heart, she said, If I could just get to Jesus, if I could just touch the hem of His garment. That was faith. Her determination kicked in. And she said, in spite of, I'm going to press my way.
How do you feel today?
In spite of the many obstacles are you going to press your way and do what God has given you to do?
How many times do we stay in quarantine because we don't have the courage to press our way through?
Let me share a few things that you may have to press your way through sometimes.
Do you have to press your way through fear?
Do you have to press your way through doubt?
Do you have to press your way through the unknown?
Do you have to press your way through feeling like you don't measure up?
Do you have to press your way through because you'll comparing yourself to someone else?
Do you have to press your way through because you feel like nobody is going to receive what you have to say?
Nobody is going to receive your message.
Feeling like you will not be accepted,
Do you have to press your way through your emotions?
She got healed emotionally, physically and spiritually because of her faith. She had enough faith to step out there in the crowd, regardless of her condition. She pressed her way through and received her miracle.
Are we willing to follow this example?
Do we have the courage to come out of quarantine and do what God has given us to do? Also have the courage to go get what we need from God.
So I just want to encourage you today to just press your way and by faith receive your blessing!!!
Reflection Questions:
- What area in your life do you need to press through right now?
- Think about a time of healing (physical, emotional, mental) in your life,
- What do you resonate with most in this story, can you relate to the woman in this story?
- What ways can you exercise your faith on today?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We thank You because we know all answers, deliverance, salvation and healing is in You. Strengthen us to press our way to You especially in difficult times. Give us strength always and help us to remember that only in You can we find satisfaction and complete healing!!!!!
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen