DARE TO BELIEVE

   In Luke eight, Jesus had just returned to Galilee, and was met by crowds of people that had been waiting for Him.

   In the crowd that day was a woman who had suffered greatly for twelve years from slow bleeding. Even though she had spent all that she had on healers, she was still suffering. Luke 8:41-43

   Three of the four gospels tell the story of the woman with an issue of blood. (Matthew 9, Mark 5, and Luke 8) The woman had been bleeding for twelve years and had gone to various doctors and spent everything she had on her recovery, to no avail! Not only did she not get well, Mark 8:26 says that she got worse. We don’t even know her name, she is simply known as “the woman with an issue of blood”

   Mark 5:28 tells us that the crowd was “pressing in on Him from all sides” and When she heard about Jesus’ healing power, she pushed through the crowd and came up from behind Him and touched His prayer shawl.

    For she kept saying to herself, “If only I could touch His clothes, I know I will be healed. Mark 5:27-28

   Instantly her bleeding stopped and she was healed. Luke 8:44 As soon as her hand touched Him, her bleeding immediately stopped! She knew it, for she could feel her body instantly being healed of her disease! Mark 5:28

      Jesus suddenly stopped and said to His disciples, “Someone touched me. Who is it?

   While they all denied it, Peter pointed out, “Master, everyone is touching you, trying to get close to you. The crowds are so thick we can’t walk through all these people without being jostled.”

   Jesus replied, “Yes, but I felt power surge through Me. Someone touched Me to be healed, and they received their healing.” Luke 8:46

   When the woman realized she couldn’t hide any longer, she came and fell trembling at Jesus’ feet. Before the entire crowd she declared, “I was desperate to touch You, Jesus, for I knew if I could just touch even the fringe of your robe I would be healed.”

   Jesus responded, “Beloved daughter, your faith in Me has released your healing. You may go with My peace. Luke 8:47-48 Mark 5:25-34 says, Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, because you dared to believe, your faith has healed you. Go with peace in your heart, and be free from your suffering!” And then in Matthew 9:22, “My daughter, be encouraged. Your faith has healed you.”

   The woman was desperate to touch Jesus and pressed in to receive her healing! If she had not pressed in she would not have been healed. She had already made her mind up and kept declaring that Jesus could and would heal her! She was determined and she kept saying it, reminding herself of it, even before it had manifest in the physical realm. She did not entertain doubt and unbelief; instead, she took action to make her declarations a reality.  

   That day marked her in a different way and her identity was changed by the words of Jesus, “Beloved daughter”. She is no longer known as “the woman with an issue of blood”, but instead, the woman who had faith so great that it healed her. Her faith pulled the healing power of Jesus out of Him! She believed in her heart and confessed it with her mouth, and she received!

   What does that kind of faith look like? Jesus says in Matthew 17:20, Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

   When David came upon the camp of the Israelite army and saw the giant Goliath coming against them, he immediately began to decree victory and defeat over him. Losing was not an option for David, he believed in his heart and confessed it through the decrees of his mouth.

   “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear. He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. “ 1 Sam. 17:33-37

  “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, who you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand.  Sam. 17:45-46

   “Then he (David) took his (shepherd’) staff in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the stream bed, and put them in his shepherd’s bag which he had, that is, in his shepherd’s pouch. With his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:40 David knew that victory was already his, even before it manifest in the physical! He did not entertain doubt and unbelief; instead, he took action to make his declarations a reality.

   Whatever you are going through, know that victory is upon you!

As we grow more and more desperate for Jesus, we must press in through the crowd and push our way through the voices. We must determine in our mind, and declare it over ourselves to receive the victory! Dare to believe and release breakthrough!

   You know, it was not the size of David’s stone that took the giant down that day, it was the size of his faith. And the stone that David used against the giant that day? Well, I suspect that it was just about the size of a  “mustard seed.”

Some find their strength in their weapons and wisdom, but my miracle deliverance can never be won by men. Our boast is in the Lord our God, who makes us strong and gives us victory!” Psalm 20:7