“And a gret crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said ‘If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.’ And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediatly turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my garments?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, Who touched me?’ And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.”
She reached out and touched Jesus. She knew the power that he held- she knew it would be enough just to touch him- She had faith.
WE went to the hospital to spend time praying with those who were there sick. I was with Joyce and we had been going around for a while by the time we came to this woman. She started talking about the surgery she had in the beginning of January and about how the incision had not stopped bleeding since then. Right away God put this story on my heart and spoke to me about how it was the woman who reached out with expectancy that she would be healed. I shared with her about the Mark 5 woman and encouraged her to reach out and to touch Jesus. It was as though Jesus was speaking straight to my heart saying, “I don’t want her to bleed anymore. I want her to reach out. I want her to touch me.”
Usually when we go to visit the hospital they want us to pray for them and I was more than willing but I also just knew that SHE needed to reach out for him in complete faith. I asked her to pray and she did.
After I prayed for her and Joyce prayed too. And we left.
The next morning I was out back behind the pastors house washing my laundry with Tara. She was telling me about the previous day and hw she had experienced some pretty intense/exciting stuff and I was saying how I know that God is doing a lot more than we ever see. We both stopped talking after that and just kept washing away. My mind kept considering these words that I had spoken… I kept considering this idea of these miracles happening behind us as we go and wondering if my faith was strong enough to really believe what I had said. We were planning on going back to the hospital that afternoon and as I washed my laundry I felt like God just whispered straight into my heart, “Go back to her and see. She is well.”
I knew she was… and I knew that out of all the people we had met with that she was the one I was suppose to go back and see. But to be honest there was a part of me that was afraid. What if I went back with full expectancy and faith and she was still bleeding? I thought it might be easier to just not know and believe that she is well. But no, this time that wasn’t enough. God kept telling me to go back and see her, her faith has made her well.
I was with Paul that afternoon at the hospital and he told me to wait until the end to see if there was time to go and see her. We were about to approach the last man before leaving when Joyce and Jess were walking towards the door. I asked Jess if she would stay with Paul so I could go with Joyce- and they both agreed.
Joyce and I headed to the ward and walked straight to her. Her incision was uncovered and looked clean.
Ask her! Ask her! I almost wanted to shout. I had to hear it but I already knew.
She said that she had stopped bleeding that morning. Joyce and I just smiled. I could NOT stop smiling. Joyce asked me if I remembered how the Lord had told her that this woman would not be in the hospital by the end of the month and at that same time the woman told the translator that she was leaving in the morning. She was healed and was going home.
Her faith had made her well.
We prayed together with her, thanking God for his healing touch and for allowing us to see what he had done.
WOW, What an incredible experience. You have the faith.
Mark
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! What the crap! That’s awesome! PRAISE GOD! WOO HOOO!
Praise the Lord for your obedience. “That” He can use to show forth His power and His love to those in need. It was many years ago that the Lord reminded me that I didn’t need to see myself in a place of thinking I would protect HIS reputation–just obey….! Glory to His name. (Wish I could say that I am always obedient,I fall far short)
Beautiful Story Cherise!!! your pops is coming!!! WOOHOO!
Awesome, Cherise… that is such a faith builder! Way to go!
What an amazing God we serve! I love seeing your faith in action! Love you!