It Is Written!

Today’s Bible Reading:

Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23, Luke 8:40-9:6, Psalm 71:1-24, Proverbs 12:5-7

                        Here is another example of faith and how it is exercised in the two stories of Jairus and the Woman with the Issue of Blood.  When you look closely at the two stories and Jesus’ interaction with them at the same time, you will see how constructive or destructive your words can be.

            In Mark 5:23 Jairus said “lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live”.  Now this is faith!  He has heard that Jesus heals the sick and raises the dead, and now he has faith because faith comes by hearing the Word.  He was speaking those things that are not (because she was dead at that time) as though they were.  He has spoken and he has believed.  Can you imagine Jairus’ urgency in this situation?  The facts say she is dead, and he knows that but he chooses to act on his faith.  Faith without works is dead. (James 2:20)

            Jesus agrees to lay hands on her and they are on their way to Jairus’ house.  Now imagine Jairus’ relief and expectation.  Then Jesus stops because there are so many people around him “thronging him”.  He says “Who touched me?”.  It was the Woman with the Issue of Blood. 

Mar 5:27-28  When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.   For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

      Remember, Jairus is still waiting…

            The Woman with the Issue of Blood heard the Word, received the faith to be healed, and acted on her faith two ways:

1.      Speaking

2.      Risking her life to go through the crowd and touch Jesus’ clothes

            Look at verse 44.  It says “Immediately” she was healed.  Jesus didn’t do anything here.  He didn’t pray for her.  She didn’t come down to him and ask if He would heal her.  Jesus said in verse 48 “thy faith hath made thee whole”.  It was her faith that caused her to receive healing, not Jesus’ faith.  You can pray for yourself and receive what you need!  It is scriptural to have hands laid on you with oil, and God moves with someone else’s faith.  But don’t be afraid to pray for yourself, or for other people!  You are anointed!  You have The Greater One on the inside of you!  The Same Power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you!  When you pray, believe you receive what you ask for, and it shall be yours! (Mark 11:24)

            Jairus… Still waiting…

            Look at verses 48-49 and see what happens to him:

Luk 8:48-49  And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.  While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.

            This is a Spiritual Attack!  For Jairus, this is the “Messenger of Satan”, the “Thorn in the Flesh”!!! (2 Corinthians 12:7)  He has heard the Word, and what does satan immediately attempt to do?  Steal the Word – Parable of the Sower.  When you receive faith for something in your life and you have prayed, believe you have received, be very careful who you talk to about the new faith that you have.  Don’t cast your pearls before swine.  Satan will send a messenger to speak doubt and unbelief, trying to get YOU TO SPEAK and AGREE with him, instead of the Word. 

            You see this in this story of Jairus.  He almost had the opportunity, but the Word (Jesus) was close to him;

Rom_10:8  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Look at what Jesus is teaching us here!  When the messenger of doubt and unbelief comes to speak destruction to us, it doesn’t matter what we think about what they say, it matters what we say, or don’t say.  Now look at what Jesus does:

Luk 8:50  But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

            What if Jairus would have said something?  Jesus was quick to stop him from speaking.  It is so important for us to be so close to Jesus and in the Word, that when doubts come to us we know what the Word say’s and we know how to react. 

            When thoughts of doubt and unbelief come to us what do we do?  We do what Jesus did when he was tempted with the same thing - We Speak:

“IT IS WRITTEN!”

Pastor Luke Willis