Scripture Reference: Mark 5:24-34 (HCSB)
24 So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against Him. 25 A woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years 26 had endured much under many doctors. She had spent everything she had and was not helped at all. On the contrary, she became worse. 27 Having heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His robe. 28 For she said, “If I can just touch His robes, I’ll be made well!” 29 Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was cured of her affliction. 30 At once Jesus realized in Himself that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My robes?” 31 His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing against You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” 32 So He was looking around to see who had done this. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came with fear and trembling, fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth. 34 “Daughter,” He said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be free from your affliction.”
You can write your own ticket with God.
Step 1: Hear it – Verse 27
The first thing I want you to notice about this story is that the woman suffering from the bleeding problem heard about Jesus. How did she hear? Obviously, someone had witnessed to her that there is a guy called Jesus going around healing folks and performing miracles. The Apostle Paul tells us in his Letter to the Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. When this woman heard about Jesus, the healer, the miracle worker, her faith was stirred up. Today what the world needs to hear is the exact same thing that was heard two thousand years ago that is the good news or gospel which is the word of God. But where do we hear God’s word? In churches, home prayer meetings, bible study etc. That is why it is so important that we are found in those places where God’s word is being preached and taught. Unfortunately, there is no other way to stir up your faith in God.
Step 2: Say it – Verse 28
After hearing about Jesus, this woman did not stay silent. She said to herself that if only she could touch the hem of Jesus’s robe, she would be healed from her bleeding issue. It is not enough to hear the word of God. You need to confess the word you hear day and night so that it becomes a reality in your life. There are over seven thousand promises in the Bible. Think about how many of them you are living in currently. Let me ask you a straight question: Do you even know what the promises are in the Bible? What you don’t know from the word of God will not only cost you your blessings, but it can also cost you your life. Please keep this in mind. In the Gospel of Mark 11:23, Jesus makes an astounding statement that many may find hard to believe even the Christians. He said, “whoever shall say to this mountain….” The bleeding issue was a real mountain to this woman in the spiritual sense. This mountain had kept her captive for twelve years. That is a very long time for someone to suffer. Many would have just committed suicide. But this woman was a fighter. She tried all her options which ultimately made her problem worse. But thanks, and glory be unto God who revealed to her Jesus Christ, the healer; Jesus Christ, the miracle worker. When she heard that Jesus Christ will be passing through her town, she said to herself, “if only I can touch the hem of His robe, I will be healed.” Jesus Christ has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. That touch of healing is available to you today as well.
Step 3: Do it – Verse 27
This woman did not stop at step 2. When Jesus came to her town, she made her way pushing through people and every other obstacle just to touch the hem of Jesus’s robe. Confession of God’s word is not enough. You need to act upon your confession. In James chapter 2, we learn that faith requires action. It is a verb. As a matter of fact, James goes on to say that faith without works is dead. Why? Because what a person believes, he confesses and what a person confesses, he acts upon. This dear old woman who must have been very weak gave action to her confession. Let’s see what happened next.
Step 4: Receive it – Verse 29
The Bible says that as soon as she touched the hem of Jesus’s robe, instantly her blood issue was healed. She did not beg God for many years to heal her. She did not cry out to Jesus to create a public drama. She came fully convinced expecting a miracle. Please take note that there were thousands of people around Jesus who one way or the other touched Him. But the Bible tells us that in that crowd of thousands of people, only one person received her healing. This woman who was healed was different from the other people. She came to meet God with a prepared heart ready to receive the impossible. A lot of Christians nowadays do not prepare themselves when they go to church, bible study, home prayer meetings etc. and that is precisely the reason they fail to receive what God has promised them. Please understand, the problem cannot be God since the Bible clearly says that God is not a man that He shall lie. The problem is obviously with Christians or believers. Let us make up our minds this day that the next time we go to hear God’s word, we will prepare ourselves by spending some time alone in praise, worship, and prayer. Let us learn from this dear woman. The Gospel of Mark 11:24 says that when we pray, we should believe and receive the answers to our prayer even if there is no physical manifestation yet. Pastor Kenneth Hagin put it like this: The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it. That should become our spiritual moto!
Step 5: Tell it – Verse 33
It’s very interesting to see that although there were so many crowds of people around Jesus, He was very sensitive to the fact that power had gone out from Him. The woman probably got very fearful upon realizing that Jesus was well aware of the fact that she had been healed. She came forth and testified about her healing. Thousands of people heard her testimony and were amazed. The Book of Revelation 12:11 says that the saints (believers) overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and by the word of their testimonies. Please pay attention to the second part of the verse. It says that your testimony carries power to overcome the evil one. This is a very powerful statement. There are several things that a person’s testimony does. Firstly, it stirs up the other believers’ faith to receive the impossible from God. Secondly, it gives the non-believers an opportunity to give Jesus a chance in their life whatever the situation may be. Thirdly, it gives glory and praise to the name of Jesus Christ as it becomes a witnessed fact that it was through Him that the healing or miracle was produced. Fourthly, it expands the kingdom of God on earth as the word of the testimony spreads out across the community and many are pulled into the church. Your testimony has the power to draw people to God. Always remember my friends, no miracle or healing is complete without your testimony. You are the body of Christ and it is your responsibly to witness to people especially non-believers of what God has done in your life.
Conclusion
Anything the Bible promises you now, you can receive now by taking these five steps. However, some things, such as some financial needs and the manifestation of some healings, etc., may take time to develop. Then the five steps become principles that you must put into practice over a period of time. (A farmer cannot go out tomorrow and start picking cotton or thrashing wheat until it has had time to grow.) But, thank God, whether they are steps to be taken immediately, or principles to be practiced over time, you can have what you say.