"For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague." MARK 5:28, 29 (KJV).

Have you ever been where this woman was? Maybe you've never had an issue of blood, but have you ever been to the point of desperation? The place where you've done all you know to do but everything still remained the same, draining the life out of you day after day? I know I have. In 2021, I was diagnosed with covid-19. While my case was not severe at the time, it ended up causing heart issues. I had a constant heaviness in my chest. It left me weak, dizzy, and exhausted. I felt lifeless. Two months later I was still struggling daily, nothing was helping, until one evening when I went to the altar for prayer, and the Lord healed my heart. Every symptom left and the Lord redeemed and restored strength to my body. One touch from Jesus changed everything! I don't know what issue you're facing today, but as you study this story of redemption let it build your faith. The power of God is greater than anything we face, and Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

Mark 5:27 (ESV) states that when, “She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.” It wasn't easy on her because of the pain and agony she was feeling, but she came to Jesus anyway. It wasn't easy because of the crowd that surrounded Him. They may have found out about her condition and forced her to leave, but she pressed through anyway. She was desperate for a touch from Jesus. It didn't matter what it took, she was determined to get to Jesus because she knew that just one touch, could change everything. She came in faith, "For she said, ‘If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole,’" (VS. 28, KJV). She didn't verbally ask Jesus to heal her, she reached out in faith and touched His clothes.

The Greek word for virtue is "dunamis," which means "strength; power, ability. "It was power in action bringing forth a miracle. With a crowd that big, this woman couldn’t possibly be the only one that needed healing. Many were pressing up against Jesus, but she is the only one we read about who was healed. Warren B. says, "It is one thing to throng Him, and quite something else to trust Him." This woman trusted that Jesus could heal her. Her goal was to touch Him secretly from behind because of the magnitude and uncleanness of her condition, but her faith in secret was about to be rewarded openly.

When Jesus said, "Who touched my clothes?"(Mark 5:30), the disciples thought He was crazy. "Jesus, look at all of these people! What do you mean, “Who touched my clothes?” They didn't understand the difference between a touch of faith and a bump of indifference! There was something different in this touch. This touch was purposeful, this touch was missional, this was a touch of faith! Jesus knew it and He felt it! Then He called her to be bold and make herself known. Not to make a spectacle of her, but to let her and everyone around her know that she was completely healed. So, as He looked around to see who touched Him, the woman came and fell at His feet and told Him the truth, "And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace and be whole of thy plague"(VS. 34).

Things happen in the faith zone that never would happen in the comfort zone! When she pressed through the circumstances in faith, God redeemed her from affliction to complete wholeness. If her faith in Jesus could make her whole, your faith in Jesus can make you whole!

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If you would like to be able to do a complete study of Session Ten, order a copy of HER STORY: Redeemed by contacting Empowered Women's Ministry at empoweredwomen@pcg.org or 817.554.5900 ext. 371. Available also at pcg.org/resources or Amazon.