And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 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. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him, turned Him about in the press, and said, who touched My clothes? Mark 5:25-30
I have been meditating on this Scripture for a few weeks.
As you can imagine there must have been people pushing against each other and pressing in to see Jesus. Surely people were pushing other people out of the way to get a look at the Master, the Healer. After all there were thousands who needed and wanted a touch from Jesus. What, then was so different about this woman?
The disciples must have been wondering the same thing as they asked Jesus how He could possibly know that someone touched Him with so many people surrounding Him and pressing in. Apparently, this was a different kind of touch, this was not a simple brush of someone too close in a crowd. No, this was not a simple touch on the arm because there were so many people in one place. This touch caused the miracle working power of God to flow out of Jesus. So strong that He instantly felt power leave His body. So how does one possess a faith that will touch God to the point that power will flow out of Him and into you?
Let’s look at some other people who had that kind of faith, the faith that touches God.
Think about King David. The Bible calls him a man after God’s heart, yet as we read, we see that David made many mistakes. He even killed a man so that he could have his wife. This is a man after God’s heart? Yes! He had a faith in God that no matter what he did, he clung to God. You see, the word touched means fasten oneself to, or adhere to. That’s what Jesus said the woman with the issue of blood did when she touched Him. She fastened to Him in such a way that virtue or the miraculous power of God came out of Him. This is also exactly what David did.
No matter what mistake he made, he ran to God. He did not run from God when he messed up; he ran to Him. Even when he knew he was under the judgment of God for his sin, still he clung to God. When he was afraid, it was God he ran to. When he was rejoicing in victory, or crying out in defeat, it was God he sang to. In doing so, he touched God with his faith.
What about Abraham? Abraham obeyed God and left his home and traveled to a land that God would show him. He did something many of us could not do. Packed up and left everything behind and followed God. However, his trust in God didn’t end there. God promised him a son. Shortly after his son was born, God asked him to sacrifice him. This man of God was willing to do just that. Total obedience. He touched God with his faith and a ram in the thicket was released on his behalf.
What about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Their faith in God brought them before a king who threw them in the fiery furnace, seven times hotter than normal. Yet, they stood firm in their faith and walked into that fire. Their faith touched God and He sent a fourth man to walk through the fire with them. They exited that furnace, unharmed.
Each time someone’s faith touches God, power is released on their behalf. But let’s think about the other side of this Scripture for a moment. Luke 8:45 says, Multitudes were thronging Him. That means there were literally thousands of people all around Him.
I see from this scripture we can be a thronger or someone who wants to touch Jesus with our faith. It is entirely up to us. Many followed that day. Only one touched Him with their faith.
How do you become a person who not only follows God but touches Him with your faith? Simple, you believe that He is who He said He is.
Abraham so believed that God was who He said He was that he knew if his son, Isaac, died God would raise him up. That’s how Abraham could say, “We are going to worship, and we shall come again.”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew that God was the only God that could be worshipped. They were willing to die for their belief. They believed God could deliver them, however, even if He didn’t, they refused to bow to another.
There are many people today who have touched God with their faith. We see the fruit of their faith. Like Oral Roberts who believed God when everything was stacked against him. He stood in faith even though most of the world thought he was crazy. But today, you can look and see what happened when his faith touched Jesus. ORU was birthed and they are still equipping students today to preach the Gospel with power.
Think about it for a moment. I am sure you know someone who has stood against all odds, perhaps it was against cancer or divorce, or financial devastation. They stood in faith and even though it may have looked like they were going down or had already gone down, their faith touched God and He moved every obstacle out of their way and sent His miracle-working power to work on their behalf.
You too can be a person whose faith will touch God. It’s not always easy. We must believe that He is who He said He is. If you are facing illness, believe that He is the God that has already healed you. If you are facing financial problems, believe that He is Jehovah-Jireh, your provider. If you are walking through a dark season in your life, believe that He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is your light, He is with you, He has your back, He will not drop you and He will bring you through this. We serve a God who never, ever breaks a promise.
How does your faith touch God? The same as the woman with the issue of blood did. She pressed in with her faith. She was determined to be healed, even though every doctor had told her it was hopeless. Even though her mind was reminding her of all this, she pressed on. She determined that no matter how many obstacles stood in her way, she would touch the Healer. And she did. She was not only healed but made whole that very hour.
You see, if you are battling illness and you continue to confess what the Bible says about you, no matter what you see or feel, your faith is touching God. If you are facing financial hardships and you continue to honor God with your tithe and give as God directs, and trust Him, confessing that He will meet your needs, your faith is touching God. If you are facing a crisis of your faith and you tell God, “I don’t understand, but I trust You,” your faith is touching God. When all hell has come against you and you stand in the face of it and declare, “Devil, I don’t care what you throw at me, I am going to trust my God and I am going to worship Him no matter what.” Your faith is touching God.
As your faith touches God, He will release His awesome miracle-working power on your behalf and move Heaven and earth to get to you. He loves you that much! He wants to bless you that much! You mean that much to Him. Don’t give up, my friend. Press on in. Push your way in if you have to but press on in and touch Him. Touch Him with your faith, you will be forever changed.
