The Woman with the Issue of Blood (Part IV)

Today's Word


(Mark 5:25-29 GNB) There was a woman who had suffered terribly from severe bleeding for twelve years, even though she had been treated by many doctors. She had spent all her money, but instead of getting better she got worse all the time. She had heard about Jesus, so she came in the crowd behind him, saying to herself, "If I just touch his clothes, I will get well." She touched his cloak, and her bleeding stopped at once; and she had the feeling inside herself that she was healed of her trouble.

We have dealt with this woman all week long and we will move on to someone else next week. So with that in mind, as I thought/prayed over what my final highlight from this woman's story should be, I decided to re-emphasize her determination. No one would have blamed her for giving up. It would have been understandable under the circumstances.


However, she refused to give up hope, she kept looking for an answer, and she finally found it in Jesus. It is important to note that she did NOT consult with anyone prior to breaking out of her shell and breaking into the crowd.

Why is that important? It is important because when you are about to operate in faith you can only discuss your faith venture with people of 'like precious faith.' If she would have discussed what she was thinking about with one of the religious rulers of the time, then I am pretty sure they would have shot her down. We don't even know if she had anyone around her who had the type of faith that she did. So if she would have ran her plan by someone who did not have her level of faith, she ran the risk of hearing the wrong words - negative words, if believed, can cause a faith-failure!

Some people will always try to talk you out of your dreams. Some will laugh at you, tell you your dreams are foolish, and even try to bring you down to their level.

Monty Roberts, the author of "The man who listens to horses," calls these them "Dream stealers." When Monty was in school he was given an assignment to write his dreams. Monty wrote that he would like to own his own 200-acre ranch and raise Thoroughbred racehorses. His teacher gave him an F on the assignment. Was it because of his grammar? Was it because of his writing style? NO! His teacher gave him an F because he deemed his dream too unrealistic! The teacher was certain that no one living in a camper on the back of a pickup truck would ever be able to accumulate enough money to buy a ranch, horses, and pay the salaries of the ranch hands. This teacher even gave Monty a chance at a higher grade. All Monty had to do was rewrite his paper with a dream that seemed more realistic. So what did Monty do? Did he rewrite the paper? Did he lower his expectations? Did he abort his dream? Absolutely not! Monty told his teacher, "You keep the F; I'm keeping my dream!" Today Monty owns that ranch.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. You must protect your dreams by only sharing them with people of 'like-precious-faith.'
2. If you surround yourself with the right people you will hear the right things; words that will feed your faith and starve your doubt.
3. The devil knows that he can't stop you when you are operating in faith, but he also knows that if he can get you to quit, then you basically stop yourself.
4. Do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time you WILL reap a harvest if you do not quit (Gal 6:9). But if you do quit, you will miss your breakthrough and it will not be God's fault.

Father, I thank You for the many examples You have given me in Your Word. I learn by precept and example. The example of the woman with the issue of blood is so clear to me that I am able to identify with her, learn from her, and apply the same type of life-changing faith in my life. I am a believer and not a doubter. I am determined to overcome every challenge set before me. I dream big dreams, in faith, and I only share those dreams with people of faith, who will help fuel my faith and motivate me to go on, even when the opposition is strong. I know that the enemy's #1 goal is to get me to quit, but I won't give him the satisfaction. I shall not quit, I shall not give up, I shall not throw in the towel, I will continue to move forward by faith and I shall reap my harvest because I refuse to release my faith-pressure for a breakthrough! In Jesus' name. Amen!