WOMAN WHO TOUCHED THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT -Sticking With It!
WOMAN
WHO TOUCHED THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT
-Sticking With It!
Through perseverance we gain the blessings and benefits God has for us. This woman had been sick for twelve long years, had gone to all the doctors around her town, spent all her money to see if they could make her well but she had gotten worse! Talk about discouragement! She knew what that felt like! But she hadn’t let it keep her from doing something. She got up and followed after Jesus.
She pushed forward with great determination, and she touched the hem of His garment! That very moment, she knew she was made perfectly whole!
The press (or crowd of people) hindered her in reaching Jesus, but her persistence resulted in her healing.
Some of the obstacles include: negative pressure from family or peers, lack of faith, and slacking off
Discouragement: An attempt to cut short our blessings and victories
Perseverance: Keep on keeping on – in season and out of season
Determination: Stick with it
Obstacles are what you see when your eyes are off the goal
Success, blessings, breakthroughs...will face initial opposition
Even after success, blessings... you will need to defend your possessions
Determination and Perseverance are the keys to fighting obstacles
Discouragement is an attempted setback
Results are reaction to determination and perseverance
The Source: When looking for solution, go to the Source - God
Prayer is the key
Faith finds a way
Remove spiritual obstacles
Seek earnestly
Hebrews 6:15 “And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.”
Mark 10:47–52 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
Hebrews 10:36 “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
“Great faith is often born in great storms.”
“The enemy fights hardest where God plans to bless most.”
“Never let the crowd silence the cry of your faith.”
“Doubt knocks at the door, but faith must answer.”
“Do not give up five minutes before the miracle.”
“Perseverance is faith stretched over time.”
“The promise may be delayed, but it is never forgotten by God.”
Personal barrier - It begins with you (conquer yourself)
Social barrier - Your peers and constituencies
Religious barrier - Traditions of men
Health facts and figures barrier
Circumstance - May look hopeless
Precedent barrier - false/evil testimony of how it happened before
But her faith and courage brought healing
Her touch called for Jesus attention
She got much more than she expected - Double cure, heroine of faith
What obstacles may appear when we desire something from God?
What are your spiritual strategies to overcome the above barriers?
What obstacles are you facing today?
What are God’s promises concerning them?
Count the cost and pay it
34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
With such a large crowd of people around Him, even Jesus’ disciples were surprised by His question.
-But the woman knew what had happened to her and gave her first public testimony, at that time.
Thus, many witnessed what Jesus had done because of her faith and perseverance.
This incident lets us know that no act of our faith will pass unnoticed by Jesus.
Power: All power belongs to Jesus – There is always a difference when we reach out to Him
More than enough: You will get more than you asked for
A touch of faith – brings results
Seeking and getting Jesus’ attention
When we reach out to Jesus, He will reach out to us
Mark 11:22–24 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
“She touched His garment, but He touched her life.”
“A weak touch of faith is stronger than the strongest crowd without faith.”
“It was not the touch of her hand, but the reach of her faith that brought healing.”
“Faith may be trembling, but if it reaches toward Jesus, it never reaches in vain.”
“Though many thronged Him, only one touched Him with faith.”
“God is never too busy to notice one desperate believer.”
“He felt the touch of faith in the middle of the noise of the crowd.”
“What the world overlooks, Christ observes.”
“Jesus stopped for one woman when the crowd kept moving.”
“Faith has a way of getting Heaven’s attention.”
“The cry of faith is louder in heaven than the shout of a crowd.”
“Your quiet act of faith may interrupt heaven’s schedule — in your favor.”
“She came secretly, but she left openly blessed.”
“You may reach for Christ in secret, but He will answer you in the open.”
“No tear of faith falls unseen; no prayer of faith rises unheard.”
“What is done in trembling faith is remembered in divine power.”
“Many were close to Jesus that day, but only one made contact by faith.”
“Proximity to Christ is not the same as faith in Christ.”
“Faith is the hand that reaches where eyes cannot see.”
“Jesus responds not to the size of the crowd, but to the sincerity of the heart.”
Jesus is available and accessible - What a privilege
-But we must come to Him
Our faith honours Jesus - He honours our faith
-Reach out to Jesus, He will reach out to you
Our faith and blessings are for covenant purposes:
-God's name to be glorified
-Fulness of our joy and blessed
-Testimony for others
- Have you felt touched Jesus of recent?
-Are you keeping quiet or trying to hide your testimony?
They removed a portion of the roof to put him down before Jesus.
This demonstrates to the students that external obstacles may be in the way.
As we overcome these obstacles, we can be assured of spiritual victory.
Sick: What is the unpleasant situation – Don’t sit by and do nothing about it
Palsy (Terminal situation): There is yet hope, when we come to Jesus
Bring them to Jesus – “I present you to Jesus”
Jesus is still the answer – Come to Jesus
Faith and work – Walking/acting the faith
Hebrews 6:11 “And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:”
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.”
“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.”
“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”
“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”
“Victory belongs to the most persevering.”
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
“Energy and persistence conquer all things.”
“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”
“He conquers who endures.”
Defied home remedies
Defied circumstance barriers
Defied social barrier
Faith finds the way
Perseverance pushed on
Jacob wrestled with the angel for the blessing he desired.
Victories are won by “holding on” in prayer.
-It doesn’t matter who or situation involved
Prevail: Prevail with God on your knees, you will stand before any situation
Recognize time of divine visitation and prevail
PUSH – Pray Until Something Happen
Daniel 10:12–13 12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
1 Kings 18:42–44 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
Luke 18:1 1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Acts 12:5 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
“Jacob’s victory did not come by strength, but by refusing to let go.”
“He wrestled through the night, teaching us that some blessings only come after long struggles.”
“Jacob held on in weakness and came out stronger in destiny.”
“The blessing was not given to the one who fought best, but to the one who endured longest.”
“Jacob teaches us that perseverance turns a struggle into a turning point.”
“Jacob wrestled in the night, but he walked into the morning with a new name.”
“Your darkest wrestling hour may be the doorway to your brightest destiny.”
“Before the sun rose, Jacob’s identity changed forever.”
“The night of struggle produced the dawn of transformation.”
“Some breakthroughs come only after midnight prayers.”
“Jacob’s grip was the grip of faith: ‘I will not let You go unless You bless me.’”
“Desperation mixed with faith becomes perseverance.”
“Jacob lost his comfort, but he gained his calling.”
“He walked away limping, but he walked away blessed.”
“A limp with God is better than strength without Him.”
Jacob had no plan B - God was His only option
-You will not position yourself for God’s intervention if you still have plan B
Victory ahead but we have to fight and claim it
-Do you have battles? Fight them on your knees -Pray through
-PUSH - Pray Until Something Happen
What is the meaning of the phrase, “praying through,” a phrase often used in testimony.
Have you prayed through before?
Do you have something you need to pray through?
How are you holding on in prayer?
“continuing in the Word” must be one of our aspirations.
Before we can “continue,” we must have a start.
By continuing we prove to those observing our Christian life that we truly are followers of Christ.
Continue: From what we know, without diversion or distraction
My: Sourced from the Master – There are heresies and hybrid/incomplete truths from others
Words: All about Jesus, inspired by the Holy Spirit
Not just believing once, but abiding continually
Not just hearing, but obeying
Not just starting, but persevering
Letting His Word shape thoughts, choices, and lifestyle
Remaining rooted in truth when tested
A true disciple is revealed over time, by a life that stays anchored in Christ’s Word.
John 15:4–5 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Colossians 1:23 “23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
“When we read the Bible, God speaks to us; when we pray, we speak to God.”
“The Word of God is the anvil upon which the opinions of men are smashed.”
“A man who refuses to obey the Scriptures will never grow in grace.”
“Either this Book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this Book.”
“The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.”
“Growth in grace comes from steady, daily, disciplined time in the Word of God.”
“The test of love is obedience, and the test of obedience is continuance.”
The Word is Jesus, through the word we discover His: Personalities, virtues, capacities, heritage, promises…
Jesus is the Source and the Giver of life:
-His instructions are fundamental and embedded in his word
Jesus is the way, walked the way and showing the way
-There is no need to gamble with life or running from pillar to posts
The word is answereth ALL:
-Know Jesus, know life
In our prayer life, in study of God’s Word, in faithful church attendance, in faithful performance of the duties given us in God’s work, in giving the Lord our tithes, and in Christian witnessing.
Every day with Jesus – Best way to have a good day
Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”
Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”
1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:1 “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
James 1:2–4 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness.”
“The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.”
“The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.”
“Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.”
Our Bible study when we feel dry
Our obedience when it’s hard
Our love and forgiveness toward others
Our faith during confusion
Our service when we feel tired
Our trials when life feels heavy
To be saved one must continue or endure to the end.
Save to the uttermost: God is able to save to the uttermost
Work out your own salvation – God completed His part – Don’t be careless, be careful
Endurance depicts expected challenges on the way – Fight to defend our salvation
Hebrews 3:14 “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.”
Revelation 2:10 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
“It is not the beginning of the Christian life that matters most, but the end.”
“Many start fast, but few finish well.”
“He who stands firm to the end will be saved — not he who runs well for a season.”
“The crown of life is not for those who start, but for those who finish.”
Salvation: New life - From old to new
We should treasure and guard the benefits and blessings God has given us
Our greatest benefit is gaining Heaven—certainly a goal worth persevering for.
- Avoiding distractions to obtaining the goals
Retain: Defend the goal at all cost
2 Timothy 1:13 “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
Hebrews 4:14 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”
2 John 1:8 “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”
“A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great faith will bring heaven to your soul.”
“The Bible is not an option; it is a necessity.”
“Obedience is the key that opens every door.”
“Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.”
“The future is as bright as the promises of God.”
“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”
To keep our crown we must hold fast to: Faith in Christ, God’s Word, Love toward others
-Serving without establishing the goals leads to lack of motivation
Every goal come with potential hindrances that require perseverance
-The world system is not a friend of spiritual grace
-The human senses, if allowed will fight against spiritual goals
How do you intend to deal with these potential challenges?
-Worldliness -Sin -Devil
-Your five human senses (eyes, ears, feelings, appetite, what you hear)
Is your burden heavy as you bear it all alone?
Does the road you travel, harbor dangers yet unknown?
Are you growin' weary in the struggle of it all?
Jesus will help you with all his name you call
Walking by our side, in his love we hide all the day through
When you get discouraged just remember what to do
Reach out to Jesus, he's reaching out to you
Does the future press you with its worry and its scare?
Are you tired and jealous, have you almost your way?
Jesus will help you, just talk to him today
@AFM SEARCH 75
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