Devotions

Jesus promised the release of His power and the Spirit on the lives of His followers, to move among them with signs, wonders, and miracles that would leave no doubt about His power in the eyes of a lost and hopeless world. He promised to send His Spirit to live among and inside them, to guide them as they took the gospel to every corner of the globe. He assured them that His Spirit would never leave them or let them down, and He expected them to put total faith and trust in this “still, small voice” guiding them in their hearts.

The prophet Joel foretold this power that would manifest itself upon followers of Christ. “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy; your old men will dream dreams; your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth” (Joel 2:28-30).

We have before us an opportunity to see the Lord’s might loosed on the world as never before. God is ready and willing to pour out His power, to perform miracles in the name of Christ the likes of which have not been witnessed since the resurrection of Jesus. But when and whether He decides to do that through our lives depends on whether we are willing to step out of our comfort zones, to reevaluate the way we think and believe, to forsake the things of this world, and to trust instead in God’s promise of provision.

Are we willing to put aside our own opinions and agenda and focus instead on the leading of the Holy Spirit?

Will we choose to believe in a big and powerful God?

Nicky Cruz, internationally known evangelist and prolific author, turned to Jesus Christ from a life of violence and crime after meeting David Wilkerson in New York City in 1958. The story of his dramatic conversion was told first in The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson and then later in his own best-selling book Run, Baby, Run.

David wrote in a psalm that the Lord “counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name” (Psalm 147:4). Think of it: David is telling us, “When you’re in pain, stop and look up. You’ll realize, ‘If God can do this, He certainly can meet my need.’” I agree. If in your pain you focus on the majesty of God, you will receive more than any answer a preacher could give you.

You may think God has failed you because He hasn’t answered. I tell you, your miracle word is on the way. He is at work on your deliverance right now and has been since the moment you first prayed. He has promised never to forsake you. The seas may roar, the mountains may fall into the sea, and everything that can be shaken will be. But He cannot be shaken, and neither can His purposes for His Church.

When you touch Jesus — when you touch the hem of His garment — you receive His power. When the bleeding woman touched Him, we are told that “power had gone out of him” (Mark 5:30). Some versions use the word “virtue” here, which means “power.” This signifies power over all uncleanness, sin and death.

Remember, He is the God who made all things — including you and me. If that God could create a clean heart in David, a murderer and adulterer, He can do the same in you. He can turn your life around.

Dear saint, Jesus is present with you right now in your battle. You can press in and touch Him as surely as the bleeding woman did. You can experience the resurrecting, healing power of Christ, no matter what you are going through. He is walking beside you through it and He has a plan to bring you out of death and into life. Fear not — only believe!

When Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, heard that his beloved daughter had died, he faced one final test of his faith. He was forced to look death right in the face. Imagine the chaos and confusion in his home when he and Jesus arrived. I see Jairus’ wife collapsing into his arms, crying, “Where have you been? It’s too late. Our precious daughter is gone!”

As was the custom of that day, paid professional mourners were weeping and wailing at the scene. Yet when Jesus saw it all, He said to the gathering, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping” (Mark 5:39). What was their reaction? “They ridiculed Him” (Mark 5:40).

Beloved, this scene illustrates what the Lord asks of us all. We are to walk straight into our place of confusion, with death, terror and mockery staring us down, and obey this word: “Be not afraid, only believe!”

We don’t know whether Jairus’ faith held strong or if his heart was crushed with fear. We only know that all were astounded by what took place next. Jesus took the dead girl by the hand and said, “Little girl, I say to you, arise. Immediately the girl arose and walked” (5:41–42).

We are to remind ourselves of Jesus’ words time and time again — in the face of hopelessness and death, when all possibilities are over and nothing can be done: “Do not be afraid. Only believe.” You may say, “But when I’m in pain, I don’t have the strength to believe. I’m too weak, too overwhelmed.” Even after many years have passed since meeting the Lord, we will still find ourselves praying, “Lord, You have to put faith in me. I can’t believe on my own.” But know that the Holy Spirit is faithful to do that work. He will never fail to do it. We must stand on God’s Word — in spite of all pain and grief, in spite of all weakness of flesh, as Jairus and the bleeding woman did.

Has there been a delay in the answer to your prayer? Do you see others around you getting victories, being touched and healed, having miracles happen — yet you helplessly stand by in your suffering? Do you get impatient or angry with God, crying, “Why not me, Lord? Where is my miracle? Why is it delayed?” If so, you are missing the point altogether. The Lord is trying to build up your faith. He wants you to move into confidence in Him no matter what delays may come. He is showing you He can be at work healing thousands around you and still have His eye on you!

When Jesus healed the woman with the issue of blood, Jairus, who was walking beside Him, might have been able to hear His amazing words to the bleeding woman: “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction” (Mark 5:34). On the other hand, I doubt Jairus heard any of it, because a messenger came running toward him with a chilling report: “Your daughter is dead” (5:35).

Oh, what lies Satan must have whispered into Jairus’ ear: “All this has been in vain. Jesus can do nothing for you.” Then came the piercing words of the messenger: “Why trouble the Master any further?” Think of what was being said to Jairus here: “It’s no use. It’s too late for God to work. Thanks, Jesus, but no thanks. You waited too long to help.”

Doubts and anguish filled Jairus’ heart. “You trusted this Jesus but He can’t help you. It’s time for you to get back to the synagogue.”

Yet Jesus heard everything that was going on. As He saw the fear, despair and grief on Jairus’ face, He told him, “Be not be afraid; only believe” (5:36). I believe Christ was saying to that crowd and to us today: “It is not enough to walk with Me, call on Me and fall at My feet in repentance. You must trust in Me. You must believe I can bring life out of death.”

As Jesus was walking with Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue in Capernaum, to his home to heal his daughter, they were met by a woman who suffered from chronic hemorrhaging. For twelve years this woman had bled nonstop and was dying a slow death. Luke, a physician, wrote that she “had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any” (Luke 8:43).

The Jewish law declared such a woman “ceremonially unclean.” This woman saw many doctors, all who took her money and made promises to cure her, but after every appointment, she went home discouraged and her disease kept growing worse. At some point this woman must have thought, “It’s no use. My condition is hopeless. I’m going to keep suffering until I slowly die.”

Sadly, multitudes of Christians are doing just what this woman did. They run to any place that offers an answer and live under a cloud of fear because of their “uncleanness.” Perhaps this describes you. You’ve lived with a besetting sin for so long, you think, “What about my awful history of sin? If Jesus heals completely, then surely there’s something wrong with me. I don’t belong in the church. It’s a holy place, and I’m not clean.”

In Mark 5, we see this suffering woman reaching out one more time, persistent and full of hope. But this time, instead of seeing a physician who could not cure her, she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. As she touched Him, the Lord and Maker of heaven and earth paused for a moment and healed her instantly! He wanted to use that moment to publicly remove her reproach and show her that her faith healed her. Jesus wanted to relieve this woman of her sense of defilement.

Press in with faith and touch Jesus for yourself, as this woman did. He will heal you. If you are heavy with a grieving heart, unburden yourself to Jesus. Then commit all into His hands. Fear not, only believe!