PUSH Through Sis!

Sister girl, there is a word! When I tell you this word is not just for you, this brew was created with me in mind. The enemy has been on the prowl lately. From my health, to my finances, to my professional and personal relationships, he has been RELENTLESS! Just when I thought I had it together- you know snatched, tucked in and tightened, He came through like a whirling wind and undid everything. What I learned is that the enemy loves to kick up settled dust. What do I mean? I’ll take this moment to be transparent. See the enemy didn’t start to bother me until I started living “comfortably”. He saw his opportunity when I started slacking on my bible study attendance, when I started making an excuse not to journal before bed, when I would opt to listen to the greatest hits instead of engaging in praise and worship during my morning commute. I ceased to make an effort to stay in constant connection with God. These very things were my defenses against the enemy. I figured because “life is good” it was okay to put the shield down. Not realizing that life was only good because I was on alert! The enemy knows when you’re alert and he won’t attack then. Oh, but girl! The moment we start making excuses not be in constant communion with God, the moment we become lazy with our prayers, the instant we become complacent in our faith we have fallen into the trap of the enemy. Once we’re there it may seem that all hope is lost. It’s okay. I’ve been there. You’ve probably been there too. Someone reading this is at that very place right now. I’m here to tell you PUSH through, sis!

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This month I am coming to you from the book Luke. The book of Luke is one of the Gospels in the New Testament. Luke was written by a physician who recorded the accounts of interactions between Jesus and the people as told by those who bore witness to the events. The book tells many popular stories and parables. I want to focus on one story in particular.

“As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master the people are crowding and pressing against you” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Luke 8:42-48

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We have all heard the sermon told of the woman with the issue of blood. Most likely on more than one occasion. It’s a popular sermon. Here Jesus was on his way to heal Jairus daughter, and this woman, unnamed and unidentified made it her mission not to see Jesus like the rest of the onlookers but to touch Him. Upon her touch she was delivered of her issue as well. The common theme of sermon from the pulpit is that “God can deliver you on his way to redeem someone else”. And it’s true! Sis, let me just start off by saying this is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. First of all, simply because it’s a story within a story; a hidden gem. Eight short scriptures, describe such a divine and transformational encounter between Jesus and an unknown woman. I love this story because it’s about a woman, but not just any woman. This woman had an issue, she had a real problem. Can you imagine having her ISSUE in the world today…for 12 YEARS!?! This was a determined woman. This woman had “in spite of” strength. Lastly, my favorite aspect about this encounter is the absence of identity of the woman. This woman wasn’t one of the “who’s who” of Galilee. She was a woman seeking a solution to a problem she had been told had no solution. That makes her relatable. Verse 43 says, “And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her.” Since this woman has no name, no identity beyond her issue and no personality beyond her suffering, it is easy for us to put ourselves in her shoes. Try it.

And _______was there who had been subject to ______ for___ yr/mo/dy, but no one could ______ her.

Some of us can fill those blanks multiple times with a variety of issues and a range of timelines. I’m here to tell you that filling in your blanks is the first step to PUSHing through. By acknowledging that “no one could” sets you up to be in the presence of the one who can. Verse 44, shows us how. It says, “She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped”. The woman came up behind Jesus. She did not call His name and wait for Him to turn around. It was her faith that secured her deliverance. Sister, your faith is crucial. It is the link between your problem and your solution. The verse goes on to say that the woman was immediately healed. When you allow your faith to secure your destiny, assuring you that your problem has a solution; there will be a few things you experience immediately:

- The loss of worry

- The loss of anxiety

- The loss of fear

- Restoration of peace

- Restoration of sanity

- Restoration of joy

This is not to say that the problem will have spontaneously resolved (in some cases it may), it is to say that God will pour back into you what had been draining you. This woman had been losing blood for 12 years! The very substance running through her veins to keep her alive was the source of her inability to live beyond suffering. But God!

Realize dear sister that when you decide to seek God, I mean truly seek God as the only source of developing a solution to your problem, whatever else is going on and whoever else is calling on Him won’t matter. The verses go to explain that after the woman touched Jesus, Jesus began to ask disciples who it was. They didn’t know, but Jesus knew. Verse 46 says, “Someone touched me, I know because power has gone out from me”. When your faith secures your connection to God, he will pour from himself a power into you that will allow you to PUSH through!

In verse 47, we learn that the woman did not go unnoticed. Her quest for healing in the midst of her suffering was made public. When it was, the woman overcame with humility. Typically as women, when faced with challenges and difficulties we respond one of two ways. We tend to paint on a brave face, walking through everyday smooth as porcelain on the outside but shards of broken glass on the inside. Or, we host a pity party inviting everyone who will lend an ear to join in. Either path becoming so habitual that it begins to infuse itself with our spiritual appearance and becomes how we present ourselves before God. But not this woman, this woman in presence of the crowd, the disciples and Jesus humbled herself, told her story and proclaimed her healing. Verse 48 says, “Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” Girl, that verse marks the most pivotal moment in the entire story. The unnamed, unidentified woman struggling with an incurable issue became the healed, peace-possessing daughter of the King! How amazing is it to know that we to can be this woman if we just PUSH through.

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1. Praise

Now that we’ve digested the text, you’re probably thinking “well Kie, how do I PUSH through and claim my healing like the woman?” I am here to tell you that it begins with your praise. The text shows us the woman in her pursuit of Jesus. There are some things that you need to do long before your pursuit. In the midst of all I was experiencing (anxiety, sadness, loss of loved ones, confusion…just to name a few) I had to remember to praise God. I had to acknowledge his presence in my life to remind not only myself, but the enemy about what type of God I serve. Praise Him because this isn’t the first time the enemy has come upon you. Praise him because in spite of what you may feel physically and emotionally, spiritually you are anchored in His promises. Praise Him because Romans 8:18 tells us that “your present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us”. Just praise Him girl!

2. Pray

When it comes to trials and tribulations as it relates to prayer, I’ve put into practice a new perspective. I would like to challenge you to do the same. When faced with trouble, it’s common to do two things during our dialogue with God. We ask “Why God?” and we ask for immediate saving and/or help. I would like to challenge you to neglect those statements the next time you approach God concerning a problem. We serve a loving, generous God who grants us new mercies each and every day. He is not the source of our afflictions. God’s desire is to see us grow, live joyful and prosperous lives. Don’t let your carnal emotions create spiritual anger and doubt towards our Heavenly father. I challenge you to stop seeking an immediate deliverance from a situation and start seeking clarity instead. Pray for guidance. Pray for wisdom. Ask God what you can salvage during this storm. I know it’s easy to commit to doing so when all is well, but be active in your faith. Use prayer as a tool to not only push through your situation but to gain knowledge as you cross over.

3. PURSUE

The moment of pursuit is critical. We learned this from the scripture. The act of pursuit sets you up for your connection to God. For the woman in the Bible, her pursuit was physical. She made her way through the crowd and touched the edge of His cloak. Our pursuit of Jesus exists in the spiritual realm. Reflect on how you pursue God. Singing? Dancing? Journaling? Fasting? Perhaps you have a prayer closet? Whatever it is sis, do it. Pursue Him. Actively seek His face. Similar to the woman in Luke, you may be up against a crowd to get to Him. Your crowd exists in the form of distractions, temptations, laziness, doubt, hurt, disappointment, anger and the like. But pursue Him in spite of the crowd and the chaos. Push through resting assured that once you connect to Him you, like the woman, will be healed.