Mark 5
However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” Mark 5:19 NKJV
Why didn’t Jesus allow the demon-possessed man to follow Him? Following Jesus would have led to greater spiritual growth for this individual person, but would not have been very effective in spreading the Good News and giving others the opportunity to know Jesus. We need to do more than simply follow Jesus and continue learning things from Him that will help us to live better lives or deepen our understanding of the Bible. We need to share what we are learning and share what He has done for us personally. We need to go to our families, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances that God puts in our path. When opportunities present themselves, we should be willing to talk to people about the amazing ways that God has worked in our lives. Take time to think about what God has done for you. In addition to your daily blessings, what sin, fear, or problem has He delivered you from that deserves proper praise? Pray that God will place someone in your path that is facing a similar problem. Use your past experiences to help him/her by sharing your story and explaining the immense impact that God has had on your life.
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. Mark 5:25-29 NKJV
This woman with the persistent bleeding must have been overwhelmed with feelings of hopelessness, loneliness, and disappointment. Instead of allowing these feelings to paralyze her, however, her faith and determination allowed her to press her way past the crowd that was surrounding Jesus, resulting in her immediate healing. Whatever you are facing today, no matter how long you have struggled with it, I encourage you to press on: “For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). Whatever it takes, reach out and touch Jesus!
And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Mark 5:34 NKJV
“Your faith has made you well.” This is probably one of the verses most relied on by the prosperity gospel crowd. It sounds great, but has a very humanistic focus: it can be taken to suggest that the level of your healing and prosperity relies on the amount of faith you have. This can be a very dangerous mindset, in that if you think that faith is self-generated, inevitably you will get trapped in a hamster wheel of trying to drum up more and more faith. It can become just another idol that leads to doubt and fear when you do not manifest enough external results. Ultimately, you will never have enough faith on your own effort. Faith is a gift from God: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith is a gift, but without faith it is impossible to please God. So… faith is also a choice we make – we have to choose to accept the gift of faith. If you start to look at faith as a gift of the spirit (see Galatians 5:22) – as something that you receive instead of work up on your own, then the gospel does not come to demand faith, but to supply it. Now you are free to joyfully participate in a life of faith!
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” Mark 5:36 NKJV
Jairus had every reason to be fearful and doubtful based on what seemed like impossible circumstances. But, God specializes in doing things that seem impossible to us. We need to trust God fully and live by faith no matter how the situation appears. The apostle Paul understood this truth and reminds us: “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).