Keep Pressing!
By Nykia Coleman
Scripture Reference: Luke 8:43-48 In Luke 8:43-48, the Bible speaks of a woman who suffered from an issue of blood for 12 years. Yet, despite the longevity of the illness, and despite the woman seeking doctors and spending all her money, her situation never got better. In fact, the Bible says her situation grew worse. This woman had every excuse to give up, to throw in the towel, and to lose all hope. During this time in history, the woman's physical condition would have made her a social outcast, ceremonially unclean, and it definitely would have been considered socially unacceptable to try to touch Jesus. And yet, somehow this woman with the issue of blood maintained the courage to keep PRESSING through the crowd and believed in her heart that she could be healed of her infirmity if she could just touch the cloak of Jesus's garment. Have you ever personally felt like you have been going through something difficult for a long time? Have you been praying something gets better in your life and yet things seem to be getting worse? Perhaps you're in a difficult marriage? Perhaps it's dealing with a rebellious child? Perhaps it's fighting a long battle of addiction to prescription drugs or a controlled substance? Perhaps you have been out of work for a long time in the midst of this pandemic? Or perhaps you are even recovering from covid-19, and the residual effects seem like a constant and never ending battle? Or perhaps you are grieving over a loved one? Whatever form of suffering you are facing, may you be encouraged by the woman's story with the issue of blood. The woman with the issue of blood put all her faith and confidence in God's power to heal her. Her faith wasn't in herself, or in physicians, or her socioeconomic status, or her race, or her money or the lack thereof. Her faith was simply placed in complete confidence of who Jesus is. She kept telling herself if she could touch just the hem of the garment of Jesus, she would be made whole. If we multiplied 365 days times 12, that would mean this woman endured this illness for 4,380 days or 105, 120 hours before she even touched Jesus's garment. And yet after all that time had passed with no change in her physical condition, she still had enough confidence to PRESS through the crowd to touch Jesus. It is my prayer today that you be encouraged to PRESS your way to Jesus, and trust that you too can experience healing, deliverance, joy, peace, salvation, prosperity, and forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, the Savior of all mankind. You're important to Jesus, so keep PRESSING, seeking God's presence with your entire being, and may God's power of healing flood your life in a mighty way in Jesus's name I pray, Amen!
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