Viewing:   Key to Succesful Praying

Amazing Healing – Amazing Faith

In Mark, chapter 5, we read an amazingly wonderful story of the healing of a woman plagued with an issue of blood for 12 years. She had consulted many physicians and spent all her money, but to no avail – her “plague” remained.

In desperation, she sought out Yeshua.

“When she had heard of Yeshua, she came in the press behind and touched his garment. For she said, ‘If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.’ And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.” (Mark 5:27-29)

Knowing immediately that power had gone out from Him, Yeshua turned to see who had touched Him.

“Who touched me?” he asked – a question that bewildered His disciples. A multitude of people were bumping into Him, they reasoned.

But while many came into physical contact with Yeshua that day, only this woman was healed. Apparently only she really “touched” the Lord.

Yeshua continued searching for the woman who had done this. Finally, realizing she couldn’t hide, she came forward to tell her story.

Why did the woman hide? And why was it important for her to be “exposed”?

Under the Law of Moses (Leviticus 15:25), a woman who had an issue of blood was considered unclean. Because it was unlawful for her to be in contact with others, this woman had been separated from her family for 12 years! That’s why she hid from Yeshua. She’d done something forbidden under the law.

How had she dared to sneak in among the people to touch Yeshua? What gave her the courage to go against every accepted spiritual notion of her day to reach out and touch Him?

Some would say desperation, and it might be so, but desperation by itself would not be sufficient to give her the strength to do what she did. What was it then?

It was mercy! Her heart told her that God is good, gracious, merciful and full of compassion. Better than the leaders of her day, she somehow knew the nature of God. She believed that if she would come to Him, He would heal her!

She was drawn by the love and compassion of the Lord – the river of grace flowing from Him.

The very presence of God in Yeshua must have been the drawing power upon the hearts of those who heard such calls as, “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden.” (Matthew 11:28)

Even death could not hold Lazarus when Yeshua called him out of the grave. That same mercy had an irresistible drawing power upon her heart.

But there is something deeper here for us to learn. It is evident from the woman’s actions that she also understood the essence of the Word and the Law. She must have understood that this goodness is rooted in atonement – that God forgave, atoned for (covered) and made sinners whole. This was the meaning of the temple ritual, but while others lost their way in the “forest” of ritual and tradition, this woman grasped the heart of the matter! Without atonement, goodness becomes emotional, humanistic and even corrupting.

But why did Yeshua expose her? To cover her! Had she gone home without being exposed, the enemy would have tried to convince her to give up her healing on the grounds that she had obtained it illegally. She had trespassed against the Law.

Yeshua’s words, “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague,” shut the enemy out. His Word became her shield and defense.

Praying for Israel

As this woman approached Yeshua, so we must approach God and touch Him for Israel. She is defiled in her sin and unclean to her neighbors, indeed the whole world thinks of Israel as unclean.

Even Israel feels this way about herself. "Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them." (Lamentations 1:17)

It’s not enough to approach God on the basis of Israel’s right to the Land alone. We can not fight for her based on what or who is right in the world of politics. This is not enough and will never do the job.

We must make our way through to Yeshua as this woman did – because of His goodness, mercy and compassion, rooted in the Atonement on the Cross, for His people Israel (and for all who will come). Only this way do we have hope of truly “touching” Him for her.

So much of our praying can be just a “bumping into” Yeshua, but never “touching” Him because it lacks this understanding and faith. This is how we find our way through the “crowd” to touch the Living God!

The drawing power on intercessors today is the same as that which drew those to Yeshua when He walked the earth: enormous love and mercy, flowing freely and abundantly to those with eyes to see and ears to hear. Indeed this power is drawing Israel toward the day when Yeshua will reveal Himself and restore His people. The sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in its wings! (Malachi 4:2)

Listen to the prophets speak of this drawing power of God.

"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." (Jeremiah 31:3)

"For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer". (Isaiah 54:6-8)

Won’t you let Yeshua draw you this way? Won’t you “squeeze” through the “crowd” of theologies, philosophies, situations, and opinions that obscure Him from the heart? Only such pressing in will do the job; only such simple faith can reach out the “hand” of prayer and touch the Living Son of God for His people Israel.