Breakthrough
"And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.
She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors
and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd
and touched His cloak, because she thought,
“If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.”
Immediately her bleeding stopped
and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering."
Mark 5:25-29
The reality is that we all have come up against intense problems, mountains, and battles in our lives. We have all felt the pangs of the broken, fallen world that we reside in for the time. We have been cornered, feeling scared, anxious, and utterly in despair; even if just for a moment. Darkness has surrounded us and made it seem like we are alone, and that surely, redemption must be out of reach. We wonder if we will ever be delivered and set free from the heavy, exhausting burdens that are closing in. Maybe you can relate to being desperate for breakthrough in your life. You need healing. You need financial help. You need a stable home. You need your prodigal child to return. You need a job. You need deliverance from sin and bondage. You need your marriage to be pieced back together. You need to be set free from the guilt of your past. Whatever it is, you long with all your heart for breakthrough.
The woman we read about in Mark 5 had heard of Jesus. She heard of the many miracles He performed, she'd perhaps heard of His troubles with the Pharisees, but it was the many, many accounts of Him healing the sick that got her attention. He had what she desired. She desperately needed healing and she believed that Jesus could provide the breakthrough that she longed for. Every doctor and every treatment she sought had failed her. Would Jesus be any different?
It was through grit and belief that she made her way to Jesus among the crowds. It was likely her toughest journey, but she kept her eye on Jesus, her belief didn't wane, and when she touched the hem of His garment, her breakthrough finally came. She was healed instantly and she immediately noticed that she was free from all the pain, disappointment and suffering.
She suffered for twelve years. That's the part of the story we must not gloss over. On her way to breakthrough and healing, she suffered. She saw a plethora of doctors, she was miserable, and lost everything trying to get better. Things only got worse for her. One letdown after another. Great suffering in her body, and I imagine the emotional toll was great. Her troubles impacted every part of her life. Can anyone else relate? I sure can! I know what it's like to have the hardest circumstances threaten to steal all joy, motivation, and goodness from life. On the way to your breakthrough, there may be suffering. There may be pain. There may be disappointments and setbacks. And you might be experiencing that part of your journey right now. But don't lose faith and don't lose hope.
Just as Jesus set free many people when He walked this earth over 2,000 years ago from all sorts of illnesses and troubles, He still delivers us today from whatever battle we may be facing. God won't let you down, and He is mightier than any solution you could think of, or any person you want to run to. God is with you in the darkness and He is with you in the battle. Seek the Lord with all your heart and He will make a way for you to come up out of your circumstances and experience a life changing breakthrough!
Breakthrough doesn't always come when we'd like, and it may take longer than you'd ever expect. Keep your trust in the God who is bigger than all your fears, anxieties, and dire circumstances. Like the woman with the bleeding disorder, keep making your way to Jesus. Keep your eye on Him. Believe that if you just touch His garment, you will be freed.
Pray, fast, get into Scripture, declare victory, and repeat. Don't give up. God knows your situation, He knows how you feel. He wants to carry your burdens, He wants you to be free of worry and anxiety and to have a peace that surpasses all understanding. He wants you to have joy and hope in any situation. Trust Him, lean on Him, leave it at His feet, and not only will you experience breakthrough according to His good and perfect will, but you will never have to fight your battles alone. God is with you every step of the way and will see you through.
This Week’s Reading Plan
As you read the following passages this week, ask yourself these questions:
1) What verse comforts me that I can commit to memory?
2) What word or phrase stands out?
3) What am I learning about God from this?
4) How can I apply this to my life today?
Helpful Hints: Screenshot or Save, and Share with your BFF!
Other related articles: