Only believe

No matter what your theology, there is no way around the fact that the Bible talks a lot about faith – and not just a general faith that God exists, but specific faith that God will do certain things in our lives. Hebrews 11:6-7 makes this clear when it says that whoever comes to God must believe both that he exists (a general faith) and that he rewards those who diligently seek him (a specific faith). This verse also says that without this kind of faith it is impossible to please God. The reason for this is that God is pleased when we receive the good gifts he gives us, and we cannot receive these good things without faith.

Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:22-43 and Luke 8:41-56 are all corresponding passages that relate two miraculous stories from the ministry of Jesus. Both of these stories reveal the incredible power of faith. In the first story, a man named Jairus comes to Jesus begging him to come and pray for his daughter who is at the point of death. The man displayed incredible faith even in his request, saying “Come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus agreed, and began to follow the man to his home.

Along the way to the man’s house, a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for many years came up in the crowd behind Jesus. Mark says that this woman had “suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she hand, yet instead of getting better had grown worse.” And Luke, a physician, states that “no one could heal her.” Both Matthew and Mark give us a glimpse into this woman’s faith, saying that before coming to Jesus she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” This woman was convinced, in spite of all she had suffered at the hands of “doctors” and in spite of the fact that she had only gotten worse through it all, that if she only touched the robe Jesus was wearing, she would be healed!

It may not be obvious at first just how amazing this woman’s faith was, but consider for a moment what she said and did. She was so convinced that simply touching Jesus’ robe would result in her healing, that she was willing to fight through a crowd of people to get to Jesus. How did she know this would work? We have no reason to believe that she had ever seen anyone healed that way, and yet the fact remains she was convinced that merely touching Jesus’ clothes would heal her. And she was not disappointed – the moment she touched his garment she was instantly healed and we are told that Jesus felt power leave him and the woman felt power come into her and heal her. Then, immediately after this had happened, Jesus turned to the woman and said, “Take heart, daughter, your faith has healed you.” This woman’s faith literally pulled the power out of Jesus and into her body, where it brought her instant healing! And this is precisely how faith is designed to operate – pulling the promises of God out of the unseen world and into our lives.

But the story does not end here. Immediately after this woman was healed, some men came from Jairus’ house and informed him that his daughter had died and there was no reason to bother Jesus anymore. Overhearing this announcement, Jesus turned to Jairus and said, “Don’t be afraid; only believe and she will be healed.” This statement is truly amazing. Put yourself in this man’s position. He had just heard the news that his daughter had just died, and Jesus tells him, “Don’t be afraid; Only believe.” Even though you may not realize it, this is the same advice Jesus gives us whenever our circumstances are screaming at us, telling us it is time to panic and get scared. Keep this in mind today, particularly if you have just received some bad news of some kind. God is awesome, good, and faithful, and he’s still looking for some people who will take him at his word and, “Only believe!”