When Jesus walked the Earth, He was a magnet to all who heard him. Everywhere He would go, He would attract large crowds. In the villages, cities, and countryside, where ever Jesus walked, people would follow. He had a reputation for healing the blind, the lame would walk, all kinds of diseases would be healed, the deaf would hear, and the mute would speak. The demon oppressed would be set free and even the dead were resurrected. He performed miracles and supernatural signs that left everyone wondering, “who is this that even the demons obey him?”
People would talk amongst themselves in awe. They’ve never seen anyone like Him. He spoke in parables, spoke with great knowledge and authority, and taught repentance, following the commandments, loving others as ourselves, faith, and about the kingdom of Heaven. Reading in the book of Mark, we encounter many historical accounts of miracles & healing.
As I share each historical account with you, I pray that it will give you hope, strategies, and faith in seeking a miracle.
In Mark chpt. 2, we read how a group of 4 men brought a paralytic to Jesus. They heard that there was someone who if you managed to reach Him, you would be healed. It was so crowded but they were determined to reach the master. The bible says that they were so desperate for a miracle that they got on top of the roof of the house where he was teaching and they made an opening on the roof and lowered this man who could not walk, a paralytic. Can you imagine the faith and the desperation of this man and the love of his brothers whether they were family or friends. It was they who persisted and carried this man to the feet of Jesus. I can only imagine how Jesus was touched. You see He was full of compassion, and nothing touched him like “faith”.
The scriptures go on to say that Jesus forgave him of his sins and healed him. You see ONLY God has the power to forgive our sins and the Bible says that the Power belongs to Him. We begin to see a peek of Jesus’s identity, the messiah, and the Son of the Living God. How was this man healed? They had faith, they sought Him, they persisted, they pressed on and did NOT give up. There was a process where they found Jesus and received a miracle.
In Mark chpt. 5, we read how a ruler of a Jewish synagogue by the name of Jairus sought Jesus. The bible says that he fell at His feet and begged Jesus to come with him to heal his young daughter. Jesus agreed and went with him. On the way, something amazing happened. Jesus stopped and felt power leave Him. He turned around and asked “who has touched me?” It was very crowded, it could of been anyone said his disciples. A woman finally approached him. I can imagine she was in tears, shaking, full of the power of the Holy Spirit. This woman had an issue with her blood. She had a disorder where she was bleeding for 12 years. She had spent all that she had on physicians and no one could help her. When a woman has her blood flow or period, she was considered unclean and had to remain apart during this time. This woman could not stop the blood flow and could not live a normal life. She was considered unclean. When she heard of Jesus, the Bible says that she came to him, she pressed through the crowd and thought and believed in her heart that if she could just touch the hem of His garment, she would be healed.
Jesus felt power leave him to heal her and he told her, ” daughter, your faith has made you well.” How many of us want to hear those words? How many of us would search, press, insist until we reach and touch the garment of the Master, Jesus. Notice how he called her “daughter”. Here we continue to see the divinity of Jesus. God in the flesh for Jesus said, if you see me you have seen the Father.
Jesus continued his journey with Jairus the synagogue ruler. When they entered his house, they told him it was too late. The young girl had died. Jesus told them, “she is not dead but sleeps”. The scriptures say that Jesus healed her and raised her from the dead. Now, this is a miracle! Who is this that death has no power over him and it obeys?
In Mark chpt. 6, Jesus entered the villages, cities, and the country preaching about the kingdom of heaven. Multitudes followed Him wherever He went. They laid the sick in the market places and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. The bible says that as many as touched him were made well. They were healed. Faith was increasing in the hearts of people. Jesus’s fame was increasing as the one who healed, delivered, resurrected the dead, and set the captives free.
In Mark chpt. 7, we read how a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit. (Children too can have unclean spirits, be oppressed, afflicted, and tormented with confusion, lies, deception to cause self harm.) This woman was a Greek a Syro-Phonenician who had heard of Jesus. The Bible says that she fell at the feet of Jesus and asked Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. But Jesus replied, “it’s not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” ( For those who are unfamiliar, Jesus came first to His people, the Jews then after the Kingdom of Heaven was first preached to the Jews it would be shared with the entire world.) The scriptures say that the woman replied, “yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” I can only imagine the biggest smile on Jesus face. He loves “faith” for this touches His heart. Jesus said for this saying “the demon has gone out of your daughter.” The bible says that when she returned to her house, she found her daughter laying on the bed and the demon had left. I find this interesting because if you have observed a deliverance sometimes people fall and lay on the ground light as a feather as they have just been set free. The heaviness and what oppressed them has gone.
In an another account, people brought a deaf and a mute to Jesus. Jesus healed him immediately. Sometimes healing happens instantaneously but this is not always the case. The same principle remains though, you must seek, persist, and reach Jesus.
In Mark chpt. 8, we read about a blind man in Bethsaida. The bible says that they brought him to Jesus and asked for healing. Jesus took this man by the hand and took him to outside the town. Now remember, they were on foot. A journey took place. I can only imagine the conversations that took place. The questions that this blind man asked Jesus and the things that Jesus told this blind man. I’m sure that this man recalled every Word from Jesus and found hope and encouragement in the anticipation that his miracle would happen. The scripture says that once they reached the area outside of the town that Jesus spat on his eyes and touched him and asked him what he saw? The man replied by saying, ” I see men walking like if they were trees.” He was still seeing blurry. Then, Jesus touched his eyes again and the man was completely healed. He could see. This man’s healing took a journey, it took time, conversations, questions, and time. Why? because that is How God works. For some people, healing may occur instantaneously but for many there’s a process, a journey but during the entire process, Jesus is with us holding our hand. Something is happening. Our faith is increasing. We begin to hear, learn, and change from the inside out. The bible says that faith comes by hearing, hearing the Word of God. That’s what was happening with this blind man. He was listening to the Word, Jesus. As time passed, by the time they reached outside the town his healing occurred. How many of us find ourselves in this same situation?
When I read all these amazing historical accounts of the miracles and healings of Jesus, I’ve learned several things. Sometimes miracles just happen and sometimes there’s a process and time. Miracles happen when we have faith and not just any faith but an “increased” amount of faith. The kind of faith that makes you seek, persist, insist, grow, learn, and press until you reach & touch the hem of the Master.
I pray that where ever you are in your journey, don’t stop praying, keep seeking God, keep increasing your faith through reading the Word. Remember Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Read it, let His Words penetrate your soul as if Jesus is holding your hand taking you on a journey to outside the city limits. Persist past your fears, persist past what the world says is possible, do not come into agreement with unbelief, and dare to believe. We aren’t seeking what we can see, we are seeking miracles so big that it takes Only God to make it happen. Press through oppositions, self doubt, your present circumstance, and unbelief.
Grow your faith, persist , insist, and get to know Jesus. He is a God of compassion. Seek Him until you find Him. I’m right there with you seeking Him, learning, growing , and pressing through the crowd until I too can touch the Hem of Jesus.