Today, we’re wrapping it up – the yuck list of what our lives can become when we are not under the influence of the Holy Spirit and following his guidance. So far in Galatians 5: 19-21 we’ve seen the sexual sins we so easily fall into, then the attitudes and behaviors that damage our relationship with God and others. It’s been a real yuck fest hanging out on the wrong side under the wrong influence. What we’ve learned so far is that’s not what we want, nor is that who we want to be.

Now finally in verse 21, we have our final things to add to the column on the left labeled ‘Without the Holy Spirit’ – “Drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.”

Before you push away and think the Holy Spirit would never allow you to have fun, that’s not what this is about. This isn’t about making your life boring. This is truly about taking away every imitation of happiness the enemy has tried to entangle you in. God offers us immense joy and overflowing happiness, then Satan swoops in and tries to twist that into a pursuit of things that simply aren’t good for you.

Do you realize when God calls something a sin it’s because it’s not good for you. He created you with a specific design, and as your creator he knows what is harmful to your design, so he warns you, “Hey, my child, don’t do this … it’s not good for you.” It’s like the warning label on a hair dryer that says don’t put this in water … Why fight that? We have warning labels on us, why are we fighting it?

Understand what is specifically being said—drunkenness and wild parties. The sin is not drinking. The problem is not a party. Jesus was once at a wedding celebration where the wine ran out, so His first public miracle was turning water into wine for the wedding feast (John 2). The sin is intoxication that masters the person. The problem is the party that celebrates the loss of self-control, encourages excess, and creates an atmosphere where people cast off moral restraint. The concern here is not with joy or celebration; the concern is with a culture of indulgence where people surrender themselves to their desires rather than submit themselves to the Spirit.

The problem is the party that is built around excess. The Greek word kōmoi used in this scripture refers to revelries—wild, drunken celebrations where restraint is abandoned and sinful behavior is encouraged. This is not a condemnation on gatherings, celebrations, or even the enjoying good things. This is about the kind of partying where intoxication and reckless behavior become the purpose of the event.

You know that, “We’re gonna get drunk tonight! Get lit! Let loose!” … yeah that is NOT from the Holy Spirit.

It’s hard for me to talk about these things because I have to be honest with you – I have absolutely no experience with it. At 50 years old, I’ve never been drunk a single time in my life. I’ve never been to the club or a bar. I’ve never gotten tipsy and let loose. So no, I really don’t know what that is like.

But let me tell you what I’m qualified to talk about – I’m absolutely certain you can have fun and be 100% sober. There’s not a gathering I don’t have fun at. There’s not a celebration where I can’t laugh and enjoy. You can throw a party and it not become wild and wreckless. You can dance, you can sing, you can celebrate, and you can be the life of the party without a single regret.

Think about how Jesus must have been when he walked this Earth. The gospels are full of accounts of Jesus being invited to weddings, invited to celebrations and gatherings, continually invited to come over for dinner. Children loved to be around Jesus. You know what this tells me – this tells me Jesus wasn’t boring. He wasn’t a stick in the mud. He wasn’t a downer. He was LITERALLY the life of the party in every sense of the word.

Now we carry his spirit within us as his followers. He lives within us. We are empowered to be the life of the party with what he has put within us through our connection with him – and we’ve gotten it all twisted thinking in order for us to be fun and have fun we have to get drunk? That’s just straight from Hell right there.

Tomorrow is opening day of my 111th BIG Life Retreat. It’s a girls weekend on the lake where we will tie together all of our floaties and float in the sunshine on the lake. We’ll be playing music and singing. There will be dancing. There will be uncontrollable laughter. There will be random last minute competitions of floating obstacle courses, relays of nonsense, and cheering team mates like we’re winning real gold medals. It will be a full on celebration of happiness. And there won’t be a drop of alcohol. None.

When I first started hosting retreats, a whole lot of people didn’t come because they thought it would be impossible to have fun at a gathering without something to loosen them up. How could a girls weekend be a good time without the good stuff? Now, we know THE GOOD STUFF isn’t found in a bottle. The GOOD STUFF is found in God showing us how to celebrate life with pure joy and no regrets.

Drunkenness and wild parties intentionally lower restraint with a celebration of impulsiveness, excess and indulgence. That’s the problem.

A drunken person often pulls others into the same behavior. It becomes a chain effect. One person gets stupid, then the next person gets stupid. And with a bunch of stupid people not thinking right, sin becomes normalized. That’s not under the direction of the Holy Spirit. God says, “That’s not good for my creation.” So, we come with a warning label just like the hair dryer that’s not to be put in water – we’re vessels for the Holy Spirit and we are not to be drunk going to wild parties. It’s simply not good for us.

This isn’t a matter of having all our fun taken away from us. Actually quite the opposite – this is a matter of not being fooled by the enemy and living in such a deeper level of fun offered by God. A fun with no regrets. A fun with full awareness. A fun that represents the joy of the Lord.

This week, I’ve given the girls I mentor a challenge – a challenge to be the Ambassador of Fun wherever they are.

Fun is a ministry. Really think about that. Fun shows the goodness of God and draws others into him. Misery doesn’t do that. Boring doesn’t do that. But fun sure does.

Fun is a breath of fresh air for the soul who questions how much longer they can carry their burden. Fun invites them to see the good in life again.

Fun is warfare against darkness, pushing back what the enemy has tried to use to overwhelm.

And we can literally minister to others through our holy fun. Walk into every room asking, “How can I leave this place lighter than I found it?” My friend, THAT IS MINISTRY!

Do you think I’m a fun person? Do you think I know how to enjoy life? Do you think I know how to throw a party others really want to come to? I can promise you there’s something better than alcohol and stupidity … there’s the Holy Spirit and genuine fun!

After the past 4 days of studying the list on the wrong side, maybe you’re breathing lighter because your specific sin hasn’t been listed. That’s why I love it’s all wrapped up with a “and other sins like these.” Yip, it’s covered. Anything not under the guidance of the Holy Spirit is not producing goodness in our lives. It is hurting us or hurting others. It’s not God’s best for us.

There’s a song called “Search Me” by Kristian Stanfill that has given me the words to pray. Each morning during my time with God on my knees, I pray these song lyrics:

That’s what it’s about – Allow the Holy Spirit to search you and know you. Allow him to find anything within you that doesn’t bow to him as King. Decide right now you’re not okay with just staying the same. You want more – let the Holy Spirit set you free to experience the fullness of life Jesus came to offer you!

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Open up your Bibles to Galatians 5 and we’re going to add a few more to the list of yuck – Yes, the left side of the list under the label “Without the Holy Spirit”. We’re looking at what we do and who we naturally become the Holy Spirit isn’t given room in our lives and we’re directed by the world and our flesh. This list is like a blarring alarm, “WARNING, THIS ISN’T WHAT GOD WANTS FOR YOU”. If you find yourself doing these things continually, you can now know why. If someone you love is doing these things, you can know why. Wrong director. Wrong influence. Wrong side of the list.

Looking at Galatians 5: 19-21, in part 1 we studied “sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures and idolatry”. In Part 2 we studied “sorcery, hostility, quarreling and jealousy”. Well, that’s been fun, hasn’t it? Let’s address the next 5 today with what happens when our lives aren’t following the direction of the Holy Spirit, “Outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division”. These are 5 attitudes and behaviors that damage our relationship with God and with other people.

1. Outbursts of Anger

Scripture says, “In your anger do not sin.” It’s okay to be angry sometimes. There are things that should make us angry. But there’s righteous anger and outbursts of anger. There’s anger that leads to healthy change, and there’s anger that just hurts people. Check your anger sis.

God didn’t design you to be continually angry and disgruntled about something. Some of us walk around continually angry about life and we wonder why we struggle to have good relationships and feelings of happiness. Girl, you’ve got a grouchy bug in you.

2. Selfish Ambition

When we pursue our own success, happiness or advantage at the expense of everyone else, this not only makes us look like a real crap person, but it grieves God. Selfish was NOT the example of Jesus. Never once do we see Jesus in all of his righteousness, in all of his glory, in all of his power making everything about him at the expense of others. When really, it really was all about him. He was and is the answer to everything, but he sits down with the sinner, he draws near to the pain, he stretches out a hand to the hurt.

If we’re going to be like Jesus, all our selfish ambition has to be stripped away. If we’re going to be like Jesus, we will willingly bend down and wash feet even if we are the greatest in the room.

So really, what is the Holy Spirit calling you to do in the group you’re in … he’s calling you to make it about them and not about you.

3. Dissension

Have you ever heard someone use the expression, “Well, I’ll be the devil’s advocate”, then they stream a bunch of negative punches and critiques. Hey let me tell you something, the devil doesn’t need an advocate! Why would we advocate for the one who is against us? Why would you ever speak up for him sharing his opinions?

The child growing up under dissension feels never good enough. The wife living in dissension feels continually defeated. You know that if you’ve lived in it. Now the question is, are you creating it in your home? Are you constantly correcting, belittling, nagging and critiquing? Is it just never good enough for you, always needing improvement.

The dish washer just can’t be loaded right by anyone else. Their driving is never okay. The way they fold laundry drives you insane. And oh my gosh, why do they do what the do the way they do it? Girl, stop that! That is dissension. That’s looking for the flaw. That’s creating fault. And it’s coming from a heart that is more focused on finding faults than extending grace. If you’re searching for weaknesses and tearing down rather than building up, that’s simply NOT from the Holy Spirit. That’s the other side of the list.

– Game around the table – imitate someone else – if they were to imitate you at the table, in the car, at the office, would you like what you heard and saw?

– Friends – Monica’s mother – that’s dissension

Being the fault finder is not our calling!

4. Division

Some families do this against eachother. There’s mom’s side versus dad’s side, and you have to choose one. Hey let me tell you what that creates – a whole bunch of losers. No one wins in that game. You’re just divided.

5. Envy

If you can’t celebrate someone else, there’s a problem. If you are in a constant mental comparison with someone else, there’s a problem. If you’re secretly wanting someone else to fail, there’s a problem. And let me tell you, that’s such a foothold to the enemy of your soul. He’ll eat you up with envy and he’ll turn you into someone you never wanted to be.

You can’t be grateful when you’re envious. You can’t be happy when you’re envious. So you’re left weak, disappointed, and sad. That’s NOT the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy.

With each of these is an invitation to examine ourselves. Is this showing up anywhere in our lives? Where does it come from – NOT from the Holy Spirit. Where does it lead – NOT to God’s good plans for you. What can you do about it? Recognize it – take responsibility for it – ask forgiveness for it – and seek God for special strength to change it.

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When you live under the influence of the Holy Spirit, beautiful things naturally grow in your life. However, when you lack the things that grow in our lives under the direction of the Holy Spirit it’s because you’re NOT under the direction of the Holy Spirit. You’re not connected to Jesus. You’re connected to the world and you’re under the influence of your flesh.

Yesterday we began creating 2 columns on our piece of paper. Grab that paper today as we continually refer to it.

The left column is labeled “Without the Holy Spirit”. The scripture is Galatians 5: 19-21. The right column is labeled “With the Holy Spirit. The scripture is Galatians 5: 22-23.

Before we get to the right side, we must see the left side.

Galatians 5: 19-21, When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: (Yesterday we talked about the first 4 on the list)

Today, let’s move on down the list. Remember, this is what happens in our lives when we are NOT led by the Holy Spirit. When we receive our guidance from the world, when we are under the influence of our flesh, these are the things we begin to battle and fall into.

• Sorcery

Are we talking about some hocus pocus? Magic? Spells? Witchcraft. Yes … but more than that actually. The Greek word translated into sorcery is ‘pharakeia’. This is actually where we get the word pharmacy. Sorcery is an attempt to gain power, knowledge or experiences apart from God.

Drugs to alter your mind, to numb you, to achieve a euphoric feeling, or to reach a higher level of creativity … NOT FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT.

I assure you of this, the Holy Spirit has the power to raise your thinking. The Holy Spirit has the power to heal you. The Holy Spirit is far greater than any drug the world can produce.

1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind.” Why? Because “your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” I’ve seen people I love absolutely consumed by sorcery. Again, not witchcraft, but using drugs to alter their mind. I’ve seen addiction take over their lives. I’ve seen it literally take their lives. The roaring lion found a way in and he indeed devoured.

So God warns us, don’t even open that door. Don’t play around with it. This is dangerous. If it’s not from the Holy Spirit, you don’t want it. Don’t live on the left side of the list, it’s the wrong side.

1 Corinthians 6:12 is like a step into our mind that tries to argue for the things we want on the wrong side of the list. “You say ‘I am allowed to do anything’ – but not everything is good for you. And even though ‘I am allowed to do anything’, I must not become a slave to anything.”

The truth is, some of us have become slaves to the drugs we have come to depend on. It may have started off innocent, but it has grown to an addiction and now you need it. You need it to relax. You need it to focus. You need it to be creative. You need it to have fun. You need it to sleep. You can argue that you’re allowed to, but God’s word asks “IS THIS GOOD FOR YOU? ARE YOU A SLAVE TO THIS?”

Would you be willing to ask the Holy Spirit if you’re taking anything to feel good or better or happier that has taken his place? Here’s what I am NOT saying – I’m not saying medication is bad. I’m not saying there’s not a place for medical intervention, there absolutely is. But what I am saying is for some, it’s become sorcery. It’s the potion you depend on that is spiritually problematic.

Pray about this. Ask yourself why. Why are you seeking this altered state? Is this drawing you towards God or away from him? Has this replaced your dependence on God? If you’re not willing to ask these questions, then there might be a reason.

I’m not your Holy Spirit. I’m not here to provide conviction. I share God’s word and the meaning behind it that applies to our lives today. And here’s what I know, every single thing on the left side of the list under the heading of “WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT” is not what we want in our lives.

Next on the yuck list, we go into a series of sins that damage relationships. Let me tell you, God cares about how we treat each other. He has called us above everything else to love him and love others and sometimes that gets messy.

Here are the things that get in the way of loving others:

• Hostility

Yuck, yuck, and more yuck. But honestly, there are a whole lot of us living on this side without the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our relationships. We feel the way we feel, act the way we act, and excuse it all. Stop excusing it. If it’s on the wrong side, then it’s wrong for us and we must seek the Holy Spirit to change.

Your flesh will always lead you to hostility. Hostility is a heart issue where you have decided certain people are your enemy. You are hostile towards them. Maybe even without them knowing it, you’ve set up a position of you against them. There’s bitterness, unforgiveness and resentment. You’re cold and harsh towards them because YOU have put them in the enemy category.

Think about that – is there anyone you have just decided you’re against? Anyone you’re harsh towards? Anyone you just don’t like so they get the worst of you? Yeah, that’s not from the Holy Spirit. Even more than that being bad for the other person, my friend, that’s really bad for you.

That’s not who God created you to be. That’s not his best for your heart. You can surrender that hostility to God and ask him to heal your heart issue – or you can choose not to. That’s up to you. I bet I know what the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do. It’s your choice to listen or not, and your choice will determine just how free your heart is.

Quarreling is the behavior that flows from hostility. It’s the outward expression of an inward twisting. Some people seem energized by disagreement. They have to win every discussion. That’s not by God’s design, nor is it under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Which side of the list is it on? The left side – the wrong side.

When you turn every conversation into a debate, start arguments online, create tension wherever you are, and become more interested in winning than understanding, you are QUARRELING.

God cares about how you treat others. Knock that crap off. Proverbs 21:23, “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.” Sometimes we partner with the devil with our tongue. He comes to kill, steal and destroy, and we’re killing spirits, stealing hope and destroying hearts with our quarreling.

Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

But we don’t have to keep doing that. At absolutely any point we can seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and receive a completely different influence in our lives. We can change. We can be filled with a different source and create radically different results.

Finally today on the yuck list is jealousy. Jealousy hides behind comparison. It’s wanting what someone else has. It’s a feeling of resentment over another person’s blessings, gifts, opportunities, relationships or recognition.

Jealousy is rooting in thinking God is limited and what he has given someone else will shortchange you – and you couldn’t be more wrong. My blessings do not steal from your blessings. Your gifts do not threaten my gifts. But the one who would love to destroy our relationship with one another wants to stir up an unnecessary competition between the two of us to compete for it. It’s simply NOT a competition.

I wonder what the world of social media has done to our overall jealousy. We simply weren’t created to see all these things. We weren’t created to hold all of this awareness and details on the lives of others. I’ve noticed a radical shift in my contentment since completely eliminating social media in December. I’m no longer in some unspoken competition against everyone else. I don’t have to have what they have because I don’t know what they have. I don’t have to try to look how they look because unless I spend real life time with you, I don’t know how you look. And if I’m spending real life time with you, there are a million things more important about that time than how either of us look.

The enemy has done a real work on our hearts and minds through the jealousy created in social media. He turned it into a competition of likes, shares, comments and follows. And we’ve played right into it. Here we sit on the wrong side of the list, wondering why we feel so empty inside.

The Holy Spirit has something so much better for us. On the other side is a list of real offerings we can live in every day under his influence. These things are not found in the world. They are not found in our flesh. They are not found in social media.

They are the fruits of the spirit. They are love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. With these growing in our lives, we treat each other totally different.

May the Holy Spirit open our eyes to any of the ploys of the enemy to be on the wrong side, living in the wrong feelings, dabbling with the wrong things, where he gets our hearts and minds all twisted. May the influence of the Holy Spirit cause you to jump ship and get on the right side of living, starting today!

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There is something directing your life. You’re not doing this on your own. You’re either under the influence of the world and the flesh, or you’re under the influence of the Holy Spirit. One of these guides your thoughts, your attitude, your perspective and your actions – and your life looks radically different depending on your influencing factors. Look around my friend – if you aren’t pleased with what’s growing in your life, it may be a result of what you’re attached to – because whatever you’re attached to is drastically influencing every area of your life.

Paul writes in Galatians and tells us of what is naturally produced in our lives when we’re attached to Jesus. Growing in Jesus means God’s Holy Spirit is influencing you. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, you are different than you would be on your own. Different things grow in your life. You are given a different perspective with different priorities. And the beautiful thing is, it happens so naturally. This isn’t something you will or force, it just grows.

We’re given a list of 9 fruits that grow in our lives as a result of the direction of the Holy Spirit and it’s inner influence: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control. These are the fruits of the Holy Spirit, meaning what grows from connection. And really think about the real life circumstances and struggles you woke up to today – what you need to face this is right here within the list of things that grow from within you when you’re connected to Jesus. Your answer … CONNECT TO JESUS!

You don’t have to force this. You don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not. The Holy Spirit will work within you to produce precisely what is needed and it will come from inside you, naturally producing in your life.

Now maybe you’ve heard of the Fruits of the Spirit before. Maybe you even have them memorized and can ramble them off. Maybe this is brand new to you. Awesome. This is for you. Exactly where you are, in this season of life, with what you’re facing. Love for you. Joy for you. Peace for you. Patience for you. Kindness for you. Goodness for you. Faithfulness for you. Gentleness for you. Self-Control for you.

I bet you can identify someone in your life who needs this too, huh? Someone who is lacking joy. Someone lacking peace. Someone living without kindness or faithfulness or self-control. What is happening in their life?

Maybe that was you at one time. Or maybe that is a current struggle. Why is that?

Scripture is actually quite clear. We don’t have to guess and wonder. When you lack the things that grow in our lives under the direction of the Holy Spirit it’s because you’re NOT under the direction of the Holy Spirit. You’re not connected to Jesus. You’re connected to the world and you’re under the influence of your flesh.

We don’t have to hate the person who is without kindness and goodness, we have to see it for what it is. This is a hurting soul who either has never connected to Jesus or has become disconnected. We must love them enough to point them back to Jesus and back to his life-giving connection. Back to the direction of the Holy Spirit. It’s not our responsibility to change them. That’s the job of God’s Holy Spirit. YOU ARE NOT THEIR HOLY SPIRIT.

Before we jump into the Fruits of the Spirit and this list of beauty that naturally begins to grow in our lives through connection with Jesus, we have to know about the other side of the list.

You see there are two very clear lists. A list of what your life looks like WITHOUT the direction of the Holy Spirit and WITH the direction of the Holy Spirit. If you were to take a piece of paper and draw a line down the center, you would have two columns. On the left you could label that column “Without the Holy Spirit”. On the right you could label that column “With the Holy Spirit”. The column on the left is described in Galatians 5: 19-21. The column on the right is described in Galatians 5: 22-23.

Let’s begin with making the list in the left column. Galatians 5: 19-21, When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear:

Well that was yucky, wasn’t it? Yip, that’s what our lives become without the influence of God’s Holy Spirit. This is what we naturally get ourselves into.

Our nature is sinful and leads us into some absolutely yucky things in our lives. Look around … there it is. We can see it in our own life or in the life of someone we love. Why has this happened, why do they act that way, why do they continue to do these things … because as verse 19 says, they have “followed the desires of their sinful nature and the results are very clear.”

You’ve been asking why. That’s why, my friend. This is a matter of influence. The wrong influence creates the wrong results. The wrong direction grows the wrong fruit. For anyone with the wrong fruit growing in their lives, this is a matter of the wrong influence coming through the wrong connection. Maybe not a bad person, a bad connection.

Have you ever traveled internationally and tried to plug your electrical device into a foreign outlet? It doesn’t fit. If you force it, you’ll blow something up. You could burn the whole building down! Some of us have lives burning down around us because we’ve plugged into the wrong thing. We’re connecting to things we simply weren’t created to be connected to.

Over the next few weeks we’re going to do a deep dive on the divinely beautiful things that grow in our lives when we’re connected to Jesus and abiding in him. We’re going to grow in this process. It’s going to be so good for us to see the works of the Holy Spirit that happen so naturally in our connection. But first, we’re going to look at the column on the left. The yuck. The consequences. This is where you life will be without Jesus. Very clearly, this is what happens.

Verse 19 in the NLT says “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature …” NIV says, “These are the acts of the flesh …” MSG puts it like this, “It’s obvious what type of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time …”

There it is – when we try to do this on our own, when we do what we want, follow our own feelings, focused on self, letting our flesh lead the way, these are the messes we create for ourselves and others. Maybe you’re in one of those messes right now, either self-created or created by someone else. You’re living in that left hand column all while the Holy Spirit is inviting you to jump to the other side of the page and get on the right side.

Is that possible? Absolutely! That change can begin today.

Looking at our column on the left listed in verses 19-21, there are a few words we may not fully understand. So, let’s not skim over them, let’s understand.

The first 3 are all sexual sins: Sexual immorality, Impurity, Lustful pleasures. These are things we all fall into without the direction of God’s Holy Spirit within us. It’s natural. We get all twisted up. We seek love in the wrong places and boy do we find it in all the wrong ways. There, we get stuck in tangled webs and suck others into that web of destruction.

The next word on the left side are may be a little more unclear: Idolatry. It’s easy to assume that’s not us, nor is it anyone we love … but often it is.

Idolatry is putting anything or anyone above God. Anything that gets God’s place becomes our idol. Anything we value more, anything we trust more, anything we seek first. Our spouses can become our idol. Our jobs can become our idol. Our image, our money, our hobbies can become our idols.

And guess what – that happens so naturally in this world. Without the direct influence of the Holy Spirit, we are making stars our guide, we’re allowing horoscopes make our decisions, and putting flawed humans on pedestals thinking they hold our answers.

Jesus is calling us back. Back to connection with him.

Our lives naturally change when we connect with him.

Recognize what is growing in your life – if it’s on the left side realize you’re on the wrong side, connecting to the wrong thing that is threatening to burn your whole life down. Your answer, CONNECT WITH JESUS. Let the Holy Spirit become your guide and influence.

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Luke 13:10-13: “On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, ‘Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.’ Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.”

Ya’ll this woman had been crippled for 18 years and with the touch of Jesus, she was immediately healed. WooooHoooo, that’s my Jesus right there. Boom!

Now where is our focus on this story? The miracle right? We focus on the miracle.

But I want you to focus on something else. I’ll read the scripture again, let’s not focus on the miracle, let’s focus on what LED to the miracle. If you need a miracle in your life, learn from this woman’s miracle and see exactly what brought her to it.

“On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.”

The miracle did not begin when Jesus touched her. The miracle story began when she got out of bed that morning and made her way to the synagogue. Before there was a healing, there was a decision. Before there was a breakthrough, there was obedience. Before there was a miracle, there was a woman who showed up.

Here’s what we’ve been missing in this miraculous story of healing. This poor, crippled, bent over woman, GOT UP AND WENT that day. She showed up. In order for her to be at the synagogue where Jesus was teaching, she first had to get up and go there.

The miracle didn’t begin with healing; it began with showing up.

Notice something remarkable. The woman did not come to the synagogue because she knew she would be healed that day. She came because that’s where God was being worshiped. She showed up without a promise of a miracle. She showed up without evidence that today would be different. She showed up because faithfulness does what it knows to do even when feelings say otherwise.

I bet she didn’t feel like getting up that day. I bet she was aching and hurting. I bet she was even embarrassed by her condition. BUT SHE GOT UP ANY WAY.

That’s exactly what we need to do. We can’t sit around doing nothing. You have a responsibility in your story. Your responsibility is to get up and position yourself. Do what you can with what you have right now. Stop focusing on what you can’t do, and girl, do what you can do.

This woman got up and went even when she didn’t feel like it. Even when it was HARD FOR HER. Even when it had been hard for her for 18 years!

Eighteen years is a long time. Eighteen years of disappointment. Eighteen years of pain. Eighteen years of waking up with the same problem. Yet somehow she refused to let a long season become a permanent mindset. Her condition lasted eighteen years, but she refused to let hopelessness last eighteen years too.

Ahhhhh, sister will you bring your 18 year struggle to an encounter with Jesus? Or will you give up thinking your miracle will never come? Have you bought into the lie that it will always be this way? One encounter with Jesus could radically change your life but you must position yourself for the encounter.

Jesus performs the miracle, but the woman positioned herself for an encounter.

There are some things only God can do. Healing is God’s job. Deliverance is God’s job. Miracles are God’s job. But positioning ourselves for an encounter with Him is our job. We cannot create a miracle, but we can create the opportunity to meet with the Miracle Worker.

But may I take you even deeper? Can I take you deeper this morning?

There’s one more thing we may be missing in this story. How did this crippled woman make herself get up and go even when she didn’t feel like it? How do you make yourself do what you know you need to do when you plain ol’ don’t feel like it?

What you don’t see in this story is what made this woman get up and show up for her encounter with Jesus was she had been THINKING. Yes, she had been thinking.

Her thoughts didn’t heal her. Jesus healed her. But her thoughts influenced her actions. Her actions placed her where Jesus was. And there, in the presence of Jesus, everything changed.

WHAT YOU THINK DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Your thoughts are the seeds, your actions put those seeds in the ground, and your results are the harvest. You get a harvest because you grew some plants and those plants first began as seed. Your results today are because of your actions. Your actions first began as thoughts.

Your thoughts today will grow something … will you be pleased with that harvest?

What if this woman would have THOUGHT she was too sick or tired to go see Jesus that day? Ahhh, she would have missed her miracle.

I wonder how many times she had been to this place before? How many times had she gone bent over, then walked back home bent over? How many times had she struggled though her day and came to the end of the day no better, with no change? Likely a lot. Likely 18 years. If she would have been thinking “well, what’s the point of even going there today, it’s never done anything for me” what would have happened? NOTHING would have happened because she wouldn’t have even been in the position to encounter Jesus.

Does it feel like nothing is happening in your life? Nothing has ever changed and therefore nothing will ever change? That must have been how this woman felt too. But she had been thinking. She had been thinking, “I’m gonna get up and go even if I don’t feel like it. I’m gonna see what I can do. I’m gonna go even if people look at me. I’m gonna walk in there all crippled like even if people talk about me. I’m gonna get myself there. I’m gonna get up.”

The woman could not straighten herself up, but she could get herself there.

And it was her THINKING that led to her ACTION. It was her ACTION that led to her ENCOUNTER. It was her encounter that led to her MIRACLE.

We all want the miracle. God please save my marriage. God please change my child. God please heal my body. God please bring that job. God please just hand deliver it all to me as I sit right here on my couch because I really don’t feel like getting up. God, you’re gonna have to bring it to me because I gave up on showing up.

What good place have you stopped going to? What prayer have you stopped praying? What act of obedience have you postponed because eighteen years feels too long?

The woman could not heal herself. But she could get up. She could take a step. She could show up. And that was enough for Jesus to meet her there. Maybe your next miracle isn’t waiting on God’s ability … Maybe it’s waiting on your willingness to get up and go.

Woman, STRAIGHTEN UP. You can’t get the miracle without the encounter. You can’t get the encounter without the action. And you’ll never take the action without first THINKING.

What are you thinking today?

Do your thoughts align with your doubts or your faith? Are you focused on what you CAN do or what you can’t do?

Straighten up. You’ve felt sorry for yourself too long. You’ve been letting people run over you too long. You’ve been wallowing in this too long. You’ve been worried about this too long. Straighten up. In the words of Jesus, “woman you are set free.”

Start thinking like it. Start talking like it. Start acting like it.

Your thoughts lead to an action. Your action leads to an encounter. And that encounter brings you to your miracle.

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God isn’t looking for the strongest, the smartest, the most experienced, or the most qualified. None of the things we place such importance on are on God’s list of expectations of us.

God asks for something specific from us … believe. Simply believe he will do what he says he will do. Believe he can do it through you and he can do it for you.

We are so quick to dismiss ourselves. We’re so accustom to playing little and sitting it out. Experience has shown us if we will just sit and wait, someone else might step up and do it for us.

But really, is that what God created you for? Did he create you to be the girl who never does anything hard? Did he create you to be the girl who watches others do what you should be doing? I think not!

Your Creator expects you to believe his power is enough to overcome every single inadequacy you may have. Your Creator expects you to show up like you’re chosen, and count on divine providence to make things happen as you go. This whole laying low, hiding in dark corners, and playing little nonsense has got to stop.

Your muscles are atrophying because you’re not using them. And let me tell you something, your faith is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. But lack of use causes it to wither and deteriorate.

If you haven’t been showing up in the middle of circumstances that are beyond your own ability and putting yourself out there in the face of potential failure, then you’ve started to believe you never could. Your focus has become set on all you can’t do, rather than what GOD COULD DO through you.

What could God do through you? Oh girl, you have no idea! But don’t you want to know!

I totally want to know what God could do through an ordinary girl like me. I want to know what my life could become with a disciplined surrender to his promptings.

Notice I said “disciplined surrender” to his promptings.

I’ve discovered this journey of being led by the Holy Spirit is a daily act of discipline. It means I get up when I don’t want to get up. It means I show up no matter what. It means I believe there’s something greater guiding me than my feelings in the moment. It means I start small and humble and refuse to give up in the struggle, because eventually God will grow it to something greater.

But he doesn’t grow great things out of our nothing. He doesn’t show up and use magic in our lives.

Is that what you’ve been counting on? Magic. God, just make it happen. Do something big, while I do nothing.

Nope.

God uses seeds.

Your disciplined surrender every day is a seed. If you don’t plant it by showing up when you don’t feel like showing up, then guess what … you forfeit the blessing of seeing what God could have done with your little.

You dismiss yourself from growth. So, God will grow someone else. God will use someone else’s seed of disciplined surrender to create what you’ve been dreaming of, and you’ll sit there and watch it happen wondering why it couldn’t be you.

Well, honey, maybe it couldn’t be you because you weren’t willing to believe to the point of action.

Yes, that’s what we’re talking about today. Belief in God that makes us move. Believing so much that we can’t sit in inaction. Believing God is doing something so good, no one could make you sleep the day away. Believing God is guiding you so powerfully, that nothing could hold you back from taking the next step.

Would God really choose someone like you for that? YES – You’re perfect for this!

In the Old Testament, the Lord chose Gideon as his mighty warrior to rescue his people. But there was one little problem, Gideon was a very unlikely candidate for a warrior position. No one else would have chosen Gideon, but God did. And you need to know why. You need to know why God chose someone totally unlikely for great things, because you’ve been focusing on how unlikely you are while God has been trying to tell you YOU ARE CHOSEN.

Judges 6: 11-16 “The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you,mighty warrior.”

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

Why would God choose the least person out of a family in the weakest clan to rise up as a warrior? Oh honey, don’t you remember what Jesus said in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My power is made perfect in your weakness.”

Gideon being a total unlikely warrior was God’s divine opportunity to show his power.

So, Sister, all the reasons why you can’t … all the reasons why you’re not good enough … all the reasons why you dismiss yourself … those are the exact reasons God has chosen you. YOU ARE THE ONE HE WANTS because his power is made absolutely perfect in you.

You can’t do this on your own, and you’re not supposed to. But you are supposed to do this with his power!

Gideon began following God’s promptings with disciplined surrender. He did things that were hard for him to do. He did things that made absolutely no sense to him. He did things that would cause others to question. And with each act of disciplined surrender, God’s power was made perfect within him.

This is how the least person in a family of the weakest clan became a mighty warrior. He actually BELIEVED what God said about him. And he believed it so much, he took action.

And this is exactly where you are today. You’re at this place where God is speaking to you. He is telling you you are his beloved and chosen girl. He is telling you he created you for a purpose and he has great plans for you. He is telling you the deepest desires of your heart have been put there by him, written into your soul by your creator, as a guide to your destiny. Will you BELIEVE IT?

Will you believe this could be true for you?

God has aligned things for you that your mind simply cannot even begin to fathom right now. It’s crazy perfect how God’s plans for your life will fulfill every dream you’ve ever had and bring purpose to every struggle you’ve ever lived through. Yip, God meant it when he said he will give you the desires of your heart. He meant it when he said he would take everything the enemy ever meant for harm and use it for good.

Now, you get to choose whether you believe it.

And if you choose to believe it, something will start shifting within you. That belief will stir up power and courage and strength you never knew possible. The warrior stuff inside of you will start showing up. And every day, through disciplined surrender pushing you through all the things you don’t feel like doing, you will discover you really are the one God has chosen!

Your job today is to start believing it and start showing up for it.

My whole world changed when I spent more time believing I could be the one God spoke through than dismissing myself from the calling.

No more dismissing yourself. God is calling you. He’s calling you out of the corner where you’ve been hiding. Out of the rut where you’ve been stuck. Out of the comfort you’ve been clinging to. Out of the excuses you’ve been using. Believe it and see where your feet are guided next!

Each act of your disciplined surrender invites God’s power to be made perfect within you.

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Is there a decision you’ve been avoiding because you’re afraid of getting it wrong? How long have you been waiting for certainty before taking a step? Here’s the problem: Certainty rarely comes before obedience.

When you make a choice, you stand a chance of being wrong, and who likes being wrong? I’ve never met a single person who enjoys being wrong. Because of our fear of being wrong, we’re often stuck in indecision.

Who am I talking to today? Who’s sitting in indecision today, hiding behind a pile of choices because it’s safe to stay there?

The truth is, this is an area of great frustration and confusion for many. MAKING A CHOICE is hard to do. And because you fear making the wrong choice, you avoid choosing and thus you stay STUCK.

Here’s the question: Is it actually better to be stuck than to be wrong? What if staying stuck is the greater mistake?

God isn’t always clear with his direction. I’ve confused what I wanted with what God was leading me toward and it’s taken me down the wrong path. How about you?

I’ve cleaned up plenty of messes following wrong choices. But wow did I learn a lot in the process. Looking back, I ask if it would have been better to do nothing? Would it have been better to sit and wonder for a few more years? How many opportunities would I have missed as I waited for that clear sign?

My daughters might have spent their entire childhood in that orphanage if I’d demanded absolute certainty before adopting. I’d probably still be in a career that drained the life out of me. I’d still be living somewhere I didn’t want to live, wondering if full-time travel was possible. This podcast might still be sitting in a notebook instead of reaching people today. I would still be stewing over how to make that first retreat work, instead of stepping into retreat 111 next weekend.

I bet the same is true for you. You would probably still be waiting to have that first baby, unsure if you were really ready to raise a tiny human being, huh? That career move was risky, but it worked out didn’t it? It’s all working out, even when it was uncertain. Even when you didn’t know what you were doing. Even when you never felt ready. But that first step in faith has brought you further than you ever imagined.

There were things you were seeking God for and you never did get that crystal clear answer, but you showed up and did your best instead of sitting in the corner … and aren’t you glad you did? Aren’t you glad you tried?

Here’s another question – can God handle our wrong choices? Absolutely. Our mistakes have never been bigger than his sovereignty.

He is constantly moving among us to work all things together for good … even our bad moves and wrong turns. If God can hold the universe together, don’t you think he can redirect a missed opportunity? If he can number the hairs on your head, don’t you think he can guide your next step?

Isn’t God that big? Isn’t he that powerful? Stop putting him in a box assuming your uncertainty has confused or limited him. God is not limited. God is not stuck.

God cares about our choices. Some choices carry consequences, and some paths are wiser than others. But our mistakes are not bigger than God’s ability to redeem, redirect, and restore.

Psalms 23:3 tells me “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”

He guides ME. Say that with me. HE GUIDES ME. HE GUIDES ME. HE GUIDES ME.

Do you believe that? God is guiding you … if you’re seeking him. God is guiding you … if you’re willing to actually follow him. God is guiding you … if you’re refusing to stay stuck in indecision.

Are you calling on God for his guidance? Are you seeking his will? GREAT. Then don’t be so afraid to make a choice. If you are genuinely seeking him and your heart’s desire is his will above your own, then trust that he will hold true to his word and he will guide you along the right path.

However, if you’re not seeking God, you’re likely to get yourself into so many more messes than necessary.

If you’re impulsive and led by desires of your flesh over desires of the Spirit within you, get ready for some ditches and trenches. Deep in those ditches and there in those trenches you will undoubtedly learn it would have been far better to pray about it before you jumped into it.

Honey, God will still meet you there. And if you take a wrong turn? God isn’t standing there wringing his hands, wondering what to do next. He’s already making a way forward.

Who else thought they’d be further along by now? Who else is wondering why the journey is taking so much longer than expected? Me too.

Looking back, I can see a few wrong turns and a few unnecessary detours. But I can also see God’s faithfulness in every mile. Somehow, even the roads I wouldn’t have chosen taught me something valuable and brought me closer to where he was leading me all along.

So maybe the answer isn’t to obsess over every turn. Maybe it’s to trust the Guide and enjoy the journey.

I often pray for doors of opportunity to be opened, but even more often I pray for doors to be closed if they’re the wrong doors. I ask for God to lock ‘em up, dead bolt them, seal ‘em tight if I’m not supposed to go through them because I know this much after 50 years of life … if it’s not what God wants for my life, I really don’t want it either. That’s a powerful prayer. God, if it’s not what you want, I DON’T WANT IT EITHER. Lord, if you’re in it, I want it. If you’re not, I don’t.

That all sounds good, doesn’t it. I bet you can agree with me so far. But what does that really look like in real life? What do locked doors look like?

Sometimes a locked door looks like failure. It looks like the opportunity disappearing. The contract falling through. The promotion going to someone else. The relationship ending. The answer being no. And maybe—just maybe—that isn’t God’s absence. Maybe it’s God’s guidance.

GOD GUIDES ME. He is guiding you, honey.

I can look back over the past years of my life and see clearly all the closed doors I prayed for. I had some really big ideas that fell flat, and some hopeful situations that never quite panned out. And you know what that was? Upon first glace it looks like disappointment. It looks like setback. But the truth is, that was God faithfully guiding my family.

But it kinda sucks when you’re going through it.

And it sucks so bad most of us just decide to never make a move or dare to change. We won’t try the new flavor because what if it’s wrong and what if it’s a major disappointment. We won’t make a choice and say what we really want because what if it doesn’t work out?

You are called to be guided, not certain.

Certainty doesn’t require faith. If you can see every step, know every outcome, and eliminate every possibility of failure, you don’t need faith at all.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” God never promised certainty. He promised guidance.

Faith is taking the next step when you don’t have all the answers. Faith is moving forward when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. Faith is trusting that God is leading even when you can’t see the entire path. But sitting in indecision, refusing to move until every risk is removed and every question is answered—that isn’t faith. That’s a demand for certainty.

And God didn’t call you to certainty. He called you to seek and trust his guidance.

God is a master at redemption. He can turn wrong turns into wisdom, mistakes into growth, and setbacks into stepping stones. Nothing is wasted when it’s placed in his hands.

Stop waiting for certainty that may never come. Seek God. Trust God. Make the decision. Take the step. Walk through the open door.

And if you stumble along the way, trust that the same God who guides your path is more than capable of redirecting it. God is guiding you.

Remember this, you are called to be guided, not certain. Seek and trust his guidance. Take that next step in faith.

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Have you ever been on a boat in a stormy sea? Have you ever seen waves so big they can swallow your boat? Have you ever felt the panic of beginning to sink?

I haven’t, and I must say, I’m quite grateful. I love living through an adventure to get to the other side with a good story, but that’s one I prefer to just read about.

The disciples had this real-life experience, and Mark gives us a vivid picture of their desperation as they became convinced they weren’t going to survive. And what’s crazy is, this is the storm Jesus led them into. It was Jesus’ idea to get in the boat and head in this direction!

Mark 4: 35-37 “As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind. But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.”

Fierce storms, high waves breaking into your boat, and water filling the only thing that’s keeping you afloat, is NOT a favorable situation. And maybe that’s the way life feels right now. You’re struggling to make ends meet, and now another thing breaks needing repairs. How will you pay for that? Your marriage has been on the rocks, now you’re dealing with sickness too. You’ve been battling feelings of depression and anxiety, now there are more messes and stresses coming your way, just when you feel you’re already at your breaking point. How much more can you take?

These are the storms of life. These are the waves that come crashing into our boat. These are the winds that blow and the waters that threaten. And we ALL go through them. We all deal with our crossing to the other side that goes all wrong.

Why does Jesus allow this? Heck, not only allow it, but actually lead us into it? Jesus knew of the storm the disciples would encounter on the boat that night, and he knew of the storms you would encounter too. Yet, he still allowed you to be right here in this boat to meet the waves.

Where is Jesus when life grows out of control? Where is Jesus when you feel like you’re sinking? Where is Jesus when it’s all just too much and you don’t know how to save yourself?

Verse 38, “Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion.”

As the waves are breaking over the boat and water is filling the hull, Jesus is peacefully asleep. There wasn’t an ounce of freak out going on for Jesus. There was no worry, no stress. He was resting in complete assurance.

Jesus could sleep through the storm because he was in charge of it.

And, Sis, Jesus is here going through this with you, and he’s absolutely NOT flipping out. He’s not worried how this is going to work out. He’s not upset over these hard times. He’s not stressed over what just happened, or anxious about what will happen next. It’s not because he doesn’t know. Oh, he knows. And it’s not because he doesn’t care. Oh, he cares. It’s because of this one thing, through it all, he’s in total and complete control.

Verse 38-41, “The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

Jesus asks why fear has taken over when he’s right there in the boat. After all he has brought us through before, do we still have no faith? After all he has done, do we still question his power? Do we still dismiss ourselves from his love and care? Do we still doubt his control over every detail of our lives?

Jesus could sleep through the storm because he was in charge of it.

If the winds obey Jesus, so does the housing market, the job market, the dating market and every door that seems closed to you. If the waves obey Jesus, so do the doctor’s reports, the pregnancy results, and the recession. With a single command, Jesus stopped what no human could control.

How did Jesus stop the wild storm? He simply said, “Silence! Be still!”, and boom, the wind suddenly stopped and there was a great calm. Looking back, has God ever suddenly stopped the very thing that was threatening you? He has, hasn’t he? It was awful one moment, then it was completely gone the next. It was overwhelming, then it was over. It was way too much, then it was suddenly nothing at all. Recognize who did that. That was Jesus!

Jesus calms storms. Jesus changes circumstances in an instant. Jesus brings peace where chaos has threatened. He holds that power.

This isn’t too hard for him. Everything is possible in the hands of our God. But sometimes those storms you don’t want and the waves that scare you silly are part of the ride in learning to trust him.

How would you know that baby is a miracle if you didn’t wait so long for him? How would you know God opened that door if you hadn’t first watched so many others close? How would you know God is the ultimate provider if you wouldn’t have hit rock bottom first?

You see there’s only one way the disciples came to know that the wind and waves obey him, they had to be in the middle of the uncontrollable storms with a sinking boat. Jesus allowed it, and through it he revealed his power and strengthened their faith. Jesus could sleep through the storm because he was in charge of it.

Jesus is in charge of what you’re going through too, Sis. As big and scary as it may be, as uncertain as it feels, he has not surrendered one ounce of control.

You’re not in charge. You don’t have control. You’re going to wear yourself out trying to act like you do. Here’s the one thing you can do in this storm … choose where you look.

You can look at those waves crashing over you, or you can look at Jesus. You can look at the water filling the boat, or you can look at Jesus. I’m not saying to be oblivious to the mess and ignore the problem. Sometimes you gotta pick up an oar and row. Sometimes you gotta grab a bucket and start bailing out some water. Sometimes you gotta cut out the extras and log yourself out of the Amazon. Sometimes you gotta update your resume and go door to door. Sometimes you gotta be honest, take responsibility, and make some necessary changes.

But always, always, always, keep looking at Jesus. Keep looking to him for peace. Keep finding assurance in his control over your circumstances. Keep seeking his guidance through your storm. He’s here, and he’s not freaking out. Yes he’s near and yes he cares. He’s resting in the middle of your storm because nothing about it is outside of his authority.

Remember how God has gotten you through before, and know he will do it again. Again and again and again, he will be in your boat, riding the waves, with complete authority over everything that comes your way.

And there’s nothing wrong with waking up Jesus and asking if he could help you with these waves. Go ahead and wake him up. Cry out to him. Ask for help. Ask him to calm the wind. Ask him to stop the waves. But don’t wake him up because you think he’s forgotten you. Wake him up knowing he’s the only one in the boat who has authority over the storm.

Hey Jesus, would you wake up and be near me in this storm? I would really like for it to go away. Would you stop the wind? Would you calm the waves? And if now isn’t the time to calm this storm, will you help calm your girl, because I really don’t want to freak out. I know you’re in control. I trust you.

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Life has a way of convincing us that nothing will ever change.

Mark 5: 21-43 (two separate stories intertwined)

Has the vibrant, joyful woman God created you to be been buried beneath years of disappointment?

Have the circumstances of life pressed down so heavily on you that you’re no longer truly living—you are simply surviving?

Maybe you’ve carried a burden for so long that it has become part of your identity. You’ve prayed. You’ve tried. You’ve waited. Yet instead of getting better, things seem to have grown worse.

The greatest danger isn’t the problem itself. The greatest danger is when the problem convinces you that nothing will ever change.

When disappointment becomes your expectation.

But today I want to remind you of something: One encounter with Jesus can change what years could not.

First, let’s look at the woman has has been suffering for 12 years. Scripture is specific and says “She suffered for 12 years with constant bleeding.” This isn’t just an inconvenience, this is cause for being excluded. She was considered unclean. Unable to go to the temple to worship. Unable to touch anyone or be touched. Weddings – she wasn’t allowed to be there. Family gatherings – not invited. She had been left alone in her suffering for 12 years.

But it’s not like she had just sat in her suffering and done nothing. She had tried everything. She had spent all her money on doctors and her condition had only continually gotten worse.

Twelve years of pain.

Can you imagine that? At some point most people would stop expecting anything different. Because that’s what time does. Time can make temporary struggles feel permanent. Time can convince us that our current reality is our final reality.

But the woman refused to let twelve years decide her future. She heard Jesus was near and she said: “If I can just touch Him.”

Not if He touches me.

If I can get to Him.

Faith doesn’t wait for perfect circumstances. Faith moves. Faith reaches. Faith presses through crowds. Faith says, “I know what my reality has been, but I also know who Jesus is.”

Can you say that? I KNOW WHAT MY REALITY HAS BEEN, BUT I ALSO KNOW WHO JESUS IS!

Don’t let a long battle convince you that God is finished.

___________________________

Notice something powerful in this story – it’s in the middle of another story. Jesus wasn’t looking for this suffering woman. In fact, he was on His way somewhere else. Yet her faith interrupted His journey.

Think about that. The crowd was touching Jesus. But only one person touched Him in faith. Many people were around Him. One person reached out to him in faith.

There is a difference between being near Jesus and reaching for Jesus.

Really, why are you listening today? Are you listening just because it’s part of your morning routine – or are you listening because you’re desperate for Jesus? There are some who are just in the crowd, but there is one who is reaching for Jesus. For the one reaching, there is power!

Is that you today? Are you listening because you’re reaching for Jesus?

Because she reached, power flowed. What people called impossible, Jesus called healed.

Will you still reach today? After all this time, after all this disappointment, will you still reach for Jesus in faith?

But remember, this isn’t just one story – this is two intertwined stories. When Mark retells the stories, he leaves these 2 stories together for us to see how Jesus works.

12 years, 2 daughters. Different stories, different needs, the same answer. Jesus steps into both situations.

Why leave these 2 stories together? To show Jesus doesn’t just heal suffering – He restores life itself.

_________________________________________

In other words: “It’s over. Too late. Don’t bother Jesus anymore.” Isn’t that exactly how the enemy speaks?

It’s over.

But Jesus immediately responded in verse 36: “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”

Notice what Jesus did not say. He didn’t explain. He didn’t defend Himself. He simply called Jairus to keep believing.

Faith often has to survive the gap between the promise and the miracle. My friend, is that where you are – you’re in the gap between the promise and the miracle. You’re waiting for something to shift. You’re desperate for that change. Healing hasn’t come yet. Restoration is still unseen.

But remember this, what looks dead is not beyond Jesus. How do I know? Because it’s right here in the stories in our Bible! Because I’ve seen it in real life. I’ve seen it in marriages. I’ve seen it in cancer diagnoses. I’ve personally experienced that healing touch after a massive stroke and here I am walking and talking against all odds. I’m finally in the season of seeing my prodigal come home.

THIS IS NOT BEYOND JESUS. You can trust him with this.

So now, Jesus goes to Jairus’ house where his 12 year old daughter has died. When Jesus entered the room everyone else saw death. Jesus saw possibility. Everyone else saw an ending. Jesus saw an awakening.

Then He spoke those powerful words in verse 41: “‘Talitha koum.’ Which means, ‘Little girl, get up.’ And the girl, who was 12 years old, immediately stood up and walked around.”

I believe those words are still echoing today.

To the woman who has stopped dreaming: Get up.

To the woman who has accepted discouragement as normal: Get up.

To the woman who has been defined by disappointment: Get up.

To the woman who has allowed past failures to write her future: Get up.

To the woman who feels like she has lost herself somewhere along the way: Get up.

Because Jesus never called you to merely survive – He called you to live.

The woman with the issue of blood teaches us: Never stop reaching.

Jairus’ daughter teaches us: Never stay down.

One reached for Jesus. The other responded when Jesus called. And both received life.

Maybe you’ve been struggling for twelve years. Maybe you’ve been carrying something so long that you’ve forgotten what freedom feels like. Maybe you’ve stopped expecting change. Maybe you’ve fallen asleep beneath disappointment.

But today Jesus stands before you with the same power He carried in Mark chapter 5. The same power that stopped twelve years of suffering. The same power that raised a 12 year old girl from her bed. And His message is still the same:

“Daughter, be healed.” “Little girl, get up.”

This is not where your story ends. Reach for Him. Respond to Him. Believe Him. Because one encounter with Jesus can restore what years have tried to steal.

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