The Hem of His Garment
I once heard a preacher approach the story of the unclean woman. (Luke 8:43 ff)
“Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”
When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”
But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.”
Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.””
The difference was in the way he told the story – from the woman’s point of view!
Imagine, if you will, that you are that woman and relive the whole scene from her viewpoint. Come with me and join her in that moment!
You’re that woman at home, wandering around, feeling a bit sorry for yourself. You’re thinking, maybe talking to yourself.
“Here we go again. Stomach ache – never ending stomach ache. It’s a fine state of affairs when I can’t even afford to go see a doctor any more. Used to be quite well off. Expensive doctors have robbed me of every penny and I am no closer to a cure than when I started 12 years ago. Twelve years, that’s how long this has been going on. Lord, isn’t it time for a stop. Hey – kill me or cure me – I don’t really care which any more. I’ve had enough.”
Her thoughts were interrupted by a shout — “Hey Rachel, Rachel, are you there?”
“Yes I’m here — where did you think I’d be? Is that you Becca, what is it now?”
“You’ve heard about that Jesus feller? Well, He’s coming past here in about two minutes!”
She thought to herself, What — Jesus? The one who just touches people and they get healed.
‘Come on Rachel, get yourself in gear, He can heal you too.’
‘Don’t be stupid Rachel, you are unclean. They’d have you flogged at the synagogue if they found you out and about.’
‘Don’t be stupid Rachel, you’ll never get another chance like this. Get after Him — no need to trouble Him – just touch His cloak and you’ll get healed.’
‘Don’t be stupid Rachel, it’s a mortal sin to touch a man who’s not your husband — especially if you’re unclean!’
‘Oh dear Lord, here He comes. Wow — look at the crowd. I’ll never get close — will I?’
‘Get your cloak girl — it’s now or never! OK — OK — I’m on my way!’
‘Keep your nerve girlie. People everywhere. Oh, get out of the way. I must get closer — slow down can’t you?’
‘LORD, they’ll kill me if I’m discovered. Still — I’m out now — gotta take my chance — I’ll never get another one like this!’
‘Just a bit closer — do I dare touch Him. Perhaps if I just touch the hem of His garment — that’ll do it — surely.’
‘A few more inches — get this last man out of the way. Reach out gently girl — don’t touch Him — just His cloak.’
‘Now or never!’
‘That’s it — I’ve done it.’
‘Oh wow — its gone — no pain — no blood — nothing! Oh praise God — Hallelujah — Thank you LORD!’
‘Oh!’
‘He’s stopped!’
‘Wants to know who touched him? Who would know that? Hundreds milling around Him!’
‘Oh — He’s looking at me!’
‘Better own up — Time to confess — probably get a beating from the synagogue.’
“I’m sorry — it was me — desperate for healing. Please forgive me — I beg you to forgive me Rabbi “
“Your faith has made you well — GO IN PEACE!”
‘Oh Hallelujah \o/‘
Thoughts on this story
Luke 8:43 to end tells the story of the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years healed when she touched just the hem of His garment.
Yet in Matthew 14:36,
“people begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.”
Also in Mark 6:56,
“Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.”
Then in Acts 5:15 Peter’s shadow, and Acts 19:12 Paul’s aprons or handkerchiefs were used by God to facilitate healing.
This, to me, begs the question: Why doesn’t it happen like that any more? Is there no-one with that kind of healing anointing?
We have prayer cloths which, when blessed and anointed with oil, are often efficacious in healing the sick.
But what about a shadow passing over them, or them reaching out in faith to just touch the persons clothes as he or she passes?
That is an anointing to aspire to — LORD clean me up until you think I can carry it. “On earth as it is in heaven.”
I’m also reminded of Jesus’ promise — “Greater things than these will you do…..”
~ Chris G. Bennett
Chris Bennett came to salvation in 1962 but didn’t begin ministry until 2007 — a late-comer! Now mandated by The LORD to prophesy and open old wells of revival in the U.K., but especially in Wales. He has also operated Healing Rooms, and worked with deliverance teams, all with his wife, Linda. Happily now doing whatever The LORD asks of them! Founder, with wife Linda, of their ministry The Upper Room Encounter.
It has been my prayer for quite sometime that I will be so hidden in him that when WE walk past people they will be beaked from his shadow- I have only once seen his shadow surrounding me- it was the most awesome thing and I continue to pray to go even deeper into him.
Thank you all for your encouraging comments, its inspiring and I praise God for the testimonies and encouragement.
God bless you all
Yesterday our sister Beverly wrote a word from The Lord where he gives the reasons why there is so few healings and deliverances these days.Church we have to repent, get in the secret place and get healed and delivered first, even those who think they do not need any.
The Lord has to fill us with HIS LOVE, then we can move in his fullness and do the greater works.He has already started to put his house in order ,just change gear and stay the course even when it is not very comfortable!
Praise The only Living God.
I have talks with Papa about that too & am waiting for Him to,
DO IT AGAIN.
He told me Jesus didn’t wait for people to be Saved, He Delivered & Healed them, all of them.
We in the Church have dismissed something really important to Papa & I’m repenting on behalf of His Church & asking for our hearts to become His & manifest, demonstrating His Heart in the Earth again.
I’m soon excited, even for the Taste of Him, makes me giggle like a little child knowing we can walk just like He did, that even our shadows, or just being present in a place will do it……
ALL WITHOUT A WORD.
What a blessing to read this from this woman’s point of view….So many times we only see the results of what Jesus has done and not what might have led up to it. Healing always comes but the sick must receive it by FAITH too.
Regarding “greater works”…I thought it had to be something outside myself, not healing me!
Luke 8:46 virtue went out of Him because faith went into Him. Atmosphere of faith is important in any gatherings, this is why the enemy fights the anointing in gatherings through music, because it sets an atmosphere. The anointing sets atmosphere/s to be either secular or sacred Church. Matt. 13:58 Greater works are here and now in ‘scope’ and reach as the Church
…your post reads like a writer/director on scene of a big screen – it is filled w/creative edge!…man of God, as w/most in the prophetic.
Loved your take on this, Chris, always enjoy your posts. This one inspired me to keep persevering and keep the faith.
On Dec 24, I was grappling with the same question related to the greater works of John 14: 12-15. The Spirit led me to Habakkuk 2: 2-3.
”For the vision is yet for an appointed time. It hastens to the end and will not fail. If it should be slow in coming, wait for it, For it will surely come—it will not delay.”“
The “greater works” will come at His appointed time during the end, which we are in. I believe His appointed time is near – very near.
This is exactly what haunts me! Why not now? Why not me? Lord, please give somebody this annointing! I can hardly bear to see or hear of people suffering and not be able to do something about it. Thank you for this post. I certainly never thought about the danger she could have been in for her actions.