Morning Light – Mark 5: Press into the Press!

[Mark 5] Press into the Press! In Mark 5, we have the account of the woman with the issue of blood. Jesus is surrounded by a massive throng, but this woman in a weakened condition pushed her way through to touch the hem of His garment and was instantly healed. What stands between you and your miracle? Are you willing to PRESS through the PRESS to receive from God? This chapter will greatly encourage your faith.

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[Mar 5:1-43 KJV] 1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had [his] dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any [man] tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, [thou] Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, [thou] unclean spirit. 9 And he asked him, What [is] thy name? And he answered, saying, My name [is] Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told [it] in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 16 And they that saw [it] told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and [also] concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all [men] did marvel.

In chapter 5 Jesus sails with His disciples to the extreme southern end of the Gennesaret to what is called the country of the Gaderenes. The town of Gadarenos is situated east of the Jordan and was the capital of Peraea. Now, remember that this journey is the one in which the disciples encountered a vicious storm, and woke Jesus to save them when He was sleeping in the bow of the boat. Upon arriving, a demonized man immediately confronts them. How did the man know that Jesus was coming? Because Jesus had already engaged in battle with this demonic host when the storm rose to keep the disciples from going there in the first place. Here we see a connection between demonic control of individuals and the effort of demons to resist believers in the environment surrounding the oppressed. The demon didn’t want to be cast out, and raised up a storm against Jesus to keep Him from coming. You need to know that life’s cirucmstances are not always or even often random events, but rather manifestations of ongoing activity in the spiritual realm that can and will influence your life. Your storm may not be a physical one, but it can be any one of a myriad of distractions and resistance the enemy will put up to keep you from fulfilling the will of God. We tend not to think in these terms because of the empirical nature of our education system in the west that does not quantify or acknowledge the spiritual realm.

It is interesting to note that Jesus tells the demon to come out of the man, and the demon successfully resists Him, asking instead why Jesus is tormenting him, and actually attempting to adjure Jesus by the use of God’s name to leave him alone. We need to realize this – that demons for certain reasons can even resist Jesus Himself. What could possibly be the reason? Verses 14-17 give us a clue when we see the people of the city upon hearing of the man’s deliverance, instead of welcoming Jesus, demand that He immediately depart. Jesus, without a word boards the boat with His disciples and immediately leaves. How many miracles were not experienced that day because this country and this city was not welcoming of Jesus? He purposefully came here, rebuking the storm that was hindering them from crossing over to this land, but upon arrival was rebuffed and consequently turns to go. This may be an explanation for us as to why ministers can go from the US or other western countries and upon ministering in 3rd world countries see the dead raised, blind eyes opened, and many notable miracles, but in our country, they don’t get the same results. Why? The demon that infested the Gaderene, was part of a network of demonic resistance that gripped not only the man but the city and the entire country. The demon’s ability to resist was abetted by the people’s unwillingness to welcome Jesus. Is there any wonder why our schools have become killing fields? In the public square our country has twisted the founding principle of freedom of religion to freedom FROM religion. The resistance of the people of Gadera to the arrival of Jesus is mirrored in the extreme prejudice of our secularized culture to Christianity. While we tout our inclusiveness and tolerance for any and all abberant behaviors, none of that tolerance and inclusiveness is extended in the slightest to the Christian faith, and for that reason our nation suffers because it has collectively as the people at Gadera, rejected God.

21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. 22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: [I pray thee], come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. 24 And [Jesus] went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. 25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in [her] body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. 35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s [house certain] which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was [of the age] of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

After being turned away at Gadera, Jesus passes over by ship again to the other side and contrary to what happened previously, He is met by a great multitude of people gathering to Him and seeking Him out. In the midst of the press a ruler of the synagogue by the name of Jairus falls at Jesus’ feet asking that Jesus come and save his little daughter who is at the point of death. Notice what brings Jairus to Jesus. He was desperate. We see this all the time, those that don’t think they have any need scorn the prophetic, have contempt for the things of God, but when their lives are out of control they have a change of heart as Jairus demonstrates, prostrate before Jesus.

Jesus consents to go with Jairus, and along the way, a woman with what is described as an issue of blood braves the intense crowd and touches the hem of Jesus’ garment. Jesus was not aware of the woman until the instant she touched Him, when He feels the virtue, or anointing of God on His life, flow out to the woman, healing her instantly. Notice that in speaking to her, Jesus doesn’t say that He healed her, but that her faith healed her. This is something that Jesus often says to those who are healed or delivered in His presence. Now, let us learn from her faith. Whatever this woman did, it resulted in a miracle:

1.She came in the press. She wouldn’t take no for an answer or be talked out of her miracle.
2.She said something in herself. She talked to herself. What you are saying to yourself has great bearing on whether or not you receive from God.
3.She said “if I may – I shall”. In Matthew it is stated even stronger “if I can – I will”. In other words she did what she could, believing that God would meet her at the point of her need.
What about you? What can you do? You may be sick, or in a bad situation or relationship. You may be down financially and disaster is looming over your life. You may have tried every avenue of deliverance to no avail, like this woman who suffered much at the hands of many different physicians. Don’t give up. Identify where the resistance is between you and God and move to breach it just as this woman pushed and pressed her way through the crowd. Start saying something different to yourself than you have been saying. Stop thinking in terms of what God will or won’t do and exercise YOUR faith. You know that God is a healer just like this woman knew Jesus was a healer. Use your faith and pull on that reality. On the other side of this pushing, jostling crowd was her miracle. What is between you and YOUR miracle? Start pushing against it. Stop letting the problem dictate to you what you will and won’t do. Whether it is a difficult spouse or family member, stop walking on eggshells around them, hoping to avoid a confrontation. Break the unwritten rules of that situation that says don’t talk about God, don’t address the problem – step out and believe God. In physical problems, you may not be able to do anything about them, but you can lobby against them by moving in what strength you have against the weakness of the situation and receive your miracle. Do what you can do! In finances, same thing. Your life might be defined by lack and poverty, but you can take what you have and lay it at Jesus feet. Do you want to fall into the hands of your creditors or into the hands of God? Believe God for your miracle. God is no respecter of persons, but He is a respecter of faith. If you do with your faith what this woman did with her faith you will see the same results.