Have you ever pondered the role we have in our healing? We know that man may sow the seed and water the ground, but the Lord provides growth. We may take the medicine and apply the ointment, but The Lord tells the wound how to respond. This entry has been weeks in the making with the inspiration coming first, title second, living life third, revelations of God’s healing fourth and now composing. I have been eagerly anticipating the moment God instructed me to sit down and write this entry on healing, as I have found during my six-week prayer challenge that healing demanded the most prayers from my friends. Multiple areas require our healing: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional during multiple seasons of our lives: past trauma, present fears, future anxieties. Healing goes beyond a one chance encounter with the Lord, it is a step by step process of our obedience. It is activated by our faith and walked out through our obedience and proximity to our Savior. A popular story on physical healing, but let’s review the woman who bled for twelve years:

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” (Luke 8:43–48, ESV)

“Your faith has made you well…” it almost sings. Just by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment, she knew she would be healed. Her faith in the power of Jesus was credited towards her healing. She did not feel the need to have a one on one with Him to be healed, yet humbled herself to the simplicity of His presence to provide her healing. Jesus’ disciples walked with Him daily for three years, had very personal encounters with Him, one on ones, and even their faith fell away causing them to scatter like sheep and caused hindrance to performing spiritual miracles. Despite her physical distance from Jesus, her heart was near to Him, activating her faith that released healing for her.

Recently, I realized The Lord healed me of my own emotional and spiritual “12-year bleeding”. A history of sexual abuse that was sown, watered by poor decisions, misguided desires, and maladaptive behaviors, and sprouting a loss in my identity and self-worth, releasing a nasty odor of shame and guilt. For months I heard the Holy Spirit tell me, “Obey my commands,” not understanding how The Lord was eagerly guiding me towards restoration. I learned how my [our] obedience are the steps of walking out our faith that leads to our healing. As I was praying for healing for myself and my friends, so clearly, The Lord spoke to my heart, “You have been walking in your healing. I have healed you. You have been walking from a place of being healed.” James 2:17-18 says:

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (ESV)

This teaches us that our faith and the works of The Lord who brings all to completion, is being walked out by our works, our obedience. Our yielding to the Holy Spirit and obedience is not only about daily repentance and surrender to God, but also serves as the manifestation of the healing, restoration and sanctification God is completing within us through His Holy Spirit. As the woman was taking steps towards Jesus, pressing through the crowd for His hem, she was walking out her faith. Therefore, when she was able to reach Him, she was met with healing.

Dear friend, I encourage you to yield to our Savior and take steps towards Him daily. Seek His presence even if we don’t expect to see His face as the healed woman did, so that your faith may be increased with every step you take. As we seek Jesus, we walk into a territory where He has authority and we can stand witness to all the miracles and glory He unfolds with His own hands and of His own sovereignty. His presence alone has healing power, so let us seek Him. Our obedience to whatever He commands us to do, is evidence of our faith. With every step of obedience, God is walking you from a place where He has healed, restored, and redeemed. “By His stripes, we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Then one day, suddenly, you will realize how far you have come and that you have been walking in your healing all along.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18–19, ESV)