Winning the Battle of Life - Long Suffering Brings Unexpected Favor
Read Mark 5:21-34
Have you ever prayed and prayed for something and God didn’t do what you wanted him to do? Are you hoping for something sincerely and somehow it seems as though it is never going to happen?
I have prayed for a lot of things to be done over the years and a lot of my prayers have been answered. However, I have prayed for things and have waited and waited for it to become a reality in my life and others and it has not as of yet. I have had unfilled expectations, people have disappointed me and let me down. I have given financially, physically, mentally and emotionally just to learn that the person(s) I gave to only wants to continue to take, take and take more. Yes I have had unfilled expectations, but I have also experienced wonderful unexpected favor.
“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. (Luke 13:10-13)
This woman had suffered 18 long years with a crippling back disease. Actually had a spirit that was attacking her and it was not a normal curvature of the spine based on the aging of the body. Year after year her desire to be healed was not met. Year after year she spent a life filled with unfilled expectations of being healed. There is nothing in Scriptures to make us believe she was an old woman. More than likely she was a young woman who knew her life should not be like this and she was crippled by a spirit of bondage. She longed to be healed and set free every single day. She was in bondage and her heart was broken over her unfilled desires and expectations. Perhaps, she was once wealthy and gave to people around her, but she had no one to love her back. She could not fulfill anyone’s expectations now. Satan is always in the business of breaking people and relationship and causing strife. He has used some of the most wonderful people in the world and have caused their minds to go crooked and their thoughts to be bent in rage over the smallest thing.
Everywhere this woman looked she saw other women her age who were beautiful, stood straight and had husbands and children. People had given up on her, counted her out, made her feel useless. Perhaps, she was looked at by her relatives and friends, as well as the people she did not know, as an outcast, crippled in body, and her existance was minimized.
At this point, she was down to her last prayer. Unfilled expectation has taken her under the water, she could write a book about how many doctors and how many people rejected her and looked the other way. Her own relatives could not help her. All she had was disappointments after disappointments. But, one day she got a crazy idea and a high hope and she went after Jesus and found him. Maybe you have nothing to give and that is all you got is a crazy idea and high hopes. Maybe all you have is a risky decision. Healing from any situation begins when we do something!
Suddenly Jesus came through the town and looked beyond her unfilled expectations and saw her needs. It did not matter what people thought of her past or her present situation. Jesus was about to touch her future. Just one touch of the Master’s hand, one touch of Jesus’ wonderful beautiful, strong hands changed her unfilled expectations and desires to unexpected favor! He laid his anointed hands on her back and her entire life was straightened out. Unexpected favor came her way. Amazing Grace! The woman who was once broken, crippled, and financially drained was now restored. It is very beautiful and sweet like honey when you experience His favor. Because when you have His favor you have an special anointing on your life.
Don’t worry about what you are going through now. It might seem as though it is even getting worse and that things are not making sense. Don’t hold your head down and look at your shoes. Bend down through prayer and look at the word of God. He said that he will never leave you or forsake you. You have to believe now that His hands are on your life. He has written your name in the Palm of His hands. He knows you and with His hands on you; you will receive unexpected favor!
Maybe because your prayers have not been answered yet (key word yet) you have given up. Today believe that His hands are on your crooked and broken situations and you will see His hands move in your life.
In His Name,
Pastor Tricia
Have you ever prayed and prayed for something and God didn’t do what you wanted him to do? Are you hoping for something sincerely and somehow it seems as though it is never going to happen?
I have prayed for a lot of things to be done over the years and a lot of my prayers have been answered. However, I have prayed for things and have waited and waited for it to become a reality in my life and others and it has not as of yet. I have had unfilled expectations, people have disappointed me and let me down. I have given financially, physically, mentally and emotionally just to learn that the person(s) I gave to only wants to continue to take, take and take more. Yes I have had unfilled expectations, but I have also experienced wonderful unexpected favor.
“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. (Luke 13:10-13)
This woman had suffered 18 long years with a crippling back disease. Actually had a spirit that was attacking her and it was not a normal curvature of the spine based on the aging of the body. Year after year her desire to be healed was not met. Year after year she spent a life filled with unfilled expectations of being healed. There is nothing in Scriptures to make us believe she was an old woman. More than likely she was a young woman who knew her life should not be like this and she was crippled by a spirit of bondage. She longed to be healed and set free every single day. She was in bondage and her heart was broken over her unfilled desires and expectations. Perhaps, she was once wealthy and gave to people around her, but she had no one to love her back. She could not fulfill anyone’s expectations now. Satan is always in the business of breaking people and relationship and causing strife. He has used some of the most wonderful people in the world and have caused their minds to go crooked and their thoughts to be bent in rage over the smallest thing.
Everywhere this woman looked she saw other women her age who were beautiful, stood straight and had husbands and children. People had given up on her, counted her out, made her feel useless. Perhaps, she was looked at by her relatives and friends, as well as the people she did not know, as an outcast, crippled in body, and her existance was minimized.
At this point, she was down to her last prayer. Unfilled expectation has taken her under the water, she could write a book about how many doctors and how many people rejected her and looked the other way. Her own relatives could not help her. All she had was disappointments after disappointments. But, one day she got a crazy idea and a high hope and she went after Jesus and found him. Maybe you have nothing to give and that is all you got is a crazy idea and high hopes. Maybe all you have is a risky decision. Healing from any situation begins when we do something!
Suddenly Jesus came through the town and looked beyond her unfilled expectations and saw her needs. It did not matter what people thought of her past or her present situation. Jesus was about to touch her future. Just one touch of the Master’s hand, one touch of Jesus’ wonderful beautiful, strong hands changed her unfilled expectations and desires to unexpected favor! He laid his anointed hands on her back and her entire life was straightened out. Unexpected favor came her way. Amazing Grace! The woman who was once broken, crippled, and financially drained was now restored. It is very beautiful and sweet like honey when you experience His favor. Because when you have His favor you have an special anointing on your life.
Don’t worry about what you are going through now. It might seem as though it is even getting worse and that things are not making sense. Don’t hold your head down and look at your shoes. Bend down through prayer and look at the word of God. He said that he will never leave you or forsake you. You have to believe now that His hands are on your life. He has written your name in the Palm of His hands. He knows you and with His hands on you; you will receive unexpected favor!
Maybe because your prayers have not been answered yet (key word yet) you have given up. Today believe that His hands are on your crooked and broken situations and you will see His hands move in your life.
In His Name,
Pastor Tricia
Thank you for posting such a wonderful reminder!
ReplyDeleteThese words...
"Don’t worry about what you are going through now. It might seem as though it is even getting worse and that things are not making sense. Don’t hold your head down and look at your shoes. Bend down through prayer and look at the word of God. He said that he will never leave you or forsake you. You have to believe now that His hands are on your life. He has written your name in the Palm of His hands. He knows you and with His hands on you; you will receive unexpected favor!"
spoke to my heart!
Thank you!