In Mark 5, we encounter two people filled with fear. One is a father who is desperate enough to humble himself as a religious leader and ask a man rumored to be a faith healer to come and touch his daughter. The other is a woman who has been shunned by her family and community for at least twelve years and is willing to risk further isolation to reach this same man to see if He can restore her broken body.
Both of these encounters with Jesus require faith that God could heal.
The woman with chronic illness not only was risking her own social status, but she was compromising Jesus’s, too. After making her way through a crowd that she normally would have never been in, she gets to Jesus and reaches out in faith. The woman’s fear almost wins until Jesus directly addresses her: “Daughter…your faith has saved you” (Mark 5:34). Due to her sickness, she likely had been separated from any contact with people, including her own family, and this may have been the first time she heard herself called “daughter” in a very long time.
Imagine what it would have felt like to be the father who first asked for Jesus’s healing abilities, watching Jesus stop and give someone else his miracle (v.30). Here we see Jesus again directly address someone’s fear: “Don’t be afraid. Only believe” (v.36). Jairus didn’t only have to believe in healing; he also had to believe in resurrection.
The primary passage in today’s reading is one full of joy and fear eliminated. Scripture also speaks to the inverse—how sometimes we will endure afflictions in this life (2Corinthians 4:17–18). While He is able to heal, He is not obligated.
As I write this, I think of friends who are still waiting for their healing. l ache knowing that there is healing I have prayed for and believed God for, that has not come yet. Some of you reading this may still be waiting, too.
This is why we also read our passage in Revelation today. While He is able to heal here, He also will heal when we reach the other side of eternity. This is a promise that we can cling to in the face of fear. I am praying for you today in whatever situation or circumstance you may be in. I am praying you remember that He is both able to heal, and He one day will heal and make “everything new” (Revelation 21:5).
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80 thoughts on "For He Is Able to Heal"
God has invited me in to pray for healing for many of my friends and family members this year. There seem to be long journeys ahead for most of them, and one couple lost their sick infant already this year, a terrible tragedy and sadness. But I continue to believe that that isn’t going to be the outcome for everyone I am praying for, and that God healed that little boy’s body in heaven.
Lord, I pray for healing over my friends and family who are sick. This side of eternity has many ailments and evils so I fix my eyes on what is unseen because eternity with you is our ultimate goal.
This is a scripture and study I really needed. My husband has a degenerative eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa and there is no cure. It is progressively getting worse and I fear he will go completely blind soon. We have two young children and it’s really scary thinking about the future. I struggle with the idea that God can heal something like this- with no cure- like Jesus did in this passage. I know He can, but it seems so fantastical. I would love for God to heal my husband’s sight in this lifetime, but I take comfort in knowing he will be healed in another life. I am not sure he 100% believes in God and I also worry about this. He is spiritual but doesn’t align with organized religion and he talks about the universe and astrology. Right now I am praying. God, you know our circumstances here on Earth and the struggles we face. You know how difficult and frightening it is to face the unknown of if he will lose his sight completely. Lord, you know the future and see the larger picture that we can’t see. The scripture says “do not fear; just believe.” I want to do that. I want to trust in your plan and have no fear because you are in control. God, please be with us and help my husband to accept Jesus into his heart as his Lord and Savior. Be with us as we suffer in this life and know that this is temporary. God, I thank you for all the blessings you have shown our family. You are so good. Help me to strengthen my faith and know you can still perform miracles that seem unlikely. God I ask all of this in Jesus’s name. Amen.
Thank you Lord for the hope of heaven and complete healing of all things!
This brings great peace as a healthcare provider – I may not be able to help everyone, but He can. Thanks be to God.
Don’t be afraid only believe ❤️ AMEN
His love endures forever ❤️
RIP to the Queen for she has finally been healed
Thank you for sharing this. I also noticed that the number 12 was referenced twice but I didn’t know what it meant.
Love this. A great reminder to that His time of healing is not ours.
Johnna that is incredibly insightful. I felt convicted by that analogy, wondering how many times I’ve complained to myself about my problems and considered that prayer.
Faith is the master transformer ❤️
So true! Thank you for sharing!
Amen!
Interesting to note that Jairus’ daughter was 12 and it took 12 years for the woman with the issue of blood to be healed. 12 is the number of authority in the Bible, speaking to Jesus’ ultimate authority to heal and be Lord in our lives.
such a perfect message:)
God can & does heal those who believe in Him. However it is in His time and place… we might not see it here on earth, but those who believe will walk eternity with Him in perfect peace & healing! Thank You Lord! ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for sharing, I know it can take lots of courage! Alaska will definitely be in my prayers, alongside with anyone who is close to him❤️
❤️
Praying for full and complete healing in the name of Jesus. Holy Spirit come.
Love that, thanks for sharing!
❤️
Amen❤️
Thank you Cindy. He is with us in such a beautiful way. ❤️
Thank you so much Michelle. ❤️
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more,; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.
I rarely comment in this chat section, but I’d like to ask for prayers for my grandson, Alaska. He has been diagnosed with Juvenile Batten disease, a neurological degenerative illness that will gradually take his physical and mental abilities and then his life. We’re asking the Lord to heal on this earth. And leaning heavily on His promises for everlasting healing as well. I know someday Alaska will get to do every wonderful thing. Will you join me in praying that Alaska will love the Lord with all his heart, souls, mind, and strength? He just turned 7 last weekend.
Thinking of you during this difficult time. Praying for you too. AS A PROVIDER,
Oh Amber, I eagerly await to meet you in heaven where you will be completely healed in every single way. I pray for you an earth as you deal with your present reality. May you know His peace and presence in the midst. ❤️
Amen. Praying with you.
Amen.
Amen! coninuing to pray for the heart wrenching war in Ukraine.
Hello My Friends,
As I sit in my comfortable home this evening, feeling helpless on many fronts for what is happening in the Ukrainian Nation, I am nudged by my Gracious, Mighty and Faithful Lord, to ask you all to pray with me for these people who must be truly scared for their lives from the Russian invasion.
I will be bold in my prayers, as I know our God is Good, and He wants us to ask Him for what is needed.
The Ukrainian Nation needs protection and a miracle from our Lord. Just as He closed the mouths of the Lion’s in the Den where Daniel was in captivity, I’m praying that He will protect the Ukrainians from the Russian invasion, and make the invading Russians as powerless as the closed mouthed lions. Just as He answered Jehoshaphat’s prayer to protect Judah and Jerusalem from the invading Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir, I’m praying that God will help the Ukrainian’s defeat the Russian invasion with His help.
Thank you for joining me in raising the Ukrainian Nation up to our Lord and Savior.
Below is my prayer. I ask you to pray it with me and add anything additional that you feel moved to ask our God.
Dear Heavenly and Mighty Lord,
You are my Savior and I thank you for all that you have done in the past, for what you are doing now, and what you will do in the future.
I praise you for your goodness and love. And for sending your son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life to forgive me of my sins, so that I may have eternal life with you in Heaven.
I come to you, along with my friends and family, to ask for Your protection for the Ukrainian nation against the Russian invaders.
Lord, I pray that you give the Ukrainian’s your mighty strength to stand up to the Russian oppression, and to know that You are with them. I pray that they will recognize and see You in your miracles and works. In Your Word I read; 2 Chronicles 20: 17, “You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the Salvation of the Lord.” I boldly pray to you, and have faith in your ways, my Father, and pray that Your Will will be done.
Help me Lord, to always seek you in all that I do, and help me to keep you as the true light and leader in my life.
I graciously ask you, in sweet Jesus’s name,
Amen
I have struggled with this as well. I was born spina bifida and prayed for healing
There is so much suffering in this world. So many questions I may never have answered this side of eternity about why some are healed while others aren’t. Yet, I am so glad that we have a God who heals on earth and that we will live in a perfect place one day. I pray you all have a blessed Friday. I have so enjoyed doing this study with you all❤️
I often sing “Oh Glorious Day” by Casting Crowns, because truly it will be glorious! No more sadness, pain, tears…Oh Glorious Day when we see our Jesus face to face. I for one can’t wait!
This life is draining. We have so much sickness, ailments, struggles and anxieties, and heartache. Sometimes we are just so physically and mentally exhausted with big things, or the build up of many little things.
I have a rod up my spine, and I often tell my husband I feel like a scarecrow with a post holding me up, but limp and hanging around it. I just want to round my spine and relax, but yet stay so rigid. I try to remember there are so many worse off, yet we all still struggle with our own. But God- He is, or rather can use us for his glory! He wants to use us. To demonstrate to the world how a Christ-like child can worship the God that created us even though we have these struggles. To think…we GET to do this…for the CREATOR!! WE can be his testimonies! Just like Paul in prison, and all the others that struggled, but now are there in the bible for us to read and encourage us! We are alongside those heros! So be encouraged sisters! We are Almost Home! Oh Glorious Day!
There is healing in His name.
Mark 5: 24-29 will always make me speechless. That woman had so much faith… its honestly refreshing to see someone still have faith after living in pain for so long. And she didn’t do what we do.. sometimes we get entitled in asking God for help… which He doesn’t owe us… but rather, she touched Jesus’s clothes expected that it would help her and it did. WOW! May we all have faith like that. It’s a truly inspiring story.
Lets pray for all of those in Russia
I have learned to pray either “in Your time” or “Your will” when asking for the Lord to heal or make someone feel better. My father taught me that.
Finley is still in the hospital. Yesterday they tried her on her formula she takes and she vomited that back up. I’ve noticed since I started working with her 3 1/2 years ago that since she is immunosuppressed it usually takes her twice to three times as long to get over an illness than someone who has a regular immune system. I’m waiting to hear if she is going home today.
Be blessed and remember THE LORD DOES THINGS ON HIS TIME not ours. Have a great weekend.
Sorry for the multiple posts! I hope the full one shows up soon.
God heals some on this side of heaven and others not. I know there are many things, including this, that we will not have the answers to until we see Him. I long for that day. Thank you for those who have been praying for me and the baby, our appointment went well yesterday, praise God! And thank you for those who have been praying for my father in law, he had successful surgery this morning and we are praying for his continued recovery.
“Do not fear, only believe”. I love this direct instruction and have felt it speaking to me in my current situation. This passage is as beautiful as it is hard. The Lord has healed me from the infertility I experienced over the past few years and yet I see others not being healed from their cancer or other diseases. The concept of suffering still gives me difficulty, I don’t have answers for why God j
I read the passage in Revelation today in a new light. It brought hope and comfort. We will one day have a new life where war, pain, brokenness, tears will no longer be present. We long for the day Lord. May the Lord bring hope, peace and comfort to those living in the depths of these pains today.
Decades waiting for healing. It has been hard at times, some days almost impossible and just resting in His sufficient grace. I long for the day in Revelation. I keep reminding myself “this is not my home” one day all will be made new, so I wait in expectation and allow Him to work in and through me to use my illness as He sees fit until that day!
“Daughter, Your faith has made you well.”
SRT ladies I am so deeply moved by your faith and testimonies you have shared today and well everyday. I don’t post much but read and prayer for y’all. This study has been so impactful to me and and have been so encouraged by so many of y’all. I dealt with a lot of fear and anxiety post having covid in July/Aug 2021 and then had a weird elevated heart rate and occasional palpitations which led to even greater fear. After googling, stressing, going to a prophetic sermon and not being instantly healed- I started counseling and started digging into God’s word and truth and over time my heart rate issues resolved was I cleared by a cardiologist and was finally having less anxious days. God is so good and faithful to be with us. I’m still working on the fear/anxiousness but drawing near to Him has taught me to rely on Him and not myself- the days of being sick with worry are in the past. Enjoyed this study and you faithful ladies. Have a blessed weekend!
This is a hard one for me. I have not witnessed a healing. I don’t know that I believe there are healings happening this side of heaven. I believed and prayed hard for my son. Why would God heal one believer and not another? This just doesn’t make sense to me. I believe we will have a new heavenly body once we have passed.
I have not witnessed a healing. I don’t know that I believe there are healings happening this side of heaven. I believed and prayed hard for my son. Why would God heal one believer and not another? This just doesn’t make sense to me. I believe we will have a new heavenly body once we have passed.
26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. – Mark 5:26 I feel this so strongly. Keep waiting to heal. I have to continue to pray for healing and know that He has been with me this entire time. He will help me through this. He will heal me.
26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. – Mark 5:26
Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe away every tear”.
Yesterday morning during my devotional my son texted me from his room, I had no idea what was going on. Now that I do I join the rest of you and praying for the Ukraine Country. Ironically I follow a YouTuber who puts up recipes, who is a believer in Jesus Christ, who is from the Ukraine and has family there.
Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe away every tear”.
That is really interesting Susie!!
So much good sharing today. Praying for each one of you and our world at large. Oh how we all need Jesus!
Amen!
Yes lots are waiting for healing, but his plans are bigger then we understand. He’s growing us and is holding are hand no matter!
Oh yes, such Truth: God is able to heal but He is not obligated to do so. Knowing that the time for healing IS coming gives me peace in the waiting. I pray less for healing and more that my testimony through the challenges brings glory to God. I pray my faith and trust through the progression of this illness would bring folks a curiosity about my Jesus. And I pray that through their questions and my answers, they might come to believe in Him.
Sorry, I meant Revelation 21v1-6 verses!!
The commentary in my NLT study Bible for Mark says, “We should never allow our fear to keep us from approaching him.” I think sometimes we do that. I know I do. I am so grateful that we do not have to be fearful. I am sure that woman was scared to death when she touched Jesus’ robe. But God, who is so awesome, loves us even in our scaredness. We can even have a Joy when we are scared. Because we have a Hope as Revelation says. Praise be! Have a wonderful weekend ladies! Praying for your requests. ❤️
The commentary in my NLT study Bible for Mark says, “We should never allow our fear to keep us from approaching him.” I think sometimes we do that. I know I do. I am so grateful that we do not have to be fearful. I am sure that woman was scared to death when she touched Jesus’ robe. But God, who is so awesome, loves us even in our scaredness. We can even have a Joy when we are scared. Because we have a Hope as Revelation says. Praise be!
As I read this, I am also waiting for Jesus’s healing touch in my body. I have faith he can heal, but I also ask that he help my unbelief. And in the waiting, there’s the promise that he is here with me, the presence of peace and comfort.
Father Heal our world and our hearts. In Jesus name, Amen
@thank you ERB, what a blessed encouragement! The former things will not be remembered, hallelujah x
Oh, how I love those Revelation 16 verses! What a day of rejoicing that will be when all things will be made new. It reminds me of the Matt Redman song “One day”- we see things dimly here on earth but we need to keep our eyes on heaven when one day we WILL see clearly and shout His victory! Hallelujah x
I looked up what the New Heaven meant and wanted to share it with you…
First the scripture: Revelation 21:1-8 “THE NEW CREATION: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. 5 Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 6 Then He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7 The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. 8 But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
*this is what I found:
The current heavens and earth have long been subject to God’s curse because of mankind’s sin. All creation “has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth” (Romans 8:22) as it awaits the fulfillment of God’s plan and “the children of God to be revealed” (verse 19). Heaven and earth will pass away (Mark 13:31), and they will be replaced by the new heavens and the new earth. At that time, the Lord, seated on His throne, says, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5). In the new creation, sin will be totally eradicated, and “there shall be no more curse” (Revelation 22:3, NKJV). The new heaven and new earth are also mentioned in Isaiah 65:17, Isaiah 66:22, and 2 Peter 3:13. Peter tells us that the new heaven and new earth will be “where righteousness dwells.” Isaiah says that “the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” Things will be completely new, and the old order of things, with the accompanying sorrow and tragedy, will be gone. The new earth will be free from sin, evil, sickness, suffering, and death. It will be similar to our current earth, but without the curse of sin. It will be earth as God originally intended it to be. It will be Eden restored.
(gotquestions.com)
*there will be no need for a physical temple or Holy of Holies in the new creation because the fullness of God’s presence will be everywhere.
(bibleproject.com)
May you find hope and encouragement to keep on digging into the Word!! Be blessed dear sisters!!
The reading in Proverbs reminds me that staying close to Jesus in His word, keeps us in a place where we are able to turn to him without fear and trust that His will will be done. This posture of faith keeps us secure and guided. Praying to stay close to his word so I have it to lean on in all moments.
The reading in Proverbs reminds me that staying close to Jesus in His word, keeps us in a place where we are able to turn to him without fear and trust that His will will be done. This posture of faith keeps us secure and guided. Praying to stay close y
I heard in an unrelated podcast this week this statement that has sat with me all week:
“Fear speaks in urgency”
So true… There’s no rational thought, patience in waiting, exercising of faith, trust in His timing. When we allow fear to be the motivating operator in our thoughts and actions, we can safely bet that we’ve moved in a direction opposite of God’s. I’m speaking this again and again to myself in the current season I’m in, but hopefully it can encourage someone else as well…
Thank you, ANGIE, for sharing the HRT devotional. That really spoke to me today. And SUSIE H, thank you for your perspective on fear of the Lord! That also resonated. I’m holding on to the hope today (and everyday) that there will be a time of healing for all of us, whether it be on this side of eternity or with God.
I needed this today. As grief threatens to consume me I find peace in the living hope.
I am in a season of healing, and these passages spoke to me in a powerful way. I know God is working things out of me and replacing them with His presence and His glory. And how I used to dread admitting some areas that needed healing, I’m now excited to let this things go so that He can move in a more powerful way through my life!
VICTORIA E – how is your FIL?
KATHY – praying for Ruth and Johnny. May God be glorified.
Both SRT and HRT are powerful devotions this morning.
In addition to what Kelly shared from HRT:
“The best thing we can do—even in our most unclean, undesirable condition—is to move toward Jesus. He will not turn you away. Like the bleeding woman, we come to Jesus desperate. We come needy. But when the unclean woman touched Jesus, she didn’t make Him unclean, but the opposite happened—His power took away her impurity. Sometimes this means entering with Him into your rooms of sorrow and death.”
Movement toward Jesus is always movement toward healing and whole.
As a man, Jesus lived amongst, yet set apart for a much greater purpose. In humanity He understood pain, sorrow, and loss (his own earthly father had died). As the divine Son of God He understood the bigger picture, the power in faith, and the broken chains of “time” in the eternal.
From SRT, the woman with the issue of blood knew isolation, she knew the pain of separation. She had lived 12 years in it, trying to fix it, only to be hurt and have it continue, again, and again. The possibility of Jesus being the answer, the healing both physically and socially, pushed her to faith (and she got the biggest bonus of healing spiritually!). Jairus saw coming the separation from his daughter forever, and that drove his fears to Jesus. Think how hard it must have been for him to leave her and search for Jesus when he knew she was dying. What he feared happened, she died, while Jesus cared for another. However, he stayed close to Jesus and found faith to believe, hope, and trust ultimately ending in life for his precious daughter.
The life of faith is drawing near to Jesus, laying down the deepest sorrow and darkest death in my soul, and trusting His timing.
This passage was one I needed today. My cousin’s baby passed away in November and I (and my whole family) have been struggling with it. As I was reading about how God can heal all those questions starting arising again. Then I read “While He is able to heal here, He also WILL heal when we reach the other side of eternity.” The hope this gives! Please keep my cousin and her husband and our family in your prayers still.
Tina, thank you for sharing the vision of you daughter running in the meadows. I will imagine JJ running with her. Sending you prayers
Prayers to Ruth & Johnny, Brandi, all other she’s, and to all of those in Ukraine
Every day of this study the words I have read have been so timely. Today is no exception. We found out just this week that a dear lady in our church has stage four, inoperable brain cancer. Her name is Ruth and her husband’s name is Johnny. As you can imagine it has rocked our church with sadness and anxiety, and fear – all the things we’ve looked at in this study.
“While He can heal, He is not obligated to.” Such truth in those words. I believe that God can heal and I am praying that He heals her here while she is with us. But, even more, I am praying that God will make all of this journey we are embarking on count for His kingdom.
Please pray for Ruth and Johnny and all of us who love her.
Russ writes in the HRT devotional: “Think about the scene. When Jesus asks Jarius and his wife to go with Him to the girl’s bedside, He’s asking them to enter into the saddest place on earth for them. What are those places for you? To enter into the hope Christ offers is to follow Him into the places of our deepest pain, acknowledging through even our tears that Jesus is no stranger to places like these. And He isn’t.”
TINA – thank you for sharing a part of your journey with us. I am so thankful that God calls you “daughter” so that I can call you my sister❣
Praying for the Ukrainian people to have courage.
Praying for Canada also
BRANDI, a tad late to the table, but I pray your conversation with your husband went well and that you felt God’s presence to empower you to speak truth, without fear..
I pray you came away, knowing the ‘fight’ was already won because God was your armour and your shield..
I pray you are knowing peace having spoken out, and as you now navigate what’s to come, you will continue to know His love and presence. He is good. He is faithful. He is the Almighty One who knows and callsand knows us by name..
He will hold uou up and He will fight for you and yours..
Blessings wrapped in continued prayers..x
Before I had even began to read the devotion, the title had my mind wander to the early days of losing my daughter.
I was reminded of how I believed if I prayed and prayed hard, made promises,to follow and be obedient, even offered to take her place, she would be healed and made whole again. That she would get to live her life as I believed she should, she was only 27, and deserved to see a little more of life here on earth..
BUT GOD..
Though HE had a plan, I, not being a true believer, or a faith-filled person, could not see through the devastation, the sorrow, the heartbreak, the ‘life will never be the same again’ thoughts, the I cannot face tomorrow moments ( and there were many of those), the grief, so so very unbearable, I rebelled.. in a spectacular way, and when I was spent, and could actually physically not say or do anymore, God showed me that she had been healed, she was whole and running through a meadow so beautiful, so perfect, so ‘home’ as I imagine it..
I felt a peace that day, in that moment, and in the many, many, many moments and days that have followed..
I would have loved for my girl to be here, knowing her mischievous nieces and nephews, or being part of our dancing sessions as a family we continue to have.. or even just to hang out..
BUT GOD..
I know HE did not call her home to hurt me, but rather to heal her wholly, to take away her pain and to give her freedom from all her short life endured..
She is for sure in peace and free from her affliction.
She is well.
It is well.
Thank you God. Thank you, always from a very thankful heart.
AMEN.
Happy Friday dear hearts, wrapped in prayers for a God blessed weekend..❤
Amen.
It’s amazing to think that ‘He also will heal when we reach the other side of eternity.’ We know for sure that we *will* be healed one day, even if we don’t experience healing in this lifetime.
Have a great day SRT sisters, and let’s keep going, even when things are hard in this world and in our lives. Because one day…pain and death will be gone forever
Lord God, Heavenly King, Almighty God and Father please heal my Mom. I have Faith. Thank you. Amen!
These passages and devotionals, selected long ago, have been so apt for the current times – we’re still in a pandemic, there’s invasion and war in Ukraine, rising prices, fear all around. But he’s still the same God who says ‘Talitha cumi’