One of the most unique healing stories in The Bible is the healing of the woman with the issue of blood. It’s such a powerful story that it can be found in all three gospels; Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:24-34, and Luke 8:43-48.
The story of the woman with the issue of blood has 3 life lessons that will help you get what God has for you. The lessons are to fight for what you want, be intentional as it makes a difference, and try again if you fail.
If you are unfamiliar with the story, Matthew’s account is just 3 verses so I’ll include it here.
20 Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe,
21 for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
Matthew 9:20-22 (NLT)
Fight For What You Want
To be healed, the woman with the issue of blood had to fight for it. She didn’t receive her healing by hoping Jesus would notice her or even asking him to heal her. Luke says that “as Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him” (Luke 8:42 NIV).
And her thinking that if she could only touch his robe that she would be healed is evidence that she had to fight her way through the crowd to get to Jesus.
We too as believers must fight for what we want in life. Almost nothing of value we desire comes without resistance. Like the woman with the issue of blood, there may be people standing between you and your blessing.
Other times our own limiting beliefs keep us back. Regardless of what it is, having to struggle doesn’t necessarily mean what you want isn’t God’s will for you. You may need to fight.
The Israelites Had To Fight For The Promised Land
Fighting for what you want is such an important lesson for believers. In the same way that we can learn from the woman with the issue of blood pressing through the crowd for her healing, we can also learn from the Israelites who had to fight for the promised land.
Although the land was promised to them by God, they were still required to attack the people currently living in it to dwell in it. Their lack of faith however kept them back from receiving it until 40 years later!
I expand on the Israelites and their fear of fighting keeping them back in my article: You Are Waiting On God, But God May Be Waiting On You.
Start Moving In Faith
Yes, we should pray, and sometimes it is necessary to wait for God’s timing. But many times we can find ourselves waiting and praying when it may be time to start moving in faith. That is what the woman with the issue of blood did. In the end, Jesus said to her “your faith has healed you” (Luke 8:48 NIV).
Are you currently in a position where you are waiting on God to do something for you, but he may be waiting on you? It is difficult to know for sure.
Could it be that the fight to get what you want is keeping you back? If so, take into account what the woman with the issue of blood had to do to get her healing. Don’t let resistance keep you back from getting what God may have already given you.
Be Intentional, It Makes A Difference
Another lesson we can learn from the woman with the issue of blood is that being intentional makes a difference. As you know, “a large crowd followed and pressed around Jesus” (Mark 5:24 NIV).
And although many people would have rubbed against him, when the woman with the issue of blood touched him, Jesus asked “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30 NIV).
When the disciples asked him how we could ask such a question given the circumstances, he responded “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me” (Luke 8:46 NLT).
Unlike everyone else in the crowd that was touching Jesus without intent, the woman with the issue of blood touched him intentionally and because of it, she was healed. In this story, being intentional helped the woman with the issue of blood to receive her healing, but being intentional also makes a difference in other areas of life.
Before she thought to herself “if I can just touch his robe, I will be healed” (Matthew 9:21 NLT), she already had the goal of being healed. “She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better” (Mark 5:26 NLT).
And never forgetting her objective, “She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe” (Mark 5:27 NLT).
Having A Goal Makes You Intentional
In the same way that the woman with the issue of blood’s goal to be healed drove her to do things intentionally, having a goal will make you intentional with what you do leading you to achieve it.
With a goal in mind, everything that can help you achieve it becomes more apparent. You start to make decisions in alignment with that goal and those decisions eventually lead you to achieve it. On the other hand, having no specific goal is like driving without a destination. You waste time and energy going nowhere.
The woman with the issue of blood’s goal drove her to spend her time and money specifically on getting better. It was her goal to be healed that made her decide to push through the crowd to touch Jesus. Spiritually her intent to touch Jesus healed her. In the same way that being intentional made a difference for her, it will make a difference for you.
If You Fail, Try Again
Perhaps one of the most significant lessons we can learn from the woman with the issue of blood is to try again if we fail. The writers of Matthew, Mark, and Luke found it important to write that she was suffering from her bleeding for twelve years!
Although she would spend money over and over but not get better, she kept trying. When she heard about Jesus, it comes as no surprise that she tries again. Her initial failed attempts did not discourage her and this time she got what she wanted.
Just like the woman with the issue of blood tried again despite her many failed attempts, we should try again when we fail. A failure doesn’t mean the thing we want isn’t possible or God’s will. It could mean that we are going about it the wrong way, bad timing, or one of the many potential factors out of our control. We just have to keep the faith and try again.
If you’re struggling to keep the faith today, check out my article How To Keep The Faith. In it, I share 3 practical ways that you can.
Past Failures Can Help Lead To Success
The woman with the issue of blood not only tried again when she heard about Jesus, but she tried something different. The book of Mark says “she had suffered a great deal from many doctors…but she had gotten no better” (5:26 NLT). Her experience with doctors taught her that the traditional methods of getting better could not work for her. She had to do something different.
If the woman with the issue of blood hadn’t failed with doctors in the past, she may have avoided the publicity in favor of a more private alternative. That could have caused her to miss out on her healing. It’s like when we have the option to get prayed for in church or go see a doctor when we don’t feel well.
Normally we may want to avoid the attention and go see a doctor, but when all our natural attempts fail, it pushes us to try the supernatural.
What have you given up on? Why not try again? Like the woman with the issue of blood, getting what you want might be just one reach away!
Conclusion
The woman with the issue of blood was a fighter, goal-driven, and persistent. From her story, you learned that it’s sometimes necessary to have to fight to get what you want, being intentional makes a difference and that you should try again if you fail.
Related articles that were referenced:
Other articles on Women in The Bible:
That’s great the teaching highly blessed
Thank you Ogbonna!
I second that thought, blessed to have come across your path ???? praise God and thank you for sharing His Word. God bless you and your family Bro ??❤️
Thanks Barnabas! Glad you enjoyed the article!
Very inspiring and encouraging, I’ve been raised to another level of faith and knowledge in keeping on pressing on, praying and working on issues until something happens
That’s awesome! Keep pressing.
Thank you that was a very bless lesson.
Where are you located? And where are you teaching?
Hi Venseta, I’m from The Bahamas and teach every so often at the Chapel On The Hill.
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Well explained. I have learned big lessons from your explanation. God bless you and may he continue to reveal himself to you ???
Thanks Annie! Glad you learned something new! 🙂
Nice teaching.. am blessed
Thank you. Glad you were blessed!
Thank you so much for your teaching on ” The woman with the issue of Blood.” My soul is truly blessed.
I’m so happy it was a blessing to you Judith!
Keep the faith don’t give up, trust and believe that he will heal you. Pray daily and stay connected to the vine which is Jesus.Read your bible daily.
Amen!
This lesson taught me to press my way threw until I grab hold of Jesus.
Yes!
Wow so blessed by this. Thank you for sharing! God bless you more Brother!!!!!!!
That’s wonderful to hear Yan! Happy you were blessed.
Thanks.That was great. I was touched when you picked that her touch had ‘intention’ unlike the rest of the broses which did not have intention.Blessed are you.
Thanks for sharing Douglas!
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Thank you so much for the word
Thanks for reading!
All it takes is #JustOneTouch reguardless of your issue or how long you have been carrying it. Reach up/ out and touch Jesus
Wow beautiful I’ve been inspired, I will fight for what I want and get it
Excellent Nian! May God bring you the desires of your heart as you put your faith into action.
Awesome teaching. Making it relatable to present day was great. Thank you
Thanks Lisa!
The woman with the issue of blood demonstrated faith, determination ,focus and she is purposeful.
Can people still demonstrate the same attitude today without becoming choosy.
Good points Paster Sunday. I don’t see why not!
The touch of the woman was intentional such that Jesus felt the power leave him. This story teaches me that my healing, deliverance and blessings will not just fail on but I have a role to play as believer.
Indeed we have a part to play! Thanks for sharing.
God’s power if I can touch him I will get a miracle I believe.
That’s right Alfred!
Thanks. any time it is a useful message. God bless you.
Thanks, Kelem!
Great explanation…clearly understanding…thank God…God bless more, I am Tamilnadu, Chennai
All the way from India! Thank you for reading Been Varghese!
Thanks for such inspiring explanations, I have learnt a lot.
Be blessed.
Happy to hear that Stephen. You’re welcome!
So blessed. More grace.
Thanks
Thank you!
Great lesson
Thank you