Faith, Environment, and the Power of Jesus

Devotional

Day 1: Faith in Action

The woman with the issue of blood demonstrated that faith is not passive but active. Her belief that touching Jesus' robe would heal her led to her miraculous healing. This teaches us that faith often requires us to take bold steps, trusting that Jesus knows exactly what we need and can make us whole. [01:58]

"And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, 'If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.'" (Mark 5:25-28, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a situation in your life where you need a breakthrough. What bold step of faith can you take today to trust Jesus for your healing or solution?

Day 2: Staying in Faith

When Jairus' daughter went from being sick to dying, Jesus encouraged Jairus to "just have faith." This teaches us that in moments of despair, we should lean on Jesus even more. Our faith should not waver when situations worsen; instead, we should trust that Jesus is still in control and capable of performing miracles. [07:22]

"But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, 'Do not fear, only believe.' And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James." (Mark 5:36-37, ESV)

Reflection: When faced with a worsening situation, how can you remind yourself to lean on Jesus more? What practical steps can you take to strengthen your faith during tough times?

Day 3: The Power of Environment

Jesus often created faith-oriented environments by shrinking the circle of people around Him. This principle is crucial for us today; our environments can either feed our faith or fuel our doubts. Surrounding ourselves with faith-filled individuals can be the difference between experiencing a miracle and missing out on one. [10:55]

"And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly." (Mark 5:37-38, ESV)

Reflection: Evaluate your current environment. Are there people or influences that are fueling your doubts? How can you create a more faith-filled environment in your daily life?

Day 4: The Authority of Jesus' Name

The story of the demon-possessed man shows that even evil spirits are subject to Jesus. This underscores the power of Jesus' name in breaking spiritual bondage. When we call on Jesus, we invoke a power that can break any chain, heal any wound, and restore any life. [31:23]

"And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, 'What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.' For he was saying to him, 'Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!'" (Mark 5:6-8, ESV)

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you feel spiritually bound or oppressed? How can you call on the name of Jesus today to break those chains?

Day 5: Humility and Miracles

Every miracle in Mark 5 began with an act of humility. Whether it was the woman with the issue of blood, Jairus, or the demon-possessed man, each approached Jesus with a humble heart. This teaches us that humility is a prerequisite for experiencing God's miraculous power. We must acknowledge our limitations and come to Jesus in faith, trusting Him to do what we cannot. [47:12]

"And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, 'Who touched my garments?' And his disciples said to him, 'You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, "Who touched me?"' And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth." (Mark 5:29-33, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to approach Jesus with more humility? How can you acknowledge your limitations and trust Him to work miracles in those areas?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today's message focused on the transformative power of Jesus Christ and the importance of faith-oriented environments. We began by examining the story of a woman who had been hemorrhaging for 12 years and believed that touching Jesus' robe would heal her. Her faith led to her healing, demonstrating that Jesus knows exactly what we need and can make us whole. We then transitioned to the story of Jairus' daughter, emphasizing the importance of staying in faith even when situations go from bad to worse. Jesus' response to Jairus was to "just have faith," teaching us that we should lean on Jesus more when things get worse, not less.

The sermon also highlighted the significance of our environments in experiencing miracles. Jesus often shrank the circle of people around Him to create a faith-filled environment, as seen in the stories of Jairus' daughter and the woman with the issue of blood. This principle was further illustrated through various biblical examples, such as Elijah and Elisha, who both created specific environments conducive to miracles.

We then delved into the story of a demon-possessed man living among the tombs. Despite his dire situation, the presence of Jesus brought immediate change. The man, filled with evil spirits, ran to Jesus and bowed before Him, showing that even evil spirits are subject to Jesus. This story underscores the power of Jesus' name and the importance of calling on Him in times of spiritual bondage.

The message concluded with a call to humility and faith. Miracles often begin with a humble approach to Jesus, acknowledging our inability to fix our situations on our own. Whether it's a medical, mental, or relational issue, the key is to come to Jesus humbly and in faith, trusting that He can and will perform miracles in our lives.

###

Key Takeaways

1. oriented environments by shrinking the circle of people around Him. This principle is crucial for us today; our environments can either feed our faith or fuel our doubts. Surrounding ourselves with faith-filled individuals can be the difference between experiencing a miracle and missing out on one. [10:55]
4. The Authority of Jesus' Name: The story of the demon-possessed man shows that even evil spirits are subject to Jesus. This underscores the power of Jesus' name in breaking spiritual bondage. When we call on Jesus, we invoke a power that can break any chain, heal any wound, and restore any life.

5. Humility and Miracles: Every miracle in Mark 5 began with an act of humility. Whether it was the woman with the issue of blood, Jairus, or the demon-possessed man, each approached Jesus with a humble heart. This teaches us that humility is a prerequisite for experiencing God's miraculous power. We must acknowledge our limitations and come to Jesus in faith, trusting Him to do what we cannot.

### [10:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:58] - The Woman with the Issue of Blood
[03:37] - Introduction to Mark Chapter 5
[05:08] - The Demon-Possessed Man
[07:22] - Jairus' Daughter and Staying in Faith
[10:55] - The Importance of Faith-Oriented Environments
[14:18] - Examples of Faith Environments in Scripture
[18:48] - Jesus Heals the Deaf and Mute Man
[20:18] - The Blind Man of Bethsaida
[21:45] - Peter's Miracles in Acts
[23:21] - The Power of Jesus' Words
[25:15] - The Resurrection of Lazarus
[28:17] - The Storm Before the Miracle
[31:23] - The Authority of Jesus' Name
[33:23] - Jesus Confronts the Evil Spirits
[37:54] - The Demons Enter the Pigs
[41:18] - The Cost of Deliverance
[43:08] - Jesus' Mission for the Delivered Man
[47:12] - The Role of Humility in Miracles
[49:30] - Closing Prayer and Call to Humility

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Mark 5:1-6 (NLT) — > "So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him."

2. Mark 5:25-34 (NLT)
> "A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. 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. In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, 'If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.' Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my robe?' His disciples said to him, 'Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, "Who touched me?"' But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. And he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.'"

3. Mark 5:35-43 (NLT)
> "While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, 'Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.' But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, 'Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.' Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. He went inside and asked, 'Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.' The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Holding her hand, he said to her, 'Talitha koum,' which means 'Little girl, get up!' And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he told them to give her something to eat."

Observation Questions

What did the woman with the issue of blood believe would heal her? ([01:58])
How did Jesus respond to Jairus when he was told his daughter had died? ([07:22])
What was the reaction of the demon-possessed man when he saw Jesus from a distance? ([30:52])
How did Jesus create a faith-oriented environment when he went to heal Jairus' daughter? ([10:55])

Interpretation Questions

What does the story of the woman with the issue of blood teach us about the nature of faith and action? ([01:58])
How can the principle of creating a faith-oriented environment be applied in our daily lives? ([10:55])
Why is it significant that even evil spirits are subject to Jesus, as seen in the story of the demon-possessed man? ([31:23])
How does humility play a role in experiencing miracles, according to the sermon? ([47:12])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you had to take a bold step of faith. How did it impact your situation and your relationship with Jesus? ([01:58])
When faced with worsening situations, how can you remind yourself to lean on Jesus more rather than less? ([07:22])
Are there any environments in your life that might be hindering your faith? What steps can you take to create a more faith-oriented environment? ([10:55])
Have you ever experienced the power of Jesus' name in breaking spiritual bondage? How did it change your perspective on spiritual warfare? ([31:23])
In what areas of your life do you need to approach Jesus with more humility? How can you practice this humility daily? ([47:12])
Think of someone in your life who is in need of a miracle. How can you support them in creating a faith-filled environment? ([10:55])
How can you actively cultivate a humble heart that acknowledges your limitations and trusts in Jesus' power to perform miracles? ([47:12])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Understand, the one who made you knows exactly what's wrong with you. Verse 26, we see all these efforts that she's making, and it's gotten worse. But verse 27, the first five words, the first five words of verse 27 blessed me, because it says she had heard about Jesus. She snuck up on him, said, after I heard that about Jesus, I said, he got what I need." [01:58] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "For those of you who are waiting on God to do a miracle, stay in faith. Everybody say that, stay in faith. You got to stay in faith. Now, to say that his situation went from bad to worse is an understatement. I mean, this is a bad situation. But think about how unwise it is, what the people told him to do. They said, leave Jesus alone. It's too late. And I'm saying, if you're waiting on God to do something, and who or what you're waiting on him to do it for gets worse, that ain't a time to leave Jesus." [07:22] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "See, staying in faith doesn't mean you're in denial. It just means I'm going to trust God no matter what. No matter how this turns out, I'm going to trust God through it all. Whatever he does, I'm staying with God. If you want to, listen, you have a right not to trust him. You have a right. If somebody wants to give up on the situation, that's their right. Just as they have a right to give up, you have a right to stay in faith and say, I'm going to trust God no matter how this turns out." [10:10] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Some of you have been behind a door that won't open for you because of your race and because of your background and because of something in your life. But the Lord's going to Ephatha your situation because he's a miracle worker. And when he does it, don't you ask him, is that cute? Because it wasn't by power and it wasn't by might. Come on, talk to me. It was by his spirit that he did it. You didn't have enough education to get it. You didn't have enough network." [17:00] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "I'm saying some miracles will have you laid up in the hospital with tubes going off in your body and blood coming out everywhere. And God has to take you through, you understand what I'm saying? And God's got to take you through. And God's got to take you through that to get you to the other side. Your miracle will be messy. I'm telling you, for what I'm asking God for, I don't get hawk spit. Do all that, whatever, whatever it takes." [15:39] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "When you need a miracle, your environment is critical to your miracle. And some of us are one environment shift from a miracle. We just are loyal to environments that don't feed our faith. And so when he gets to Jairus' house in verse 40, there are people there to start laughing at him when she says her situation is temporary. She's just sleeping. She's not dead permanently, and the people laugh. So in verse 40, you know what he does? He shrinks the room. He changes the environment because he's only going to allow the mother, the father, and his three disciples to see this miracle because he wants an environment of faith." [11:36] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "And some of you are one environment shift from a miracle. You have a loyalty to environments. And God says, I'm trying to get you a miracle, but I'm not going to do it in the village. Let me keep going. Am I boring y'all? I don't care. Let's go to chapter 9. Chapter 9 of Acts. This is going to be like Bible study today. Acts chapter 9, verse 32 says, Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydia. There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years." [21:05] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "And the reason why these people couldn't appreciate it because they counting up the costs. We lost all these people. So you know what they said to him? They said, Jesus, can you please leave? And that's why the negotiation was so important because the spirit, the evil spirits are still controlling the region. That's why the man in verse 18, you know, the man said, Jesus, can I go with you? The people are saying, Jesus, please leave. And the people are saying, Jesus, the people are saying, Jesus, please leave. And the man is saying, can I go with you?" [42:02] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "And I'm saying you will never get that money back from the lawyer. You will never get back what you lost. You may not never get your, your, your GS 15, whatever status you had that gave you clearance because you don't lost all that trying to save your child. But I'm telling you, if the Lord give you your child back, it's worth everything you lost to get it. I don't care what you say. You can have the car. I can get another car. You can burn down the whole house. I can get another house. You can take my license. You can. You can take my credentials, but I got my child back." [42:40] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "And I'm telling you right now, one word from Jesus can get your child up. Up and out of whatever situation. They are falling into. One word from God. Get up. Because when Jesus says get up, his get up is so powerful. Whatever is holding you down has got to let you go. I said whatever is holding you down, if he just comes past you and says get up, you got to get up. Depression can't hold you down. Addiction can't hold you down. Sickness can't hold you down." [24:46] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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