Jesus and Two Suffering Women: In the Crowds

Devotional

Day 1: The Atmosphere of Faith You Carry

Every person carries a personal atmosphere of faith into the spaces they inhabit. This surrounding influence is not merely an internal feeling but a tangible force that can impact your environment and interactions. It is the essence of your belief, made visible through your actions and expectations. Consider what kind of atmosphere you are bringing into your home, your workplace, and your community. Your faith has the power to shape the world immediately around you. [03:45]

And a large crowd followed him and thronged about him. 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 5:24-28, ESV)

Reflection: As you move through your various spaces this week, what kind of atmosphere are you most aware of carrying? Is it one of hope and expectation, or something else? What is one practical way you can intentionally cultivate an atmosphere of faith in your primary relationships?

Day 2: Desperation That Drives You to Jesus

Desperation can be a powerful catalyst, leading either to despair or to divine encounter. When faced with impossible situations, the natural human response is often to retreat into isolation or self-protection. Yet, these very moments of profound need can become the doorway to experiencing God's power and grace. Your deepest point of weakness is where His strength is made perfect. Allow your desperation to drive you toward Christ, not away from Him. [14:16]

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. (2 Corinthians 1:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: What is a situation in your life right now that feels desperate or impossible? How might God be inviting you to shift from a posture of self-reliance or isolation to one of actively bringing that need to Him in expectant prayer?

Day 3: Building God’s Resume from Your History

God is not a stranger to your story; He has a proven track record of faithfulness throughout your life. It is vital to remember His past deliverances, provisions, and guidance as you face new challenges. Recalling these specific moments builds a foundation of trust for the future. Take time to reflect on and document what He has done, for your history with God is the greatest testament to His character. [18:54]

I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. (Psalm 77:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: What are three specific instances from your past where you clearly saw God’s provision, guidance, or deliverance? How can remembering these “entries” on His resume in your life fuel your faith for what you are believing Him for today?

Day 4: The Power of a Touch and a Testimony

Faith is not a silent, private transaction; it is a dynamic exchange that impacts both you and the heart of God. Jesus values not only your act of reaching out to Him in faith but also your willingness to testify to what He has done. Sharing your story brings glory to God and encourages the faith of others. Your testimony has the power to make your healing complete and to strengthen the community around you. [24:59]

Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” (Mark 5:33-34, NIV)

Reflection: Is there a specific work God has done in your life that you have been hesitant to share with others? What would it look like for you to “tell the whole truth” about His faithfulness to someone this week, and how might that act of testimony deepen your own faith?

Day 5: Don’t Be Afraid; Just Believe

In the face of devastating news and seemingly final outcomes, Jesus speaks a counter-cultural command: to choose belief over fear. The world may declare a situation hopeless, but Christ invites you to fix your eyes on His power, not the problem. This is not a denial of reality but a supernatural shift in perspective. His presence is the catalyst that changes everything, transforming what appears to be death into life. [28:56]

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” (Mark 5:36, NIV)

Reflection: Where in your life are you most tempted to listen to the voice that says, “Don’t bother anymore,” believing a situation is beyond hope? What is one step you can take this week to actively choose belief and reject fear in that specific area?

Sermon Summary

District Church life unfolds as a house of miracles, and atmosphere proves decisive in spiritual outcomes. Atmosphere means a surrounding influence or environment, and every person carries a personal atmosphere of faith that shapes the spaces they inhabit. Faith, when present, opens doors for what Jesus will release; when absent or timid, faith constrains what God appears willing to do. Nazareth illustrates this tension: limited faith narrowed the scope of miracles, while other moments in the Gospels show faith unlocking greater works.

Mark 5 (verses 21–43) supplies a portrait of faith in action through two intertwined stories. Jairus, a synagogue leader, approaches Jesus with urgent faith for his dying daughter, while a woman, twelve years afflicted by bleeding, presses through the crowd believing a touch of Jesus’ garment will heal her. The woman’s touch transfers power, and Jesus confronts her openly, saying, “Your faith has healed you,” then moves on to Jairus’ home, where he raises the girl—Talitha kum—stating that she is not dead but asleep. Both accounts highlight desperation redirected toward Jesus: desperation can destroy or deliver, depending on whether it drives a person away from or toward God.

Practical faith grows from remembering God’s past faithfulness—building a resume of what God has done in personal history rather than treating God as inexperienced or distant. Experience with a faithful God breeds confidence to ask for more and to believe for specific outcomes. Community matters: Jesus narrows the circle at pivotal moments to cultivate an atmosphere of faith, and believers should seek substituting hopers—people who keep hope alive when personal hope sleeps. Such companions sustain prayer, strengthen resolve, and act as conduits for revival when individual faith falters.

The gathering culminates in an invitation to press into Jesus’ presence for healing—physical, mental, emotional, and relational—while affirming that one moment with Christ can shift a life’s trajectory. Prayer teams stand ready to pray with those who need healing or who wish to borrow faith, reinforcing that faith functions both individually and communally to unlock God’s work.

Key Takeaways

1. Everyone carries an atmosphere of faith Personal faith carries an environmental force that shapes encounters and outcomes. Identifying the atmosphere one brings into work, home, and community clarifies whether those spaces will cultivate hope or cynicism. Intentionally cultivating a faith-filled atmosphere reorients behavior and prayer toward expecting God to move. [03:27]
2. Faith influences what God releases Gospel scenes reveal that faith sometimes determines the scope of God’s works. Limited local belief in Nazareth curtailed Jesus’ miracles, while bold trust elsewhere unlocked power. Asking and believing for specific things invites God to respond in ways that general requests often do not. [06:34]
3. Desperation can drive you to Jesus Deep need can lead either to despair or to direct contact with God. Jairus and the bleeding woman show that desperation, when redirected toward Jesus, catalyzes healing and restoration. Choosing Jesus over isolation or quick fixes opens space for resurrection moments. [13:56]
4. Build God's resume in your life Remembering and recording God’s past faithfulness strengthens future faith. Treating God as experienced in one’s personal history supplies confidence to entrust him with new, specific requests. A living resume of answered prayers shifts doubt into expectant petition and action. [18:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:23] - Living in a House of Miracles
[02:26] - Atmospheres Really Matter
[03:27] - Carrying a Personal Atmosphere of Faith
[06:34] - Nazareth: Faith Limits Miracles
[10:56] - Mark 5: Jairus Comes Urgently
[11:25] - The Woman Who Touched Jesus
[13:34] - Talitha Kum: Girl Raised
[18:54] - Building God’s Resume in Life
[30:29] - Creating an Atmosphere of Faith
[32:44] - Invitation: Prayer and Healing
[40:19] - Closing and Online Information

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Mark 5:21–43 (ESV)

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Observation questions

In Mark 5:21–24, how does Jairus approach Jesus, and what specific request does he make?
What details does Mark 5:25–34 provide about the woman’s condition, her actions, and Jesus’ response to her?
How does Jesus respond to the news that Jairus’ daughter has died (Mark 5:35–36), and what does He instruct Jairus to do?
What does Jesus say to the girl in Mark 5:41, and what is the immediate result?

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Interpretation questions

Why might Jesus have insisted on identifying the woman who touched His garment instead of letting her remain anonymous? [23:24]
Jesus tells Jairus, “Do not fear, only believe” (v. 36). What might have been the underlying fear Jairus faced, and how does faith counteract fear in desperate situations?
Jesus took only Peter, James, John, and the girl’s parents into the room with Him. What significance might there be in intentionally limiting who was present for this miracle? [29:59]
Jesus tells the woman, “Your faith has made you well” (v. 34). How does her faith actively participate in her healing, and what does this reveal about how God often works?

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Application questions

Everyone carries a personal atmosphere of faith into the spaces they inhabit—home, work, or community. What kind of atmosphere are you bringing into your daily environments? [03:45]
Desperation can either drive people away from God or directly toward Him. What is one area of desperation in your life right now, and how can you intentionally redirect it toward Jesus instead of isolation or despair? [13:56]
Building a “resume of God’s faithfulness” in your life strengthens future faith. What are 2–3 specific moments in your past where God clearly showed up for you? How can remembering those moments help you trust Him for what you’re facing now? [18:54]
Jesus often narrows the circle to cultivate an atmosphere of faith. Who are the “substitute hopers” in your life—people who keep hope alive for you when your own hope is weak? [31:22]
Are there specific situations where you’ve been treating God as though He has no prior experience in your life? What would it look like this week to actively “hire Him” for something new or difficult you’re facing? [17:32]
Is there an area where you’ve given up praying because it feels like you’re “bothering” God? How can Jesus’ response to Jairus and the woman encourage you to keep asking, even when things seem impossible? [28:56]
If you could touch the edge of Jesus’ robe today—symbolically reaching out in faith—what is one specific area of healing (physical, emotional, mental, or relational) you would ask for? [33:31]

Sermon Clips

And I love how Jairus and this woman allow their desperation to drive them to Jesus. I don't I don't know about you, but I hate feeling desperate. I hate feeling needy. But God's grace is only available to those in need. The reason God's grace is sufficient is because my abilities are not. The the reason that his power is made perfect in my weakness is because I don't have it all together to be powerful enough on my own. The things that I'm praying for in my kids' lives for district church, for epic church, they're not going to happen by me being brilliant. [00:20:36] (34 seconds) #GraceInWeakness

So when it comes to a new thing in my life, and I'm going like, will I trust God for the new thing in my life, for our marriage, for our family, for our church? I don't need to approach him like he's not ever had a job in my life before. And when I look at his resume, when you look at his resume, shouldn't you hire him for the new thing and the next thing? It's it's time to stop treating God like he's got no prior experience. And I don't mean in history. I'm not talking about old testament, new testament. I mean your testament. Amen. [00:18:39] (34 seconds) #TrustGodsResume

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Jesus and Two Suffering Women: In the Crowds | Pastor Ben Pilgreen