Healing by Faith: Reaching for Jesus

And it is important to notice what Jesus did first. He forgave the man’s sins before He healed his body.

"But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—he said to the paralytic— ‘I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.’" (Mark 2:10–11)

Jesus addressed the deeper need before the physical one. Then He healed him completely.

That kind of faith is active. It is persistent. It does not sit quietly and hope for the best. It presses in, it intercedes, and it believes even when the outcome is not yet visible.

And I told my friends something else. I told them that just like the woman with the issue of blood, they also have a part to play.

"She said to herself, ‘If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.’" (Matthew 9:21)

This woman had suffered for twelve years. Twelve years of pain, disappointment, and likely unanswered questions. Yet something in her spirit rose up with faith. Not loud, not performative, but deeply personal and unwavering.

She reached.

"Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well." (Matthew 9:22)

Jesus made it clear that her faith was the key to her healing.

There is something powerful about faith that moves the heart of God.

Now, we need to be careful here. Faith is not a formula that forces God’s hand. God is sovereign. His ways are higher than ours, and His timing is perfect even when we do not understand it.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8)

But Scripture is clear that faith matters. Faith pleases God. Faith positions us to receive what He has promised.

"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

When we talk about healing, we have to start with who God is.

"I am the Lord, who heals you." (Exodus 15:26)

Healing is not something God occasionally does. It is part of His nature. He is our healer.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3)

Notice that this verse does not limit healing to physical bodies. God heals hearts. He heals emotional wounds. He restores what has been broken in ways only He can.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)

Through Jesus, healing was not just demonstrated. It was secured. At the cross, He carried our sin, our shame, and yes, our sickness. This does not mean we will never face illness or pain, but it does mean that healing is part of the redemptive work of Christ.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases." (Psalm 103:2–3)

Sometimes we forget. Not intentionally, but slowly. Life happens. Prayers feel delayed. Situations linger longer than we expected. And before we know it, our faith begins to shrink.

That is why remembering matters.

We have to look back at what God has already done. The prayers He has answered. The doors He has opened. The ways He has provided when there seemed to be no way.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

If He healed then, He is still able to heal now.

If He made a way then, He is still able to make a way now.

God’s faithfulness in the past is evidence we can stand on in the present.

True faith is not just believing that God is able, but trusting Him completely in how He chooses to move.

That kind of faith does not ignore reality. It simply refuses to let reality have the final word.

When we pray for healing, we are not speaking into emptiness. We are speaking to a living, active, loving God who hears us.

"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." (1 John 5:14)

"Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." (Matthew 21:22)

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24)

These are not empty promises. These are invitations into deeper trust.

But here is where many of us wrestle. What happens when healing does not come immediately? What happens when the answer looks different than what we expected?

We hold on.

We keep praying.

We keep believing that God is still working, even when we cannot see it.

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is not dependent on visible results. It is anchored in the character of God.

And sometimes, healing is not just about the body. Sometimes it is about what God is doing in the soul while we wait.

This does not make the pain less real. It does not make the struggle easier. But it reminds us that God wastes nothing.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

To my friends, and to anyone reading this who is in need of healing, I want you to hear this clearly.

You are not forgotten.

You are not overlooked.

And your situation is not beyond the reach of God.

Whether you are the one lying on the mat, unable to carry yourself, or the one reaching through the crowd just to touch His garment, Jesus sees you.

And He responds to faith.

So let us be women who carry each other to Jesus.

Let us be women who reach for Him with everything we have.

Let us be women who remember His faithfulness and stand on His promises.

Application

Take a moment and ask yourself honestly. Where do I need healing right now?

Is it physical? Is it emotional? Is it something deep in your heart that no one else sees?

Now bring that need before God.

Speak it out in prayer. Write it down if you need to. And then begin to build your faith intentionally.

Go back and remember what God has already done in your life.

Find Scriptures on healing and speak them over yourself daily.

Invite trusted friends to pray with you and for you.

And most importantly, reach for Jesus.

Even if your faith feels small, reach anyway.

"If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed... nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)

Your faith does not have to be perfect. It just has to be placed in the right person.