We are now transitioning into our journey—from the Prodigal Son, who was healthy but chose to live away from his father’s house, to someone who had been sick for twelve years. The writer of this story is St. Luke, who was a physician before becoming a disciple; therefore, he understood the extent of the disease and how overwhelming it can be.
Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, ‘Who touched Me?’ When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, ‘Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ But Jesus said, ‘Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.’ Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, ‘Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.(Luke 8:43-48)
This woman is like many of us, desperately trying to escape the deep struggles within ourselves. Her problem lay in her blood. For twelve long years, she had been dealing with this issue, seeking help from countless physicians who could not heal her. She had exhausted all her resources—as the Bible tells us—losing blood year after year and growing weaker and weaker. This was even more challenging for her under the restrictions of the Levitical law.
Levitical Law
According to the Levitical law, a woman who experiences abnormal bleeding for an extended period—either outside her regular monthly cycle or beyond her usual time of menstruation—is regarded as unclean. Anything or anyone she comes into contact withies also considered unclean.
“ When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean … Anyone who touches them will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.” (Leviticus 15:25-30 NIV).
The Jewish community viewed such a woman as unclean, forcing her to isolate herself and endure judgmental stares that only further burdened her shattered soul. It’s no surprise she was willing to spend everything she had to seek a cure, as her current existence felt devoid of any true meaning or value.
That is the reality for many of us. We find ourselves trapped in cycles of living with pornography—attempting to quit over and over, only to be met with failure. With each failed attempt, our hope diminishes. As the years pass, we feel ourselves growing weaker. Perhaps you have heard that inner voice, the one that insists we will never break free, that our lives are destined to be consumed by this addiction.
When the woman heard Jesus approaching, a small spark of hope ignited within her. If she could just touch His clothes, she believed she would be healed. Surely, she had heard of the many miracles He had performed before. Despite knowing she was unclean and fearful of His judgment—what if He sent her away?—she took a risk. A whirlwind of questions flooded her mind: how could He touch me when I am impure? What if others saw and, in doing so, rendered Him ceremonially unclean? Surrounded by a pressing crowd, she knew it would be nearly impossible to approach Him openly.
Taking Action
The woman decided to discreetly approach from behind and gently touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, hoping not to be noticed amidst the throng. He granted her immediate healing as a reward for enduring all that it took to reach out to Him. Although she felt unclean, He welcomed her forward to publicly display her faith. Jesus acknowledged, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” It’s incredible that He said that.
This isn’t a matter of merely asking and receiving; it’s about approaching with a humble heart—one that is fully aware of its own sickness—to access God’s unlimited power and healing. That woman didn’t ask for healing; she simply reached out, and He let her receive His grace.
Today, will you approach Him with a humble heart, or will you say, “I am unclean”? He is passing through your life tonight. The question is, will you extend your hand to touch His garment? Will you receive from Him, or will you get busy trying to heal your broken soul through self-help measures, doctors, or other sacrifices?
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17 ESV).
Perhaps some of us have spent twelve years trying countless methods to quit porn, only to fail each time. Maybe we have exhausted our finances in our search for a solution—just as the woman had spent all her livelihood—yet, Jesus stands outside our door every day, knocking.
Know your battle. This woman was broken in heart, tired in body, ashamed before everyone, and even worried that the only master who could heal her might also reject her because of her impurity. Yet, she overcame all of that and reached out without even asking. He blessed her and healed her. That was her battle.
And you, my beloved fighter, your battle is not only with the addiction that has tainted your life for years. Your real battle is with the feelings of exhaustion, depression, shame, and unworthiness that keep you from standing before Him. Once you conquer this inner obstacle and reach out to Him in prayer, Jesus will acknowledge that He has transferred power to you. With that power, you can experience healing and overcome your addiction, making the burden easier to bear.
Dear fighter, let us keep praying. Our simple prayers are like touching His garment—opening the door for Him to work miracles in our lives. Just as He healed the bleeding woman, He will respond to anyone who humbly approaches Him in prayer each day.
Start with five minutes of prayer.
WinThisBattle!
