Are you a Believer or a Fan of Jesus?

In the Holy Bible there is mention of woman that touched the hem of Jesus’ garment for healing, three different parts of scripture in the book of Matthew and Luke are told from a different perspective. Luke 8:43-46— “Now as 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.”

Jesus was on his way to Jairus’ house to heal the man’s 12-year-old daughter when he was approached by the locals that snatched at his clothes drawn to his fame. Fanatics reached for him in awe, grabbing at his clothing. Like fans at a concert, the crowds were going wild for the one who works miracles, anxious to witness his works or draw healing from Him. These people touching him, watch with their physical eyes, and feel with their hands, following with intrigue and curiosity. They hang to every word because it is sensational and tickles their ears, or they are bedazzled. When this woman suffering from a blood disease touched the finished part of Jesus’ robe, she was healed by her faith in his works not fascination.

Today there are two types of Christians when it comes to the concept of faith: the “hem-touchers” and the “hopeful”. Hebrews 11:1— “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” A believer is a “Bible Literalist”, and they will take every word literally up to the point it can only be interpreted as metaphorical, allegorical, or symbolism.  This scripture instructs us to not ONLY hope for something but to also believe it is done, even if it is invisible to our mortal eyes. We can physically behold an x-ray of a broken bone, but we cannot see it being mended through supernatural healing. The heart is an organ in our bodies that does more than just pump blood.

Studies done in 2001-2015 by the HeartMath Institute have revealed that the heart can secrete hormones such as Oxytocin (the “Love Hormone.”) The heart and soul are synonymous to one another. Just as the brain is linked to the heart through the nervous system. Our hearts are affected by our actions, especially prayers of Thanksgiving. When we pray with Thankful hearts, there is a rhythmic pattern that leads to our stress levels lowering which in turn leads to strengthening of our immune system and overall mood improvement.

How we think beyond logic and build on our morality is part of who we are as humans. If we practice virtues, we are bettering ourselves and improve upon how we treat others, this applies to how we exercise our faith. To hope means to desire and wait for it to happen, but to believe means to know with confidence it will happen or has already happened. There are those that will say “I believe He can,” and there are those that say, “I believe he has.” Your attitude towards God will determine what you receive. The motivational speaker and American author Zig Ziglar, has a quote that gained fame in the business world— “It’s your attitude, not your aptitude that will determine your altitude.” Your success is based on your perception, not your skills. It is God’s Will for each of us to prosper, but it is how we view and trust him that will affect our lives for better or for worst.

I am not bashing anyone’s faith nor saying that you don’t have faith at all because as it is told in Matthew 17:20—“So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and  it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” I have said this before, and I will say it again. Even a miniscule amount of faith is enough, but you need to abandon all unbelief (worries and fears) to put that faith into action and receive healing or tap into that God-given power he has granted all believers. It is through us, Christ works but to be a willing vessel we must do as it says in Philippians 4:6— “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”

Notice, prayer is not the ONLY thing mentioned, although there is power in prayer as told in James 5:13-14— “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with the oil in the name of the Lord.” Supplication is included with prayer, and it means to humble oneself and make their requests known through submission to the Lord. Thanksgiving is also involved with these 2 actions, and this is giving thanks to God for all the blessings you have received. If all 3 are combined, that is a powerful combination that leads to proclamation of your confidence in Yahweh. He has detailed his expectations of us, now we should always know he keeps his promises in exchange for worship because we honor him through our obedience.