Draw near to God – Breakthrough series week 3

Joke:  Two boys were walking home from Sunday school after hearing some strong preaching on the devil. One said to the other, “What do you think about all this Satan stuff?”

The other boy replied, “Well, you know how Santa Claus turned out. It’s probably just your dad.”

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Well here we are in our Breakthrough Series I think I’ll have next week to finish it off, and if you haven’t picked this up yet during this series let me share it once more you must never forget that praise and thanksgiving is key to God doing miracles and breakthrough in your life.

We have been looking at how to position ourselves to receive a breakthrough. How do we overcome the impossible situations we are facing in our life? As we position ourselves for breakthrough, we are going to see God do incredible things.

We serve a God that still does miracles and loves to breakthrough impossible situations. A couple of weeks ago, we talked about the importance of believing big and praying big. Last week, we talked about overcoming impossibilities instead of allowing impossibilities to overcome us and becoming desperate for God.

Today, I want to talk about another important thing we must do to position ourselves for breakthrough. We need to get as close to Jesus as we possibly can. So many people know about Jesus, but we need not just know about Him we need to know Him.

See truth is, you can know about Jesus and your heart can still be a million miles away from Him.

Isaiah 29:13 (NIV): 13 The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.

The closer we are to Jesus the more we are going to see breakthrough in our lives. We are going to see His promises come true. We will see the impossible become possible.  For Scripture tells us that with God nothing is impossible.

And the fact is Jesus wants to be close with everyone here today.  And not just for you here, but for all humanity.  He wants to fight your battles for you. Our motivation in desiring to be close to Jesus should be to know Him more and build a deep relationship with Him. The deeper your relationship is with Him the more resolute you will be when impossibilities come into your life. It’s where we build trust.

The enemy knows the power there is in being close to Jesus. He does everything he can to keep us from it.

Building a close relationship with the Lord takes time, It takes digging into Scripture and spending time with Him in prayer. When I talk about prayer, I mean talking to Jesus as a friend. And not just asking but listening as well.

I was fortunate this week to spend a couple days at the prayer cabin at Cran Hill.  Just a great place to spend in the quiet.  To spend time without the distractions and just find yourself in the presence of the Lord.  Talking with the Father.  Taking walks through the woods just mediating on the Lord.  Worshipping in the cabin.

But here this church the enemy does everything he can to stop this kind of relationship from happening. He loves to place doubt into our mind and heart.  He loves to throw in all sorts of distractions.

(Give examples of distractions. . .phone rings, baby cries, etc)

He does everything he can to convince us God is not good. He tries to mess up our priorities and get us to put everything in our lives before Jesus. He knows the power there is in a close relationship with Him. It’s where a “peace that passes all understanding” comes from it’s where you find the “joy that will be our strength.”

If you are disconnected from Jesus, you won’t know the peace and joy that is available to you.

Let me make this clear: being close to Jesus doesn’t guarantee life will be perfect. In fact, the closer you get to Jesus, be ready. The more intense the battle might become.

Remember, the enemy doesn’t want you close to Jesus. He will do ANYTHING to keep you from experiencing all Jesus has to offer.

No matter how intense the battle is, remember that every step you take towards Jesus will be worth it!

Listen I lost some friends when the Lord found me.  Even my parents didn’t quite get it for a while.   I began to see some things in my life change.  But every step I’ve made on this journey has been worth it.

Let me pause here a minute and have you look at a scene from the movie Breakthrough.  In it Joyce and her husband Brian have a little disagreement about what is taking place and Joyce confronts him in John’s room.

Play week 3 video

This morning, I want to share with you a miracle from the Bible that shows what can happen when we get close to Jesus.  Luke 8 gives us two examples of people who positioned themselves for a miracle.

Luke was a doctor and he writes from the perspective of a doctor. We know that when a doctor declares someone’s healing as a miracle. . .well that’s an incredible testimony.

Let’s read Luke 8:43-48:

Luke 8:43–48 (NIV): And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

This woman was desperate. She needed a miracle. She was out of options. 12 years! For 12 years she had hemorrhaged. It had been 12 years of pain and anguish, of being labeled unclean and avoided. She had paid every dollar she had to every doctor she could find, but she only got worse. And now she was left with no money and little hope.

Many people would have given up by this point and accepted that was how life was going to be.

At the brink of despair, she hears about a final option: a man people claim is a miracle worker, a true healer. Could the stories about this man actually be true?

As a young Jewish girl, she would have been taught about God and how He helps the hurting. She would have heard these words from Scripture, “Under his wings you will find refuge.” (Psalms 91:4). She would have learned of God’s promise to send a Messiah to rescue His people. And she must surely have taken these words of Malachi to heart, “For you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.” (Malachi 4:2 NLT)

A messiah was coming, and this “Sun of Righteousness” would have healing in His wings. She had to find out if this was the man she had learned about.

How and why did this woman decide to get close to Jesus? Well for one desperation.  Remember I mentioned last week that there are times that desperation is good.  And that is when it forces us to run towards Jesus.

What made her think that after all these years of living with this condition she could be healed? What made her think that Jesus would even heal her?

She was an outcast. She was putting her life at risk even going to Jesus.  But she was desperate, she was driven. She was driven by her belief that Jesus was who He said He was and could do what He said He could do. She had to get close to Jesus. That was where she would find her breakthrough.

There were three things about this woman that caused her to do whatever it took to get close to Jesus. Let’s look at them together for I believe they can teach us today as well.

Point #1 – Belief brings you close.

 Have you ever thought about what it would have taken for this woman to get close to Jesus?

More than likely, she would have to travel a distance to get to Him. She might also struggle with being anemic due to the constant blood loss.

The journey to Jesus would have been difficult for many reasons. She was weak and tired, it would be a long distance, and she had no transportation. Because of her sickness, she was considered unclean and cursed. No one would have helped her.

So, she sets out on foot. . .alone. Her mind probably taunts her as the enemy is doing his best to keep her sick and away from Jesus. I can just hear the conversation going on in her head: “What a stupid thing to have hope based on a rumor! Do you really think YOU can be healed?  You of al people.  After all these years? After all you have gone through? You need to give up and accept your fate.” You can’t even touch Him if you get to Him.  Remember your unclean.

Giving up was the last thing she was going to do. She had come too far. She was determined to push on. Her belief in Jesus was what pushed her forward. She had come too far to quit. She had heard to many stories.  If Jesus helped them surely He would help her.

Church, you might be facing a series of problems that seem impossible. Don’t give up. You have come too far. Don’t run away from Jesus, run to Him.

The journey can be long, but don’t give up. Continue pushing toward Jesus. He’s worth it. The closer you get to Him, the more incredible life gets. The enemy will taunt you, he will get you to think it’s not worth it, you can’t get close to Him, but you need to serve him notice, I’m pushing through.

Imagine, she had never even met Jesus before. She was going on faith that Jesus was who He said He was and could do what He said He can do.

The same holds true for us today.  I have never seen Jesus face-to-face.  But we have to step out in faith and trust He is who He says He is.

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV): Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

When Thomas say Jesus with the holes in his hand, with His side pierced.  Jesus said blessed are those who have not seen yer believe.

Church we can’t wait until a crisis comes to get close to Jesus. We shouldn’t have to have a crisis to cause us to draw close to Jesus. If you are close to Him in the good times, you will be ready to face the problems, the challenges, the seemingly impossible circumstances that comes your way.

Point #2 – Pushing through to get close.

The story doesn’t end with her just making the journey. She found Jesus, but now He was completely surrounded by a crowd. It seemed like the whole town was there trying to get to Jesus.

People are pressing in on Him, perhaps shouting their needs at Him, trying to get Him to come close.

She stands back and considers the situation. How can she get to Him? Remember, she is a social outcast. She can’t squeeze her way through the crowd without touching people. If they notice her, they can haul her away or even kill her.

At this point, many people would have given up in frustration they may say, “I came all this way, and I can’t even get to him!” Not her. She was determined she was desperate.

We talked about desperation last week. When you are desperate, you will push through any crowd you need to get to Jesus.

She knew Jesus was her only hope. She understood that this might be her last chance. “I can’t turn back now,” she thought. “I won’t turn back now. I’m not giving up until I’m healed.” But the crowds. How could she get to Him? She had no other choice; she had to get close to Jesus.

I wonder if she encouraged herself with the thought, “If I could only touch His cloak, I will be healed.”

How would that be enough, though? Why would she think that just touching His clothes would be enough?

Remember the verse about the Messiah I mentioned in Malachi about Him having healing “in His wings”?

That verse was written in Hebrew, and the Hebrew word for wing is kanaph. Kanaph is also the word for the corner of a garment.

So this woman would have taken that ancient prophecy to mean that the Messiah would have healing in his kanaph. If this man was the Messiah, all she had to do was touch the corner of His cloak.

So with a determination renewed, she stepped into the crowd and pushed her way to the middle. She saw Him. His back was toward her. Perfect. She reaches out her hand and touches the edge of His cloak.

Immediately she was healed. She got close to Jesus and was healed.

Church, there are times we have to push through to Jesus. Everything in the world may be trying to keep us away from the very person we need the most. It may seem that the wall is not moving, like no one is listening.  Push through.

There is an old saying, it uses one word,  PUSH.  It stands for. . .Pray Until Something Happens. We need to PUSH through things and not give up.

The enemy loves to use guilt, shame, and fear to keep us away from Jesus. He says things to us like, “How could Jesus ever love you?

He knows what you did last night.” Or, another great line he uses, “Why would Jesus ever do a miracle for you? He knows your past.”

But church hear this, When the enemy tries to remind you of your past, that’s a great time for you to remind him of his future!

Don’t let your feelings or disappointments keep you away from Jesus.

It’s in those moments we need Him the most.

Don’t let anything or anyone keep you away from Jesus. Push through the crowds, the voices, the unbelief, the questions, the unknown.  For just a touch from the master can change your circumstance.  Just a touch can give you your breakthrough.

Point #3 – Realize that Jesus wants you close.

 Once she got close to Jesus and was healed, she now believed it was time to get away from Him. She tried to sneak away from the crowd before anyone recognized her.

Then she heard Jesus’s voice. He announced rather loudly that someone had just touched Him and been healed. She froze.

The people with Jesus told Him, with so many in the crowd, lots of people were touching Him. She breathed another sigh of relief and took another step away. But Jesus said, no, lots of people are touching Him, but only one person touched Him with faith that took healing power out of Him. She realized she could not go unnoticed.

Mark 5:33 (NIV): 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.

She told Jesus it was me. That was not part of her plan, but she was honest with Him about her problem.

This is critical, not just for her, but for us. In fact, I’m not sure we can get the miracle we seek without bringing Jesus the whole truth. Listen I’m not saying He doesn’t know your situation, but He wants us to confess with our lips.  Speak in faith.

In the Bible, we learn that God heals what we reveal but cannot heal what we conceal.

If you want healing, move close to Jesus and tell Him the whole truth. Tell Him what has happened, what you have done, how you are hurting, what you need from Him.

That’s what she did. She tells Jesus the whole truth. Then she waits. What would Jesus think? Would He even want her close to him?

There is a good chance she would have been terrified because she doesn’t know what’s about to happen. She does know that she has broken the law by coming in contact with the crowd. She does know she has made this rabbi unclean by touching him. Except for the fact that when the unclean touches the clean that’s Jesus the unclean comes clean.

She does not know that the situation is even worse than she imagines. Jesus is making His way to the house of a rich man named Jairus, whose little daughter is dying. Jairus is a synagogue ruler. That makes him important. He has status and respect. We also know that he has money because we are told he has servants. He is a somebody.

This woman. . .well she is not.

We know Jairus’s name; we don’t know hers. She is anonymous. Jairus was somebody; she was a nobody. A nobody that people would have thought was cursed. Back then, people thought you were cursed if you were sick.

What did Jesus say? He said, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole.” This is the only time in Scripture that Jesus calls someone by the endearment, Daughter.  

 Jesus pushed pause on Jairus and made him wait for a lady that would be considered a nobody.  An outcast.

He interrupted His time to be with a nobody. Why? Because, with Jesus, nobodies are somebodies.

Jesus then calls her up in front of the crowd and restores her. He didn’t just let her slip away. Why? Because she needed to be restored to her whole community.  She was clean.

All of the sudden this woman would have realized that Jesus “wanted” her to be close to Him. It didn’t matter what anyone else thought about her or if she was a “somebody.”

Jesus wants you to be close to Him today. No matter if you are a nobody or a somebody. He desires a close relationship with you. I want you to realize, just like the lady with the issue of blood realized, Jesus loves everyone the same. Scripture tells us that He is no respecter of persons.

Nothing you’ve done will stop Him from loving you.  The enemy may tell you otherwise, but he is the father of lies, and the accuser of the brethren.

Scripture tells us that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. The woman with the issue of blood is a great picture of that.

There really are two miracles here. The first being that she was healed physically. The second miracle was that she was completely reconciled to her community.

What has been keeping you away from Jesus?

Today, I pray you will make a renewed commitment to get close to Him. Don’t let anything or anyone keep you away from Him.  Including the enemy.

Get close to Jesus. Don’t let anyone keep you away from Him. The closer you are to Jesus, the more you will be positioned to see great miracles!  And receive your breakthrough.