From the desk of Steve Shultz:
I've always been intrigued by the story of the woman with the "issue of blood" who touched the hem of Jesus' garment. There's one word that describes why she would do this: she was "desperate" for a touch from God. One touch from Him—His power—can move mountains, bringing healing and deliverance and a great harvest as Luke Holter shares below. The Power of Christ is being released, and yes, it will be put on display as it was that day in the marketplace, as with the woman in Luke 8.
Here are also a couple of resources that will get you excited for the power of God to move in your midst:
Luke Holter:
"Get Ready for a Literal Display of My Glory in the Public Arena"
The Lord says to, "Get ready for a literal display of My glory in the public arena." This means a great testimony of the goodness of God will be coming to the media and entertainment industry. I believe that these testimonies will be used to provide an opportunity for the world to marvel at the power of God. These testimonies may start on the news from individuals that, all of a sudden, become gripped with a grateful heart—those who have felt a touch and power from Jesus.
I believe that we are entering into a season of great signs and wonders. I have been in the book of Luke for the past several months and cannot seem to move past the story of the woman with the issue of blood. I feel that we are right now on the cusp of an incredible harvest with signs and wonders bringing it in and following the harvest around. We are at a kairos moment of a great dispensing of the power of God released into the lives of the lost and broken.
Power of God Released
Luke 8:43-47: And there was a woman (who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds surround You and are pressing in on You!"
But Jesus said, "Someone touched Me, for I perceive that power has gone out from Me." And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before Him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."
In this story of the woman with the issue of blood, we see a desperate woman who has tried everything up to this point for healing and wholeness. We see a woman who is desperate for a touch. She recognizes the Messiah and pushes through the crowd to touch the fringe of Jesus' garment. She believed that Jesus carried the ability to bring her into wholeness.
Well, I believe this is the opportunity that the Church is being given at this moment: to carry the power of Christ into this world unto healing, deliverance, and wholeness to those who are desperate for a touch. We are surrounded by a people who are helpless and harassed, and we are to be filled with compassion for those who are not yet reconciled to God.
I was sitting at home with my wife and started meditating on the Scripture from Luke 8, and all at once my heart was filled with compassion and the Holy Spirit began to dialog with me on this very story. The Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, "I am calling in those who have issues and are ready to push through the crowd of their circumstances into the place of true relationship with Jesus. I am finding those who have set themselves aside in the place of desperation for a touch from Jesus. I am reaching out to the lost so they can bring in a great testimony into the Church and the world of what I have done for them."
The woman with the issue of blood pushed through the crowd in desperation, and she reached out and touched Jesus. When Jesus felt power leaving from Him, He stopped what He was doing so He could address the one who touched Him. There are several reasons that Jesus stopped to recognize the woman for touching Him. One reason I believe is so Jesus could restore her in front of everyone. Had she been healed and not been publicly restored, she would have later been stoned for her actions and for not declaring herself unclean. The other reason I believe that Jesus brought her out in front of everyone was to show her great faith and for her to build faith in others through the sharing of her testimony.
Do you see how this story played out? She pushed through the crowd because she was desperate and she believed in Jesus as the Messiah. After her faith paid off she then was recognized before God and men. She fell to her knees when she saw that she could not hide. I felt the Holy Spirit say that the woman went to her knees as a prophetic symbol of the secret place of prayer, and then she began to give her powerful testimony and many watched and were amazed.
I felt the Holy Spirit say, "This is what I am getting ready to do. I am causing a great awakening where the lost will have an encounter with Me through desperation, and they will bring their testimonies into the Church, Media and the Marketplace, and many will be saved through the power of their testimony."
Luke Holter
Prophetic Sheep Ministries
Email: propheticsheep@yahoo.com
