JESUS IS NEAR TO YOU by Gary Wilkerson
Are you facing a crisis that has driven you to your knees? Physical pain, financial turmoil, troubled marriage? Has your trial continued for so long that your spirit has sunk into despondency?
Multitudes of Christians face excruciating situations beyond their control and things seem hopeless. They’ve exhausted all their resources and pressed forward, believing that God will meet their need, but their situation has gone from bad to worse. The more they pray, the farther away God seems and they think He no longer cares.
If this describes you, I want to encourage you: Do not give up—Jesus is near to you. He desires not only to meet your need but to give you a breakthrough of faith. No matter how desperate your circumstance, He wants to infuse your spirit with this truth: “Jesus can still do this.”
A scene in Mark’s gospel addresses four types of fires that can confront our faith. The first is when sudden calamity befalls us; the second is when our trial has lasted a long time with no end in sight; the third is when circumstances grow continually worse; and the fourth is when we stop believing altogether.
Jairus was a devoted God-fearer in an immediate crisis. “A leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, pleading fervently with him. ‘My little daughter is dying,’ he said. ‘Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live’” (Mark 5:22-23, NLT).
Imagine Jairus’ desperation! His young daughter was deathly ill and when he learned that Jesus the healer was nearby, he decided, “I’ll put my faith in Him.” He ran to the Messiah, fell on his face and begged for a miracle: “Lord, unless You do this, I have no hope. Doctors can’t help me. You must make my miracle happen.”
Note the exact phrase Jairus uses in the verse above: “So she can live” (5:23). The word “can” denotes Jairus’ faith in Christ’s ability. He believed the Lord for the impossible, declaring, “Jesus, You can!” He knew that if Christ would just touch his daughter, she would be healed.
We know the rest of Jairus’ story. Jesus told the entire household, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep” (Mark 5:39, NLT).
Your situation may look like it is beyond hope—but it isn’t to Jesus. He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead, and He is ready to step into your situation with the same resurrection power!
Multitudes of Christians face excruciating situations beyond their control and things seem hopeless. They’ve exhausted all their resources and pressed forward, believing that God will meet their need, but their situation has gone from bad to worse. The more they pray, the farther away God seems and they think He no longer cares.
If this describes you, I want to encourage you: Do not give up—Jesus is near to you. He desires not only to meet your need but to give you a breakthrough of faith. No matter how desperate your circumstance, He wants to infuse your spirit with this truth: “Jesus can still do this.”
A scene in Mark’s gospel addresses four types of fires that can confront our faith. The first is when sudden calamity befalls us; the second is when our trial has lasted a long time with no end in sight; the third is when circumstances grow continually worse; and the fourth is when we stop believing altogether.
Jairus was a devoted God-fearer in an immediate crisis. “A leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, pleading fervently with him. ‘My little daughter is dying,’ he said. ‘Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live’” (Mark 5:22-23, NLT).
Imagine Jairus’ desperation! His young daughter was deathly ill and when he learned that Jesus the healer was nearby, he decided, “I’ll put my faith in Him.” He ran to the Messiah, fell on his face and begged for a miracle: “Lord, unless You do this, I have no hope. Doctors can’t help me. You must make my miracle happen.”
Note the exact phrase Jairus uses in the verse above: “So she can live” (5:23). The word “can” denotes Jairus’ faith in Christ’s ability. He believed the Lord for the impossible, declaring, “Jesus, You can!” He knew that if Christ would just touch his daughter, she would be healed.
We know the rest of Jairus’ story. Jesus told the entire household, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep” (Mark 5:39, NLT).
Your situation may look like it is beyond hope—but it isn’t to Jesus. He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead, and He is ready to step into your situation with the same resurrection power!