Faith in Adversity
E.A. Johnston teaches that true faith in adversity is trusting in Christ's power to heal and restore when all human efforts fail.
In this sermon, E.A. Johnston explores the powerful example of the woman with the issue of blood from Mark 5, illustrating how faith in adversity leads to miraculous healing. Johnston emphasizes the importance of trusting Christ when human efforts fail and encourages believers to activate their faith boldly. This message inspires listeners to lean on God’s power and promises in their own trials.
Full Transcript
We are in our series, Lessons in Faith, and today we're in our lesson, Faith in Adversity. In Mark's Gospel, we find the account of the woman with the issue of blood. In chapter 5, beginning in verse 25, we read, And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.
Let me pause here to say, friends, here is a very sick woman whose health is gone, her money is all gone, and her patience has flat run out, to where her only hope is in Jesus. She heard that Jesus was out healing folks in a certain place, and she needed to be healed. Man couldn't do it, but she knew God could, so she exercises her faith to get to Jesus.
When she had heard of Jesus, it came in the press behind and touched his garment, for she said, If I may touch Buddha's clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. In her adversity, she exercises faith.
Her faith energizes her to press through a crowd to get to Jesus. She had a big faith because she saw a big God and she needed a big miracle. Her faith activated her to place her hope in Christ alone, and her faith motivated her to reach out her hand to touch the hem of his garment, all the while believing he is able to accomplish all things, including a miraculous healing.
Jesus tells her that it was her faith that was the channel where her blessing flowed. Christ's healing power flowed through the clear, clean, unobstructed channel of her faith. Jesus said to her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole, go in peace and be whole of thy plague.
Faith is leaning on Christ in adversity and believing God can do what man cannot.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Condition of the Woman
- Suffering from a long-term illness
- Exhausted all resources without healing
- Her hope rests solely on Jesus
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II. The Woman’s Act of Faith
- Hearing about Jesus’ healing power
- Pressing through the crowd to reach Him
- Touching Jesus’ garment in faith
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III. The Result of Faith
- Immediate healing and restoration
- Jesus acknowledges her faith as the healing channel
- Faith as the key to receiving God’s blessing
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IV. Application of Faith in Adversity
- Leaning on Christ when human help fails
- Believing God can do the impossible
- Allowing faith to activate God’s power in life
Key Quotes
“Her faith energized her to press through a crowd to get to Jesus.” — E.A. Johnston
“Jesus said to her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole, go in peace and be whole of thy plague.” — E.A. Johnston
“Faith is leaning on Christ in adversity and believing God can do what man cannot.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Trust God’s power when all human solutions have been exhausted.
- Take bold steps of faith even when circumstances seem hopeless.
- Remember that faith is the channel through which God’s blessings flow.