I want to thank BBC for allowing me to stand and share with you what God has shared with me. I’ll try my best not to take up much of your time, as I know you have communion today. Please bear with me as I express this word of God, and I pray that you are blessed as I was blessed in my study.

Today, I would like to speak from the book of Luke, chapter 8, verses 43 to 48. This is a familiar scripture, and I’m sure we’ve all heard it many times. I want to elaborate on certain points that may or may not be familiar to you, aspects that I found enlightening in this study. As you turn to Luke 8:43-48, let’s read together about the woman with an issue of blood, who for twelve years had suffered and spent all she had on doctors, yet found no cure. She approached Jesus, touched the hem of his garment, and immediately her issue of blood ceased.

I’d like to use the topic “What is your issue?” as we explore this woman’s story. Notice, the story doesn’t give her a name or age, and we know little except her economic state – she had means to seek help but could find no healing. This scripture shows us not only her condition but also her isolation, stemming from the cultural context of her time. According to the Mosaic law in Leviticus 15, anyone with an issue of blood was declared unclean, meaning anything or anyone they touched also became unclean.

Consider the isolation and separation this law imposed on her – she was removed from family, friends, community, and the life she once knew. She could not embrace her children or husband, nor interact with society freely. This issue separated her, much as our own issues can separate us. Financial struggles, health issues, family tensions, and unresolved conflicts can all isolate us, affecting our hearts, minds, and spirits.

Let us reflect on another scripture, Proverbs 31, which describes a virtuous woman – one whose life is filled with blessing, family, and provision. What if this woman with the issue of blood had once been like the virtuous woman, enjoying the fullness of life before her issue appeared and changed everything? Life was perhaps going smoothly for her until this trial, just as it often happens to us – life is stable until suddenly, an issue disrupts everything.

Over time, as her issue persisted year after year, the woman in Luke grew desperate. Her twelfth year of suffering arrived, and she had likely tried every solution possible, only to find no relief. But in this year, she heard of a man named Jesus and gathered enough faith to press through the crowd, risking everything to touch the hem of his garment. Imagine her determination, her hope as she reached out, knowing that by faith she could be healed.

Her faith moved her into action, and when she touched Jesus’ garment, her faith made her whole. Despite being unclean, her touch did not make Jesus unclean; instead, His purity cleansed her. This teaches us that no matter how heavy, sorrowful, or dirty our issues make us feel, coming to Christ can bring us healing. Our faith can turn our lives around when we reach out to Him.

Today, I ask you to consider your issues – those hidden struggles and pains that keep you from fully living the life God intends for you. When we, like the woman in this story, come to God with faith, we can be restored. Christ’s presence changes everything. The sorrow, disappointment, and struggles you’ve carried can be lifted when you let God into those areas of your life.

Remember, God is a present help in trouble, able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think. Allow Him to guide you, renew your mind, and restore you in body, mind, and spirit. Just as the woman was healed, you, too, can find restoration.

I want to thank Pastor Will and the BBC church for giving me this opportunity to share the gospel with you. I pray you’ve been blessed by this message and that it has given you a broader perspective on the scripture and this woman’s suffering. May God continue to bless you, guide you, and lead you into all truth. Thank you.