And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.

-Matthew 9:19-22

In our last couple of articles we have considered this woman in Scripture known as “the woman with the issue of blood.” She was plagued with a disease which the medical profession could not cure. When she had heard of the healing Jesus, however, she said, “If I can just touch Him, I will be healed.” Then she set out to get to Jesus. When she found Him, she came up behind Him in a crowd and touched Him; she was healed of that which the doctors said was impossible.

Here we see the importance of acting on our faith. It would have done her no good to say, “If I can touch Him, I will be whole,” and stay home. She could have had everyone in her community pray that she be healed, but her actions were needed to put her in contact with the healing power of God.

True faith in God and His Word always has some kind of action to it. James tells us, “Faith without works is dead,” (James 2:20), and dead faith produces nothing with God.

If you are believing God to meet a need, but are getting nowhere, find out what you need to add to your faith. You may need to add a deeper commitment to God’s plan for your life by forsaking something. You may need to add reaching out to others in the midst of your need. Or, you may simply need to increase your time meditating on God’s Word, and holding firm to your confession of faith in God’s power.

Jesus said to the woman, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole.” A sincere faith in God, with corresponding actions, will always bring an answer from God.