What Healed the Woman with the Blood Flow: Assurance of Whole Salvation

"43And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." (Luke 8: 43-48)

In two scenes before this magnificent healing, we read about Jesus who stopped a terrifying storm, then cast a demon out of a possessed man.

The reaction from all those who were delivered, including Jesus' disciples and the residents of the Gadarenes?

Fear!

Even though Jesus had this incredible power to stop destructive nature and cast out destroying demons, they did not trust Him to do good for them.

They feared Him!

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)

None of us are perfected in His love until we receive the full sacrifice of what Jesus did for us--and still does for us.

Most importantly, we have to know that there is no judgement for us.

And that was a big problem facing this woman.

She had a blood flow for twelve years!

Such a state made her unclean!

"And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even." (Leviticus 15:19)

But the extent of the uncleanness spreads further than the person that she touched:

"'Everything also on which she lies during her menstrual impurity shall be unclean, and everything on which she sits shall be unclean." (Leviticus 15:20)

This woman was taking on an incredible risk!

Still, she not only believed that Jesus could heal her, but she needed to believe that she would not make others unclean!

And that assurance was exactly what Jesus gave her!

"48And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." (Luke 8:48)

Jesus did not just heal the flow of blood. She was pronounced "whole",  or that her faith had "sozo"ed her.

What does that mean? That Greek word "sozo" means  more than physical healing:

4982 sṓzō (from sōs, "safe, rescued") – properly, deliver out of danger and into safety; used principally of God rescuing believers from the penalty and power of sin – and into His provisions (safety).

Jesus assured this woman of complete salvation, not just from her disease, but also protection from an angry crowd, perhaps insensed that an "unclean woman" had pressed into the throng and potentially made everyone else unclean.

Most importantly, she was delivered from sin and condemnation! Notice that Jesus is our Savior, taking away our sin, not just atoning for it.

Jesus granted the woman with the blood flow full assurance that in receiving her healing, she would receive no condemnation for violating the strictures laid out in the Mosaic Law.

For he would fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17) and bring us into the New Covenant! (Hebrews 8:6-13)