Mark 5:34: “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Those who say Joel Osteen is too happy are messed up in the head. How in the world can you be too happy?

I find peace and happiness will turn any situation into gold.

Here is a story. My car’s alternator broke down at a gas station one midnight. I was by myself with no way of getting help. Many people would have been panicking, but I believe God will do what He says He will do. So I sat there calm and collected.  God sent me a complete stranger to get me home. The guy even had a great sense of humor, just like I like my men, by the end of the night, I was laughing and having a good time.

When God says He will bless you, he doesn’t mean just money. Proverbs 22:4 says, “Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.” What kind of life can you live unhappy?

I do not underestimate the power of peace and happiness.  It turns marriages around. It feeds the homeless. It heals the sick. It gives strength to the weak. I could be in the midst of a war, everyone around me dying, and I am the only one able to laugh at the days to come. Is it because I’m oblivious? No, it’s because I understand God is not a liar. He does exactly what He says He will do.

The one thing I like about preachers like Joel Osteen, Jesse Duplantis, Joyce Meyer, and Bishop Davis of Faith Christian Center Jacksonville is they preach on God’s blessings and tell you exactly how to receive.

It is not so easy to receive God’s blessings.

1. Mark 10:27 says, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God,” leaving man not able to receive the blessings on his own.  Let’s not mention Psalms 32:10 says, God’s “unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him”, not the wicked. It’s so easy to be wicked. Catch me on a bad day after weeks of not being in the Word.
2. We are constantly fighting against negative thinking and feelings, both which inhibit God.
3. We are naturally evil beings living in an evil world.
4. We actually have to step out on faith before God moves. It is easier to believe what we can see and touch.

I find God asks me to do a lot of things that do not make sense.  When things didn’t work out the way I planned, I would be left thinking, am I going insane? Maybe I should stop believing. Thing is, I made a promise to God: no matter what, I will keep believing in Him because wherever He takes me, He can at least provide me peace and happiness.  This promise has helped me stay in faith, leading God to fulfill.

It is funny how in Mark 5:34, Jesus says, “Your faith has healed you” not “I have healed you.” It makes me sad God will do only what I believe He will do.  I want Him to be a magic genie, but alas, that was not His will.

If you study the new testament yourself, you’ll discover Jesus saying multiple times,  “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Mark 5:20 is one specific time He does that.

If I were you, I’d follow his command.