Luke 8:43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
This well-known passage of scripture contains one of the greatest truths ever revealed to mortal man, as it pertains to our cooperation with God in every aspect of life. Everything that is accomplished is done through the grace and power of God, working in tandem with the efforts of the human agent, and this sacred truth applies both in the physical as well as the spiritual realm. For instance, if a Christian has a problem with playing video games, to the point where it is all-consuming, then that person can confidently pray to God for deliverance from the habit in question, and God can respond by removing the desire. But the Christian will have to do his part in actually shutting down the television or video machine, for an angel from heaven is not going to do what we can do for ourselves.
In the experience of the woman with the issue of blood, we see the same principle of cooperation with God at work, for the sacred record states that she had spent all of her living, or all of her life savings in trying to find a cure, but without success. And now here she was, financially bankrupt, and having utterly exhausted all available means and methods without positive results, she then turns to God as the only One who can do for what she and others cannot do. At this point is where God's supernatural power is usually engaged, for we are taught by this story, that we are required to do all that is humanly possible in resolving difficult issues, while praying to God for wisdom and direction, and if there is no solution available, or known of, then we can continue to look to God for deliverance, if it is His will.
When God gave the city of Jericho into Joshua's hands, the angels of God were the ones who uprooted those massive walls and utterly overthrew the armies of that city, yet Joshua and the soldiers who were with him had to fight as if success depended on their own efforts, thus illustrating the sacred truth that God does not dispense with man's aid, yet the victory and glory really belongs to God alone. Let's read:
Joshua 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
In our own experiences, we should ever bear in mind that victory is achieved by working in harmony with God, doing all that we can possibly do, and then trusting God to do the rest if He so chooses. If we are struggling to kick a drinking habit, then we are required to avoid the liquor bars and those places and influences that would encourage us to drink alcohol. Avoiding those places and influences does not constitute victory, but they are necessary actions to facilitate God's supernatural working to rid us of the sinful habit. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that reiterates this very important truth, with the hope that the principle will be incorporated into our daily experiences. Let's read:
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
May God add His blessing to the doing of His every word. "Good night" and God bless!