Touching Jesus: Beyond the Crowd and Into His Power

There’s something deeply moving about the story in Luke 8:46 where Jesus says, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” Imagine the scene: crowds pressing in on Him, people everywhere — yet one touch stopped Him in His tracks. What made that touch different? Let’s dive deeper.

The Difference Between Being Present and Truly Touching

Today, it’s easy to get caught up in the motions of faith. We attend Sunday services, midweek gatherings, tune into online sermons, and follow ministries with “proof of power.” But here’s the thing: being in the room doesn’t always mean encountering God. The crowd pressed against Jesus, but only one woman touched Him.

It’s not about proximity. It’s about purpose.

Deuteronomy 12:5 says, “But you shall seek the place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.” Today, that place is not a building — it’s in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). You don’t have to chase events or personalities. The question is: Are you reaching out for Him yourself?

What’s the Label You’ve Been Carrying?

The woman in Luke 8 wasn’t even given a name — she was defined by her condition: “the woman with the issue of blood.” Imagine that. For twelve long years, she was isolated, seen as unclean, and probably accepted that label as part of her identity.

Pause for a moment. What label have you accepted?

Do you say “Rich people” and exclude yourself?

Do you say “Successful people” and not see yourself as one of them?

Have you carried something so long that it feels normal now — when deep down, you know it isn’t God’s plan for you?

What we think and believe about ourselves is as crucial as what we feel. This woman refused to let her label define her future. She made a decision in her heart long before she ever touched Jesus. Her faith reached Him before her fingers did.

The Resolve to Reach Out

She said in her heart, “If only I could touch the hem of His garment, I would be made whole.” That wasn’t wishful thinking — that was faith in action. She didn’t just believe Jesus could heal; she believed He would heal her.

What’s even more powerful is that Jesus felt her touch. In the middle of the crowd, He stopped. Why? Because faith draws power. Everyone else bumped into Him — but her touch was different. It pulled on heaven.

That’s the kind of faith that changes everything. It’s the kind of faith that refuses to settle, the kind that breaks through the noise and demands attention.

Peter: Another Example of a Life Transformed

Another powerful example of someone who touched Jesus is Peter — my favorite apostle, by the way. I can relate to him so much.

Peter had issues. Let’s be honest:

Anger problems — He cut off a soldier’s ear in a fit of rage.

Pride and impulsiveness — He constantly spoke out of turn, even rebuking Jesus when He spoke about His death. (Yikes!)

Fear and doubt — He walked on water… and then sank. He boldly declared he’d die for Jesus but denied Him three times when the pressure hit.

Yet, after encountering the Holy Spirit, Peter became a new man. The same guy who wavered and stumbled became a bold preacher. His first sermon after Pentecost brought 3,000 souls into the Kingdom. The man who once acted out of anger and fear began to operate in power and love. Even his shadow started healing people. Imagine that — the same Peter, now so connected to the Source that miracles flowed effortlessly through him.

What changed? He touched God.

All those things that once limited him were transformed. The Holy Spirit didn’t erase Peter’s boldness; He refined it. Peter’s loud mouth became God’s mouthpiece. His impulsive nature became divine boldness. When we truly touch God, He doesn’t just heal us — He quickens us, repurposes our weaknesses for His glory, and turns our scars into testimonies.

The Dangers of Not Touching Him

But what happens if we don’t?

There’s a real danger in being around God’s presence and never actually touching Him. When you come close to His power week after week but never truly draw from it, something dangerous begins to happen:

You keep carrying that problem to church and taking it back home. How long can that continue?

You become resentful. You start to doubt the power and presence of God, thinking “Maybe this isn’t real.”

You refuse to draw unction, missing out on the supernatural life you’re called to live.

You start making fun of the things of the Spirit — “Why do they even speak in tongues? That’s just gibberish.”

Slowly, your heart grows cold. You become unmoved, unbothered, and indifferent. The supernatural becomes a spectacle instead of a reality.

That is a dangerous place to be.

Becoming a Source of Healing

Here’s the beautiful part: after that woman touched Jesus and got healed, others took note. Soon, crowds began reaching for just the hem of His garment, and they too were healed. One touch created a ripple effect.

When we touch God, we don’t just get healed — we become a conduit for healing. Just like Peter, we are called to be a source of healing for others. Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.” How can we heal others if we remain broken?

No matter what we do, we can’t settle for just being around believers — we must become carriers of His presence. Only those who carry His presence are truly beneficial to the Kingdom. We aren’t meant to just watch; we’re meant to participate. We must learn to touch and to draw.

The truth is, anyone connected to the Source becomes a wholesaler of His power. We aren’t meant to just receive; we’re meant to overflow. When we draw from God’s power, it doesn’t stop with us — it pours into others.

Don’t Just Attend — Encounter

Next time you step into a church service, or even when you’re alone in your room, decide this:

“Today, I will touch Jesus.”

Let heaven and earth witness that you reached out for Him, because when you truly touch Him, everything changes.

Stop counting yourself among the crowd. Be the one whose touch draws power.

You’re not just called to survive — you’re called to thrive and heal.