This morning, we continue our series, “The Miracles of Jesus.”
Before we get into the miracle, let’s look at the foundational scripture I will share be sharing with you all year.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us. I pray you get refreshed and restored as we study each miracle.
Read Matthew 15:21-28
Allow me to introduce you to the Syro–Phoenician woman who encountered Jesus. This is a powerful story of unwavering faith. I won’t cover it all today.
In Matthew 15, Jesus entered the region of Tyre and Sidon. This area was also known as Syro-Phoenicia. The region of Syro-Phoenicia was a part of the Roman Empire, which had conquered the area in the 1st century BC. At that time, the region was known as the Roman Province of Syria, and it encompassed a large area that included parts of modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Jordan.
During the time of Jesus, the region of Syro-Phoenicia was a melting pot of different cultures and religions. It was home to Jews, Greeks, Romans, and various other groups. So, while Jesus came to minister to the Jews, since he was in their area, it makes sense that the word about Jesus got out to non-Jews.
A Syro–Phoenician woman came to Jesus crying and said, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.” Let’s slow down for a moment to identify with this woman. Earlier in this series, we covered a miracle where another parent came to Jesus, seeking help for a sick daughter. The difference is that the previous parent (Jairus) was a man and a Jew. This woman was neither. It was not customary for a woman to address a man outside of her family in public. It was even more uncommon for a non-Jewish woman to address a Jewish man. But this woman needed a breakthrough for her daughter, so she did it.
The Syro–Phoenician woman’s little daughter was demon-possessed. The girl was severely tormented. What would you do in her situation? What would you do if your child needed a breakthrough and you heard about a man from a different culture and religion who had the power to deliver your child? This woman did what most of us would do. She ignored cultural differences and social norms and headed out looking for the man who could help her daughter. She was determined to see her daughter delivered.
I shared this with you earlier in the series, but I am convinced that miracles are not as commonplace today in the United States because we are too comfortable. Desperation is the breeding ground of miracles. This woman was desperate. She needed a breakthrough and would not take “NO” for an answer.
So what do you think Jesus did? Surely our loving, caring, and compassionate Jesus immediately helped the woman, right? Wrong! Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Jesus completely ignored her, and the disciples urged him to send her away. They said, “Tell her to go away. She is bothering us with all her begging.” That’s not what you may have expected. But remember, Jesus was on a mission. He was on assignment to minister to Jews, not Gentiles.
Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.” But this woman was undeterred. She bowed down before Jesus and said, “Lord, help me!” Jesus answered her again and said, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs.” That could easily be taken as a disrespectful statement. Jesus basically called her a dog. But amazingly, this woman did not allow His disrespect to stop her.
We will pause the story here for today.
So what does this mean to you today? Two things:
1. Why honor and worship are so important when dealing with God.
The Syro–Phoenician woman addressed Jesus as the “Son of David” and not “Jesus of Nazareth.” This seems insignificant, but it is not. I have taught you about this, but it is worth repeating.
— The Pharisees and Sadducees, in an attempt to belittle Jesus, often addressed Him as “Jesus of Nazareth.” Nazareth was basically a ghetto. So, they were trying to connect Him to something insignificant. The Pharisees identified Jesus with his past. This woman identified Jesus with this destiny. She called him the “Son of David.” This was an acknowledgment of his lineage, and it alluded to the fact that He was the Messiah. Further, every time she addressed Jesus after her initial statement, she called Him “Lord.” She was honoring Jesus in her heart and with her words. We can learn from this woman.
— It is interesting to me that a Gentile would address Jesus this way. She honored Jesus more than many Jews did. She started from a position of honor, and she maintained her honor throughout the entire engagement, even when Jesus disrespected her. Her honor and persistence helped her get her breakthrough.
— If you want something from God, you must first rightly acknowledge and honor who He is! This woman offered Jesus the proper respect. You would do well to come to the Father this way. When you approach God, you should do so from a position of honor and respect. Properly acknowledge WHO He is, before you ask Him for anything.
— When you HONOR the Lord, your worship will be a natural outflow of your HONOR. This woman bowed down at Jesus’ feet. She initially addressed Him as the “Son of David,” and then as “Lord” from then on out. When you make yourself small and low and humble yourself before God, you will find that the right words will flow out of your humility. But if you come to God the wrong way, thinking that He owes you something, or thinking that you are entitled to this or that, then your words will be birthed from a heart full of pride, and God will not hear your prayers.
— The entire Kingdom of God functions on a culture of HONOR. If you want to be successful in God’s Kingdom, relating to Him and receiving from Him to do what you are called to do, you must maintain a heart of HONOR and a position of WORSHIP!
— Your WORSHIP can touch God in ways that your WORDS never will!
2. If you want to walk in God’s best, you cannot get offended.
If you allow yourself to cross over into offense while you are expecting a breakthrough from God, you will be waiting a long time.
— Make no mistake; how you wait does impact how long you wait.
— Once you start operating in the spirit of offense, you will hinder God from operating in your life.
— Even though Jesus seemingly disrespected the Syro–Phoenician woman, calling her a dog, she refused to get offended. Her desire for a breakthrough was stronger than her feelings.
— Don’t let your feelings get in the way when you are believing God for something. If you allow yourself to get “in your feelings,” you will fall out-of-faith and you then run the risk of missing out on your breakthrough.
David said,
(Palm 119:165 TPT)
There is such a great peace and well-being that comes to the lovers of your word, and they will never be offended.
— David told us that the lovers of God’s Word would not be offended. I am sure you have met people who are overly emotional, touchy, and quick to ‘fly off the handle.’ These people tend to be unstable, unbalanced, and insecure. When you love God’s Word and apply it to your life daily, you are none of these things. The Word of God enables you to be consistent, to live an emotionally stable and secure life, and to resist the urge to get offended.
Paul said:
(Romans 12:14-18 ERV)
14 Wish only good for those who treat you badly. Ask God to bless them, not curse them.
15 When others are happy, you should be happy with them. And when others are sad, you should be sad too.
16 Live together in peace with each other. Don’t be proud, but be willing to be friends with people who are not important to others. Don’t think of yourself as smarter than everyone else.
17 If someone does you wrong, don’t try to pay them back by hurting them. Try to do what everyone thinks is right.
18 Do the best you can to live in peace with everyone.
— Divine peace is not about the absence of things that will rob you of your peace. It’s really not about the absence of anything. It is about the presence of God. God’s presence gives you peace, and His peace enables you to resist offense.
— The Syro–Phoenician woman was in the presence of Jesus. She sensed His deity. She honored Him and worshipped Him. Surprisingly, He brushed her off and disrespected her. But amazingly, she refused to get upset or offended. She maintained her peace and her faith. We will see tomorrow that she got her breakthrough.
*** If you allow yourself to get offended, you will be too emotional to be led by God’s Spirit, and you risk missing out on God’s best.
*** Overly emotional people have a hard time receiving from God.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me!
I experience Your best this year because I walk with You, and You walk with me.
I honor and worship You daily! I call upon no other name. I acknowledge no other deity. I recognize no other god. You alone are God! You alone are Lord! You alone are the Most-High! I worship You!
I pursue Your best every day of my life, and I will never allow the spirit of offense to get ahold of my heart.
I will remain in love, rule over my emotions, and keep my faith switch in the “ON” position.
If I have to, I will tell my feelings how to feel. But I will never allow my feelings to cause me to release my faith!
Living this way, I am determined to become the man/woman You called me to be and to leave a mark in this world that will not easily be erased! GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
