I AIN’T GOING OUT LIKE THAT

By Evangelist Garlena L. Hines

“Then Jesus answered, woman you have great faith! Your request is granted.  And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”   
Matthew 15:28

 I remember growing up in the inner city, I encountered some rough situations and some rough kids.  While I bullied most of the kids, there were times that I was also bullied.  Many times I knew I could beat up a particular kid so it was not a challenge for me.  Then there were other times when I wasn’t so sure but my attitude was to stick in there because I wasn’t going out like that.  I had something to prove to my friends, but at the same time, I was not sure of what I had to prove to myself.  Many of you may be facing some challenges in life and my prayer is that you would stand on the word of God and don’t give up until God says it’s over.

In this passage, we see a Gentile woman coming to Jesus for help.  Understand, this was totally out of order because the Jews and Gentiles did not associate with each other.  One group felt they were better and the other group was considered the opposing group to be  beneath them.  This particular woman had a daughter vexed with a spirit.  She probably tried many things and they failed, but she knew if she tried Jesus things would get better somehow.  She took a chance on going to see him knowing the disciples would probably be around and would try to deter her focus.  Nevertheless, she stayed focused.  Let’s see how her faith helped her.

Purpose:  This woman came with purpose, not popularity.   In verse 22 she says “Lord Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”  I love her approach to Jesus.  First she showed respect by calling Him

“Lord “– meaning ruler.  She knew He was man to be respected and she came with one purpose in mind -- to get her daughter delivered.  How many times do we come in the presence of God with another agenda?  It amazes me how people think God doesn’t see the heart, but yet they try to have ulterior motives when they come before Him.  This woman’s purpose was simply to help her daughter.

Changed her Position:  The bible says in verse 23, that Jesus did not answer the woman and the disciples urged Him to send her away.  Let’s be real.  If we speak to someone and they ignore us, we have the tendency to become offended quickly and may say something in reference to their lack of response to us being an absence of common courtesy.  Basically, this could have been a distraction to this woman.  Then to add insult to injury the disciples urged Jesus to get rid of her.  Meaning, Jesus did not have time for her or the daughter.  I love the way she remained focused, because when you are seeking after God, the enemy will throw anything in there to get us off focus.   Now it’s discouraging that Jesus ignores her, then the disciples say get rid of her, but when Jesus decides to respond He says, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel”.  Basically, I was not sent here for the Gentiles.  Yet again, watch her response because she’s teaching us something.  The bible says “The woman came and knelt before him, Lord, help me!”  This is a form of worship.  She changed her position not her mind.  By this time, many of us would have walked away and said, just forget it.  But this woman teaches us to stand and believe God for only what he can do.  She knew that if she walked away at this time her daughter may never be delivered.  But she worshipped Him, ignored the distractions and bowed before the King asking for His help. 

Persistence:  By this time, many of us would have given up.  Because of our nature we don’t like to feel disrespected, be ignored, or feel as if we are unimportant.  But this woman did not care about any of that because sometimes when you are interceding for others you will take a hit in the spirit so that they are delivered.  She took several hits for her daughter’s deliverance.  After she worshipped Jesus, she became more persistent.  Jesus reply to her asking for help a second time was more insulting than the first time to me.  He replies in verse 26 “It is not right to take the children’s bred and toss it to their dogs.”  Did Jesus just refer to this woman as a dog?  Now for some of us, these are fighting words.  Was Jesus being insulting?  Was He trying her patience?  Was He seeing how far He could go without her snapping on Him?  There may be different answers to these questions, but I want you to look at her response because she was persistent.  She says in verse 27 “Yes Lord, she said, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”  In other words, I will be a dog, will bark, walk on four legs, but my daughter needs to be healed.  She agreed with Him and then said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs”.  You don’t have to give me an entire meal or even a whole piece of bread, just give me the crumbs and I’ll be satisfied.  My God, she was persistent in ensuring her daughter is healed.

Readers, this taught me so much because through every distraction this woman was determined to get to Jesus.  As a result of her coming with a purpose, changing her position and being persistent, Jesus gave her the response she came for.  In verse 28, “Jesus answered, woman you have great faith!  Your request is granted.”  How is your faith standing through the test of time?  Are you trusting and believing God regardless of what you see.  Remember time works against faith and faith does not have an expiration date.  Through it all, this woman was declaring, “I ain’t going out like that”. This same Jesus who has healed so many, raised the dead, turned water into wine, is the same Jesus who can deliver my daughter, and he did.  People God refuse to go out, but be determined to stand on the Promises of God because they will come true.  Just continue to tell yourself, everything God promise, I will receive and “I ain’t going out like that.”