Exempt

John 11:²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Please read Mark 5:21-42. If you look at the situation of this woman, she had a limitation for twelve years. She went from one doctor to another until she realized that doctors could not help her. But thank God for her, she did not relent. When she heard about Jesus, she sort Him out. Mark 5:²⁵ “And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years… ⁴² Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old)” [NIV, with emphasis]. Take note that this woman had been subject to bleeding for twelve years and the girl was twelve years old. The moment there was joy in the house of Jairus, there was sorrow in the life of this woman. The moment life came into the house of Jairus, life began to leave this woman.

What we see in the above scripture is called the Principle of Exchanges and it is a natural order of things. For things to happen in ‘A’, some other things need to happen in ‘B’. One of the popular beliefs in the Western part of Nigeria, is if someone’s own does not go bad, another person’s own cannot become good. The exchanges of life are real. When Jairus’ daughter was born, this woman began to lose life. When the woman was healed of the issue of blood, when she stopped losing life, the little girl died. These people were totally unrelated.

The exchange of life [the Principle of Exchange] is a reality for the world and anyone that is not in Christ is subject to it. Even till today, the principle of exchanges is operational. People came from Jairus’ house to inform him that his little girl was already dead. However, the exchange of life remains a reality until Jesus shows up. John 10:¹⁰ (NKJV) “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus has not come to ration life, or to substitute life. Jesus has not come to take life from ‘A’ and give it to ‘B’. Jesus has come to give everyone life, and life more abundantly. When Jesus shows up in your life, the Principle of Exchange comes to an end.

Jesus told Martha that her brother, Lazarus was going to rise again. But Martha thought He meant the resurrection on the last day. Jesus said, “Don’t you understand? I am the Resurrection and the Life!” [Paraphrased from John 11]. So, when Jesus showed up in the situation in Mark 5:21-42, things changed. They told Jairus not to worry the Master because his daughter was already dead. But Jesus disputed because He is able to give life to the woman and the girl and have excess left.

Prayer: Father, I declare that Jesus is Lord in my life and my family; therefore, I and my household are not subject to the exchanges of life. We have abundant life, in Jesus Name. Amen!