John 5:1-9
The man with infirmity 38 years
“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.”
The man with infirmity for 38 years in John chapter 5 could never walk on his own power. When he looked at himself, he had no strength. When he looked at himself, it was impossible for him walk. But when Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk.", he got up and walked. When Jesus said this, he could have said, "Get up and walk? I have been like this for many years and you say to me, get up and walk? What you're saying to me makes no sense. Okay sir, I'm having a bad life, please just leave me alone." Now, let's think about the condition of this man. His legs are withered. He wishes for someone else to push him into the pool. He lays around miserably every day by this pool. He has no hope in himself at all. However, when Jesus told him to get up walk, he got up and walked. Rather than believing in his circumstance, he chose to believe and rely on the words of Jesus. In result, he was able to do what is impossible for him to do on his own power. Just as the man with infirmity for 38 years, when we accept the Word of God into our hearts rather than believing in what we see, our problems and our circumstances, God starts to work in our lives. No matter what dire situation we're in, no matter what sickness, pain or despair we are going through, when we believe in the Word just as it is, we can overcome all things. God is not asking us to do something great for him. God is the one who created the heavens and the earth. What possibly could we offer to God to benefit Him in any way? The only thing God wants us to do is to believe in Him for our well being and for our benefit so that He can bestow his mercy and grace upon us. If we can just take a moment, to look around and see everything in this world God has given us, it is truly amazing and perfect. We have all that we need to sustain life in this world in which He made for us. Satan relentlessly does the work of clouding our thoughts, making us only see ourselves, our problems, our circumstances, to keep us from believing in God.
Isaiah 41:10
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
God is right here with us and wants to strengthen us, help us and uphold us with His right hand of righteousness. If that is so, then is there any thing we cannot overcome? All we have to do is put aside our thoughts and accept the Word of God just as it is written. Then, the amazing works of God will start to take place in our lives.
The man with infirmity 38 years
“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.”
The man with infirmity for 38 years in John chapter 5 could never walk on his own power. When he looked at himself, he had no strength. When he looked at himself, it was impossible for him walk. But when Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk.", he got up and walked. When Jesus said this, he could have said, "Get up and walk? I have been like this for many years and you say to me, get up and walk? What you're saying to me makes no sense. Okay sir, I'm having a bad life, please just leave me alone." Now, let's think about the condition of this man. His legs are withered. He wishes for someone else to push him into the pool. He lays around miserably every day by this pool. He has no hope in himself at all. However, when Jesus told him to get up walk, he got up and walked. Rather than believing in his circumstance, he chose to believe and rely on the words of Jesus. In result, he was able to do what is impossible for him to do on his own power. Just as the man with infirmity for 38 years, when we accept the Word of God into our hearts rather than believing in what we see, our problems and our circumstances, God starts to work in our lives. No matter what dire situation we're in, no matter what sickness, pain or despair we are going through, when we believe in the Word just as it is, we can overcome all things. God is not asking us to do something great for him. God is the one who created the heavens and the earth. What possibly could we offer to God to benefit Him in any way? The only thing God wants us to do is to believe in Him for our well being and for our benefit so that He can bestow his mercy and grace upon us. If we can just take a moment, to look around and see everything in this world God has given us, it is truly amazing and perfect. We have all that we need to sustain life in this world in which He made for us. Satan relentlessly does the work of clouding our thoughts, making us only see ourselves, our problems, our circumstances, to keep us from believing in God.
Isaiah 41:10
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
God is right here with us and wants to strengthen us, help us and uphold us with His right hand of righteousness. If that is so, then is there any thing we cannot overcome? All we have to do is put aside our thoughts and accept the Word of God just as it is written. Then, the amazing works of God will start to take place in our lives.
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