After
this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now
there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
In
these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
For
an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of
the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
And
a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been
now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
The
impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming,
another steps down before me.
Jesus
saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked:
and on the same day was the sabbath.
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is
that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for
Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse
thing come unto thee. John 5:1-14
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Without doubt one of the most curious
passages in the New Testament. This "healing pool" is full of mystery. Did an angel really come and stir the water? Skeptics
even doubted the existence of the pool until 50 or so years ago. The Romans had so completely destroyed Herod’s Jerusalem
the pool could not be found. Now skeptics only doubt what happened at the pool. I see great truth in this account at the "Mercy
Pool". Bethesda means House of Mercy.
Running hot springs filled the pool, some
say the sick came because of the healing minerals in the water. There were many sick people at this site. The Bible says a
"great multitude" with all kinds of sicknesses. It wasn’t getting into the water that brought the healing...it was getting
in first after an angel stirred the waters.
That Jesus comes by at this appointed
time is hope for us all. I’m sure the man who had been laid daily at the pool had prayed many, many times. He was older
than Jesus and had suffered his lame condition for 38-years! I’m guessing the man was more than 50-years old. Apparently
the
man’s lifestyle caused his problem...as
we see in verse 14. "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." Jesus said, "Next time it could be worse!"
When Jesus asked the man if he would like
to be healed, it seemed a strange question. What He did was give the man an opportunity to confess … blessing
starts with confessing! When the man admitted he could not get healed without the help of someone else. Jesus told him to
"Rise, take up his bed and walk." Confessing precedes blessing! The first step in gaining victory with God is to ADMIT that
you need it. The man did not even know who Jesus was. He did know that it was by the power of God that he had received healing.
He went to the Temple immediately afterwards, undoubtedly to give thanks.
There he "bumps" into Jesus and
Jesus said to him, "...See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing
worse may happen to you." (ESV) Amazing! Jesus said that his sickness was directly related to his sin. Don’t do this
anymore...next time it might be worse. "Quit it!" This is unmistakenly what Jesus said and what the Word teaches. ADMIT IT
and QUIT IT!
Psalms 107:17 Fools because of their transgression,
and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. RSV Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities
suffered affliction;…
Someone asked me one day what could this
man have done to bring about his sickness. I don’t know, nor does anyone else. However, there are many things that could
have been, sexual promiscuousness is a possibility. There are many famous people who died because of their lifestyle... Napoleon
Bonaparte is one. He conquered and ruled over much of western and central Europe. Napoleon was one of the so called "Enlightened
Monarchs". Napoleon suffered from syphilis and probably died due to consumption of arsenic which was used for treatment for
syphilis during that time. Sexually transmitted diseases are rampant today and they all carry a physical penalty.
Whatever may have been the source for
this man He was told "Don’t do it anymore...the results may be worse next time."
Stop it and Drop it! Confess it and Address
it! Abstain and refrain. You can’t be free from something if you keep doing something that gives permission...legal
rights to demons.
Once you are made whole, the goal is to
remain whole! ADMIT IT, QUIT IT...and SUBMIT IT!
You must submit your flesh, your lifestyle
to God. There must be submission. That involves your will and desire. There must be surrender. Doors that were openings for
demon powers to bring sickness and other areas of darkness must be closed.
Submission is a choice and only you can
make it. A deliverance minister can’t make it for you, your spouse or parents can’t do it for you, it is a conscious
choice that only you can make. In this case, surrender is a choice that will bring victory.
Sometimes preachers, teachers, religious
views can complicate a very simple truth. I hope this help to uncomplicate some things.
Accepting God’s great forgiveness,
for some reason is difficult for a lot of people. Even after confession, some want to "feel" guilty because of their sin.
Forgiveness is what God does and it is based upon our confession not what we feel like. Feel forgiven because you are forgiven!
Receiving God’s forgiveness is a done deal. Don’t keep bringing up your past that is forgiven, that has been cleansed.
It gives advantage to demons.
ADMIT
IT-QUIT IT-SUBMIT IT-FORGET IT
It’s not more difficult than that.
He remembers our sins no more! What’s important then is that we remember them no more. What God has forgiven is forgiven.
The sooner we learn to walk in this simple truth the quicker we can realize the freedom promised.
Living under the unnecessary condemnation
of yesterday really means we have not fully realized His great forgiveness. So far as the east is from the west He has removed
our sin from us. If He forgets it, you forget it. Condemnation is not God’s way. Forgiven? Forget it!
Just for Jesus,
Don