All It Takes Is A Word!

(John 5:8) “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up!  Pick up your mat and walk.”

The man in the story in John chapter 5 had been paralyzed for 38 years.  There is more than one way of being paralyzed.  You can be going around the same mountain, the same trial year after year and you are wondering why you do not seem to be going anywhere in your spiritual walk in Christ; you are paralyzed.    The man was waiting for someone else to come along and help him into the water and for 38 years he waited.  It is easy enough for us to say, “Why didn’t he pull himself with his hands to the water?”

 But step back and take a look at yourself and your own situation; are there any ways that you have been doing the same thing that the paralyzed man did?  In what ways are you just sitting around and waiting for everything to come to you?

 (Deuteronomy 4:29) “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 

 There is a reason why the Lord shows us in the Old Testament that the Israelites fought; they fought as were commanded and when they obeyed and went with the Lord they won.  When they went out on their own without being instructed by the Lord they lost.

Obedience and faith put into action is the key to your spiritual growth and your victory.

 (James 2:16-19) “If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’  Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  You believe that there is one God.  Good!  Even the demons believe that and shudder.” 

The Israelites had to do something, they acted in faith, and with God, they won.  If we do what we can do in faith and obedience to God, He will do what we cannot.  Seek the Lord, do something, read the Word and study it, pray and talk to God daily, worship Him and praise His Holy Name and you will draw close to Him and be able to hear His guidance as He directs you in the way you should either through a word in your heart or by Him illuminating Scripture as you read.    Then you will know in your heart what steps you need to take; your faith grows as you do this, and you keep learning and keep moving.

 (Psalm 32:8) “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”

 Sometimes God is asking to do nothing; there were times when the Israelites camped and stayed where they were and there were other times when they were traveling and others when they were in battle.  Staying close to God will help you to discern and know His voice and hear clearly what He is telling you to do.

 (John 10:27-30) “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.  I and the Father are One.”  As you walk out your faith trusting God, continuing on your path, growing in faith and obedience you will “come forth as gold.”

(Philippians 2:12-13) “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.”   

Then, suddenly, the Lord will speak, and your prayers will be answered, and you will have grown tremendously in your faith and God will be able to use you to help someone else who is in the same place you were when you began your walk.  All it takes is a word from God and your prayers will be answered and whatever has kept you in chains will be removed and it may even affect those around you as well! 

(Acts 16:26) “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.”