A man was paralyzed and sick for thirty eight years. In John chapter 5 (John 5:2-9), it says he would lay by the pool called Bethesda and watch as hundreds of blind, sick, and lame people went into the water sick and came out healed. This man desperately longed for someone to carry him into the stirring waters so he too could be healed. Lying by the pool one day, Jesus saw him and asked, “Do you want to be healed?”

What a question! Yes, he wanted healing… probably more than anything in life “but” said the man, “I have no one to put me in the pool.” And then Jesus said something that would revolutionize his life forever, “Get up, pick-up your pallet and walk.” This man paralyzed for most of his life obeyed. In faith, he got up off his mat and stepped into his healing, never to be the same again.

There have been times in my life when I was in a black pit of depression or feeling unsure about my purpose and God’s love for me. How I desperately wanted my soul to be stirred by God’s healing hand. I sought God with all my heart, soul, and mind and He brought healing. It was His word that encouraged me to change my focus from “my misery” to His victory.

You may be desperately seeking healing from a crushed spirit, a broken marriage, depression, anger, food addiction, low self esteem, a critical spirit, and… the list can go on. Perhaps you’ve been suffering for months, years, or even decades waiting for someone to carry you off your miserable mat of circumstance and place you in the pool of healing. With compassion, Jesus sees your suffering and asks, “Do you want to be healed?” You cry out, “Yes! Please save me from my misery.” Then Jesus tells you to do the impossible, “Rise up, pick up your miserable mat and step into your healing.” Supernaturally, when you obey by faith, Jesus does the work of healing in your life.

For there to be healing, there has to be obedience, and for there to be obedience, there has to be faith in Jesus. When our faith chooses to believe that our trouble soul can be healed, the results will be lasting joy and peace. Studying the Bible and developing a meaningful prayer life will help us realize the power of God to heal when we rise up and walk closer to Him.

The man had a choice and so do we… to stay down on his mat of misery paralyzed by fear or to believe by faith God will lift him up in victory. Fear will always keep us on our mats of misery without relief and hope.  However, Jesus came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). This supernatural healing is only possible when we obey the word of God and walk by faith—believing that His word can and does heal.

Beloved, we have to believe that Jesus can heal our sickness and that He desires to revolutionize our life. Only God has the power to bring us out of our spiritual sickness. All we have to do is get up and walk.

How to get up off your mat and let go of fear

1. Don’t give in to fear. The bible says to be courageous and know God is pulling for you.”This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9 (NLT)
2. Speak Out! Don’t allow fear to silence you from seeking help from a godly friend or a spiritual mentor.  Ask them to pray with you, walk beside you, and cheer for you.”One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent!” Acts 18:9 (NLT)
3. Know that God loves you unconditionally. When we believe in God’s perfect love for us, it banishes all fear. Have faith and believe God loves you, just as His word says.”We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” 1 John 4:16 (NLT)”Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.” 1 John 4:18 (NLT)
4. Pray! Tell the Lord about all your fears. Once you tell Him about it, give it to Him and watch what He does. Only God has the power to free you from all your fears and help you walk in victory.”I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.” Psalm 34:4-5 (NLT)

However, are we sometimes like this unrestrained child? When we are slighted by someone’s action or cut by someone’s words, we have a strong desire to put them back in their place. We make sure our words are heard and that our words are many.

Proverbs 10:19 Reads:
When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

God says when we have too many words; sin is not far from our lips. When a family member, a friend, or even an enemy sucker-punches us with their words, we feel the need to retaliate with harder words and sin is crouching at our door. The better way is to restrain our lips and make our words silent. Doing this reveals great wisdom. Why, you ask? Because words that are restrained, equals a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. And this, my friend, makes us wise. Silent words controlled by the Holy Spirit are Golden.

Journal Question: Are the words I speak undisciplined and unrestrained or are they controlled by the Holy Spirit.

Hope Action: Today, evaluate the words that flow from your mouth.

Remember the story in Genesis chapter 22, when God commanded Abraham to offer up his only son as a sacrifice? Abraham must have had some fears and doubts; however, his faith was stronger and bigger than his fears and doubts. So, Abraham moved forward in obedience and trusted the one true God. He made an altar, bound up his son Isaac, and raised up the knife to slay him as a sacrifice, but before the knife touched Isaac’s flesh… God miraculously provided another sacrifice. God saw Abraham’s steadfast faith and deep love for Him. Abraham sought to please God with all his heart and God was well pleased with Abraham’s faith.

Hebrews 11:6 reads:
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

The faith God rewards is a steadfast faith that desperately desires to obey Him. Even though Abraham didn’t understand why God asked for his only son, Abraham obeyed and had the faith that proved his love.

We may not understand why God desires more of us, but we can choose to hold fast to this promise:  that our steadfast faith, which desperately desires to obey God in all things, is well pleasing…  and if we are faithful, God promises to reward us with more of Him.

Journal Question: In what ways is my faith well pleasing to God?

Hope Action: Today, show God your love and devotion for Him by walking in “well-pleasing” faith!