MEDITATION John chapter 5: 1-9
1. In Jerusalem there was a pool named Bethesda having five porches where many impotent people, lame and blind were laying. (V1-3)
2. They were waiting for the water to be stirred as some times an angel comes down and troubled the water and whoever stepped in first were healed of all their diseases. (V4)
3. There was a man lying there with an infirmity for 38 years. ( v5)
4. Jesus saw him lying and asked him if he wants to be made whole (V6)
5. The impotent man said that there was no man to put him in the pool when the water is stirred and someone else enters first. (V7)
6. Jesus told him to rise, take up his bed and walk. ( V8)
7. Immediately the man was made whole and he took up his bed and walked. (V9)
LIFE APPLICATION:
Today I would like to bring to light the stronghold of self-pity, which the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to, through this meditation:
1. I would like to analyse the condition of this person. If you can identify yourself with this person, then this meditation is for you.
A. 38 years of infirmity.
A long term illness undefined, that he can do nothing by himself and under the mercy of others.
Many times we are unable to pick ourself up. We are lying in our weaknesses (V5)
B. He had repeated failures;
He has seen before his eyes the waters being stirred and someone being healed but not himself. (V7) We see a lot of people around us coming out of problems easily, but not us.
C. He was discouraged because of repeated failures:
He puts it as, when the water is stirred, someone else enters first and he misses every time. (V7)
D. He was very angry:
He was angry with people that nobody helped him out in his distress. (V7)
E. He was sad:
He was sad again, as he has no way out. (V7)
Who has more reason to feel pity for himself, more than this man??
Also the self-pity can follow a series of emotional manifestations like,
Discouragement, disappointment, sadness, depressive thoughts, hopelessness and why not even thoughts of suicide.
So how are we to deal with it? Scroll down to know more...
1. Waiting for Miracle:
Long term waiting is not a pleasant situation to face. The WORD of GOD says,
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
Proverbs:13:12
Yes, whenever our hopes are deferred our heart is sick. But when what we desired comes it is like a tree of life.
Dear brothers and sisters, is your heart sick of waiting? God has a better way of dealing it. The WORD of GOD says,
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah:40:31
If waiting for a miracle is making your heart and life sick, wait on the Lord, for strength.
He will give you the strength to run till you receive your miracle.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
Psalm:84:5
Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
Psalm:84:6
They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
Psalm:84:7
You want to move from strength to strength? You feel your strength failing? You cannot go 1 step further, wait on the Lord and he will be your strength.
2. Dealing with repeated closed doors:
This is another source of frustration. We desire for things to happen and if it doesn't our heart is becoming sick. We don't stop there, we blame God for that too. This is human nature.
What to do when confronted with closed doors everywhere?
1. Be still:
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more forever.
Exodus:14:13
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm:46:10
Let us be still and know that he is our God.
2. BRING our desires before God:
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Psalm:145:19
Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.
Psalm:21:2
3. Acknowledge GOD and allow God to direct your paths:
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs:3:6
C. Dealing with discouragement:
Discouragement hits everyone. Even the great prophets like Elijah and Jonah were discouraged that they wanted to die.
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
1 Kings:19:4
Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
Jonah:4:3
But praise God for the blood of CHRIST we can boldly go before the throne of grace.
Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews:4:16
Dear brother, Dear sister do not be disheartened... through CHRIST we have Grace upon Grace. We do not need to stay discouraged forever.
We can boldly approach the throne of Grace when in distress.
3. Dealing with anger and sadness:
Getting angry or becoming sad, especially with other people when our things don't work our way is not going to help us any further.
This is where we renew our minds to rise up. Christ has promised us a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness.
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Isaiah:61:3
Put on the garment of praise, that is the treatment for a heavy Spirit. It is a willful act. We might sometimes have to force ourselves to give thanks to God. But do it...
This is how we declare to the enemy that we are no more on the bed and along with the people who are going to be there in infirmity forever...
This is what CHRIST means, RISE UP, TAKE YOUR BED and WALK. My good friends, the word of life is spoken in your life. Rise up... stir your spirits and renew your strength like an Eagle...
All the more.... Rejoice! We have a miracle-working GOD
1. In Jerusalem there was a pool named Bethesda having five porches where many impotent people, lame and blind were laying. (V1-3)
2. They were waiting for the water to be stirred as some times an angel comes down and troubled the water and whoever stepped in first were healed of all their diseases. (V4)
3. There was a man lying there with an infirmity for 38 years. ( v5)
4. Jesus saw him lying and asked him if he wants to be made whole (V6)
5. The impotent man said that there was no man to put him in the pool when the water is stirred and someone else enters first. (V7)
6. Jesus told him to rise, take up his bed and walk. ( V8)
7. Immediately the man was made whole and he took up his bed and walked. (V9)
LIFE APPLICATION:
Today I would like to bring to light the stronghold of self-pity, which the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to, through this meditation:
1. I would like to analyse the condition of this person. If you can identify yourself with this person, then this meditation is for you.
A. 38 years of infirmity.
A long term illness undefined, that he can do nothing by himself and under the mercy of others.
Many times we are unable to pick ourself up. We are lying in our weaknesses (V5)
B. He had repeated failures;
He has seen before his eyes the waters being stirred and someone being healed but not himself. (V7) We see a lot of people around us coming out of problems easily, but not us.
C. He was discouraged because of repeated failures:
He puts it as, when the water is stirred, someone else enters first and he misses every time. (V7)
D. He was very angry:
He was angry with people that nobody helped him out in his distress. (V7)
E. He was sad:
He was sad again, as he has no way out. (V7)
Who has more reason to feel pity for himself, more than this man??
Also the self-pity can follow a series of emotional manifestations like,
Discouragement, disappointment, sadness, depressive thoughts, hopelessness and why not even thoughts of suicide.
So how are we to deal with it? Scroll down to know more...
1. Waiting for Miracle:
Long term waiting is not a pleasant situation to face. The WORD of GOD says,
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
Proverbs:13:12
Yes, whenever our hopes are deferred our heart is sick. But when what we desired comes it is like a tree of life.
Dear brothers and sisters, is your heart sick of waiting? God has a better way of dealing it. The WORD of GOD says,
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah:40:31
If waiting for a miracle is making your heart and life sick, wait on the Lord, for strength.
He will give you the strength to run till you receive your miracle.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
Psalm:84:5
Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
Psalm:84:6
They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
Psalm:84:7
You want to move from strength to strength? You feel your strength failing? You cannot go 1 step further, wait on the Lord and he will be your strength.
2. Dealing with repeated closed doors:
This is another source of frustration. We desire for things to happen and if it doesn't our heart is becoming sick. We don't stop there, we blame God for that too. This is human nature.
What to do when confronted with closed doors everywhere?
1. Be still:
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more forever.
Exodus:14:13
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm:46:10
Let us be still and know that he is our God.
2. BRING our desires before God:
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Psalm:145:19
Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.
Psalm:21:2
3. Acknowledge GOD and allow God to direct your paths:
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs:3:6
C. Dealing with discouragement:
Discouragement hits everyone. Even the great prophets like Elijah and Jonah were discouraged that they wanted to die.
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
1 Kings:19:4
Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
Jonah:4:3
But praise God for the blood of CHRIST we can boldly go before the throne of grace.
Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews:4:16
Dear brother, Dear sister do not be disheartened... through CHRIST we have Grace upon Grace. We do not need to stay discouraged forever.
We can boldly approach the throne of Grace when in distress.
3. Dealing with anger and sadness:
Getting angry or becoming sad, especially with other people when our things don't work our way is not going to help us any further.
This is where we renew our minds to rise up. Christ has promised us a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness.
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Isaiah:61:3
Put on the garment of praise, that is the treatment for a heavy Spirit. It is a willful act. We might sometimes have to force ourselves to give thanks to God. But do it...
This is how we declare to the enemy that we are no more on the bed and along with the people who are going to be there in infirmity forever...
This is what CHRIST means, RISE UP, TAKE YOUR BED and WALK. My good friends, the word of life is spoken in your life. Rise up... stir your spirits and renew your strength like an Eagle...
All the more.... Rejoice! We have a miracle-working GOD
