First Steps For A Breakthrough
Bible Text: John 5:1-8 | Speaker: Pastor Jerry Irwin | Since Pentecost, every church should be a place where spiritual waters are troubled, a place where a spiritual river of living water flows.
First Steps For A Breakthrough
John 5:1-8
1. After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4. 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.
5. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6. 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?
7. 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 steppeth down before me.
8. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
I sense that there are many in attendance today who have been in the throes of a lingering dilemma that has frustrated and spiritually drained the life out its victims. Many are dealing with an infirmity that has worn you out physically and spiritually, while some are struggling with a family member’s addiction, or traumatized by the actions of family members, or betrayed by someone your thought would always be there for you.
Well, I hope this morning’s message will place you at a spiritual Pool of Bethesda, for l intend to portray that physical place of deliverance and healing as a spiritual place here at Harvest. Since Pentecost, every church should be a place where spiritual waters are troubled. In fact, You might call it instead of a Pool, a river called Harvest Church, where a Spiritual river of living water flows into and out of this body of believers.
The Place of Deliverance
Everything changes when Jesus is inserted into the story. It’s just fascinating that in the porches lay a number of impotent people, and Jesus earned of the most difficult case in that number. He just walked right up to that guy, that place, that time, that problem, that need.
Notice the word “HERE”. For you this morning, there is no place that s more important than HERE! The potential is here, the presence is here, the anointing is here, God is here, and He is The LORD that heals us and pardons all of our iniquity. You see, miracles happen when you are willing to expose “that place” to an encounter with Jesus. Friends, this is the place and now is the time for you to break through the darkness to His marvelous light; thru the fear and anxiety to faith and assurance, thru the long battle to personal victory!
Jn. 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, He asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
Now this man’s day began just as it had for 38 years! There was nothing special about this day that would differentiate it from any other day of the monotonous, ordinary, usual behavior of going to the pool, lying on the bed that he made for himself, as near to the water as he could get You know, I’ve been doing this activity all of my life, and for the past 46 years, as a pastor/evangelist/teacher, the past 32 years here at Harvest. I’m still amazed after all these years at the way we approach church and worship, for Sunday after Sunday, we show up to worship with absolutely no desire or intention to change! You see, God can’t change the situation around you, until He first changes what is going on in you!
Its like people who work out! Some of them are buffed and strong, while others look a lot like me. If you ask about some of them, the trainer will tell you, they come every day, stay a long time, but they don’t stretch, they don’t lift, they lean on the treadmill and talk! We love the idea of GOD changing our circumstances without changing us!
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step!
THE POOL OF BETHESDA
Let me tell you something about every person on your row this morning All of the people sitting on your row! Every one of them have needs and everyone of them have spiritual matters going on in their heart, and all of them are struggling with something! “Pastor pray for my wife/husband they’re acting crazy, pray for my son/daughter, they’re addicted to drugs Pastor pray for my finances, my friend, my cousin, my aunt, etc. You see, there is a request missing from that list, ME!
I seldom hear anyone say, Pastor pray for me, I’m selfish; I’m angry I’m impatient, I’m vengeful, I’m not where I need to be in my relationship with GOD! Jesus question was, “Do you want to changel Not do you want to feel betterl Do you want to get well?
Jn. 5:4 From time to time the Angel of the LORD would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had.
Sometimes we pray for God to come down and stir up the waters. The first one in wins! That’s kinda like the way things work! Its a race! But Jesus went to the most disadvantaged person in the place and asked him if he wanted to get well. You see when Jesus shows up, grace begins to work its work. The paralyzed man was last, but I want to tell you that grace declares that he that would be last shall be first.
The paraplegic had believed in a system all of his life that he saw as an opportunity to get well, but the system gave way to the power of the presence of Jesus. His belief system had failed him, and all he had to answer the question was an excuse!
Jn. 5:7 “Sir!” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
Isn’t it crazy that in the presence of an unlimited God, we offer our excuses, and inform Jesus, “This is how things work around here. I appreciate your time, but I don’t have anybody!'”
The woman of Samaria in John 4, said Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Then she said, “we worship in this mountain”, “I perceive that you are a prophet!” I hear Jesus say, “l didn’t ask you all that, DO YOU WANT A DRINK OF THE WATER I HAVE?”
So Jesus says to the man at the Pool, “You said that you have nobody to help you, well, let me tell you, a greater helper is here than anyone you may have hoped for. I saw that you could not get to the water so I brought the water over to you!
BREAKTHROUGH BEGINS WITH A DECISION.
Jesus knows what needs to happen next. He looked right past all of the excuses of how his breakthrough had been blocked by people who didn’t care and those things that he cannot change. Listen, your personal deliverance does not depend on things or people. but in the power of God He gave a command. Get up! Take up your bed and walk! WALK! Get moving! Take a step! Then another step!
God has come down, so that you can get up!