Take up thy bed

John 5:1-9

“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 steppeth 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.” KJV 

Will you be made whole is the question still. Yesterday, I said what Jesus said to the man at the pool of Bethesda is still relevant to us today if we are to be made whole. He said, rise, take up thy bed and walk. We have examined RISE. Let us examine the remaining today.

TAKE UP THY BED – what is the implication of this, why must he take up the bed? He surely does not need that to walk. The bed represented every excuse the man ha d used as a crutch to lean on. What was supposed to give him temporary support became his stumbling block.  He became comfortable on the bed to the extent that he became too lazy to go after the reason for which he came to the pool. The man had other excuses that he used as a crutch, “I have no man…” What excuses have held you down from rising up, take up thy bed and walk, it is what you allow that will hold you captive. It is time to say no.

“You'll live by your sword, hand-to-mouth, and you'll serve your brother. But when you can't take it any more you'll break loose and run free.” Genesis 27:40 THE MESSAGE

“You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." NIV

This is what Isaac said to Esau after Jacob had stolen the blessing of the first born. When you get to the point, you can’t take it anymore, you’ll break loose and run free. What will get you to that point that you will grow restless, when you feed on the word of God. There is no person that feeds continually on the word of God that does not get to the place you begin to get restless where the yokes of the devil are concerned.