Jesus Heals Our Crippled Spirits

In our ekklesia we’ve been meditating on the signs Jesus performed, which the apostle John describes in his gospel. John describes only seven signs — and he calls them signs rather than miracles. Signs tell us something, so what was John trying to say by the particular signs he chose? The past couple of weeks we’ve been looking at the healing of the cripple at the Pool of Bethesda. You can find this story in John 5, and it’s probably a good idea to read the whole chapter as it’s all pertinent to what happened here. I’m sure you know the story, but you should read it. Some of what follows depends on your being familiar with the details of the account for full comprehension. So here’s what I believe I heard God saying to me about this sign over the period of several days.

“Lord, what does this sign say about You”

This sign displays restoration. Do you want to be restored? Are you going to wait for the waters (the masses of people) to move, or will you bipass all that and choose to connect directly with Me?

I am here, ready to make you whole. Having been restored to life, would you also be restored to fullness — to wholeness — to full functioning?

I see a picture of His hands reaching back into the past (my past) through me, weaving strands together, healing old wounds, repairing damaged fabric, and even taking to Himself services I’ve done in the flesh, restoring what the locusts have eaten — even in the past.

See? You have been made whole. Don’t go on sinning, but rather come follow Me. My Father is always working, and so am I. I will continue to work in you as you submit to My ministrations. As for you, rest in Me and do those things I give you to do. As you rest in Me, it is no longer you who do the works, but as the Father worked in Me, so I will work in you and you will do, by My power, the works I give you to do — I will always be doing My works in and through you.

This is full functioning — that you live by Me as I live by the Father and so we all live by one Life. We all partake of the one life, and so we are all in one accord to do those things that edify and build up one another in love. I take you unto Myself and you come. We revel in one another’s life and rejoice in one another’s joy. And so is the will of My Father perfectly served in our unity of Spirit and our joy.

Day 2: this is what I sensed Him saying to me:

The pool at Bethesda was a “me first, every man for himself” kind of thing. For one to be blessed, others had to be denied. Whoever could hop into the pool first got the blessing. All eyes were focused on the waters, waiting for a stirring — a ripple. If any small thing touched the water, hearts beat faster. The most afflicted were the least likely to be restored. And yet here I walked around the outer edges seeking someone. This man was the least able, the most needy — he finally knew he could not save himself. He was alive, but not functioning. Depending upon himself, he became helpless and ineffective. No one in My Kingdom lives by his own life. I live by My Father’s life and He lives by Mine — and you also must live by our life in you lest you find yourselves crippled with no hope of ever learning to live in us.

I am He who enlivens your spirit — who makes you glad with joy. I am He who delivers you from inherited death and makes your spirit live. I am He who restores you to full functioning in My body. Without Me you can do nothing but lie by the pool and wish you could get in. But I am He who cleanses, delivers from death and restores you to sonship. I shall bring you into full sonship if you will allow it — if you will but say, “Yes. I want to be made whole.” You have to desire this. It is only for those who want it. How much easier to just lie by the pool and dream languid dreams, never really expecting to be restored to the original grandeur and dignity and relationship I designed you for. I love all those who passively watch, but I offer healing to those who truly long to walk in My life.

I am your deliverer:

From this world and its joylessness

From the death you inherited

From the debility of your race

From spiritual hunger and thirst

From the turmoil and trouble of this age

From blindness and darkness

From physical death and decay

There was another day after this, and a song. I’ll schedule that to post on Saturday. Meanwhile,

Grace and Peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ!

Wikipedia: John 5 is the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. →