Bad Medicine

John 5:1-4 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. (KJV)  

When reading these verses one needs to understand that the writer John was giving an account of what was taking place at this pool and what the belief was among the people that were gathered around it. John was not giving credence to the fact that an angel was actually coming down from heaven and troubling the water, but his own eyewitness account of what the people were believing. To this day we have many who hold to this same belief. Having watched a documentary concerning this, there are many springs around the world that are considered to have waters that produce special powers, holy water if you would, which many swear by. For every different denomination they have their own watering hole, which shows you where they are at in their walk. Like so many, they look to the outward realm for something to cure their inward sickness, which in the end results with many being left out. These verses in John are an example of many of today’s so called churches and religious organizations who have a bunch of weak spiritually diseased followers waiting for someone or something to come along and get things stirred up. Rather than go to the source, accessing the Father through His Son Jesus Christ, many jump at the opportunity when some so called prophet or evangelist comes to town; someone they think is sent of God who is coming to get things stirred up.  

John 4:12-14 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (KJV)  

What well are you drinking from today? Are you looking to the spiritual well of life to find the eternal healing waters, or are you sitting around some stagnant polluted pool of man’s doctrine waiting for something or someone to stir you up? Are you looking to quench your spiritual thirst, or are you still seeking some outside source that many think will provide them some quick fix? The devil would like nothing better than to see God’s people sitting around being idle rather than taking hold of the blessings afforded His people; many are like passengers at an airport, always on standby and never taking off.  

Psalms 84:11-12 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. (KJV)  

God is no respecter of persons. He doesn’t play favorites and all of His promises are there for the taking to any and all that are willing to walk in the Spirit. Rather than sit around all week waiting for Sunday to come so that you can go to some building and wait for someone to get you stirred up again why not spend your time in the word of God seeking the Lord for yourself; building up your own confidence and assurance so that you can get out of your stagnant lifestyle and walk in the newness of life that is rightfully yours. Instead of lying around hoping something will happen, get up and walk uprightly in the Spirit and get back on the path of life.  

John 5:5-9 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)  

If you notice, the Lord himself didn’t give credence to their belief about an angel showing up and stirring the waters. Neither did the Lord wait around for this so called angel to show up so that he could push this man into the water first. Rather He was able to give the truth to a man that had been afflicted for so many years. The Lord set a perfect example for us of how we should be ready always to give an answer of the truth to those that we encounter who have been caught up with a false belief that something in the outward would bring a healing and restoration to the inward. Only the truth can set one free. And only the word of God is able to provide the healing and make one whole; spirit, soul, and body. Our purpose in life is to point those that we come in contact with on a daily basis to the Father through His Son Jesus Christ so that they can access the One true healer and not be afflicted with the bondage of sin and sickness again. Many of us have spent time in the past afflicted and spiritually impotent; not able to walk a consistent path in the Spirit, but falling short because of sin. But now, having been set free, it is time to get up; arise from your spiritual slumber and sickness, and walk the path of life Father has for you. Walk in the blessing of healing and restoration.  

John 5:10-11 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. (KJV)  

Watch out and beware, because just as quick as the Lord gets you back on your feet, the devil and his workers will be right there again to get you to fall back to your old ways. Many today are still so caught up in the letter of the law that they miss the blessing of the Spirit. And rather than continue in the restoration they end up weak and on their backside again; the latter worse than the beginning. So beware of man-made stagnant doctrines that keep many in bondage to physical laws and religious regulations rather than accessing the One spiritual healer that actually makes house calls free of charge, and is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

1 Corinthians 11:27-30 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (KJV)  

We still see, to this day, many who are weak and sickly because they don’t know the difference and do not take the time to discern what is of God and what is not; and so they end up drinking from polluted wells instead the pure living waters. Many do not take the time to dig deep enough into the well of life to find pure living waters. Instead they settle for easier to reach stagnant pools that are toxic and unhealthy.  

2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. (KJV)  

The sad thing about reading the account in John 5 is that many of those around the pool (as many are still today) were actually believers, those that were seeking the answer. But as so many believers today, many are still being knocked down, ending up on their backside again, because they look and hold to the letter of the law rather than the Spirit to find true life and peace. So be ready Church, that when you get a spiritual 911 call from one of God’s people in distress you can follow the example the Lord gave to the man at the pool and give the right spiritual medicine; to all those that have been miss diagnosed and have had a bad reaction to mans’ doctrinal medicine.  

God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord.