“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” (John 5:2-4).
This account gives us a picture of God’s sovereign side. Five sheds full of people sat by that pool. The people didn’t know when the angel was coming; they just knew he was coming. They didn’t know who would be healed; they just knew someone would be healed. And afterwards, the rest of the people would have to sit and wait for the next time the angel came to trouble the water.
Now let’s look at verses 5-9:
And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie…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….” 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….
(John 5:5-9)
Obviously, the impotent man wasn’t healed on his own faith. “Well, then,” someone may say, “Jesus’ faith healed the man.” But Jesus never once said in the Bible, “My faith made you whole.” If Jesus’ faith had healed that man, He would have healed everyone else there too. But after healing this one man, Jesus disappeared into the crowd.
So what healed the man? The sovereignty of God. Why did God single that one man out? I don’t know; that’s God’s business. God did it, and He knows what He’s doing.
God reaches out to heal people as He wills. He also made
a way for me to receive my healing by faith in His Word.
I exercise that faith, and I receive my healing now!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
For over 40 years, Pastors Mark and Janet Brazee have traveled throughout the world sharing the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Together they've shared the powerful truths of faith and healing in more than 50 nations.
Today Mark and Janet pastor World Outreach Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they base their ongoing outreach to the world. The Brazees still travel as the Lord leads, and they are raising up a congregation who share their passion to reach Tulsa and the world.