Sermons
The Moving of the Spirit · Thursday, October 28, 2004
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.
John 5:1-7(KJV)
WAITING FOR THE MOVING
At the pool of Bethesda, there lay a man who was had an infirmity in his body for 38 years. He was simply waiting for the moving of the water.
Jesus asked him, “Wilt thou be made whole?” and he said, “There is no man to put me in the pool when the water moves.”
Immediately we see that he didn’t answer the question that Jesus posed to him. He made a totally unrelated statement.
There is no man to help me.
The water isn’t moving.
However, Jesus did not ask him why he had not yet been made whole, rather, He asked him if he would be made whole.
It is important for us to recognize the presence of God, and the opportunity for our blessing. This man was in need of a healing, and his healer was standing before him, yet he didn’t recognize it.
Often, we begin to immediately push blame for our situation on other people or circumstances.
Why are we in the state that we’re in? Why are we in financial difficulty? Why doesn’t anyone like us? Why did we have a fight with our kids or spouse today?
We expect to be moved, or touched, by someone in order to receive anything from God. While the Bible instructs us to call for the elders of the church to lay hands on us for healing, this cannot be an excuse, because healings and even the gift of the Holy Ghost were also bestowed without the assistance of a minister!
No matter what you need from God, you cannot escape the fact that this is a personal experience. We cannot simply wait for man to move us, but we must be willing to take action for ourselves.
Your mother’s experience won’t save you. Your spouse’s experience won’t save you. Only a PERSONAL relationship with God can save you!
The man at the pool didn’t see that he was in the presence of the one who gives the healing. Similarly, we ask for the “Spirit to Move” as though we cannot receive anything from God until He begins to move upon us. But the Spirit is always moving!
When Jesus walked up on the earth, he was their physical healer. He was their healer in embodiment. For example, the woman with issue of blood, Jarius’ daughter, Blind Bartimaeus, the dead Lazarus, were all healed by Jesus physically.
But now, we have Jesus with us in Spirit, who is always in our presence, and always working in Power! The Spirit is Always moving!
THE MOVING OF THE SPIRIT.
In Acts Chapter 1, Jesus instructed the disciples to wait for the Promise of the Father, which would be the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit. Here, we have the first recording of the moving of the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4)
_1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance._
(KJV)
Here is where the Spirit first began to “move”. In Acts 2, the Spirit didn’t stop moving, In Acts 4, the Spirit didn’t stop moving. In Acts 10, Cornelius’ household were all filled with the Holy Ghost, because the Spirit was still moving. In Acts 19, John’s disciples were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and in Acts chapter 28, the last chapter of the book, the Spirit still had not stopped moving!
In fact, at no point in the rest of the Bible did the Spirit stop moving, and He is STILL MOVING TODAY!
THE SPIRIT IS MOVING TODAY
For some of us, maybe only One or Two, there is a need in our lives that we would like to place in the hands of God. You may feel as though all your life, you have been laying beside this pool of grace and mercy, this source of God’s love, and healing, and comfort, but weren’t able to experience it fully. Maybe you feel like it has been so long since you’ve had a fresh move of God in your life. Take comfort that Jesus wants to touch you right now.
John 5:6
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?
Hasn’t it been long enough? Wilt thou be made whole? Would you give your heart to Him today? Will you have your healing? Will you repent of your sins? Will you allow Him to move in you today?
Hasn’t it been long enough?
JESUS IS HERE RIGHT NOW, REACH OUT AND TOUCH HIM.