Forgiven? Walk!

Sometimes you simply need to focus on the key issue.

Text for Today – Luke 5:24 – But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

Here’s the story.  A man with palsy was carried to Jesus by four men.  After removing a section of the roof, they lowered the man before Jesus.  Jesus, upon seeing the faith of the four men, said to the palsied man, “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.”

Now notice what Jesus DID NOT say.  He DID NOT say, “Man, you are healed.”  After telling the man he was forgiven, the next thing Jesus said to him was, “Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.”  A shorter way of saying that would be, “Get up, gather your stuff, and walk home.” 

You see, sickness and disease are both under the curse of the law.  Sin brought the curse into the earth.  When sin is defeated, when it is dealt with properly, all the results that arose from the sin are also defeated.  If you are forgiven, then healing belongs to you, too. 

We can even see that in our prison system within the United States.  When a prisoner has served his sentence for the crime committed, he is released from prison.  But more than that, anything that was taken from his person upon his arrest is returned to him.  When sin came into the earth through man’s disobedience, man also lost his rightful health and provision.  When Jesus was raised from the dead, the price for all sin, including yours and mine was fully paid.  Therefore, all that man lost in his transgression should be returned to you and me upon our release from the prison house of sin; being separated from God.  So, when you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, all your sins were forgiven.  At that very moment, you became the rightful possessor of health and provision

So, I ask you a question; are you forgiven?  If the answer is “YES,” then I have a command for you as well.  “Arise, take up your couch and go into your house.  You are free from all sickness and disease, and all poverty and lack that came into the world as a result of sin.  Jesus paid the price for you.  So, if you’re forgiven, then WALK!”

Manna for Today – Galatians 3; Deuteronomy 28; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21