Do you want to be healed?

Do you want to be healed?

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”

Jesus healed a man of his infirmity who had been lying by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years. The second-time Jesus interacted with him he instructed him to “sin no more.” What was this man’s sin? Had this secret sin caused his disability? Repentance involves stopping what you are doing and going in a different direction. So, what did this man need to stop doing? Many people stop what they are doing when it doesn’t work but fail to do a 180 degree turn. For 38 years, this man had placed his faith in himself or others. His infirmity kept him from helping himself and no else could or would help him. God never designed man to be self-reliant. This approach came from the fall of man in the garden and continues to this day. Jesus was instructing the man to stop placing his faith in self-reliance and do a 180-degree turn to trust in Him.

We are all the man by the pool. We believe we can be healed by our own means and just need a little help so we can adjust our attempts. Very often when I sit down with a man struggling with sexual sin, he will state “Tell me what I need to do.” In other words, he is asking for a plan and journey of self-reliant healing. Every successful journey of healing from sexual idolatry begins with brokenness and not with “doing.” The man at the pool was powerless and 38 years of failed attempts had proven this. When sexual idolatry has taken root in your life then you are just as powerless as this man to be healed by your own actions. When sexual sin is discovered, you may stop what you are doing for a time but then return to self-reliance. “I got this” is often the mantra I hear from men recovering from sexual sin. They have forgotten about their brokenness, time has passed, things are going well and now their “I” is growing back. They have returned to the sin of self-reliance before their relapse even occurs. In many of these cases, when the relapse occurs, a “worse thing comes upon them.” In other words, their addiction worsens. The 180-degree turn is to pursue a life of God reliance, humility and sanctification. Many men seek healing or deliverance from their sexual sin but don’t realize the true healing comes when they repent from self-reliance and seek God with all their heart, mind and soul.  

 Is God convicting you regarding your secret sexual sin? Are you ready to do a 180 turn from self-reliance? The Blessing of the Thorn Course can move you in the right direction in regaining your God honoring integrity and principles. Click here for a sample of the video teachings.

Jonathan Jones, President and Founder of Perfect Hope Ministry. Click here for an introductory video about the ministry.