‎Bible Reading: John 5: 1-9

‎Text: Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.(John 5: 8)

‎INTRODUCTION:

‎Life is full of challenges—personal struggles, financial difficulties, health crises, broken relationships, and even invisible barriers within our own minds. Many times, these obstacles seem insurmountable. But the truth is that faith and action together can move mountains (Matthew 17:20).

‎Many people today are spiritually, emotionally, or even mentally stuck at their own “pool of Bethesda,” waiting for a miracle, waiting for someone to help. Jesus shows us that transformation does not always come from the water, an angel, or another person—but from His word of authority.

‎The command He gave to the man who had been sick for 38 years is still alive today: Rise, take up your pallet, and move.

‎Faith: Seeing Beyond Limitations

‎Faith is the ability to see possibilities where others see impossibility.

‎It is believing in God’s promises even when the evidence around us suggests otherwise, (Hebrews 11:1).

‎Faith doesn’t deny reality, but it refuses to be defined or limited by it. Example: Abraham believed God for a child despite old age (Romans 4:18-21).

‎Action: Faith Put to Work

‎Faith without action is incomplete (James 2:17).

‎Taking steps—no matter how small—proves trust in God’s ability to make a way. Example: The Israelites had to step into the Jordan before it parted (Joshua 3:15-16).

‎Example: The woman with the issue of blood pressed through the crowd to touch Jesus (Mark 5:25-29).

‎MESSAGE:

‎In today’s passage, apart from instructing the man at the pool of Bethesda to rise and take up his bed, Jesus also instructed him to walk. This was a man who had been stuckin one place as a result of his condition. He had been stagnated by his challenges. He had been unable to walk for years unending; but Jesus showed up, and commanded him to walk. Jesus showed up, and commanded him to do what he previously could not do.

‎1. Rise – A Call to Change Position

‎Rising means breaking free from stagnation.

‎The man had been lying down for 38 years; his condition had defined his identity.

‎Jesus’ word challenges us to stop identifying with our failures, disappointments, or delays.

‎Isaiah 60:1 – “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” God is calling you to rise above fear, excuses, and past limitations. 2. Take Up Your Pallet – A Call to Responsibility

‎The pallet (bed/mat) represented his past condition. Carrying it showed that he no longer needed to lie on it—it was now a testimony of deliverance. Jesus did not just want him healed but also responsible and accountable.

‎Sometimes, the very thing that once carried you (pain, excuses, dependency) is what God will make you carry as a witness of His power. Revelation 12:11 – “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…”

‎3. Walk – A Call to Progress and Purpose

‎Healing is not the end, but the beginning of a new walk. God does not deliver us so that we stay in the same place; He wants us to step into purpose. Faith requires movement—obedience turns the command into reality.

‎Philippians 3:13–14 – “…forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal…” Move from pain to praise, from waiting to walking, from excuses to execution of your God-given destiny.

‎Believe God’s Word: His promises are greater than any obstacle.

‎Pray and Act: Prayer gives direction; action brings manifestation.

‎Persevere: Obstacles are often stepping stones; don’t give up at the first resistance.

‎Renew Your Mind: Limitations often start in the mind—replace fear with faith.

‎Take Bold Steps: Courage unlocks opportunities hidden behind obstacles. Beloved of God, it’s time to rise and do what you have been unable to do all these years.

‎It’s time to rise and take those steps that the enemy stopped you from taking all along.

‎It’s time to rise and explore the capacities that have been dormant in you. It’s time to rise to the occasion of doing what you have failed to do in the past. It’s time to walk the talk.

‎It’s time to take a step. You may not have everything figured out, but dare to rise and walk.

‎Walking meant that the man at the pool was not going to remain at the place where he got his healing. He was going to make fresh movements, away from where he met Jesus. He was going to move forward from where his infirmity left him.

‎Jesus is giving you same instruction today: rise and make movements. Rise and make progress. It’s not enough to rise and remain in the same place. Rise and make progress that is discernible.

‎If indeed you are risen with Christ, stagnation is not a part of the deal. If Jesus has set you free, you have no business remaining at the same place where you have been.

‎Jesus did not set you free so that you can remain on the same level. Jesus raised you so that you can make movements in your walk with him, in your family, marriage, finances, health, vocation, business, etc.

‎Jesus set you free so that you can make fresh movements. When faith meets action: The Red Sea parts. Walls of Jericho fall. Giants like Goliath are defeated. Dreams buried under limitations come alive.

‎Conclusion:

‎Obstacles and limitations are not the end—they are opportunities for God’s power to be revealed. Faith gives us the vision, and action gives us the motion. Together, they guarantee victory. Jesus is speaking the same words today: “Rise, take up your pallet, and move.” Rise from spiritual slumber.

‎Take up your testimony and responsibility. Move into your God-ordained future.

‎Prayer Points:

‎1. Lord, help me rise above every stagnation in my life.

‎2. Give me the strength to carry my testimony as a witness of Your power.

‎3. Empower me to move forward into purpose and destiny, Amen!

‎The Rev’d Olomola Olalekan A.
National Minister, Methodist Campus Fellowship
He can be reached via 08035501454, olomolekan@yahoo.com.
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