Step Into Your Blessing

John 5:1-9

This is the story of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. Multitudes of feeble folk surrounded that pool, waiting for the moving of the water. Here, we can see an entire group of people who testified, by their very presence, that they needed something at that place that they couldn't get anywhere else.

Every time we come together to worship, our presence in that moment is a revelation that we need something that we cannot find anywhere else. It's not in a bottle, in a pill, and it's not in drugs, sex, or money. The doctor can't do it for you; you won't find it in motorcycles, boats, or sports. We need nothing less than the supernatural presence and power of the living God.

I know sometimes it's hard to come to a place where we're ready to admit our desperation and impotence. But today, I acknowledge that I'm no different than the crowd gathered at that pool. I'm impotent, powerless, helpless, and without God's touch, I am nothing. Without His anointing, I can do nothing. And I have discovered that one of the greatest keys to that touch and anointing is learning how to wait on God.

God doesn't operate on my timetable, so I must wait on him:

Psalm 62:5 "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him."

Psalm 27:14 "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

Lamentations 3:25: "The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him."

Luke 21:19: "In your patience possess ye your souls."

Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

When I pray, I get quiet before him and wait. I am saying to God, "I am powerless without you, I'm helpless without you, and I can't even walk without you holding my hand.

But you must realize there is a time for waiting, and there is a time for stepping. Many people sit around on their hands, excusing their fear, doubt, and laziness by saying, "I'm just waiting on God."

I'll say it one more time. There's a time for waiting, and there is a time for moving.

David was anointed to be king, and when the Philistines heard about it, they all came to fight with David. David enquired of the Lord, shall I go up, and will you deliver them into my hand, God said go up, David did and won a great victory. A short time later, the Philistines returned, and David again enquired of the Lord, and the Lord said to go up, I will give you the victory; again, David wins a great victory.

Then, for a third time, the Philistines come up against David. Most people would have assumed God was with them based on past victories and rush into battle. But David understood the need for God's Help and direction. When David enquires of the Lord the third time, God tells him:

"thou shalt not go up, but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer."

In other words, God said wait. If you want me to be with you, and you want my power on your behalf, then wait. The revelation here is that there is a time for waiting, and there is a time for moving.

When the water moved, an angel was present; whatever their need was, it was met when they stepped into the water. When the water moved, there was a miracle in the water, but only when the water moved.

In my imagination, I see this crowd of people spread out around this pool, waiting for the moving of the water. They did not know when it would happen, so they had to watch the water. I can imagine these people anticipating their miracle, concentrating on the water, and getting as close as possible to the place of blessing. I can imagine the struggle to be in the front and how, over time, those who started out in the back made it to the front.

I can also see in my imagination people becoming discouraged because it didn't happen soon enough for them. They lose interest and faith as their focus shifts to other things. They begin to grumble and complain that it is too cold or hot, their seat is too hard, the music is too loud, or the songs aren't their style. They started looking for another pool with more entertainment and activities for the kids.

Then suddenly, someone comes climbing over the top of a hundred people. I can see people getting angry at this person; he has completely forgotten his manners. He has yet to say please or thank you or excuse me, or what time is it, or isn't this lovely weather we're having.

He's stepping on fingers and toes; he's bumping heads on his way. See, this person I'm talking about is the one who saw the water moving. He recognized the presence of God's supernatural power and decided he would not miss the move.

He didn't come for the company, he didn't come to get out of the house, and he didn't come for the excellent singing. He was there because he needed a miracle and was looking for a touch from God!

Many of God's people have become too familiar with the presence of God. They're too casual with his presence, and many times, they miss his glory because they have forgotten how to entertain his presence.

What began as a ripple in the water became a tidal wave of blessing, healing, and deliverance to the one who recognized the presence of the angel of the Lord.

I am convinced that we often miss God's miracles and glory simply because we are insensitive to the gentle stirrings, the ripples in the water. We want earthquakes, wind, and fire, but God moves in the still, small voice, often in the gentle waves and subtle stirring. But we missed it because we were in a hurry to get to the buffet bar first.

My grandma used to say, usually when she was cooking fresh bread rolls, and I was nagging for them to be done, "Anything worth having is worth waiting for."

That means that the best things require some time, and if you want the best, you must be patient. Good things come to those who wait but not to those who wait too late. The bottom line is there is a time for waiting, and there is a time for stepping.

When the water moved, the miracle power of God was present. The healing, the deliverance, and the breakthrough were present in their midst, but the only person who got their miracle was the one who moved when the water moved. It was the stepper.

I don't plan on missing my move. When the water starts moving, I'll be stepping. So, you should pull your feet in a little bit. I don't mean to be pushy or rude, but I need a miracle, a breakthrough, and I don't have time to worry about being cute or comfortable. When the Holy Ghost begins to move, I don't know if He'll ever move like this again, and I am not about to miss it.

I don't care what you think about me! I can't let your opinion hold me back! I may seem undignified, but I need a move, and I have been waiting for a long time! I've been praying for it, believing for it, I've been expecting it, and when it comes, you better move with me, make a way, or get run over because I'm not sitting back and letting it pass me by!

I believe that God is moving in some lives right now. As you read this, can you feel the anointing? Do you feel a stepping anointing right now? Friends, someone is getting ready to step into a breakthrough, you're about to step into a divine connection, somebody's getting ready to step into what you've been waiting for.

God is getting ready to move! Are you prepared to step into your blessing? I know I am!