Message 03: Alive and Free!

He has a problem. For 38 years he’s been held captive by a body that just won’t do what it is supposed to do. And it just won’t go away, regardless of what he does about it. The RELIGIOUS SPIRITS of the day tells him what to do – stay at the Bethseda pool and when the waters stir – jump in and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be healed. But even though he does what he is told, the RELIGIOUS SPIRITS aren’t working.

Maybe you’ve felt that way in your life. You’ve faced problems and tried to apply certain principles to overcome them, but without success.

You’ve gone to workshops, conferences, bought the tapes and the t-shirt – but it doesn’t seem to apply when you get home.

You’ve gone to church in hopes of finding the solutions. But all they gave you were rules and regulations, and then the Rule Givers – the RELIGIOUS SPIRITS - made you feel guilty for not being able to uphold them perfectly.

Today, I want you to see that there is another way to experience the miracle that you need.

I want you to see how the Supernatural Jesus can make you alive and free!

LOOK AT JOHN 5:1-5
“Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie--the blind, the lame, the paralyzed – and they waited for the moving of the waters. From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up that waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease he had. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.”

RELIGIOUS SPIRITS had convinced the hurting and lame that if the waters of the Bethesda pool were stirred that they could be healed – if and only if – they were the first one in the water! So, it makes sense that the blind, lame and paralyzed would flock to such a place.

Everyone needs hope. We all do. We all hope that this next thing will be the thing that makes the difference. Tragically, the enemy of your soul loves to play upon your hopes and he brings forth all kinds of false hopes. Why else would people follow the David Koresh’s, Jim Jones or L. Ron Hubbard? Why would people fall prey to religious spirits that place them in bondage?

Satan knows that he cannot stop people from being religious, so he seeks to pervert truth with deceptive spirits – religious spirits!

But Jesus isn’t like the religious spirits. Just the opposite. He made you to love you and to set you free.
Jesus has only one offer to make: LIFE ABUNDANT!

Now, the people at the pool are a desperate bunch. Blind, lame, paralyzed. Broken. Wounded. Hurting. These are Christ’s kind of folks. Why? Because they are His very reason for being here!

Remember what He said in Luke 4:18-19…
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18, 19

Religious spirits don’t have anything to do with these types of people. They run. They shame them – they make them yell out in the streets: “UNCLEAN! UNCLEAN!” – Religious spirits push these people to the back of the bus, or the furthest pews from the pulpit!

But Jesus runs to these folks. Read the Gospels. Who did Jesus spend His time with? Tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes were his frequent companions. And Jesus spent His time with them for one reason: To restore them!

Jesus steps up to this one man and says the most outlandish thing: “Do you want to get well?” The Greek word for ‘get well’ means to be made whole, sound and healthy. Jesus isn’t just offering to heal his body; He is offering to restore him to full working order – body, soul and spirit!

And verse 7 contains his response:
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no-one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Remember what the religious spirits have done – they’ve said: “When the water stirs, first one in gets healed!” But, how can this lame man possibly get in the water? How frustrating it must have been for him – “Hey, I’m here! I’m trying to do the right thing! But I need some help!”

That’s how I’ve felt. I have good motives. I want what is best. I’m sure you feel the same way. You are trying hard. Working hard. Doing your very best. But “it” isn’t working.

That’s because “IT” never works. God didn’t make us to follow “IT” – He made us to follow HIM!

Here’s a great test to see if something is a religious spirit: Am I being pointed to JESUS CHRIST or to SELF-EFFORT? Religious spirits are always about self-effort. I call it the “Try-Harder” gospel.

But Christ calls me to Himself and He says:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

So, Jesus responds to this poor man and he says in verse 8…
“Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” 8-9a

I want you to see the Supernatural Jesus in this story.

Jesus is Supernatural in His AUTHORITY!

He says: “Get up!” – That’s authority! Not over the man, but over the disease!

The religious spirits said ‘Try harder!’ – Jesus says: “Get up!” – all that is required of the man is to stand.

The Bible tells us that Jesus has authority over disease and sickness! In an account very similar to this in Matthew 9, we read this:
“But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”” Matthew 9:6

His authority over disease helps us believe His authority to forgive sin!

And, here’s a thought for you to consider – this same authority over disease has been granted to us – His followers…
“He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” Matthew 10:1

It’s time for us to rise up in His authority and take this supernatural authority and walk in it! Your spiritual authority is in direct proportion to your spiritual intimacy with Christ!

But I also want you to see another aspect of Jesus:
Jesus is Supernatural in His POWER!

“Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” 8-9a

The healing in this case wasn’t progressive, it was immediate! He miraculously healed what was wrong with the man, but He also restored the atrophied muscles to fullness!

The authority and power of the Supernatural Jesus is seen clearly here. But, there is something that could have stopped it from happening.

What would have happened if the man had said: “Yeah, right. Whatever.” And continue to lay there on his mat? Would he have been healed? NO!

Christ called the man to respond in faith to His authority and power. Christ called the man to DO SOMETHING to demonstrate the reality of the miracle. Christ called the man to get up, pick up and walk!

Too many of us are missing out on the miracle of the Supernatural Jesus because we will not get up, pick up and walk. Instead we are stuck in our cynical, unbelief!

The problem is that we believe the religious spirits more than we believe Jesus. We are so tied to a performance-oriented religion that we simply cannot believe that Jesus would do for us what He promises.

Even this morning as I teach about the Supernatural Jesus some of you are being assaulted by religious spirits. And, it’s not your fault, but it is your responsibility to do what it takes to get free from them. We are going to do a deliverance ministry in a few minutes so that you can be set free from these lying religious spirits that are holding you back.

But first – I want you to see how the religious spirits attack. Look at verse 9-13
“The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’” So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.” V. 9b-13

An amazing miracle had occurred. But the religious spirits are more interested in what day it was. You see, God established the Sabbath day as a day of rest from labor and focused attention upon the Lord. But, religious spirits always miss the purpose of something, and get excited about the rules. So, what do they do? They critizise the man for carrying his bed. You see, that’s a form of labor. Strictly forbidden.

But that’s what religious spirits do. They ignore the meaning and focus on the rules, regulations and the letter of the law. And they are always looking for someone to blame.

“Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” is a question designed to point fingers of accusation and blame, not to lift up hands in praise!

And the funny thing is this: The man doesn’t know!

But Christ desires to be known by this man – so we read of another encounter in vs. 14:
“Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.” v. 14-15

Jesus says: “You are well.” – Literally – “You are whole physically!” And then he challenges him to become whole spiritually! “Stop sinning!” – this isn’t a condemnation, it’s a calling to rise up to become who he can really be through Christ! Jesus is saying: “You’ve been restored physically, now be restored spiritually!”

Sin isn’t our friend. Sin ruins our lives. When I walk in sin – it is as if I am paralyzed. Sin holds me back from experiencing who I really am. Christ has set me free from sin in order that I can walk with Him into the supernatural realms of His Holy Spirit.

In the Chronicles of Narnia, there is a scene with Edmund and the White Witch. He asks for the candy “Turkish Delight” and she provides it for him. And it is the best “Turkish Delight” he’s ever eaten. She promises Edmund that at her castle she has ‘rooms full of Turkish Delight’ – but she is a liar. She uses Turkish Delight to suck Edmund into her deadly scheme. And it nearly works.

Satan does the same thing – he tantalizes us with sin. And maybe, just maybe, the first time we taste that particular sin, it is awesome, a delight. Something to enjoy. We get a rush from it, our endorphins flow – but then it turns into what it really is: Death. And by then, without God’s intervention, we are hooked and we are dead.

Jesus says: “Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” He’s not threatening the man – He’s warning him. “I’ve healed your body, let me heal your spirit!”

Christ offers the same deal today. He wants you to be FREE. He wants you to be ALIVE. He doesn’t want you to listen to religious spirits. He doesn’t want you to be captive to sin.

And He has the AUTHORITY and the POWER to do what is needed in your life.

Now, look at verse 15-16
“The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him.” V. 15-16

• Religious spirits don’t like freedom.
• They don’t like life.
• Wherever life is beginning to emerge – religious spirits go on a hunt and destroy mission.
• Wherever freedom is being experienced – religious spirits come up with a 1001 rules to ruin it!

And they went after Jesus.
And they are going after you.
And today is the day to break off their claims to your life.

How do you know if you’ve been infected by religious spirits?
Here’s some questions to ask yourself - in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit:
1. Am I afraid of not being good enough?
2. Am I afraid of the opinions of others?
3. Am I performance based – instead of grace based?
4. Do I do good works to atone for my guilt?
5. Do I place a large emphasis on external things?
6. Is tradition more important to me than what the Holy Spirit is doing?
7. Am I focused on rituals, rules and regulations?
8. Am I proud of what I’ve done for God?
9. Do I lack mercy?
10. Am I different on Sunday mornings than on the others days of the week?
11. Do I reject the power of the Holy Spirit?
12. Am I envious of other ministers of God?
13. Do I think I’m better than others?
14. Am I blind to what God is doing?
15. Do I find fault in others easily?

Now, let’s be honest, most of us need deliverance from religious spirits. So, let’s get free. Stand up. Pray the prayer that is on the back of your bulletin:

• Personally affirm your faith in Christ:
“Lord Jesus Christ, I believe You are the son of God and the only way to God – that You died on the cross for my sins and rose again so that I would be forgiven and receive eternal life!”

• Humble yourself before Him:
“I renounce all pride and religious self-righteousness and any dignity that does not come from You. I have no claim on Your mercy, except that You died in my place.”

• Confess any known sin:
“I confess all my sins before You and hold nothing back. Holy Spirit reveal the darkest places. I confess to You Lord…”

• Repent of all sins:
“I repent of all my sins. I turn away from them and I turn to You, Lord, for mercy and forgiveness.”

• Forgive all other people.
“By a decision of the will, I freely forgive all who have ever harmed me or wronged me. I lay down all bitterness, all resentment and all hatred. Especially, I forgive…”

• Sever your relationship with religious spirits:
“I sever all contact I’ve had with religious spirits, past and present.”

• Praise Christ for releasing you from every curse over your life:
“Lord Jesus, I thank You that on the cross You were made a curse, that I might be redeemed from every curse and inherit God’s blessing. On that basis I ask You to release me and set me free to receive the deliverance I need.”

• Take your stand with Christ:
“I take my stand with You, Lord, against all satan’s demons. I submit to You, Lord, and I resist the devil. Amen!”

• Expel the demons:
“Now, I speak to any demons or religious spirits that have any level of control over me. I command you to go from me now! In the Name of Jesus, I expel You!”

• Be Filled with the Holy Spirit:
“And now, Lord Jesus Christ, in confidence, I ask for the filling of the Holy Spirit in my life! I receive the Holy Spirit in my spirit, in my mind, in my emotions, in my will and in my body! Praise the Lord, I am free!”


SKIP DOWN TO VERSE 24:
“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” V. 24

HAVE YOU HEARD THE WORD OF Christ TODAY?
HAVE YOU BELIEVED IN Christ TODAY?
Then – I have good news for you: YOU have crossed over from death to life! You possess eternal life!
Now live like it!