…whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. John 5:4
Every lasting and genuine miracle has its root in the Word of God. The gifts of the Holy Spirit may come and go, but the word of God will always command miracle any day anytime. Kenneth E. Hagin of Blessed Memory always advises Christians to build their lives and ministries on the word of God and not on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The word of God is a sure matrix that guarantees the act of God among men.
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. (Psa 119:18)
The word of God is full of wonders and provoker of signs and wonders (Mk 16:20). According to scriptures, miracles are manifestation of the Spirit of God (Rom 15:19, Heb 2:4)
We also understand from God’s word that the God’s Word is a carrier of God’s Spirit (John 6:63, Eze 2:4, Luk5:17) So where ever the word of God goes, the Spirit follows and the outcome will be signs and wonder.
The Lord said to Moses in Exo 4:17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
and that rod is Jesus according to Isa 11:1 and Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1, Rev 19:13). Therefore at the instance of the word of God, signs are triggered because God is not a joker, He say what He mean and mean what He say
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. (Psa 89:34)
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying,
(2Ch 6:4)
The scriptures painted the word of God in different dimension and in this chapter; we shall explore the water dimension and the place of sensitivity in accessing the blessing of the word
Water Dimension Of The Word
According to scriptures, the word of God is likened to as water.
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Eph 5:26)
Also in Isa 55:10-11, the word was also likened to as a rain
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: (Isa 55:10)
So the word of God is a water of miracle and abundance and blessing (Joel 2)
The Miracle Pool
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. (Joh 5:2-4)
The word of God (the bible) can be likened to as the miracle pool since the word of God is a miracle provoking water (Eph 5:26)
In order to access the miracle embedded in the water of the word of God, there is a need for spiritual sensitivity or alertness. In John 5:4b, “whatsoever first after the troubling of the water stepped in” This connotes spiritual sensitivity.
In Luke 5:17, the bible recorded that as Jesus was teaching on a certain day, the power of God was present to heal
So whenever the Word of God goes forth either via reading or hearing, the miracle pool of the word of God is stirred up and only those that are sensitive to the move of the Spirit can catch their miracle.
In Act 14:8-10, the crippled man was sensitivity to his hour and dive in when the word of faith came through Paul.
Let’s look at other scriptures to understand the place and role of spiritual sensitivity and alertness, in accessing the miracle of the Spirit of the Word.
According scriptures, the Spirit of God operate in a sudden frequency
And SUDDENLY there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (Act 2:2)
Also John 3:8 reveals the nature of the Holy Spirit
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (Joh 3:8)
It means that the work of the Holy Spirit is a mystery and wonder. So you can’t tell where His flow goeth but you can’t deny His effect either. Since the Holy Spirit operates in a sudden frequency, you need to be alert in the spirit to connect with Him.
This truth was also validated in the life of Elisha in 2 king 2: 9-11, when Elisha requested for double portion of anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Elijah. He was given a condition
And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. (2Ki 2:10)
Note what happen in verse 11
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (2Ki 2:11)
Note the phrase “behold, there appeared” it connotes suddenly (sudden). Heaven operate at a sudden frequency, so there a need for spiritual sensitivity of the movement of the cloud in order to connect.
Many Christians have missed out of their hour of blessing because of lack of spiritual sensitivity to the move of the Spirit at that hour.
I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. (SoS 5:2-7)
Who is the beloved that is knocking at the door; Rev 3:20 gave us the answer “JESUS”
In Act 10:44, the word says while Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Note, the verse above didn’t say “the Holy Ghost fell on all them which were present” No, but those that heard the word. According to Malachi 6:16, to hear demand attention. So Act 10:44 can be paraphrased as this
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that pay attention to the word. (Act 10:44 paraphrased)
Friend, as your word comes, you have to strike while the iron is still hot. Hear what the word says in John 5:4
For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: WHOSOEVER THEN FIRST after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. (Joh 5:4)
It is not enough to be alert in the spirit, but you must dive into the move of the Spirit because it is whosoever then first stepped in. In other words you must strive while the iron is still hot.
Many fail to actualize their blessings because they are not proactive to the word. Whenever your word comes, dive into it; take that action as soon as possible.
Whenever you are hearing or reading the Word, certain words will stand out or minister to your spirit – that is your word in season. Dive in by faith i.e. take a step born out of faith toward the Word you have received, it could be through confession, action, whatsoever that is triggered by that Word.
Let me share a testimony from my personal experience, some years ago I was sort of down – I was passing blood, I was growing weak and aching with pain. I applied my faith through my action, confessing of healing scriptures, anointing myself, binding the spirit behind it, yet to no avail.
After few days, while going out, the Spirit of the Lord said to me “Bind that spirit of sickness” I did and I was instantly healed, I felt a surge of strength back into my body.
You may wonder, didn’t you bind that spirit, I did, but there is a world of difference between operating at the instant of God’s Word and operating by your faith. Faith draws the supernatural, but you need sensitivity to connect with it. When your word comes, power comes and striking immediately guarantees the supernatural.
In 2015, I had a painful stomach discomfort that made me not to stand fully erect due to pains, I prayed, confessed. Nothing was working. In the course of my prayer, while rebuking the sickness, the Spirit said “This signs shall follow them that believed, even if they take poison it shall not harm them, Rebuke that food poisoning” I did as instructed, immediately the pain disappeared. My healing was guaranteed by diving into the movement of the Spirit and acting on the His instruction.
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. (Ecc 9:11)
This means that the outcome of our life is determined by our sensitivity to take advantage of chance (opportunity) per time (at the right time)…but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Also our miracle comes in certain time and moment
For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2Co 6:2)
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Gal 6:9)
Imagine what the ministry of Elisha would have been like if he didn’t catch Elijah when He was taken up.
God is a God of timing and season, if you miss His timing, you miss His visitation and His blessings. I pray that you would not miss the movement of the cloud in Jesus Name Amen.
Many in the church today miss their blessing due to gross spiritual indiscipline, some chat on social media, discussing while the Word of God is preached, some get easily distracted when studying the Word, all these are strategies that Satan is using to stop us from accessing our inheritance and blessing embedded in the Word.
Around November 2008, I asked the Lord for something and He granted my petition, later the Spirit of the Lord said unto me “Pray that you wouldn’t miss the person I would use for bring it to pass” and just after 5 minutes, I was connected to the person.
Be alert, be sensitive, your Word might come as you engage in your daily activities, but it takes sensitivity to hear that small still voice.