Mark 2:3-5 TPT
While Jesus was preaching the word of God, four men arrived, carrying a paralyzed man. 4 But when they realized that they couldn’t even get near him because of the crowd, they went up on top of the house and tore away the roof above Jesus’ head. And when they had broken through, they lowered the paralyzed man on a stretcher right down in front of him! 5When Jesus saw the extent of their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are now forgiven.”
On Sunday, when God led us to pray for our new member, Cristian, to be delivered from his addictions, God reminded me of a story from the Bible about a paralyzed man.
The paralyzed man had to entirely depend on the four men who had faith in Jesus. They believed their act of faith would heal the man.
When God led us, the whole church, to pray for his healing and deliverance, in that moment, we were those four men for Cristian. Our beloved Cristian is spiritually “paralyzed” and needs spiritual “four men” to help him receive deliverance from Jesus.
God was impressing on me that our faith will help him to be continuously delivered.
Some brothers and sisters lack faith. In that case, mature ones who have stronger faith need to hold their hands. Once we lacked faith, but because someone had held our hands, we are where we are now.
But I believe our brother Cristian is delivered and does not need to go to rehab.
I believe God used our (the whole church on Sunday) faith and delivered him.
But the devil will test him. Therefore, please continue to pray for him. He said he no longer craves it.
Praise God for He is GOOD!!
Senior Pastor Yoojin Kim
Additional Comments by Senior Pastor Steve Kim
But many have come physically paralyzed from the family of “Cervidae” (look up definition).
Where God has to literally restore through the pastors and their helpers: housing, find jobs, buy food, read, pray, defume, deodorize, debug, wash, reprogram, transportation, bathe, etc. This is making disciples.
What is evangelizing? It is to draw men unto Jesus through repentance, and then what? Say “bye? Have a nice life?”
No, the work just begins. But Western Christianity is like a fast-food drive-through. Get the order and leave.
“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
Matthew 28:20 NLT