Patience is one of the hallmarks of Christian living. Oftentimes when roadblocks and spiritual opposition comes our way, we are simply told to be patient— just have more patience. Sometimes being patient is an appropriate response, but other times not, so how do we know when to wait and when to act?
This question can trap many Christians in a form of analysis paralysis, never sure when to take action, and when to simply accept what is happening. So today we are going to explore this vital question, and get a clear picture from scripture of how to proceed in whatever situation we find ourselves.
Wait or Act, the Choice is Yours
As we begin our study, an essential fact to understand is that whether we choose to act or not in any given situation is our choice. God has given us delegated authority and discretion on what actions we take.
There’s a proclivity among many Christians to adopt a default state of passivity that stems from a desire to be humble. Yet when it comes to resisting spiritual forces or receiving blessings, absolute passivity is not a recipe for success. The scriptures repeatedly encourage us to stand against the devil and spiritual strongholds, and part of God’s armor is the sword of the spirit to actively cut through the spiritual brushwood and thorns that can so often hinder us.
Romans chapter 16 verse 20 states that the God of Peace will crush Satan under your feet, and this tells us a few important details.
Firstly, the verse tells us that it is The God of Peace that crushes Satan. Sometimes we get the idea that it is our personal mission to crush Satan, or to stamp out the devil wherever he may be hiding, but it is actually God who accomplishes this task— specifically the God of Peace; the peace which comes from Jesus Christ.
Even so, there is another aspect to the victory over the devil; the God of Peace crushes Satan under your feet. The fact that it’s our feet that Satan is crushed under, speaks to our unity with Christ, but also that we are the ones standing and walking above Satan. The same idea is mirrored in the description of the armor of God when referring to the shoes of peace in Ephesians 6:15.
God is the one who crushes Satan, under our feet, but we need to do the standing, walking, and stepping.
Making the Choice
A perfect example of taking action can be found in John chapter five, in one of the most intriguing accounts of healing. Let’s take a look at John 5:2-5:
“ 2Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3In these lay a great multitude of weak folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatever disease he had.
5And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.”
Take a moment to consider the scene in these verses. There was a great number of people with various conditions waiting at the Bethesda pool. And at a certain season, an angel would come and stir the water, and when this happened, whoever entered the pool first would be healed.
Now if you’re like me, you might be wondering why would God do something like this? Is this Bethesda pool some kind of healing lottery? As I always like to say, there are no insignificant details in the scripture. Everything in this account has a spiritual significance and can give us insight.
We see in verse three that there are three categories of weaknesses mentioned: blind, halt, and withered— and these descriptions can help us better understand the picture being painted. Think of it… an angel comes to stir up the water, the chances of the blind ones being first are unlikely because they simply won’t see the water being stirred until it’s too late.
The halt (those with paralysis) won’t be able to move into the pool when the water is stirred
The withered (those with general strength deficiencies), won’t be able to move long enough or fast enough. Remember, only the first one into the pool would be healed.
So it’s an intriguing and admittedly puzzling picture of a unique occurrence being described. Let’s continue on with verses six through nine:
“ 6When Jesus saw him laying there, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he said to him, Will you be made whole?
7The weak man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steps down before me.
8Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed, and walk.
9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.”
In verse six, Jesus comes onto the scene, and He says the paralyzed man lying there. You can just imagine what was going through the paralyzed man’s mind, being in that condition for thirty-eight years, watching others reach the pool first at every opportunity, and slowly accepting defeat year after year.
Then we see Jesus ask the man a question that at first seems somewhat rude: Will you be made whole, or in other words: Do you want to be healed?
While this question might put some people off, Jesus wasn’t being rude here; Jesus is asking a specific question designed to refocus the man’s attention off of the pool, and onto the Healer— which is Jesus Himself.
In verse seven, the man’s response to Jesus’ question exposes where his vision was focused. The man explained that he didn’t have anyone to help him into the pool— but that’s not what Jesus asked. Jesus didn’t want the man to focus on the pool at all, but simply asked ‘Do you want to be healed?’
How would a typical Christian today respond to such a question? I’ve been involved in discussions where people have stated that if God wanted them healed, they would be healed. And that specifically seeking healing would be some sort of greed or avarice on the part of the sick person.
Answering Jesus’ Question
There are many possible responses of Jesus’ question. Could you imagine if the man answered ‘No thanks, I’m good.’ And the question asked by Jesus cuts to the core of our question today regarding when to be patient and when to take action.
At its basic level, each of us needs to answer the question of What do you want? You see, much like God told Joshua in Joshua chapter 13 verse 1, there is still much of the promised land left unclaimed. I believe that this is a truth that many of us still need to understand.
Jesus is our promised land today, and in Him we are freely given all things according to Romans 8:32… but just as with Joshua, and the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, we sometimes find ourselves waiting— sometimes for our entire lives, because we’ve been looking in the wrong direction all along.
As we see in verses eight and nine, Jesus’ next statement again entirely ignores the pool. Jesus tell the man three things: rise, take up your bed, walk.
First Jesus tells the man to rise. Do what you couldn’t do in yourself. Realize that in Christ, you have power over the devil. You are not weak and powerless any longer.
Second, take up your bed— remove any artifacts from the ‘old self.’ Remember that you are a new creation in Christ. Old things have passed away. The ‘old sinner’ is dead and gone… don’t leave any reminders of the old self because that’s not your spiritual identity any longer.
Third, walk. Continue on your new path in Christ. Live your new identity in Him.
Don’t Wait for What is Already Yours
I encourage you today, that as we studied a few weeks ago. Today is the day of salvation, soteria, provision, deliverance, redemption, protection. There is no reason to wait for anything that Jesus has already paid to give you.
There are many things in life that require patience, such as the deliverance of friends, loved ones, etc. because we don’t have power over the personal decisions of other people.however when it comes to the blessings and promises which God has already shown you, and paid such a high price to give to you, there is no reason to wait.
It’s the difference between Old Covenant and New — Law vs Grace.
Jesus made all the difference to the man at the pool. The man didn’t have the strength in himself to merit healing by being first to enter the pool when the water was stirred; but Jesus, the bringer of Grace, the true Healer, came to the man.
I look forward to thriving with you again.
Be blessed