"There Is Still Hope Series One."

Rev. Dr. Charles O. Osueke

"Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. Inside the city, near the sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people - blind, lame , paralysed-lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew how long he had been ill, he asked him, 'would you like to get well?' 'I can't Sir,' the sick man said, 'for I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I am trying to get there, someone else always gets in ahead of me. Jesus told him, 'stand up, pick your sleeping mat, and walk!' Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up the mat and began walking! (John 5:1-9 NLT)"

Here, we have a story of what happened at a pool of water at Bethesda in Jerusalem. The bible tells us that something unusual was taking place at this pool. From time to time, an angel of the Lord would descend and he comes and Stirs the water, any body that steps into it first would be cured of whatever disease the person had.

Imagine having that kind of place today, people from all nations would surely rush to go and receive their healing from various diseases tormenting mankind including (HIV/AIDS). Distance will never be a barrier to that kind of opportunity. Human nature has always been the same.

The bible tells us that a large crowd of people with different kinds of diseases gathered there seeking solution. Some were paralysed, some blind, lame etc. Now the bible specifically told us about a man who was paralysed and had stayed there (at the pool) for 38 years. I hope you read that well? 38 years of suffering, pains and despair.

I'm sure that it wasn't even this man that brought himself to this particular place. May be a relation or friends helped him to the place. Or even well wishers who knew his condition, on hearing what had been happening at the pool decided to help him to the place.

Now, before we go on, I want you to know that there are so many people in such conditions in the church today. Some have physical disability, while others are crippled because of the unpleasant experiences they have passed through.

Some are even crippled because of what others did to them. They come to church quite alright, but have vowed not to forgive the offender. Consequently, they have left their relationship with God crippled by this unforgiving spirit. Apart from those paralysed by sin, I also see those paralysed by physical diseases. Whatever money they earn, they spend it on medication and yet no improvement. In fact, there're people that cannot remember when they enjoyed good health last. They go from one clinic to the other, from one medical doctor to another. From one herbalist to the other. They have been going round the same circle.

"...I am telling you today that it is not the will of God that you should die in that condition. There is still hope for you."

They have been seeking for solutions and they are not finding any. As a matter of fact, they have resigned to fate. All that they are saying today is, "any day it pleases God for me to die, I die." But I am telling you today that it is not the will of God that you should die in that condition. There is still hope for you. It is not also the will of God for you to be permanently on medication. God wants you to enjoy good health. Check out 3 John verse 2:

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth (KJV)." This is just the will of God for you.

There are people that the above verse would sound so strange to; because they have gotten used to pains, sorrow and hardship. They are already crippled in life, even mentally. In fact they're no longer thinking any thing positive again. They believed and accepted their situations as they saw them.

When these people hear you talking about good health and prosperity, they quickly conclude that it must be for the other people. They have claimed the sickness and negative situations, in fact you hear such people saying, "this my sickness, this my problem." They claim the unfavourable situation.

But I am telling you by the authority of the word of God that you're being set free from those satanic conditions in Jesus' mighty name!

Dear friend, the first step is to enter into a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. If you would like to begin this relationship, then accept Jesus Christ into your life and your life truly will never remain the same again.

God bless you.