Stand Up Then Step Out
Have you been feeling stuck in the same place and no matter what you try or do, you just aren’t moving.
You can’t step out if you don’t stand up.
Here is why…there is no movement without moving. Here is an exercise you can do right where you are to see what I mean. Come on and try it with me:
Sit where you are and step out. Are you moving? Now, stand up and just stay standing. Are you going anywhere? Your answer to both question is no, not really. Right! I want you to stand up and step out, step out, and step out again. Are you moving and going somewhere now? Your answer would be yes.
You see in order to make movement you have to move. How you move is by standing up then stepping out. You have seen from our exercise above how easy it is to get stuck and unable to move without both.
Things that can have us stuck are our fears, health, marriage problems, finances, children, careers, family, relationships, and so much more.
If you are stuck it’s because you are either doing too much of standing up and not enough stepping out. Or too much stepping out without enough standing up. Either way in order to move you have to do both. Don’t just keep sitting there stuck, not moving. Jesus desires for you to move forward, be healed, and walk in freedom and liberty.
You may say how or I don’t know where to start, well let’s look at this story in the word of God.
“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.” John 5:1–9 NKJV
We have three things we can learn and take away from this story.
Here we have a man who was sick and who was stuck for 38 years. One day Jesus came and asked him do he want to be healed. The man says every time I try to go to the pool someone get’s there before me. (So basically I can’t) Jesus tells him to stand up and walk (step out).
I can’t often time means I don’t want to or I won’t.
Allow Your Frustrations To Be Fuel To Increase Your Faith
However, in this case the man did in fact try to get to the pool. E for effort right. Where was his faith though when Jesus asked him did he want to be made well? I’ll tell you, it was was there but frustration by this time was louder. He got caught just standing.
That is how it is when we are faced with things that have us stuck. They become louder to us then our faith. When things don’t turn out the way we see them or picture them to go our thoughts are quick to go to I can’t, I won’t, I don’t want to. I can’t is an I’m stuck mindset and will have you thinking this is how it’s going to be forever.
The devil is a lair. You are not stuck, but saved and healed by the grace and the blood of Jesus Christ.
We have to be carful and more aware of declaring “I can’t” over our lives. Saying I can’t places you in defeated mode, stuck mode, and having no outlook in moving. I can’t will have you at the pool for 38 years with the same excuse no one helped me in the pool. When in fact healing is already yours. Don’t give into the frustrations by giving up, instead stand up and step out. Allow your frustrations to be the fuel to increase your faith.
Stand Up Then Step Out
Faith has no expiration date and has a way of getting God’s attention. It says Jesus saw him and knew he had been there a long time. That means Jesus knew the faith he had in the beginning and the effort he put into trying to get to the pool. His faith was still there but he was in fact frustrated. You can see it in his response to Jesus.
All God need is a little faith.
The little faith the man had left was what he used when Jesus said stand up and walk (step out). Jesus gave the man instructions to receive his healing, transformed him by renewing his mind from I can’t to I can, increased his faith, and gave him the equation to how to never get stuck again by MOVEMENT!!!
Faith is active. It has to always be activated, even if all you have is little.
Jesus Intentions are always good
Jesus intentions for us are always good and the truth is you are not stuck. The devil would love for you to keep thinking that you are stuck and you can’t move forward. Jesus has given us freedom from everything. We know that the devil is the father of lies and if you don’t know, now you do. He is the one that gives us excuses that leads to I can’t and I won’t.
I want you to know today that “YOU CAN” do all things through Christ that strengthens you. If Christ isn’t in you then know that he wants and desires to be. His arms are always open wide, ready, and willing to receive you. He wants to get you out of the place of being stuck, just like he did with the man at the pool.
You can start today be standing up on top of fear and stepping out on faith. Stand up to your health and step out into your healing and keep taking the steps to bettering it. Stand up on top of your marriage problems and step out toward God for restoration. Stand up on top of your finances and step out on God’s wisdom and stewardship.
Stand up for your children and step out by trusting God have them in his hands. Stand up in your career and step out knowing God is leading you. Stand up for your family and step out on God’s love. Stand up in your relationships and step out leaning on God’s discernment.
Lastly, my question to you is what are you saying I can’t to, that Jesus is telling you to stand up and step out?
God Bless You!!!
His Servant, Evette Clemons
