Topic: An Encounter
Text: John 5:1-7
Speaker: Bro Philemon Okeke

John 5:1-7 (KJV)

¹After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 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 impotent 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: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. ⁵And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. ⁶When Jesus saw him lie; and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, wilt thou be made whole? ⁷The impotent 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 steppeth down before me.

INTRODUCTION

The protocol on the pool called Bethesda is predicated on strength and speed. For you to get a miracle in Bethesda, you must have strength and speed and that protocol is against the protocol of grace.

The Bible recorded that the pool has 5 porches where they relax and be shielded from sun. “A man that needs to be on his track does not need to stay under a porch.”

The purpose of the porch is to make them relax when they should be taking action. “Every force making you relax when you should be praying, that is making you sleep when you should be working, expires by fire!”

WHAT HINDERS ENCOUNTER (WHAT MAKES PEOPLE COMFORTABLE IN THEIR AFFLICTION)

The protocols can be gotten from the pool of Bethesda. (Protocols of the Pool)

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

1. The porch: It makes you relax when you should be active, you get comfortable in your affliction.
2. The waiting: It puts you on a waiting list, it puts you on a queue.
3. The troubled water: It brings Seasonal Blessings; the angel comes in season to trouble the water.

The only reason why the man with infirmity was relaxed and was in one spot for 38 years is because there was a porch shielding him from the scorching sun, if not for that porch he would move as the sun would have roasted him. Most times comfortability limits the plan of God in our life.

Declaration:

• I command every season of stagnation to expire by fire!
• Every comfort limiting the plan of God in your life, every comfort limiting heavens agenda over your life, I take that comfort away in the name of Jesus! Every Satanic comfort that makes you see poverty, barrenness, stagnation as a normal thing, I kick it out in the name of Jesus.

The protocols of pool Bethesda takes you away from your helper, it makes you focus on the stirring of the water and lose focus on your helper. The man with infirmity focused on the stirring of the water and lost focus on Jesus his Salvation, he focused on miracle rather that salvation (the opportunity).

Declaration: Opportunity you lost because of a mere miracle will locate you today.

There are some support system that are orchestrated by Hell to place you in a place of comfort and you lose focus on the intensity of your affliction and stay stagnant without taking action.

Prayer: Every one that says my blessings is not near let them expire by fire.

The man of infirmity was suffering from near success syndrome; people get healed in front of him and he himself could not access the pool because there was none to help him and even when he tries to help himself, he still cannot succeed.

Declaration: I command help to locate you, I command the release of the hand of God over your destiny, receive help in the name of Jesus.

The battle is not to the might neither the race to the swift; Bethesda had nothing Christian it was an anti-grace principle, predicated on speed, strength and connection; and the man with infirmity had no man, no connection, no speed.

And Jesus said in verse 8 take up thy bed and walk; Jesus was saying that anytime you encounter me delay is terminated; we chase miracle and not Jesus Himself. Anointing does not convert sinners, miracles does not convert sinners encounter does.

The reason why the man lingered for long is because he focused on the wrong thing. When you encounter Jesus the protocol is bypassed. Just like the situation where the angel has to come and trouble the water before the miracle can happen, but when Jesus came, he bypassed all that and healed the man.

Declaration: Any man that makes you feel that you can’t do without him, you bypass that man in Jesus name.

Immediately the man encountered Jesus, He got healed and carried what carried him (he carried his bed). When there is an encounter there are instant miracles.

When you have an encounter, you are singled out just like the man who had infirmities, he was singled out and healed by Jesus. This time he had a testimony.

Any man that encounters Christ changes from bad to good. The reason why most of us are still in our captivities is because we are focused on the miracle and not the miracle worker.

“Any healing/miracle that is not backed up by salvation is useless. For a life without Christ is crisis” Seek ye first the kingdom of God…

PRAYER OF SALVATION:

Lord have mercy on me, remove my name from the book of death, put my name in the book of life.

PRAYER:

I ask oh lord for an encounter, that same Jesus that brought about an encounter for that man after 38 years, that same Jesus give me an encounter now in the name of Jesus, the agenda of failure, of near success syndrome that has stood against you, catch fire in the name of Jesus. Thank you so much Lord, blessed be your name in the name of Jesus. Amen!