KINGDOM BIBLE STUDY | IDENTITY CRISIS | WEDNESDAY 07-06-2023

 KINGDOM BIBLE STUDY | IDENTITY CRISIS  | WEDNESDAY 07-06-2023

BIBLICAL CASE | THE MAN AT THE POOL

● John 5:1 KJV After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

● John 5:2 KJV Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

● John 5:3 KJV In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

● John 5:4 KJV For 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.

● John 5:5 KJV And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

● John 5:7 KJV The 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.

● John 5:8 KJV Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

● John 5:9 KJV And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Look at the progression in the description of the identity of this man.

1- FIRST, HE WAS DESCRIBED AS A CERTAIN MAN

●  John 5:5 KJV And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

● The meaning of it is someone known, but not named. He was known for something not commendable. He was known not for an exploit. He was known not for something good. 

● He was known for his situation has taken so long that there is even no need to name him.

● Anyone who has been in a situation for long ends up being identified with it. Am I right? 

● People can start making fun of him. People can even reject  him.

● Cases are not the same. There are cases/battles that take longer than others and longer than what you can imagine.

Let us look at Moses in Exodus 17:9-13 KJV

● And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 

[10] So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 

[11] And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 

[12] But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 

[13] And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

● This story shows a generational battle that Moses thought he will fight standing. He was wrong. He thought it will take minutes. He was wrong. He had to sit down and keep his hands up until the sun goes down and until the amalekites are defeated.

● Back to this certain man, 

SECONDLY, HE WAS DESCRIBED AS THE WEAK MAN.

● John 5:7 KJV The 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.

● Other versions say ... The invalid. The sick man. The disabled man. The ailing man. The weak mam.

● What a way of describing a man. Not by his name but by his infirmity. Not by his name but by his challenge.

● No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. I refuse my life to be identified with my challenge.

THIRDLY, HE WAS DESCRIBED AS THE MAN.

● John 5:9 KJV And immediately  the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

● You see now? When he was made whole, when he was walking, when he was healed, he was no longer the certain man nor the weak mam but the man.

● Hallelujah Hallelujah That will be your experience in the Name of Jesus Christ!!!!!!!

That is why God told us today ...

● Isaiah 62:2 KJV And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and THOU SHALT BE CALLED BY A NEW NAME, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.

Watch this verse carefully.

1- The gentiles shall see ...

2- Thou shalt be called ... 

● This year 2023 is not the year of saying. No. This year is the year of seeing.

This certain man. This weak man. He became the man when the healing was confirmed.

● There are things I want to see. To hold. To touch. As long as I don't, I proceed with the fast until I see it ... It is not about me. It is about his Church.

THE POWER OF KNOWING WHO YOU ARE

POWER 1 -  It strengthens your spiritual authority over the devil and his demons.

● To exercise your authority effectively,  you need to know who you are in Christ 

● The sons of Sceva were asked who they were. Since they didn't know, they fled, they were beaten and overpowered by the devil.

● Acts 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

● Acts 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?

● Acts 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

POWER 2 - It boosts your esteem and shields you emotionally against emotional attacks.

● Nehemiah 6:11 KJV And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

POWER 3 - It builds your confidence when facing adversities, relating with others and carrying out your daily duties.

● Moses was asked who he was. He fled. (Exodus 2:13-14) 

Later, when he knew who he was, he was bold, confident, could confront Pharaoh without being scared.

● Hebrews 11:27 KJV By faith Moses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

POWER 4 - It makes you feel good  about yourself. It helps you have healthy relationship. It is a fundamental key to a successful / conquering / victorious /  life.

● A life where you don't need to compete with anybody.

● A life where you don't need to compare yourself with anybody.

● A life where you are contended, complete, happy,...

● Look at lions, they are unanimously identified with success, dominion, power, bravery, courage.

● There are animals bigger than lions in size. There are animals faster than lions. There are animals more handsome than lions. There are animals smarter than lions. There are animals taller than lions. There are animals heavier than lions.

● But when lions roar, they all run away. 

But why lions?

- THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE. 

- THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHO THEY ARE SHAPE THEIR ATTITUDE, THEIR BELIEFS, THEIR CHARACTER AND THEIR DOMINION

● For example, According to Proverbs 28:1, the Bible says ...  

A wicked person flees when no one is chasing him, but righteous people are as bold as lions. 

Reason 1 | According to the verse, lions are bold. 

● Bold means  that lions are confident, brave, relaxed, sure, assured. 

● Lions are not hesitant, not doubtful, not hesitant, not confused, not fearful, not unsecure. They know who they are. 

● Lions know what they carry. No one and nothing can come to their territory and do whatever they want. 

● Lions are composed. Lions don't cry. Lions roar. Their roar is enough to make the enemies flee and run away. 

● Reason 2 |  Lions are strongest among beasts. 

● Proverbs 30:30 KJV A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

● Lions are kings of animals. Lions are kings of jungle. 

● Lions don't turn away before any. They run away from nothing. They don't back down from nothing. 

● Lions are mighty. They are powerful. They are strong. They are warriors. They don't beg. They command.

THAT IS WHO YOU ARE

● If I ask you a question who are you? What would be your answer? What would you say?

● Take note... To experience the uncommon, one of the key is the awareness and consciousness of who you are.

● Let us look at Jesus Christ.

● The source behind his uncommon operation on the earth was the knowledge and the understanding of who he was.

● In  John. 8:23 for example, Jesus said to the Pharisees, 

“Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world”. 

● This statement shows in clear term that Jesus had a uncommon mentality which conferred to him a uncommon identity.

● He was conscious of His source. He knew where he was coming from. He knew where he belonged to. He knew where he was connected to. He knew that above is where he was coming from.

● And as a matter of fact ...  You know what? 

John 3:30 says clearly, HE WHO IS FROM ABOVE ABOVE IS ABOVE ALL

● Jesus knew, was aware, was conscious that because he was from above, he was above all. 

● He knew he was Above the storm. That's why he could sleep undisturbed. 

● He knew he was above death. That's why he could face it. 

● He knew he was above sicknesses, diseases, demons, that's why he could command them and they could obey him. 

● The question I'm asking you today is ... 

Do you know who you are in Christ?

● Like the sons of Sceva which I mentioned earlier, many believers today are molested and beaten up by the devil and his demons.

● Why? Because they don't know who they are and  they don't know who God is for them. 

● You who are listening, reading, watching today, do you know who you are in Christ?

● Let me remind you ...

● In Christ, you are a born again child of God.

● In Christ, you are a new creature.

● In Christ, you are seated far above principalities, powers, authorities, you

● In Christ, you are forgiven, you are made righteous.

PRAYER GUIDELINES

Father in the name of Jesus, I declare

● I will not be identified with the multitude, with my condition and situation. .

●  I will not be identified with the family where I come from. I take responsibility. There must be a turn around.

●  I will not be identified with joblessness, barrenness, as a weak man/woman. Something must change in my life. 

● I receive my wholeness today. The wholeness of my body, my soul and spirit.

● I receive my new name. I will be called by a new name, the name the Lord has named.

● From now I take responsibility for the outcome of my life and destiny. I will never blame anybody again for the outcome of my life.  

● I take responsibility. I know who I am in Christ. I am forgiven, loved and cared for. I am a new creature. 

● Thank you Lord Almighty. My life will not be the same again. My life is taking a new turn. I am changing from now.

✍🏽Pastor TD KASUKU