Let Go Of Your Chains

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

John 5:1-8

I was thinking about this story this morning while listening to the new Bethel song, “Come Out Of That Grave”. I love the wording in the bridge of the song. It goes,

“Dead man come out of that grave
Come out of that grave when we sing
Captives let go of those chains
Let go of those chains when we praise”

Jesus asked the man to get up and walk. The man had to have faith that he was healed and stand up even though he’s never stood before. But by faith he moved his feet and stood and walked for the first time. He had to believe Jesus healed him then make a move. Now, we are bound in chains of sin and death. Jesus wants to release you from that prison of sin and bondage so you can live in freedom and help set others free too. But how many times do we hold onto old habits, old lies in our heads, past hurts, and bitterness? Our chains are broken by Jesus when we come to Him in repentance and the Holy Spirit fills us, but are we holding onto those chains and not putting them down to walk in the full freedom that He has for us? Captives, LET GO of those chains! Stop lying in the grave, because the grave is opened up, get out and walk! We have freedom through Jesus Christ. We must drop the chains, the habits, the hurts, the bitterness, and walk in what Jesus has for us. We have a life full of abundance through Him. He wants you to be fully free. He’s so good and so kind. He knows we have hurts, and He knows our struggles. His love is long-suffering for us. But we must let it go. There is so much more for us when we let it go. Jesus asked the paralyzed man, “do you want to get well?” Sometimes we’re comfortable in our hurts. We don’t know anything else but those hurts and habits. We’re afraid of what it looks like to actually live free! Trust me, I’ve been there. Jesus wants you to want to be well and get up and walk! Isn’t that amazing? He gave us free will! He can heal us, but will we walk? Choose to walk in full freedom today brothers and sisters!

In Jesus’ name, I pray we can all be healed fully and drop those chains!

Written by Olivia Mancini