Move in Faith: Embrace Your Miracle Now

Today, we reflected on the story from John 5, where a man lay by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years, waiting for someone to help him into the water for healing. This passage challenges us to examine the ways we wait—sometimes for people, sometimes for the perfect moment, sometimes for a sign—when God has already spoken a word over our lives. The man’s healing did not come from the water, but from his obedience to Jesus’ command: “Rise, take up your bed, and walk.” This is a call to move beyond excuses, to stop watching others receive their breakthrough, and to step into the miracle God has already prepared for us.

We celebrated God’s greatness and faithfulness, lifting up praise and worship, recognizing that He is worthy of all honor. Our worship is not just a ritual, but a declaration of trust in God’s promises, even when circumstances seem unchanged. We also took time to celebrate our community—our youth, our partnerships, and the ways we are called to serve and make a difference. The work we do together, whether through giving, volunteering, or simply showing up, is an extension of God’s love to those around us.

The heart of today’s reflection is this: many of us have been waiting for the right people, the right season, or the right opportunity, but God is saying the wait is over. The miracle is not in the waiting, but in the moving. When we act in faith—when we rise, take up our bed, and walk—we step into the destiny God has for us. The perfect timing is not some distant future; it is now, because God is present and His power is available. We are called to trust Him, to move when He speaks, and to believe that what He has promised, He will fulfill.

As we closed, the invitation was given to bring our burdens, our waiting, and our pain to the altar, trusting that God is the source of our strength and the answer to every need. The encouragement is clear: don’t miss your moment. Move in faith, trust in God, and watch as He brings healing, breakthrough, and new beginnings.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Stop Excusing, Start Choosing It’s easy to make excuses for why we haven’t moved forward—blaming circumstances, people, or timing. But God calls us to take responsibility for our response to His word. Excuses keep us stuck, but choosing to act in faith opens the door to God’s power in our lives. The time to move is now, not when everything seems perfect. [65:18]
• 2. Don’t Miss Your Moment by Watching Others We often delay our own breakthrough by focusing on what God is doing for others, waiting for our “turn” or comparing our journey. God’s timing for you is not dependent on someone else’s blessing. Your miracle is tied to your movement, not to someone else’s timeline. Step out when God calls, regardless of what’s happening around you. [67:34]
• 3. Obedience Activates God’s Word The man at the pool was healed not by the water, but by obeying Jesus’ command to rise and walk. God’s promises become reality when we act on them, even if we don’t see immediate evidence. Movement in faith—no matter how small—can restart the clock of destiny in your life. The miracle begins when you walk, not just when you rise. [68:39]
• 4. The Wait is Over—Move Now Many of us have made waiting a lifestyle, missing God’s blessings because we’re looking for the perfect sign or opportunity. God has already given His word; the time to act is now. Don’t depend on others for validation or support—if they haven’t helped before, they likely won’t now. Trust God’s timing and move forward in faith. [76:13]
• 5. Trust in God as the Source of Strength True trust is not in people, circumstances, or even ourselves, but in God alone. He is the source of our strength, our healing, and our breakthrough. When we bring our needs to Him and move in obedience, we experience His faithfulness and power in new ways. Let your trust in God be the foundation for every step you take. [85:17]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:03] - Opening Encouragement
• [03:21] - Scripture Reading: John 5:1-9
• [08:54] - The Man at the Pool: A Story of Waiting
• [11:19] - Praise and Worship: God is Great
• [12:52] - Testimonies of God’s Faithfulness
• [14:32] - Joyful Praise and Celebration
• [15:21] - Worship: How Great is Our God
• [16:47] - Congregational Worship
• [18:51] - Fellowship and Community Connection
• [35:51] - Announcements and Youth Ministry
• [39:54] - Community Outreach and Partnership
• [42:03] - Serving Our Schools and Children
• [49:16] - Offering and Giving Declaration
• [51:13] - Trusting God Through Song
• [54:35] - Declaration of Trust
• [58:57] - God Will Never Fail
• [63:43] - The Pool of Bethesda: Lessons on Waiting
• [65:18] - Stop Excusing, Start Choosing
• [67:34] - Your Miracle is in Your Movement
• [68:39] - Obedience and Breakthrough
• [71:30] - Prayer for Healing and Miracles
• [75:48] - The Wait is Over
• [78:47] - Move Now: Don’t Miss Your Moment
• [85:17] - Trusting God as the Source
• [92:00] - Closing Worship and Invitation
• [103:24] - Final Reflections and Benediction

Bible Reading

John 5:1-9 (ESV) — 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, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.

Observation Questions

1. According to John 5:1-9, what was the man at the pool waiting for, and how long had he been waiting?
2. What excuse did the man give Jesus for not being healed? ([01:03:43])
3. In the sermon, what did the pastor say was the real source of the man’s healing? ([01:08:39])
4. What did Jesus command the man to do, and what happened when he obeyed? ([01:08:39])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to be healed?” even though he had been waiting for 38 years?
2. The sermon said, “Stop watching others move, you can’t get your miracle, you can’t get your breakthrough, if you’re watching everybody else get there.” What does this mean about comparing our journey to others? ([01:05:18])
3. The pastor said, “God’s word won’t work until you begin to walk.” How does obedience activate God’s promises in our lives? ([01:08:39])
4. The message declared, “The wait is over. You are no longer waiting your turn because your time is now.” What does it look like to move when God says move, even if circumstances haven’t changed? ([01:16:13])

Application Questions

1. The man at the pool had been waiting for someone else to help him. Is there an area in your life where you’ve been waiting for someone else to act before you move forward? What would it look like to take responsibility and move in faith this week? ([01:03:43])
2. The sermon challenged us to “stop excusing and start choosing.” What is one excuse you’ve been making that’s keeping you from stepping into what God has for you? How can you choose faith over excuses this week? ([01:05:18])
3. The pastor said, “Your miracle is tied to your movement, not to someone else’s timeline.” Have you ever delayed obedience because you were waiting for the “perfect” time or comparing yourself to others? What step can you take now, even if things aren’t perfect? ([01:07:34])
4. The message reminded us that “obedience activates God’s word.” Is there something God has already told you to do that you haven’t acted on yet? What’s holding you back, and what’s one small step you can take this week? ([01:08:39])
5. The sermon said, “The wait is over—move now.” What is one area where you sense God is telling you to stop waiting and start moving? How can the group support you in this? ([01:16:13])
6. The pastor encouraged us to “trust in God as the source of our strength.” When you face uncertainty or fear, what practical ways can you remind yourself to trust God instead of your circumstances or other people? ([01:25:17])
7. At the end of the service, there was an invitation to bring our burdens and pain to God. Is there a burden you need to bring to God today? How can you do that, and what would it look like to trust Him with it? ([01:32:00])