The Faith Walk

Guest (Male): Today on the Faith Walk with Jonathan Evans.

Jonathan Evans: The question is, are you willing to admit who you are? Because your miracle will start with the process of admission, being willing to be carried, having the right people to walk with you so they can get you through all of the stubble and mud and dig through to a breakthrough and go through the process. And then when it happens, Jesus said get up, meaning I’m not going to pick you up. I already did the work.

Guest (Male): You’re listening to the Faith Walk with Jonathan Evans. In a moment, Jonathan will continue today’s message. But first, to thank you for your support of this ministry, Jonathan has a couple of gifts for you.

The first is the audio series called The Message in the Miracles, equipping you to shift focus to Jesus as your ultimate source and letting His breakthrough happen. The second part of this gift is the book Victory is Yours. In this book, you’ll find 100 uplifting devotions packed with scripture and daily motivations.

I’ll tell you more about these later in today’s broadcast. Or you can call right now at 1-800-800-3222 or visit TonyEvans.org to learn more. Now, here’s Jonathan with part two of his message, Pick Up Your Pallet.

Jonathan Evans: They were able to carry him. These were the right people of faith who could walk this thing out to make sure he was in position. They have to be the right people. The problem is most of us find comfort with other paralytics. It’s comfortable when somebody shares your same issue, isn’t it? That’s why everybody in your friend group is about to get a divorce. Girl, me too. He said the same thing. Yep, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. We see eye to eye. No.

Everybody has the same addiction. Everybody has the same struggle. You cannot run full speed in a field full of fallen people. It’s comfortable, but it isn’t going to get you anywhere. It’s better to be around the right people that make you feel wrong than around the wrong people that make you feel right. Because hurt people like to be with hurt people and then wonder why they’re still a hurt person.

They had to be the right people who actually had strengths where they were weak because this is a process. People think Jesus healed the paralytic. Well, not before they picked that dude up from wherever he was, carried him to where Jesus was, couldn’t find a way in, then went to the outside of the Palestinian home where there would be a steep staircase, figured out how to maneuver him up the staircase, then got up there, and then dug through the earth and the thatch, and then dug up the tiles that were hard so that they could remove those, and then figured out a way to lower him down without dropping him through a hole to Jesus.

There was a process to get to Jesus. This thing didn’t happen overnight. Everybody wants these overnight miracles and you’re a paralytic and you don’t want to go through any process. Now, can He do it? Yes, He can. He can do an overnight miracle. He can come suddenly. He’s able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that you can ask or think according to the power that works in us. We don’t like that clause. We jump over pews on the first part, though.

It was a process, so it had to be the right people. The paralytic had to be willing to say, I’m good with being carried. I need help. And the four pallet bearers had to be able to dig through to a breakthrough because to get this miracle took work. People want a miracle in certain issues and places in their lives. They want a miracle over here and a miracle over here, and Jesus, I need you to do this for me, but don't nobody carry me. I ain’t going up no stairs. I got fear of heights. I ain’t getting dirty if they want to dig up no roof. I ain’t going down. I might hit my head.

Be quiet. You’re stuck. We’re trying to take you through the process in order to get to Jesus. They carried him, couldn’t get in. That’s one obstacle. But we need more than a word anyway, so we got to do this process differently. The word is good, but we need to go outside, get these steep steps, which means you had two men holding him here, going up the steps making sure, and then you had the two men on the other side pushing him higher to make sure it was level all the way going up the steps because if it wasn’t level, then what would happen? He’s going to slide right off.

So they had to use their strength. It’s hot. They’re out there sweating, burning rubber trying to make sure that this person is getting to the power and person of Jesus Christ. Then when they get to the top, it’s earth and thatch stuck together to make the roof. So now they’re digging up with their hands or whatever tools they had to create a hole through the earth and through the thatch so that they could get to Jesus. But then once they move the earth and the thatch, there’s tiles because they used to have parties on the roof.

So you couldn’t just have dirt up there or you’ll fall through. They had a hard layer underneath the earth and thatch that were tiles. What kind of work did that take to break up those tiles, to move them out the way to make sure that there was a hole to Jesus Christ? This is a process. The paralytic can’t be up there talking about I don't want to get dirty, the sounds are too loud. What? We’re trying to get to Jesus. This hurts. We got to make things dirty. We got to dig up some stuff. We got to pull up some hard things: some trauma, some past, some history, some sin. We got to pull things up to find our way so you can see Him clearly.

And then we got to lower you down because you ain't going to get your miracle from up here. You better come before God humbly. We got to put you in proper position so that you can experience the power and work of Jesus Christ. That is a process of the right people walking with someone. Now, let me give a word not just to the paralytics but to the pallet bearers because somehow everybody thinks they’re the pallet bearer. They’ve put themselves in the scriptures: Yeah, I be carrying a lot of people. You know you’ve been stuck 10 years talking about you carrying somebody.

We like to place ourselves on the victorious side, don’t we? But there are some people you are carrying. Let me help you understand something. If it’s a paralytic, you better not try to carry them by yourself. There were four strong men. How do you know that a child that's sitting on your lap has fallen asleep? They get heavy. When that body goes limp, it’s heavy. And if someone is stuck and you think so much of yourself because of your education and how much scripture you know and because of the stuff you’ve been through and how strong you are and all that, you’re going to break your whole spiritual back.

Some of us are losing our minds because we’re trying to carry a paralyzed person to the person and power of Jesus by ourselves. You try that if you want to. You’re going to pull them up them stairs, dig up that earth and thatch, you’re going to pull up them tiles, you’re going to drop them right on their head. They’re going to be more hurt dealing with you than they were if you would have left them alone. Because the paralytic can’t be prideful, but the pallet bearer can’t be prideful either.

You’re going to drop them straight through the roof. Jesus in there teaching like, un-unh. Some of us think too much of ourselves on both sides. There were four pallet bearers because the pallet had four corners. That way the weight can be evenly distributed. I can't carry all this by myself. You’re going to be in the pallet next to the person you was trying to carry talking about I tried to do it, dawg, we ain’t make it. Because it wasn’t meant just for you. You’re trying to get them to Jesus and you’re not Him.

And they go through the process, which was not short, which was not easy, which there was a lot of sweat, which there was a lot of engagement on how we’re going to do this, how we’re going to maneuver. They were digging things up, making things dirty. Dirt was falling onto the people who were getting the word. I guess they could get a souvenir to take home. Dirt was getting on the paralytic. They were digging up stuff, making things dirty, making a mess so that they could get to a miracle. And sometimes getting to your miracle can get real messy along the way.

If you’re willing to go through the process and admit I’m stuck, I need help. And once they lowered him down, Jesus said in verse five, "And seeing their faith," He said, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Y’all, He saw the faith of a community. He said, "In seeing their faith," which conjures up the faith of the paralytic going through the process, opening things up so he can see Jesus clearly. He lowered him down and He said, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Now, when I first read this, I said, what? You’re dealing with a root issue. I came in here for a foot issue. See, many of us are trying to get the material right when the immaterial is wrong. You have unforgiven sin in your life.

Guest (Male): More of the Faith Walk with Pastor Jonathan Evans in a moment. Have you ever wondered what is God's plan for your life? Or do you feel like you're not sure what to do when you're struggling? Right now, Jonathan wants to give you a book called Victory is Yours with 100 uplifting devotions packed with scripture and daily motivations helping you trust that your struggles aren't wasted in God's kingdom and He'll never leave you empty-handed.

This book is our gift to you as a thanks for your donation to help support the ministry of the Urban Alternative. Included in the book is Jonathan's four-part audio series, The Message in the Miracles. Discover how Jesus' miracles unlock victory, restoration, and deliverance in your crisis through active faith, obedience, and bold action. Both the devotional book Victory is Yours and the four-part audio series The Message in the Miracles are our way of showing appreciation for the continued support of listeners like you who make this program possible. Get all the details online at TonyEvans.org. Again, that's TonyEvans.org. Or you can call our 24-hour resource request line at 1-800-800-3222 and let one of our team members help you. That's 1-800-800-3222. Find your way out of distractions and into God's purpose for your life. Now, let’s get back to Jonathan with the rest of today’s message.

Jonathan Evans: Many of us are trying to get the material right when the immaterial is wrong. You have unforgiven sin in your life. And if sin is running, then the spiritual man will be stuck. They can’t run at the same time. You got weight that you won’t get rid of because you’re too prideful to come to me and get forgiveness of your sins. How are you going to run? How are you going to walk when you’re lame in sin? He’s pointing out that the reason why this paralytic is stuck is because he’s a sinner.

And many of us come to church to get our steps in, but we ain’t trying to address sin. We just like, let me go, this is 10,000 steps I’m trying to get today, I need 10,000 steps. Jesus is about dealing with sins. And He says if you confess your sins, I am faithful to forgive you of all unrighteousness. But if you’re not willing to be honest, then you’re stuck with sins. If you’re stuck with sins, then why you keep complaining about walking?

Does anybody want to look within themselves and say, you know what, I am caught in sin? I need forgiveness because I can’t walk in the newness of life without it. In the Bible, they would often equate your sickness with your sin. So in the Old Testament, Psalm 103 said He pardons your iniquities and heals your diseases. Those two things would go together often. Second Chronicles 7:14, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sins and heal their land."

So it was often together that when a person had a problem, it’s because of sin in their life. Even the disciples in the New Testament thought the same way. And in John chapter 9, there was a man who was blind from birth. And the disciples said, who sinned, him or his parents? Because they automatically assumed if there was a problem, it’s because there was sin in your life. Now, Jesus in this same chapter, verse two and three, debunks that view. He said neither him nor his parents sinned. His issue is so that the glory of God can be revealed through him.

So I need you to understand and make it clear that just because you may be stuck or have a problem in your life, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s equated with sin. In this world, you will have trouble. Some of us just have trouble because we’re occupants of the world, and Jesus’ glory will still be revealed in your problems. But I’m not in John 9. I’m in Mark 2. And this paralytic was a paralytic because he was a sinner.

So in this particular text and context, we have a sin issue that’s becoming a stagnant issue. And Jesus says your sins are forgiven. It may be that your stuckness is due to sinness. But Jesus was doing something else because when He said, when He got to the root issue and said your sins are forgiven, the scribes and Pharisees said, what? What this dude talking about? They said, who is it that can forgive sins other than God alone?

They were like, this dude is tripping. New Testament wasn’t written at this time. They’re living it, but it wasn’t written. They had the Old Testament which says only God can forgive sins. Over and over: Psalm 103, Psalm 130, Isaiah 43, Daniel 9:9. Over and over it says only God can forgive sins and Jesus up in this house talking about your sins are forgiven. Scribes and Pharisees and doubters, huh?

So Jesus was doing a macro and a micro all at the same time. It was a micro over here because this is one person’s life. It’s a macro testimony for Him, but it’s a micro event in one person’s life. But there is a macro point. Jesus forgives your sins, heals the paralytic, and lets all the doubters know who He is at the same time. If you’ve ever wondered who Jesus is, in this story He’s telling you I’m Him. I am the one that the scriptures speak of. I am the Son of God, the Christ, the Son of the living God, God Himself, who comes away, comes here to take away the sins of the world. I am Him.

So there’s no one else you bring your issues to when it comes to the forgiveness of your sins. He’s Him. And they were reasoning within themselves. And Jesus said, I know what y’all thinking, precisely because I’m Him. And He said, why are you reasoning within yourself? Watch this. "Is it easier for me to say, pick up your pallet and walk, or to forgive sins?" You see, Jesus could not verify that He could forgive sins. But He could verify that this paralytic can get up and walk.

I can let you see this, which will verify this other thing. So when you see that he gets up and walks, then what are you going to believe? Now, you can’t see me forgive sins, but you can see this paralytic get up and walk. And so He says, so that you know that the Son of Man has the authority to forgive sins, paralytic, I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet, and go home. It’s good for you, but it’s also going to be good for them because I want them to know through you that I’m Him.

I’m going to make a point through your life. So when He says to you, I say to you, I want you to get up, pick up your pallet, and go home, He wants you to walk in the newness of life that He restores to you based on Him being the Christ, the Son of the living God. He wants you to walk that way. But when you walk that way, people will say, how’d you get that? And then you can say, He’s Him. I got forgiven of my sins. The reason why I’m walking and I’m not down when I should be down is because I ran into Jesus.

The reason why I can pick up my pallet, the thing that I was carried on, now I’m carrying, is because I ran into Jesus. The reason why I can go home and I’m in the same place but I’m not the same person is because I ran into Jesus. And after you run into Jesus, people are going to say, how you get unstuck? And you can say, because Jesus set me free. And they’re going to say, how? And you’re going to say, because Jesus forgave me. And they’re going to say, but I thought only God can forgive sins, and you’re going to say, He is Him.

That the glory of God can be revealed in the miracles He does in our life. So you let your micro be a macro in the life of somebody else. People ought to be coming to Christ when you’re up, picking up your pallet and you’ve gone home. Now, why is the pallet still in the story? Because it is the testimony of what Jesus has done. When you go back home, you’re going to find other paralytics. You roll that thing back out. You invite three of your friends. Come on, move them onto this because I’m going to take them to the same place where I got set free so he can get up, she can pick up, and they can go home.

The question is, are you willing to admit who you are? Because your miracle will start with the process of admission, being willing to be carried, having the right people to walk with you so they can get you through all of the stubble and mud and dig through to a breakthrough and go through the process. And then when it happens, Jesus said get up, meaning I’m not going to pick you up. I already did the work. Your sins have been forgiven. So now I’m going to stand here and give you a word: Get up. Pick up. Go home.

So now it’s up to us, when you get forgiven, to believe it, to trust it, and walk with God. So that people can look and say, I see the glory of God because I’m looking at your life. You say, you know what, I admit I’m a paralytic. I’m stuck. I’m in the same place this year I was five years ago. I’ve been telling myself we’re going to do different this time and we haven’t. I’m stuck in sin. I’m entangled, like Hebrews 12.

I want forgiveness today. Christians can ask for forgiveness. You’ve been forgiven once and for all, but we still have issues, and we can come before a holy God and get forgiven. If you’ve never come to Christ, then you are a sinner because you’ve never met the grace of God. And so you’re stuck because you haven’t come into contact with Him. If you need forgiveness today, I want you to get up. I want you to pick up and come on home.

And so we’re going to save this sacred moment. If you’re struggling in a certain area of your life and you want to confess your sins before a holy God, say, Lord, I need help. I need you. I’m in the same place. I’m stuck. It’s not working out. I need forgiveness. If you want to come to Christ, come to Christ because there’s no other person who has the power to give you the miracle of salvation, to take a sinner totally caught in bondage and to set them free all the way through to eternity. That’s through Christ.

Guest (Male): That was Pastor Jonathan Evans. Before you go today, I want to remind you that we have a couple of gifts for you: Jonathan's devotional called Victory is Yours and his four-part audio series, The Message in the Miracles. The devotional can be your go-to for facing trials with Jesus' power, vanquishing obstacles, and living victoriously by claiming Christ's cross as your own triumph.

You’ll gain powerful reminders of His faithfulness to preserve towards His purpose for your life, plus practical steps and insights to win any battle. The audio series will equip you to shift focus to Jesus as your ultimate source, understanding obedient faith to let His breakthrough happen. Both the devotional called Victory is Yours and His four-part audio series The Message in the Miracles are a gift to you to thank you for your donation to help support the ministry of the Urban Alternative.

It's our way of showing appreciation for the continued support of listeners like you who make this program possible. Call 1-800-800-3222 anytime or get all the details online at TonyEvans.org. Again, that's TonyEvans.org. Or you can call our 24-hour resource request line at 1-800-800-3222 and let one of our team members help you. That's 1-800-800-3222. Find your way out of distractions and into God's purpose for your life. Thank you for listening to the Faith Walk with Jonathan Evans. The Faith Walk is produced as a part of the Urban Alternative, a ministry of Dr. Tony Evans.