The man in our key text was in the same unpleasant situation for thirty-eight long years. He believed that one day someone would be kind enough to help get him into the healing waters at the right time. However, when Jesus came by and asked if he would like to be healed, he failed to see that the Doctor of doctors had come to his help. His trust was not in God but in man.

Sin deceives, therefore it is needful to remind ourselves daily about the warnings in God's Word and remain watchful. We cannot afford to be careless with our Christian life because many in the past and in contemporary times have been and are still being deceived out of the narrow way. Be not deceived: the wages of sin is death and whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap. 

What is having your attention, God or the unpleasant situation in your life? God commands us to look unto Him for salvation from sin, and deliverance from satanic oppression and all manner of sickness and disease. Your challenges are magnified when you set your focus on them. On the other hand, looking unto Jesus magnifies Him to reveal more of His majesty, power, glory and love. With your eyes on Jesus, you are sure to be victorious in the battles of life.

There are two contrary spiritual laws in operation and you are either under one regime or the other. They are the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and the law of sin and death: the former sets one free from the latter. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus that the law of sin and death may no longer have dominion over us. This grace of God that brings salvation teaches us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

There was a time David found himself in a seemingly hopeless situation. Being a man after God's heart he quickly realised that he needed to encourage himself in the Lord his God. The Devil had employed the deadly weapon of discouragement to bring David down but the Lord delivered him. Many have been destroyed and are still being destroyed by discouragement for lack of knowledge - Hosea 4:6.