Sheryl Brady - I Feel Like Walking Now

I want to read from the Message Bible, and they might be able to put it up on the screen. If not, if you don’t have the Message Bible, just trust me. Amen. I want to read today from Mark chapter 2. I have preached from this passage many times, but I want to share what is on my heart today. I believe it’s for somebody. I know I couldn’t get away from this text for the last few days, and usually when that happens, it’s because someone needs to hear what is in this text. So I hope you come with your heart open, ready to receive. I hope you come with your ears open and your spirit prepared because I believe the word is for you today. I’m going to begin with the first verse, and the Bible says in Mark chapter 2, verse 1, «After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and the word got out that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so that no one could get in and no one could get out. He was teaching the word.» Can you imagine Jesus just teaching the word? That would be pretty awesome to me! While he was teaching, they brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men. When they weren’t able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. I love how the King James calls it his bed. Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, «Son, I forgive your sins.» Well, that got some religious people all stirred up. Some religious scholars were sitting there, and they started whispering among themselves, thinking, «He can’t talk that way; that’s blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins.» But Jesus knew right away what they were thinking because he always knows what you are thinking. He knew what they were thinking, and he said, «Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler to say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins’ or to say, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and start walking? ’ Well, just so it’s clear that I am the Son of Man and I am authorized to do either or both…» Basically, he says, «I’m through talking to y’all, ” and he turns to the paraplegic and says, „Get up, pick up your bed, and go home.“ And the man did it! He got up, he grabbed his bed, and he walked out with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes in disbelief and praised God, saying, „We’ve never seen anything like this!“ He told the man to get up, grab his bed, and he walked out. I want you to look to your neighbor on the right and say, „Neighbor, I feel like walking now!“ Whoo! Turn to your other neighbor and say, „Neighbor, I haven’t always been able to say that, but I won’t tell you now: God has touched me! I’ve been in the presence of God, and because of that, I feel like walking now!“ High-five somebody and tell them, „Walk on, walk on, walk on!“ Spirit of God, I thank you for this moment. I give you our presence; I thank you for your glory. I ask God that you would just move in this place. You drew us here, name by name, face by face; you knew who would be tuning in today. I believe that your word will find every hearer in this place. Somebody might be here with a discouraged heart; I pray, God, that they hear joy in the words today. I pray that they find fresh strength, fresh oil, fresh anointing. Lord, may every dreamer begin to dream again because of your word today. We give you thanks for it in Jesus’ name. Amen and amen. On your way down, hit somebody and tell them, „I feel like walking!“ Sometimes you’ve got to walk it out; y’all know what I mean. I’m very grateful for the presence—a little bit dry—I’m very grateful for the presence of the Lord that we have experienced in this church, I mean, from the very beginning. But I am very, very grateful for what God has done in our hearts over the last… What is this? May? So, over the last six months. Can you believe it’s been six months? Five months, maybe? Five months that the Lord has been at work in this church. There is a hunger that I appreciate; there is a thirst, a desire for God that I am grateful to be a part of because wherever God is desired, that is where God comes. I said, wherever God is desired, that is where God comes! He comes to where he is wanted; he comes to where he is appreciated; he comes to where he is invited. He’s coming to the place that has been prepared for him. He comes where there has been room—room has been made ready for him. He comes where people will say, „I will accommodate your presence.“ He comes where hearts have been prepared. The song that we sing at Christmas says, „Let every heart prepare him room.“ I think that song should be sung more than just during Christmas; I think it should be sung every day. I think we need to wake up and sing, „God, help me prepare room for you in my heart.“ Because if you prepare room for him, that is where God is going to come. And when he comes, his presence—whenever his presence comes into the house or wherever he goes—whenever his presence comes, he cannot… It’s absolutely impossible for him.