Man has probably never heard more powerful words than these, “Rise, take up thy bed and walk!” What a powerful statement! And it’s one YOU need to hear today!
There’s an account in Mark chapter 2 that I’ll use first:

1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

Somebody, the Bible doesn’t tell us who, heard about Jesus and took some friends and carried a man sick of the palsy to Jesus to be healed. But when they couldn’t get in, they weren’t about to let it be a wasted trip. No, they climbed up on the roof and made a hole in it above where Jesus was, and let the sick man down on his bed in front of Jesus. I like this part; “When Jesus saw their faith…” . When was the last time Jesus saw YOUR faith?

And even more incredibly, Jesus told the sick man, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. Now the sick man needed to be healed, but what did his sins have to do with anything? Well, apparently Jesus thought it was important. And yet, this seems to fly in the face of the fact that Jesus healed MULTITUDES, yet He never told them their sins were forgiven. But more of this later. Jesus then said, BUT that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
Please note here something that Jesus did NOT say: He did NOT say, the SON OF GOD. He said the SON OF MAN. This is significant, and more about THIS another time. Anyway, the sick man indeed DID arise, and take up his bed and walk, and the people were amazed. I imagine even the disciples were amazed, that God had given unto a man such authority! It says they ALL were amazed, and said, “We have never seen it on this fashion!”
I tell you what I find amazing; it is written in Psalm 103:2-3, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.” I find it amazing that though this was taught in the synagogues, nobody took it to heart. These are the verses that got me saved and healed, and they will work for ANYONE who believes! Those people then said “We have never seen it on this fashion”, and they’re still doing it today whenever God makes someone whole.

Why don’t we see more people healed today? People are waiting for GOD to do something, and HE ALREADY DID! He gave believers the mandate and authority, to heal, but the sick generally don’t believe the “believers” have the authority to heal them, so they’re waiting for God to do it, and they stay right there on their bed until God shows up and heals them. And so they miss out on their healing, because God isn’t coming to heal them. He sent His man or woman to heal them. In Matthew 10:8, Jesus commanded, not suggested, to His disciples, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have RECEIVED, freely GIVE!”

We see in the churches today and in other places where the sick are, people who earnestly desire to see the sick made whole. Perhaps they go to hospitals and nursing homes and to the homes of the sick and pray for God to heal them. Only rarely have I ever seen any results of that, no matter how sincere the person doing the praying is. Why is that? Is it a lack of faith on the part of the one praying? I don’t think so necessarily, nor do I think it’s a lack of faith on the part of the sick person. I believe the failure is caused by a lack of following God’s directions, and that alone.

Have you ever seen a street sign that says ONE WAY? What happens if you disregard that sign and go the opposite direction? Well, you not only endanger your life, and that of others, you endanger your wallet, because you’re going to get a nice fat fine for disobeying the sign. It is there for your safety and well-being. And God puts road signs up in His Word that tells us plainly what we ought to do. But there are always those who insist on doing it their way.

Traditions of men was something Jesus had a real problem with back in the days of His earthly ministry. Let’s have a look at a couple: Matthew 15:1-9
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

And again in Mark chapter 7,
1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

And the Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 2:20-22,
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

You see, maybe all this “pray until God does something” that we’re told is actually hindering us instead of helping us. Do you seriously think all your bawling and squalling, and cajoling is going to MAKE God do something? Jesus gave us clear and concise directions how to get things done for the Kingdom of God, and yet we think we are “helping God” by inserting our “traditions of men”.

People offer long prayers, begging God to heal so-and-so. They may even tell God, “They are worthy of your mercy”. Listen folks, nothing works like obedience to God’s Word. If God tells us “Go to the Red Sea and raise your staff, and the sea will part”, and we go another way where we won’t have to face the Red Sea, thinking it’s a better idea, what glory will God get? God gets the best glory when we simply follow His directions!

Now, I said I’d get back to this part later, so here we go. After that Jesus rose from the dead, He was seen of Mary Magdalene, and this is what happened in John 20:18-23,
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Did you get that in verse 23? Go back and read it over a few times until you do. Jesus breathed on the disciples and told them “Receive ye the Holy Ghost:” Now let me ask you, HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST? If so, you need to be out there doing the LORD’S work: HIS WAY, not according to YOUR way, or the tradition of men. And if you haven’t yet received Him? Do it NOW! Receive ye the Holy Ghost!

I’m asking you right now, “What is YOUR bed?” What is keeping YOU down and keeping you from doing what the LORD has called you to do? If it’s healing you need, RECEIVE IT! If it’s freedom from fear and worry, RECEIVE IT! This is no time for laying down on the job. God has ordained His men and women of faith, who BELIEVE the Word of God, to ACT upon it! ARISE, TAKE UP THY BED AND GO!