Every day, God shows me a passage of scripture that I may need to use to minister to someone.
This morning for some reason, the Lord led me to read Acts 3 where Peter and John was going up to the temple to pray and worship, they came across a man at the Gate of the Temple called Beautiful who was lame and would beg for money from those going into the temple.
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.), 2 and a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at that gate of the temple which is called [a]Beautiful, so that he could beg alms from those entering the temple. 3 So when he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking [them] for coins. 4 But Peter, along with John, stared at him intently and said, “Look at us!” 5 And the man began to pay attention to them, eagerly expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have; but what I do have I give to you: In the name (authority, power) of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—[begin now to] walk and go on walking!
After speaking to the lady who called me, this scripture jumped into my spirit, I didn't use it to speak to her, but I knew the Lord was building a message from it.
This man at the gate was a beggar, he was also lame. I personally believe that some sicknesses and infimities are a product of sin, for example, the man at the Pool of Bethsaida In John 5, Jesus told the man after He had healed him, go and sin no more, if His health was based on a simple infirmity, He could have said you have been made whole, but He said go and sin no more. Therefore there are some health issues that are related to sin in our lives or our bloodline. Now, going back to the lame man at the Temple Gate of Beautiful, we can see that his health issue was sin related and as such he was in a poverty state begging for money, but as soon as Peter and John saw him, they pronounced, silver and gold I have none, but what I have I give unto you, in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk, and the man got up and started to walk, he was healed!
So here is the thing, this man was begging for money, but he was actually lame, that means he wasn't actually addressing the reason he was at the gate, he was asking for something he didn't need, and that is why Peter couldn't give him money which was what he wanted, but was able to give him what he really needed, which was to be healed.
How does this relate to our own situation...
The woman who called me was extremely emotional because her husband has missed out on a couple of her alimony payments and it was affecting her emotionally. As I questioned her, I discerned that there was still a residue of pain in her heart, pain that goes back to their marriage, she kept on taking me back to the past and how he had betrayed her. I thought to myself, if they have been living apart for years and she still remembers the way her husband has treated her, then she hasn't healed and to top it all, she is operating from a place where he owes her.
How does he owe you? I felt by making him pay his alimony which he has missed a few payments, this was her trying to take a pound of flesh, just to make her feel better. Though he has never taken responsibility for his behaviour towards her and the children, her need to make him pay is by reminding him what he is meant to pay her monthly. I don't think she realised what she has been doing or the unconconsious behaviour, but rather has been acting out of her hurt.
We can't make an adult do what he is meant to do, if he knows he is meant to be fulfilling a responsibility to his family and he is not, there is no way you can control him to do it, only God can. The alternative would be to take him to court, which is seen as manipulative and CONTROL. If you are praying for restoration of your marriage, how then does controling an adult to do something to appease your flesh bring about restoration? We are meant to be partnering with God and that behaviour is not in the bible and does not reflect our salvation.
How are you different from the man at the temple gate Beautiful if you are using the need to ask for your alimony or whatever your husband needs to give you financially to live on to cover up your own health/heart and emotional issue?
Sometimes God will hold back the money our husband may give us to expose what is really hidden in our hearts. We make that money and the need to disturb our husband an idol to pacify the hurt we feel and God wants to heal us from that form of bondage, it does not edify the soul rather it keep us embittered and our husbands staying away and living in lack.
God knows what we need. When we release our husbands from their behaviour towards us and we make it a priority to heal and embrace Jesus as our Lord, it moves the Hand of God to provide for us in ways we can't even imagine.
I do see that many women who are standing are struggling financially, is it fair - no I don't think so, but it is an opportunity for us to see the Lord of Provision, God knows what we need, He knows we need to be financially viable to look after our households, to pay our bills etc. But could it be that the reason some are struggling financially is not the obvious reason of lack, but more to do with sin.
We may think we are okay, we are fine, but really the lack of finances could be the area of sin that we may not know we are operating in.
The lame man who was healed had an ailment, which was bound in sin, which created financial lack, but yet Peter and John had mercy and healed him.
7 Then he seized the man’s right hand with a firm grip and raised him up. And at once his feet and ankles became strong and steady, 8 and with a leap he stood up and began to walk; and he went into the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God; 10 and they recognized him as the very man who usually sat begging for coins at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement and were mystified at what had happened to him.
When the man was healed, did it look like he was still lacking? He was walking and leaping and praising God, which means finances was never his problem but being healed was.
Your lack is never about the finances, but could be about the absence of light, and when we deal with it, godly provision is inevitable.
God is so good, that He knows what we need more than what we think we need. Both the men at the pool of Bethsaida and the temple gate of beautiful operated in a spirit of ignorance, and sometimes that could also be what God is saying to us, ignorance is what brings poverty, but when the light comes into our soul, we are healed and the fruits of this reflect in financial blessings, healing, joy and fulfilment
Jacqueline Ani is the founder of Jacqueline Ani International LLC, an author, speaker, coach and teacher of the Word of God. She operates in the office of the prophet and has a mission to empower, build and develop women to operate fully in all areas of their lives, whilst perfecting their relationship with God and submitting to the Kingdom.
Website - www.jacquelineaniinternational.org
Coaching Services - https://calendly.com/jacquelineanicoaching
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