Conditioned by His Condition
John 5:1-8 (KJV) (WORDsearch Bible Study Software, Copyright 1987-2000, Exalt, Inc)
[1] After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
[2] Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
[3] In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
[4] For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
[5] And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
[6] When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
[7] The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
[8] Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

The man in the scripture is by the sheep-market or (sheep-gate in some bibles). This is a pool where they washed or purified sheep. The sheep gate was a stinky smelly place with sheep urine and dung everywhere. But yet a great multitude of people gather & lay there, because a certain time of the year an angel would come and stir the water. The first one to enter the water would be healed. This man had been there for a long time, he was paralyzed for 38 years. He has been conditioned by his condition to accept certain things.

My addiction has paralyzed me as well. My condition has conditioned me to accept things that would not have been acceptable to me before my addiction.

I have been conditioned to accept an empty refrigerator.
I have been conditioned to walking, because my truck was out of gas.
I have been conditioned to missing work.
I have been conditioned to being alone.
I have been conditioned to not having my own place.
I have been conditioned to wearing second hand cloths, that don’t really fit.
I have been conditioned to wearing used shoes.
I have been conditioned to standing in line for food that I didn’t order.
I have been conditioned to being told when to go to bed and when to wake up.
I have been conditioned to ask permission to turn on the TV.

Like the man in the scripture I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ve been conditioned by my condition to accept these things.

JESUS asked the man, “Do you want to be made whole?” In some bibles it says, “Do you want to be well?”

The man doesn’t answer the question directly. He doesn’t say yes or no, perhaps he didn’t understand the question. Instead he replies, “I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

Instead of saying “YES”, he blames someone else. “NO-ONE would carry me”, he said. He was not only physically paralyzed but his mind has become paralyzed as well. He has become, ”conditioned by his condition.”

JESUS learned that this man has been in this condition for sometime and maybe NO LONGER wanted to be MADE WELL. Maybe after 38 years he had become so, “Conditioned to his Condition” that he NO LONGER wanted to be MADE WHOLE.

I mean after 38 years, you would think that he could have crawled, scooted or rolled to the edge of the pool. After 38 years you would think that he would have found someway to get into POSITION, but NO…He had become conditioned by his condition… to accept where he was. He expected someone to carry him into position. He expected someone else to position him for his miracle. He expected someone else to be responsible for his recovery to good health.

I have to take responsibility for my recovery. I have to position myself to receive this miracle of recovery. I can’t sit back, do nothing and expect to be relieved from my condition of addiction. I have to get up, crawl or fight my way into position. NO ONE else can get me there. I have to work for it and I have to ask GOD for help. I have to do my part.

So it begs the question… "Do I want to be MADE WELl?"

Emphatically, I say YES Heavenly Father. I want to be made well. I want to be made whole again. I ask that the holy sprit guide me and protect me during this process. I ask Heavenly Father that I be relieved from my condition and that you give me the courage and strength to do what it takes in this process of recovery. I also ask Heavenly Father that you assist me so that I may be in position to receive the miracle. This I ask in your name “Lord Jesus Christ” Amen.