John 18:12
Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
What a sad statement; the Jews took Jesus, and bound him. These Jews bound the very hands that could save them from their sins. These Jews bound the hands that fed the thousands, healed the sick, made the lame to walk, and caused the blind to see. They bound the hands of the one who had loved the hurting, that gave security to the children, and that lifted Peter out of the stormy waters. These Jews, because of jealousy, bound the hands of the Creator, which kept Him from doing a work in their lives that, had they not bound those hands, could have done the miraculous.
As sad as this is that the Jews bound the hands of Jesus, many believers do the same thing with their lives. Imagine, flesh binding the hands of Deity. Imagine, the finite binding the hands of Omnipotence. Yes, God can do the work without man, but He chooses to work through man. This means that if man does not do what he is supposed to do, he binds the hands of the Saviour who wants to do the miraculous through anyone’s life. There are several things we can do that will bind the hands of Jesus from doing great works through our lives.
First, fear will bind the hands of Jesus. Nothing keeps God from doing the miraculous like fearful believers who won’t step out by faith because of the fear of “what if.” You will never see God do the miraculous through your life or ministry as long as you let the “what if” keep you from stepping out to do something for God. You must remember that if the “what if” does happen, God has the power to overcome it.
Second, unfaithfulness binds the hands of Jesus. I wonder how many miracles have not been done because believers were unfaithful in soul winning, to their ministry, or to the church services. God works through people, but if the people are not there, the works He was going to do cannot be done. Many miracles have been squelched by a believer’s unfaithfulness. You cannot see the mighty power of God’s work if you are unfaithful to what you are supposed to do.
Third, compromise binds the hands of Jesus. Peter compromised by warming at the heathen’s fire, and it kept Jesus from continuing His work in his life. God’s power has never been seen through a compromising church. You can compromise to think you can see the greater, but compromise has always kept God from showing His power. The church that compromises to get bigger crowds will never see what God could have done to grow their church by doing it the right way. The believer who compromises will never know the power of God because they chose the pleasures of the world over the power of God.
Fourth, a lack of faith binds the hands of Jesus. Jesus cannot do the miraculous until you step out by faith. Yes, it takes courage to step out, but it is the courage to step out beyond our abilities that cause the mighty hands of God to do their work. Many have bound the hands of Jesus because they enjoyed the comfort of mediocrity over the discomfort of faith attempts. You will never see the mighty hands of God work if you don't attempt something great for God.
Have you bound the hands of Jesus? Are you as guilty as the Jews of binding His hands? Unbind His hands and let Jesus do the works that He can do if you will only allow Him to do them in your life and ministry.
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