Four friends and Breakthrough

Cancer affects your prayer life. Either you begin to pray or you begin to pray without ceasing. I’ve landed on the latter.

Over the last few days, I felt the Holy Spirit impress upon me to meditate on the passage in Mark 2 where four friends brought their crippled friend to Jesus. Many of you remember the story. Jesus was teaching in a home and the friends couldn’t get near Jesus. So they went to the roof, cut a hole, and lowered his bed to Jesus. The Master healed the man, after first declaring his sins forgiven.

I went back and read it again this morning. Here is what struck me (emphasis and highlights are mine) in verses 4 and 5.

"And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.’"

Breakthrough

These friends had to labor to get the sick one to Jesus. I know that Jesus is sovereign over sickness and disease. He speaks and illness bows, dissolves and disappears. In that, I have no doubt. But many times, I believe that He desires to use those of us around the sick to seek breakthrough. In my experience, this is never an easy task. It requires labor and sacrifice, usually in significant ways. The four friends had to work to carry their friend. He couldn’t walk. He was dead weight.

When they couldn’t get near Jesus, they had to labor to get him to the roof. Maybe there were stairs. Maybe there was a ladder. But maybe not. They were undeterred and somehow lifted the man and his palette onto the roof.

They had to cut through the roof of the home. They ignored the possible damage because they were so desperate to get this man to Jesus. I’m sure they didn’t bring tools to do the work. I suspect they worked until their hands were sore, cut and bloody to make the hole.

With their remaining strength, they lowered their friend to the feet of His Only Hope.

In the end, they had a breakthrough and the result was the restoration of their friend’s body and his life (both physical and eternal).

Their Faith

It was the collective faith of the four friends and the one needing healing that moved the heart of Jesus. The faith didn’t begin at the point they lowered him down. It began in days of intercession for their friend. Their faith was birthed in Heaven-inspired love for one who meant so much to them that they would sacrifice whatever it took to see him whole.

The actions of the day were the outward demonstration of a faith that was growing by leaps and bounds through interaction with The Father.

Jesus’ words of healing were in direct response to the faith that He would heal if these four friends could get the afflicted one to the feet of the Son of God.

Calling for Four Friends

I am moved by this passage to ask if there are four friends out there who would specifically ban together and seek breakthrough for Teresa’s cancer. I believe this is a prophetic word for four individuals to collectively intercede and stretch your faith as you implore Jesus for healing.

I don’t believe in formulas for anything in the Kingdom. God is too creative and too big for that. But I do believe, there are times that He moves us to act as those before us have acted. Just acting like the four friends will not move the Heart of God. But true labor for breakthrough and true faith are things He will not ignore.

This is not a frivolous request and your response should not be given without asking the LORD. But if this is you, you can email me at stephen.kinsley@gmail.com and I will put you in touch with the others. I will be praying between 5 and 6 each morning with you and for you and Teresa.

If you are not one of the four, this doesn’t mean that your prayers and faith are any less worthy. This is a particular assignment for a few. Your prayers have brought so much comfort and protection as well as miraculous open doors. Don’t stop! A prayer movement is re-emerging as each person enters His Presence.

Love you all, but not as much as Jesus does.

Steve