Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. John 5:8

I went to a preaching conference one evening and the evangelist gave the message that there were people in the audience who were owed a lot of money. My ears immediately perked up because I was one of those people he was talking about!

The preacher further began to explain that the devil used the situation to frustrate us and to make us believe the money was locked up. But he was there to tell us that the money was not locked up, but indeed it was kept up, and that God was taking care of that money and adding interest to it! He finished by saying that the Lord would release the money when it was time.

Fast forward two years. I was given the opportunity to sue for the money owed to me. Twice. I was sent forms to fill out and return. Instead of completing the paperwork, I called the attorney’s office and told them that I did not want to pursue restitution. I know it sounds crazy, but I just knew that it wasn’t time for the money to be “released.”

A few months later I received the same forms again to start the lawsuit process. I was surprised because I thought this was resolved already but maybe now was the time to pursue the money that was “kept up.” Every time I tried filling out the paperwork, the Lord would remind me that I had already forgiven this debt. I have to be honest and say that I begrudgingly tore up the paperwork. I had to remind myself of Isaiah 55:8: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

During this same time frame, close friends and family, mainly my wise mother, were encouraging me to buy a home. I saw this as an impossibility because I quit a good paying job and took a huge pay cut when I accepted a position closer to home. But again, God reminds me my ways are not his ways.

When making decisions, I search the Word of God to back up anything I pursue or pray about. I asked Him to show me in His Word what direction to take when buying a home. But the only scripture that kept popping up in different publications I read was, “Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” John 5:8

I always believed this scripture only pertained to healing. But after the third time of reading it within two days, I knew it had to mean something else. Then it hit me. I was to go forward (rise) because it was time to move (take up thy bed) and take action (walk)!

Two friends who know me but not each other, told me about a house in foreclosure. The realtor told me how much to bid. And to be quite honest, I only went through the motions of it all because of friends and family pushing me and cheering me on. But then the Lord would remind me of John 5:8.

I seriously thought the door to buying a home was going to close any day because I wasn’t earning as much in my new job AND I was a single parent.

A week later I won the bid! This truly was a financial miracle because the difference between the amount of the bid I submitted and won and the appraisal of the home was more than the amount of money I was owed!! This is when I knew what that evangelist meant when he said my money was not locked up but kept up! God kept it for me, added interest and saved it for the right time to bless me and my children with a home of our own.

All this reminds me of the poem titled, “It Depends on Whose Hands it’s in” by Paul Ciniraj, where it talks about an object in our hands is worth this number or can do this thing. But in the hands of a professional or faith-filled person, it’s worth millions or can do the miraculous. The poem finishes with this phrase:

“Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse

Nails in Jesus Christ’s hands will produce salvation for the entire world.

It depend whose hands it’s in.”

Money in our hands can pay the bills, buy groceries, clothing and other necessities. But in God’s hands, it can provide a financial blessing and miracle.