“But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins (then saith he to the sick
of the palsy.) Arise take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house.
But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.”
Matthew 9. 6-8

The Word of God is very practical and has a vital message for us in every phase of Christian life and
experience. Thus here in this recorded incident, we see an illustration of several steps in effectual Christian testimony.

All Christian experience begins, with the impartation of life. The Lord Jesus said to the poor man, “Arise.” The palsied man had no strength of his own, and so had no ability to arise. But “God’s commands are always His enablings,” and when the Lord Jesus said, “Arise,” the Lord Jesus furnished the ability to arise.

We see victory over sin suggested in the word’s, ‘Take up thy bed.” This man now carried that which
formerly carried him. Here we see that instead of being mastered by sin, we are now victors over sin
because we have already paid sin’s penalty which is death, having died when our Substitute died.

“Go unto thy house.” We have the suggestion of fellowship. If there to be effectual witness there must
be fellowship. Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of
some is; bul exhorting one another and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

We also see “Go unto thy house,” The thought of witness. The Lord has done great work in and for
this palsied man, and it was to be his privilege to tell about it. The Lord asked this man to do a very difficult
thing, for He asked him to go to his own house.
“And he arose and departed to his house” Here is obedience. Someone has said, “God will give more
light and leading only when we have been obedient to that which already has been given.” It is the
mark of obedient servant that he obeys instantly. He does everything ‘straightway.’
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The word received in the power of the Holy Spirit produces the new birth, thus giving everlasting life.
This is the present possession of all who put their trust in the Lord Jesus.
Dr. H. A. Ironside