Q2. Inquiry and Prayer

[pickledilly]

The man was probably “comfortable” in his self-pity. Sometimes it's more frightening to change a bad situation than to stick with what you know. He had never asked God to heal him. There may have been issues he needed to face that were uncomfortable. Jesus was inviting the man to examine his own heart for what it was he wanted from God and to actually make the request.

 

Pastor Ralph's advice to seek discernment about people's need before praying with and for them is wise. We can never know another person's heart on our own. It would be revealing of the deeper need to ask what it is the person really wants from God, and we can pray according to the real need.

[Old Jerry]

Jesus asked the invalid if he wanted to get well because he wanted to make sure that this is what he wanted. Sometimes people complain about things that they don’t want fix they just want to complain. I think that is true that we should make assumptions but ask them what they want us to pray for because we think because that is what we would want to for isn’t what they want.

[Godswriter]

Q2. (John 5:6) Why do you think Jesus asked the invalid if he wanted to get well? Why is it important for us not to make assumptions, but to seek discernment about people’s needs before we pray for them?

I believe He wanted the answer from the man personally to know if he was interested in being made well by Jesus. He as in Jesus knew that the man needed Jesus to make him well. However the man had to make a conscious effort in his mind to say yes to being made well by the Lord. It is important to not make assumptions but seek discernment about people's needs because that way we know exactly what they need from the Lord or what the Lord requires from them. 

[Lisema Ralitsoele]

1.    Q2. (John 5:6) Why do you think Jesus asked the invalid if he wanted to get well? I believe Jesus knew the invalid’s faithless heart. However, Jesus had to demonstrate God’s grace even in the absence of desire, even in the absence of faith. Furthermore, Jesus had to teach his disciples proper ministry.

 Why is it important for us not to make assumptions, but to seek discernment about people's needs before we pray for them? It is important for us not to make assumptions so that we make effective prayers because where two or three have met in His name and are agreed on an issue, He will grant our requests as He considers expedient for us. Without discernment we might pray at cross purposes.

[LeM]

I believe it is always important to get guidance from God about everything. Do not presume to put yourself in a place where God did not ask you too....

You do not know the reason why God has allowed that person to be sick for 38 years. In many healings in the bible...( case in point a blind man), Jesus' disciples asked him...'whose sin...his or his parents were responsible for his blindness?.

Jesus replied, neither. The man had been born blind for God to demonstrate his power/glory at that precise moment...

Even if we ask, always seek God's opinion. In my little experience on healing...God always reveals it to me before I approach the situation...

It may be different for others....but Never put yourself where God did not ask you to

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

That was an important question .  The impotent man was a representative of many Jews during this time.   They were putting faith in the many dictates of the Pharisees.   Bethesda pool represents Judaism and the various purification ceremonies.   Christ has soul life in Himself; spiritual Resurrection power emanates from Christ.   Christ wanted the man to look unto Him alone for true healing.

Very sad, I cannot figure why people act the way they do.   Being a long distance caregiver,  I know the heart ache of loved ones who refuse assistance for home care.  The Holy Spirit is the Perfect Gentleman; God will not force His gifts onto people.  We must carefully discern before we go into intecessory prayer.  

[Daniel R]

1. Why do you think Jesus asked the invalid if he wanted to get well?

I believe that Jesus asked the invalid whether he wanted to be healed or not to yes, see the invalid's desire to be healed, but to also see where this man's faith was at; to see if this man had faith in Him or not (which, as we see, this invalid did not have strong faith in Jesus' healing capabilities because he focused on the pool of Bethesda healing him, not Jesus). But, i also believe that Jesus asked this man whether he wanted to be healed or not to show us future Christians the importance of asking before doing! I believe Jesus purposefully showed us future Christians how to minister to others and help and spread the Gospel, by means of His own ministry!!!

2. Why is it important for us not to make assumptions, but to seek discernment about people's needs before we pray for them?

It's important for us to seek the need's of people rather than just assuming what they need and giving them that or doing or praying that for them, because if we don't help them with what they want help with, we could actually be doing more harm than good, and if we pray for someone, not knowing their circumstance/s, we could completely be missing the thing they need prayer for, and thus, not really helping them with anything they need help with (God knows what a person needs though and He still provides, even if a prayer isn't always said, but remember, we do need to ask if we want to receive; Matthew 7:7! God will give sometimes even if we don't ask, but most of the time, if we want or need God to do something, we do need to ask Him about it in prayer!!!)!!!!!!!

 

THANK YOU JESUS FOR EVERYTHING!!!!!!!

[Irmela]

(John 5:6)

Why do you think Jesus asked the invalid if he wanted to get well?

Why is it important for us not to make assumptions, but to seek discernment about people's needs before we pray for them?

Again I would like to say that the answers  as written by Commissioned, linda bass and Joe_Applegarth, coincidence with my line of thought. There are others on a similar vein. 

I too feel that Jesus is not pushy. He desires us to ask what it is that we want. Put our requests into words. 

We do not all think the same. So I might understand a need to be one thing, meanwhile the need is totally different.

For example, someone without work. Do I just pray for work for that person. He gets a job and then is not allowed to work there because he has no ID. So the prayer should have actually included help for receiving an ID. 

Just a simple example. 

[Krissi]

The more I think about this question, the more confused I am about it.

• Jesus knew the answer before He asked this question.
• Usually, when Jesus asks a question, it’s for the benefit of the person.

Note that the man’s answer to Jesus’ question isn’t recorded in scripture – he never said, “Yes, I want to be healed.” Instead, the man explained to Jesus why he had not been healed so far. Then, Jesus went ahead and healed him. But the man NEVER said he wanted to be healed even though he was obviously articulate.

Jesus only told him to do something, to stop waiting by the pool and get up and go.

Note, too, that Jesus never told him he was healed. He just told him to get up and go.

--

So, how should I think about this passage?

• First, I’m not sure why Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed. Jesus’ motives aren’t clear.
• Second, I’m not sure I can deduce from this section of John that I should ask people if they want to be healed before I pray for them. If I were to act like Christ, I’d ask, not wait for an answer, and then heal silently while demanding that the recipient of healing DO SOMETHING.
• Third, the crux of this passage may be that Jesus told the guy to get up and go.

It’s always wise to seek discernment about people’s real needs even though often people don’t know their needs.

I don’t know my own needs, either. I have prayed for things earnestly and over a long period of time that may have harmed me had those prayers been answered. I can't see the big picture of my life and often am so caught up in the minutia that I don’t know what I need. Perhaps, then, Jesus’ question to the man was aimed at bringing him to a higher level of self-understanding? Perhaps he less needed His physical healing than a psychological or inner healing? That may explain why Jesus did not overtly heal him but told him to get up and go.

Again, I don’t know …