Welcome to day twelve of our 14 days of prayer and fasting devotional series!
Each day of this series we will dive into a Spirit-led word from one of our amazing Angelus Temple or Dream Center Ministry Leaders and Directors! We encourage you to prayerfully join us as we humbly examine where our God is leading us in this new season, as well as the new thing He has already begun in our midst.
Today, we will be hearing from our Serve Team Coordinator, Carol Mata, about the transformational power of walking in vulnerable community.
Each day of this series we will dive into a Spirit-led word from one of our amazing Angelus Temple or Dream Center Ministry Leaders and Directors! We encourage you to prayerfully join us as we humbly examine where our God is leading us in this new season, as well as the new thing He has already begun in our midst.
Today, we will be hearing from our Serve Team Coordinator, Carol Mata, about the transformational power of walking in vulnerable community.
Day 12: The Power of community
by Carol Mata
"A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” -Mark 2: 1-12, NIV
This Bible passage means so much to me because it shows us how important community is, just as God intended it to be. Sometimes, we don’t know how to give or receive this beautiful way of life that God has planned for us. But when we look at Jesus, we see that He never meant for us to walk this earth alone. One of the life rules I live by is a friend will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear (Proverbs 27:6). (Shout out to the AT creative team for making the beat boyband song from that verse!) I’m thankful for the people in my life who help me see the truth, even when it’s hard.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably gone through hard times that have made you want to stop trying. Sometimes, I find myself thinking that every situation will always be the same and I get stuck. I call this “paralysis." It’s like the man in Mark 2 who couldn’t move on his own. He was stuck, unable to get to Jesus, and sometimes that’s how we feel. We can be paralyzed by fear, guilt, shame, doubt, whatever it may be. Life is tough, and we don’t control it. So, sometimes we just stay where we are, thinking it’s easier than moving forward.
But this is why having the right people around us is so important. We need a community to help us when we can’t help ourselves. There have been moments in my life when I was stuck, and my friends helped me see where I needed to go.
Even when I couldn’t move or wouldn’t move, they carried me to Jesus, the One who can heal me. Maybe you’re not in a place where you feel paralyzed right now, but there are others around you who might be. It's time to help carry them. Community isn’t just about receiving, it’s also about giving. It’s not about how intense our help is, but how consistent we are. This is why the four friends were able to carry this man in a bed and make a way to get to Jesus.
Don’t let fear, guilt, shame, or trauma stop you from living a life of freedom. There were times when I couldn’t believe for myself, but I believed for my friends. And I learned that, even when we feel paralyzed by life, the community around us can point us toward the One who can heal us, Jesus. Sometimes, we can’t move forward on our own, but with the help of others, we can get to the place where Jesus can heal us and help us move again.
As we enter this season of fasting and prayer, let’s draw near to God. Ask Him to show you where your heart is. Is there a place where you’re stuck? Ask Him to help you take a step of faith and build a strong, healthy community centered around Jesus. Let’s pray and ask God to guide us to become the kind of person who helps others, not just one who is helped. Ask Him to heal what needs healing so that you can move forward and live in freedom.
This Bible passage means so much to me because it shows us how important community is, just as God intended it to be. Sometimes, we don’t know how to give or receive this beautiful way of life that God has planned for us. But when we look at Jesus, we see that He never meant for us to walk this earth alone. One of the life rules I live by is a friend will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear (Proverbs 27:6). (Shout out to the AT creative team for making the beat boyband song from that verse!) I’m thankful for the people in my life who help me see the truth, even when it’s hard.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably gone through hard times that have made you want to stop trying. Sometimes, I find myself thinking that every situation will always be the same and I get stuck. I call this “paralysis." It’s like the man in Mark 2 who couldn’t move on his own. He was stuck, unable to get to Jesus, and sometimes that’s how we feel. We can be paralyzed by fear, guilt, shame, doubt, whatever it may be. Life is tough, and we don’t control it. So, sometimes we just stay where we are, thinking it’s easier than moving forward.
But this is why having the right people around us is so important. We need a community to help us when we can’t help ourselves. There have been moments in my life when I was stuck, and my friends helped me see where I needed to go.
Even when I couldn’t move or wouldn’t move, they carried me to Jesus, the One who can heal me. Maybe you’re not in a place where you feel paralyzed right now, but there are others around you who might be. It's time to help carry them. Community isn’t just about receiving, it’s also about giving. It’s not about how intense our help is, but how consistent we are. This is why the four friends were able to carry this man in a bed and make a way to get to Jesus.
Don’t let fear, guilt, shame, or trauma stop you from living a life of freedom. There were times when I couldn’t believe for myself, but I believed for my friends. And I learned that, even when we feel paralyzed by life, the community around us can point us toward the One who can heal us, Jesus. Sometimes, we can’t move forward on our own, but with the help of others, we can get to the place where Jesus can heal us and help us move again.
As we enter this season of fasting and prayer, let’s draw near to God. Ask Him to show you where your heart is. Is there a place where you’re stuck? Ask Him to help you take a step of faith and build a strong, healthy community centered around Jesus. Let’s pray and ask God to guide us to become the kind of person who helps others, not just one who is helped. Ask Him to heal what needs healing so that you can move forward and live in freedom.