“Receive it!” by Nancy Dufresne

Let’s read Mark 10:46-52, “And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment (a government-issued coat licensing him to beg), rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might RECEIVE my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

     When someone is blind, it is usually very obvious. It was obvious to Jesus what Bartimaeus needed, but He still asked him what he needed, because Jesus had to get him to SAY it! Jesus got permission to heal him by the man’s SAYING.

     God is a perfect gentleman; He won’t work uninvited. He will never violate someone’s will. When we release our faith, we are simply giving God permission to work on our behalf. Our faith is God’s permission. Releasing our faith opens the door to God to work. Lack of faith closes the door to God.

     When Jesus asked Blind Bartimaeus what he wanted, Jesus was getting him to open the door to God’s power. Bartimaeus answered, “…that I might RECEIVE my sight.” Notice what he DIDN’T say. He didn’t say, “that God would do something,” or, “that God would send power to heal me.” Bartimaeus wasn’t trying to get GOD to do something. He didn’t focus on God’s part; rather, he focused on his part, man’s part – “…that I might RECEIVE….”

     When it comes to healing, it’s not about getting God to GIVE healing, but it’s about us RECEIVING what He has already given! So much of the time, people focus on trying to get God to do something that He has already done. They focus on God’s part, rather than on their own part of receiving what He has already provided and made ours.

     We don’t have to try to coerce God or talk Him into meeting our need, healing our body, or giving us our miracle. All we need, and all we will ever need, God has already made provision for.

     Blind Bartimaeus was no longer blind when he simply received. He was able to RECEIVE because he recognized it was about him doing HIS part of receiving – not about getting God to try to do His part that He had already done.

     We aren’t equipped to touch into God’s part, but we are fully capable of doing our part – to believe and receive.

     How do we release our faith? How do we receive what God has already provided for us? By feeding on God’s Word, which gives us faith – then releasing that faith through speaking what God’s Word says. Faith comes by hearing, but it’s not released by hearing – it’s released through words and actions.

     There is power in God’s Word to make that which does not appear to appear. God’s Word can bring it to pass in our life when we put God’s Word in our mouth – when we speak it. The more we say it, the more we have it. The less we say it, the less we have it.

     Receiving and manifestation are two different things. Receiving is something we do with our spirit, with our heart, before we see it. Once we receive what God says with our spirit, then He can manifest it.

     Many are waiting for God to give it, and He is waiting on us to “perform the act of receiving” what He has already given. How do we do that? By saying, “I believe I receive it!” (State specifically what it is you need or want.)

     Blind Bartimaeus became “Healed Bartimaeus” because he did his part – he received! Receiving is simple – it’s easy. Our need can be met when we do our part – our part is to simply receive it! And when we receive it, we thank Him for it. Then that which we received by faith will manifest.