Heaven's Healing Touch Ministries, Inc.

       TEACHING - Withered State

So often we are labeled by character traits, handicaps, deficiencies, or disabilities.  These labels may have a life-long effect to our behavior and self-worth.  Anger can arise from a label that causes a person to fight.  Low self-worth can begin from a label that keeps you from achieving your full potential in life.  Defects in speech or limbs can cause fears and self-hatred.  Mark 3:1-5 Is the story of a man who the bible doesn't give a name.  He is known as 'the man with the withered hand.'  The meaning of 'withered' is to become dry and shriveled, shrunk, withered in our understanding of self or perception of God.  Self perception will affect our perception of God.  

In our spiritual walk, many times the labels in life will cause us to have a withered walk with God.  Just as in the story in Mark, the man was told by Jesus to "stretch out your hand".  He had to do something he had never done before.  He had to stretch and when he did the bible says his hand was restored as whole as the other one.  God wants all our withered places restored and made whole.  It takes faith to do what you could never do but without faith it is impossible to please God.  We may have to stretch beyond limitations, opinions, what we think or how we function, and do what in the natural is impossible to do.

Hearing the instruction is not enough, we must obey the word.  Had this man not obeyed Jesus his hand would not have been restored.  James 1:22 NKJ states "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."  We must stretch out on His word.  Stretching hurts, stretch over the pain.  One thing withered can effect how we see everything in us, on us, and around us.  The devil counts on our 'withered hand'.  A withered hand may be finances, emotions, integrity, or doubts and fears.  Faith in the word of God will restore and make us whole.  Jesus is stretching forth to challenge us.  Stretch even in the pain of unbelief, doubt and insecurities. Don't miss the season by staying in a 'withered' state.

Love always,

​Pastor Vera Vaughan