Pick Up Your Mat

Jesu, juva

A Call to Action for Men of God

At the Pool of Bethesda, Jesus encountered a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years. Among the crowd of the sick and afflicted, Jesus singled out this one man and asked him a direct question: 

“Do you want to be healed?”

The man’s response revealed his victim mentality: “I can’t, sir. I have no one to help me. Someone always gets there first.” He was focused on the water, on the system, on his excuses.

Jesus didn’t validate his excuses. He gave him a command:

“Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk.”

YOUR MAT IS YOUR TESTIMONY

Most sermons focus on the miracle of healing. But there’s a powerful detail that gets overlooked: 

“Pick up your mat.”

Why did Jesus tell him to carry the very thing he’d been lying on for 38 years? Because that mat represented his story. His past. Histestimony. And Jesus was telling him, “Stop staring at what you think will save you. Talk to me instead. And when I heal you, carry your story with you wherever you go.”

Your testimony is a weapon in spiritual warfare.

Every battle God has brought you through, every addiction He’s broken, every failure He’s redeemed—these aren’t just personal victories. They’re ammunition. They’re tools in your arsenal to set other men free.

THE POWER OF YOUR STORY

Brothers, we need to get this straight: The men around us aren’t looking for your highlight reel. They don’t need to hear about your successes and accomplishments. They need to know they’re not alone in their shame, their fear, their regret, their secret battles.

God is asking you to be His vessel. To deliver His message through your life story. Not the sanitized version. Not the comfortable parts. The real story:

• Where you were
• How it destroyed you
• How the Lord met you there
• How He restored what was broken

Be humble. Be transparent. Be willing to share the uncomfortable details. Because the man you’re talking to needs to know he’s not alone. He’s trapped in the same pit you escaped from, and your story might be the rope God throws down to pull him out.

You’re not just sharing information. You’re participating in a miracle. Jesus includes you in the restoration of another man’s life. You are part of the miracle.

SHARE EVEN WHEN YOU’RE STILL HEALING

Maybe you’re thinking, “But I’m not fully restored yet. I’m still working through some areas.” Good. Share anyway.

Your honesty about your ongoing journey will help both of you. The Holy Spirit will give you the exact words that both you and the other person need to hear. God works through your vulnerability. He doesn’t wait for you to be perfect. He uses you right where you are.

WHEN TO SHARE

Pick up your mat and carry it everywhere. Share your testimony:

• When you feel the slightest prompting
• When you wonder if the Holy Spirit is leading you (He is)
• When you’re with other men
• When someone seems to be struggling

You may not know what that person is dealing with. But Jesus does. He put you in that place at that exact moment because one of the stories written on your mat is the key to their freedom.

Revelation 19:10 says, "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." When you share what Jesus has done for you, you're prophesying what He wants to do for them.

NOW THAT YOU’RE WELL, STOP SINNING

After Jesus healed the paralyzed man, He found him later and said, “Now that you are well, stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.”

This is the hard truth: The deeper you go with God, the higher the standard. The more He reveals to you, the more He expects from you. You can’t use the same mouth that worships Him to tear down others. You can’t enter the Holy of Holies in prayer and then walk out and gossip, complain, or speak death over people.

A pastor shared how he was discussing politics with a friend when he felt the Holy Spirit say, “Stop it. Others can, you cannot.”

Why? Because he had been in the inner court. He had experienced the presence of God. With that privilege comes responsibility.

The Three Courts

The Old Testament tabernacle had three sections that represent our spiritual journey:

The Outer Court:Where you start to focus on God, pushing away distractions.

The Inner Court:Where prayer flows and you feel connected to God.

The Holy of Holies:Where time stands still, your heart swells, and you feel the very presence of God.

When you enter that sacred place, your mouth becomes an instrument of God. You cannot leave that place and use the same instrument to speak ill of anyone. Not politicians. Not your enemies. Not anyone.

Romans 6:13 — Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an instrument of righteousness.

YOUR MISSION

Men, here’s your assignment:

• Pick up your mat. Own your testimony. Carry it with you.
• Share it boldly. Don’t wait for permission. When the Spirit prompts, speak.
• Live with integrity. Your words and actions must align. Walk the talk.
• Guard your mouth. Speak hope. Speak love. Speak life.
• Find men in bondage. Satan has them in his grip. Be the one God uses to set them free.

A WARRIOR’S PRAYER

God, I want to be the man You’ve called me to be. Make my mouth Your instrument of healing and truth. Help me stop wasting words on things that don’t matter. I commit to carrying my mat (my testimony) everywhere I go. Fill me with Your truth and equip me to defeat the enemy at every turn. Make me the vessel You’ve chosen to reach men who are trapped in Satan’s grip. Use me, Lord, to set them free in the name of Jesus. Give me brothers who will fight alongside me in this mission. Together, we will advance Your Kingdom and bring men back to You. Amen.

Now get up. Pick up your mat. And walk.

Blane

SDG