THE SPIRITUAL LIMP

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.

2 SAMUEL 5:6-7 KJV

The Bible contains the record of people who were not characterized by having virtues or doing powerful works, neither by their obedience nor their holiness, but by the illnesses or physical disabilities they had that limited them in the development of their life and that were obstacles to doing the things that God expected of them.

In the Old Testament there were people who, although they were born to be priests because they were in the tribe of Levi, did not exercise the priesthood because their physical disabilities did not allow them to do so. However, in the New Testament, there were also cripples, but when they met Jesus Christ they were healed to achieve and do the things that God expected of them.

These cripples now represent areas of the Christian's life in which he is still unable to walk after the Lord, areas of the soul that refuse to surrender to the Lord in order to achieve the freedom to which He has called us; so it is imperative that we examine ourselves and recognize the impediments in our soul, in order to get before Jesus so that he can heal and set us free.

According to the Cambridge dictionary a "lame" is "(especially of animals) not able to walk correctly because of physical injury to or weakness in the legs or feet"

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ISBE, states that lameness is "(1) The condition of being unable or imperfectly able to walk, which unfitted any descendant of Aaron so afflicted for service in the priesthood (Lev_21:18), and rendered an animal unsuitable for sacrifice (Deu_15:21). The offering of animals so blemished was one of the sins with which Malachi charges the negligent Jews of his time (Mal_1:8-13)."

In the Hebrew language we find at least three words that expand the biblical meaning of what it is to be crippled or lame:

- Nāḵeh: Smitten, that is, (literally) maimed, or (figuratively) dejected: Contrite, lame. (Strong H5223). According to The Conplete WordStudy Dictionary, it means: An adjective meaning crippled, smitten. It refers to the result of a physical accident or attack. In context Saul's son had been dropped as a child and the bones in his feet were broken as a result, and he was crippled (2Sa_4:4; 2Sa_9:3).

- Pissēaḥ: Lame (Strong H6455). According to The Conplete WordStudy Dictionary, it means: An adjective meaning lame, crippled. It denotes a person who has a physical defect, an injured leg or foot, hindering a person's walking ability.

- Pasaḥ: A primitive root; to hop, that is, (figuratively) skip over (or spare); by implication to hesitate; also (literally) to limp, to dance: Halt, become lame, leap, pass over. (H6452). According to The Conplete WordStudy Dictionary, it means: A verb meaning to leap, to pass over, to halt, to limp, to be lame.

1. OBSTRUCTS THE CHRISTIAN TO COME CLOSER TO THE LORD, LEVITICUS 21:17-20

17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God. 18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, 19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, 20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; (Lev. 21:17-20 KJV)

In the Old Testament, the lame or crippled could not approach the Lord to exercise their priestly office. This shows that the lameness of the soul is an obstacle for the Christian to approach the Lord, that is, he resists approaching the Lord in order to be free and they have him bound or enslaved (Deut. 15:19; 1 Kin. 18:20-22)

The people who were waiting for the angel to move the waters to get into them and be healed (John 5:1-4), they tell us that there are distractors that do not allow the Christian to seek Jesus Christ to be healthy and free, but to look for things or situations that do not come from God.

2. THEY ARE BEHAVIORS IN WHICH THE SOUL DOES NOT WANT TO BE FREE, 2 SAMUEL 5:5-9

5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. 6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. 7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. (2 Sam. 5:5-8 KJV).

Lameness also refers to behaviors in which the Christian's soul does not want to be free, but prefers to continue living according to his criteria, concepts and beliefs, which are not in accordance with what is established by the Lord.

We read precisely this in Exodus 14:10 to 12, when the Israelites preferred to remain slaves of the Egyptians, instead of seeking, advancing and fighting for their liberation.

3. THEY HINDER THE ATTAINMENT OF GOD'S PURPOSES, 2 SAMUEL 4:4

And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. (2 Sam. 4:4 KJV)

Mephibosheth was crippled on both his feet at the age of five when his wet nurse dropped him. He was also called "Meri-baal" (1 Chr. 8:33), which means: To resist Baal, to contend with Baal, and he who overcomes Baal. However, he was not able to overcome anyone, because his lameness deeply affected his soul and prevented him from doing God's work.

This shows that the lameness of the soul affects the Christian in such a way that it prevents him from obtaining the victories that God has arranged for him and therefore he lives defeated. We see these problems in King Joash, who did not have the ability to destroy his enemies and therefore did not achieve God's purposes for him and Israel (2 Kin. 13:14-19)

Now, in 2 Samuel 9:11-13 we read that even though Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of his sons, he did not win victories by himself. This tells us that the Christian, despite eating the Word of the Lord and eventually feeling His presence, can get used to being crippled and not seeking his healing and liberation.

4. IT AFFECTS AND IS EVIDENCED BY WHAT HE SPEAKS, PROVERBS 26:6

He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage. (Prov. 26:6 KJV)

Lameness is also manifested in what the person speaks, that is, those people who are variable in their way of speaking, because they only have conversations of defeat, pessimists, fatalists and the like (Nm. 13:25-33); with their mouth they bless God, but they also murmur, speak evil and even curse others (James 3:8-12)

5. THE CHRISTIAN DOES NOT GIVE HIS BEST FOR THE LORD, MALACHI 1:6-8

6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. 8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts. (Mal. 1:6-8 KJV)

Lameness manifests itself when the Christian does not give his best for the Lord, but gives him what is left over, what is defective, what does not work, the worst and the like (Mal. 1:12-14). It also applies to tithing and offering, when a person does not fulfill it faithfully to the Lord.

Despite the negative consequences of lameness on the soul, the Bible shows us that all the lame who met the Lord Jesus Christ received healing; these teaches us of the times when the Lord manifests himself to our life is to heal and free us, to achieve God's purposes, let's see:

6. WE MUST BE AT THE FEET OF JESUS, MATTHEW 15:29-31

29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them: 31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel. (Matt. 15:29-31 KJV)

Being at the feet of Jesus refers to seeking Him and humbling ourselves before Him, trusting, waiting and asking Him to heal and free our soul, and not like some who humble themselves, trust and wait on themselves or on other people to change something in their life.

We see the same error in Lazarus, who was at the rich man's door, waiting to receive something to eat (Luke 16:19-21); this refers to Christians who do not trust in the Lord, but in men to supply their needs.

7. BEING IN THE TEMPLE, MATTHEW 21:10-14

10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. 12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. (Matt. 21:10-14 KJV)

The Lord healed in the temple the sick who came to Him, among those who were lame. This teaches us that a Christian should attend the temple, that is, gather together to seek the Lord, because there He will heal and free his soul, and this will give him happiness, joy and gladness (Is. 35:1-6; Jer. 31:7-8)

That is why there are people who make a serious mistake by not congregating, because although they are crippled in their soul, they do not seek the Lord and prefer to stay at home or other places, so they remain in their illnesses, disabilities and slavery.

8. GOD HEALS THROUGH MINISTERS, ACTS 3:1-11

1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; (Act. 3:1-2 KJV)

These passages tell us that every day a lame man was brought to the door of the temple to ask for alms, but when he met Peter and John, who had the power of God, he received healing.

This tells us about Christians who come to the church, but who have not achieved the healing of lameness of areas of the soul, so they figuratively dedicate themselves to asking alms from the brothers; alms of attention, appreciation, help, understanding, etc. Lameness of the soul can even be caused by unclean spirits (Acts 8:3-8)

The passage from Acts also shows us how God uses ministers to heal the Christian's lameness to be free, healthy and able to enjoy the newness of life that Jesus Christ has given us. Ministers by themselves do not heal or liberate, but are God's instruments for healing the Christian.

9. TO HAVE FAITH, ACTS 14:1-10

8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. (Act. 14:8-10 KJV)

Faith is vital for the Christian to obtain healing and deliverance from the lameness of the soul, to believe that God has the power to do anything and that, if we believe Him, He will do and perfect the work in us (Phil. 1:6)

10. MAKING STRAIGHT PATHS, HEBREWS 12:9-13

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. (Heb. 12:12-13 KJV)

We must correct those things that we think, speak, do or practice and that do not please the Lord, so that our walk is healthy, straight and without inconstancy before the Lord, therefore we must consecrate ourselves and set ourselves apart for Him.

In the Old Testament contains the promises of God to heal the lame and crippled, and in the New Testament the fulfillment of that promise is seen, so we must seek our healing and liberation of our soul in Jesus Christ, to stop being crippled and slaves.

Translated with software, do you have any suggestions for correction?