Who Are the Ones Willing to Climb the Roof for You?
What if the breakthrough you've been longing for isn't about what you can do but who you're surrounded by? What if the miracle someone desperately needs is waiting on your faith, determination, and love?
In a crowded house with no way in, four individuals found a path where none existed, changing a life forever. This isn't just a story of healing; it's a revelation of faith, vision, and relentless love. Who are the ones willing to climb the roof for you? And whose roof are you willing to climb? Step into this unexpected journey and uncover the power of relationships that carry us when we can't walk alone. Dive into this journey and discover how godly connections can lead to extraordinary breakthroughs.
The story of the paralytic man in Mark 2:1–12 is a powerful account of faith, determination, and godly relationships. It is a beautiful picture of how four friends worked together to bring their paralyzed companion to Jesus. They didn't just accompany him, they carried him, quite literally, and overcame every obstacle to ensure he received the healing he desperately needed. These four did not allow the result of the initial knock on a door to define this moment as rejection.
This story reveals the types of relationships we all need to thrive in our spiritual walk. These are not casual acquaintances but life-giving connections that challenge, support, and point us back to Jesus when we are unable to in the moment.
Proverbs 18:24 highlights this truth: "A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (NASB 1995).
Let's dive into the four types of people we need in our lives and why they matter.
1. The Visionary: Seeing Beyond the Now
A visionary is someone who can see beyond where you are currently. They look past the present struggles, limitations, and circumstances to discern what lies ahead. Visionaries are often likened to apostles. They are like a person positioned in a crow's nest on a large ship. From this elevated perspective, they can see further and wider than those on the deck. Everyone on the ship's deck can see only from that perspective. However, because of the position of a crow's nest, it gives a different advantage to one's ability to see. This is often how it is with an apostle. It's not that they are greater than everyone else; it's just that they have a different assignment, which positions them with a different view.
In Mark 2, the friends of the paralytic man faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle: the crowd blocking the door to Jesus. A visionary among them must have had the insight to look upward and suggest an unconventional solution—going to the roof. Where others saw a roadblock, the visionary saw an opportunity.
Visionaries in your life help you lift your eyes from the immediate to the eternal. They inspire faith to believe in the impossible and encourage you to take bold steps of obedience.
Take an in-depth look: A visionary doesn't just see what is possible; they understand how to navigate toward it. Like the apostle Paul, who had a clear vision for taking the gospel to the Gentiles, visionaries direct us toward God's purposes. Without their guidance, we risk stagnation, settling for less than what God has for us. (Photo via Unsplash)
Question: Do you have someone in your life who consistently lifts your perspective to see what God sees?
2. The Dreamer: Reviving Lost Hope
A dreamer is someone who keeps hope alive when you feel like giving up. They dream with you and for you, championing the God-given visions that may have grown dim in your heart. Dreamers are often prophetic voices, speaking life into areas where faith has waned.
In Mark 2, it's likely the paralytic man had lost hope of ever walking again. Yet, his friends carried a dream for his healing. They didn't stop at obstacles but fought for his opportunity to encounter Jesus.
Dreamers remind us that God's promises are worth pursuing. They challenge us to reengage with the dreams God has placed within us, even when circumstances scream otherwise.
Take an in-depth look: Dreamers often possess a deep sensitivity to the heart of God. Like Joseph, who carried God-given dreams despite opposition, dreamers don't let external realities dictate what's possible. They stir up faith and challenge complacency, reminding us that God's plans are still in motion.
Question: Who in your life reminds you of the promises of God and encourages you to dream again?
3. The Strongman: Carrying You in Weakness
A strongman is someone who picks you up when you can no longer go on. They carry your burdens, provide strength, and walk alongside you in times of weakness. These individuals are often spiritual parents, mentors, or trusted leaders who help you stand when you can't find the strength to do so on your own.
The paralytic man was physically unable to move, but his friends didn't let his inability define his destiny. They carried him, lifted him onto the roof, broke through the ceiling, and lowered him to the feet of Jesus. Their strength became his access to healing.
Take an in-depth look: A strongman in your life is someone who stands in the gap, interceding for you in prayer, offering counsel, and providing practical support. Like Moses who needed help from Aaron and Hur to hold up his arms during battle, we all need people who will sustain us when our strength fails.
Question: Do you have someone who will carry you spiritually, emotionally, and physically in your weakest moments?
4. The Lover: Loving the Unlovable
A lover is the person who loves you when you're at your worst—when you feel unlovable, broken, or abandoned. Lovers embody the heart of Jesus, who loves unconditionally and sacrificially.
In Mark 2, the paralytic man's friends loved him enough to go to extreme lengths to see him healed. This wasn't a convenient task; it required time, effort, and risk. Their love was evident in their actions. (Photo via Pexels)
Lovers don't give up on you when others do. They walk with you through the valleys, reflecting the unfailing love of Christ.
Take an in-depth look: Lovers operate from a deep well of compassion. Like the good Samaritan who stopped to care for a wounded man when others passed by, lovers don't measure relationships by convenience but by commitment. They remind us of God's enduring love, even in our darkest moments.
Question: Who in your life loves you unconditionally and reflects the heart of Christ?
Why These Four Matter
These four types of people—the visionary, dreamer, strongman, and lover—are essential for a balanced and thriving life. Together, they help us navigate challenges, reignite hope, carry burdens, and experience the love of God through human connection.
The story in Mark 2 isn't just about a man's healing; it's about the power of godly relationships. Without his friends, the paralytic man wouldn't have encountered Jesus. It was their faith, creativity, and determination that made the miracle possible.
Proverbs 18:24 reminds us, "A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (NASB 1995).
It's not about having many friends, it's about having the right ones.
The Most Important Question
As you reflect on these four types of people, ask yourself which one of these is you for someone else.
Are you a visionary, lifting others' eyes to God's greater purposes?
Are you a dreamer, helping others rediscover hope?
Are you a strongman, carrying those who are weary?
Are you a lover, offering unconditional love in the darkest moments?
God has positioned each of us to play a vital role in someone else's life. Just as the paralytic man needed his friends, there are people in your life who need you. Be intentional about the relationships you cultivate and the role you play in pointing others to Christ.
When we walk together in godly relationships, carrying one another toward Jesus, miracles happen. Be the kind of friend who sticks closer than a brother. Be someone's visionary, dreamer, strongman, or lover. It's what we're called to do, and it's how we reflect the love of Christ to a world in need.
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Ryan Johnson
Ryan Johnson Ministries
Email: info@ryanjohnson.us
Website: www.ryanjohnson.usÂÂ
Ryan Johnson is dedicated in helping equip the Body of Christ to awaken the nations with a prophetic call of a rising Ekklesia. He is a son of God, husband, and father of four. Ryan has devoted his life to the righteousness of Christ, with the demonstration of the Father's Heart in regions, individuals, and the Church across the world. Ryan is the author of Illegitimacy: The Battle Over Your Identity, How to Contend for Your Miracle, and Racism: The Church and The Nation. He has had many articles released through Charisma Magazine, Charisma News, The Elijah List, and Spirit Fuel. He has also appeared as a guest on The Shaun Tabatt Show, Elijah Streams, Engaging the Supernatural, and Sid Roth's It's Supernatural. Ryan is the host of The Blacksmith Chronicles Podcast, an Instructor at Summit School of Revival, and travels throughout the United States and the Nations as a full-time itinerant minister.
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