Sometimes we may go through challenging situations in life and instead of trying on our own strength to figure out what is rely going on, it will be better if we ask GOD in prayer for clarification and divine intervention.
If we have to make decisions all the time based on our own understanding, our emotions and what we think we know will end up deceiving our lives.
Recently I was reading the book of John chapter 9. This is not the first time that I have read it, but this time I was able to understand it in a deep way. I read it, and I read it again, and this voice inside, and I believe it is the HOLY SPIRIT, told me to go and research more about it. So I Google it and got the information that I knew it is what the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD wanted me to know.
May be let's read the Bible passage first.
“As HE went along, HE saw a man blind from birth. HIS disciples asked HIM, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said JESUS, “but this happened so that the Works of GOD might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the Works of HIM WHO sent ME. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the World, I am the Light of the World.” After saying this, HE spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” HE told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. He replied, “The Man they call JESUS made some mud and put it on my eyes. HE told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this Man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said. They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which JESUS had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “HE put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from GOD, for HE does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about HIM? It was your eyes HE opened.” The man replied, “HE is a Prophet.” They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that JESUS was the MESSIAH would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give Glory to GOD by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this Man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether HE is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.” Then they asked him, “What did HE do to you? How did HE open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become HIS disciples too?” Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this Fellow’s disciple. We are disciples of Moses. We know that GOD spoke to Moses, but as for this Fellow, we don’t even know where HE comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable. You don’t know where HE comes from, yet HE opened my eyes. We know that GOD does not listen to sinners. HE listens to the godly person who does HIS Will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this Man were not from GOD, He could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us.” And they threw him out. JESUS heard that they had thrown him out, and when HE found him, HE said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is HE, Sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in HIM.” JESUS said, “You have now seen HIM; in fact, HE is the One speaking with you.” Then the man said, “LORD, I believe,” and HE worshiped HIM. JESUS said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with HIM heard HIM say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” JESUS said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”
This Bible story has opened my eyes to see the way GOD sees things. And it is contrary to how we may perceive life in some situations. One of the most important prayers everyone needs to pray is for GOD to remove our spiritual blinders so that we can see what GOD wants you and me to see.
Isn't this showing that sometimes what we think is, probably is not? Many times when bad things happen to people, the first thing comes to our minds is because we have done something wrong that's why we are being punished or going through challenges.
The LORD JESUS responses to the whole situation, starting with the Blind Man, and then with the Pharisees, it opened my eyes to see the way GOD sees things. And it is contrary to some people on how they perceive life should be.
In the book of Romans chapter 3 verse 23, it says that "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of GOD glorious standard."
It is true that sin is one of the main causes of pain, problems, and difficulties in life, but sometimes because of GOD’S Grace and Mercy, we are protected from the wages and consequences of the sins we have committed because GOD just decided to be good to our lives and our families, and forgive you and me regardless of our shortcomings.
When we are under the canopy of GOD’S Protection, because of GOD’S Grace and Mercy, we can be protected from the wages and consequences of the sins we have committed especially if we quickly confess them and repent. In the book of 1 John chapter 1 verse 9, it says “If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse you and me from all unrighteousness.” Not one, but all unrighteousness.
The Bible is showing two kinds of blindness. The physical and the spiritual blindness. It is also showing that not every unfavorable issue we face is because we are being punished for our sins.
Some sins even if GOD forgives you and me, but the government won’t. Depending on the Country you are coming from, there are some sins their consequences could cost you a whole lot from you, even if GOD has already forgiven you for it.
The disciples asked the LORD JESUS whether this man blindness was a punishment from GOD for the sin he committed or his parents committed. But the LORD JESUS said to them the man’s blindness had a higher purpose; to show the Glory of GOD in his life. The issue was not about what caused the man’s blindness, but the role that it played in the Work of GOD, and making the LORD JESUS known as the One sent by the FATHER, the One Who gave him sight.
In other words, if you look at this again, it looks like this blind man was supposed to meet the LORD JESUS in his life, to have that divine encounter that day. He had an appointment with the LORD JESUS in his life. He was supposed to be written in the Bible for everyone to read about his miracle. The passage records, “JESUS said, “but this happened so that the Works of GOD might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the Works of Him Who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the World, I am the Light of the World.”
What else can we learn from this story? Well, for the first time he was able to see in his life, he saw the Face of JESUS. He didn’t see HIM immediately because he had to go and wash his face first to be able to see. He knew it was the man named JESUS that healed him, a Prophet, but when the LORD JESUS appeared to him the second time to reveal Himself to him, that is when he saw not only His Face, but HIS Majesty, Who truly HE was. Another thing is that the first time this blind man was able to see, he was put into history of generation after generation. People get to read about him generation after generation and his wit and replies to the Pharisees. “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.” And this one that says “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples too?” And this one tops them all “Now that is remarkable. You don’t know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that GOD does not listen to sinners. HE listens to the godly person who does HIS Will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this Man were not from GOD, He could do nothing.”
Scripture says that when the LORD JESUS heard that they had thrown him out, and when He found him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is He, Sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.” JESUS said, “You have now seen Him; in fact, He is the One speaking with you.” Then the man said, “LORD, I believe,” and He worshiped Him. And JESUS said, “For judgment I have come into this World, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
And in that moment as he said “LORD, I believe,” his spiritual eyes were opened. So we see two kinds of healing from this blind man. First, when the LORD JESUS healed him of his physical blindness, but at this point he didn’t really know or recognize HIM. He believed that HE was a Man of GOD, a Prophet, but he really didn’t know HIM and recognized HIM as the LORD, he had to go and wash first to see, and when he came back, the LORD JESUS was already left from that place. But the story says, when the LORD JESUS heard that they had thrown him out, HE looked for him and found him, and this is when he had a second touch and encounter with the LORD JESUS, where HE removed his spiritual blindness, and finally got to see HIM in truth and spirit. The Bible says, and he worshiped HIM. His unbelief went away, his spiritual blinders were removed, his mind was opened, his spiritual eyes were opened, and he saw the LORD JESUS of WHO HE is, in the eyes of the spirit, and he began to worship HIM.
All he had to do is to believe in the LORD JESUS. When HE asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is He, Sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.” JESUS said, “You have now seen Him; in fact, He is the One speaking with you.” Then the man said, “LORD, I believe,”
Miracles happen when we believe. In the book of Mark chapter 9 verse 23, Scripture says that and the LORD JESUS said to him,"[You say to Me,] 'If You can?' All things are possible for the one who believes and trusts [in Me]." In the book of John chapter 11 verse 40, it says that "JESUS said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe [in Me], you will see the Glory of GOD [the expression of HIS Excellence]?"
I’m reminded of two things now; the Scripture in John chapter 4 verses 23 and 24, that says “But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship The FATHER in Spirit and in Truth, for the FATHER is seeking such as these to worship HIM. GOD is SPIRIT, and HIS worshipers must worship HIM in Spirit and in Truth.” And that song that says “Open our eyes LORD we want to see JESUS, to reach out and touch HIM and say that we love HIM. Open our ears LORD and help us to listen, Open our eyes LORD we want to see JESUS.”
The book of John chapter 9 demonstrates how the man who was once blind met the LORD JESUS and was able to see in both physical and spiritual realms. We also see the Pharisees, religious leaders, who claimed to be able to see, but were spiritually blinded; they couldn’t be able to see the Light, the LORD JESUS of WHO HE is. Had they acknowledged their spiritual blindness and allowed the LORD JESUS to remove it, then they would have been blessed and enlightened. The Bible says in John chapter 1 verse 11 that “The LORD JESUS came to HIS Own and HIS Own did not receive HIM.” Actually if you read John chapter 1 verses 11 to 14, it says that “HE was in the World, and though the World was made through HIM, the World did not recognize HIM. HE came to that which was HIS own, but HIS own did not receive HIM. Yet to all who did receive HIM, to those who believed in HIS NAME, HE gave the right to become children of GOD, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of GOD. The Word became flesh and made HIS dwelling among our lives. We have seen HIS Glory, the Glory of the One and only Son, Who came from The FATHER, full of grace and truth.”
The LORD JESUS came to be the Light of the World to reveal that we are living in darkness because this Earth is full of darkness. And HE is the revealer and the giver of Light and Sight. In John chapter 1 verse 4 it says “In HIM there is Life, and this Life is the Light of mankind.”
We also learn that the ones who insist they see when in fact do not see are kept away from GOD through sin. If you are a true believer, you don’t claim to have all the answers; you follow what GOD says. So we see the LORD JESUS telling the Pharisees that since they claimed to be able to see, they are, in fact, still with sin and do not see at all.
We need to ask GOD to remove our spiritual blindness. And Apostle Paul explained it very well in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 2 why this is very important, this is mainly so for unbelievers, but even for believers who are still carnal and somehow struggling to worship GOD in Truth and Spirit and to understanding the spiritual truth and GOD’S wisdom and HIS mystery in HIS WORD, because GOD’S Wisdom is revealed by the GOD’S SPIRIT, HIS HOLY SPIRIT.
In the book of 1 Corinthians 2 verses 6 to 16, the Bible records that;
“Yet we do speak wisdom among those spiritually mature [believers who have teachable hearts and a greater understanding]; but [it is a higher] wisdom not [the wisdom] of this present age nor of the rulers and leaders of this age, who are passing away; but we speak GOD’S Wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom once hidden [from man, but now revealed to our lives by GOD, that wisdom] which GOD predestined before the ages to our glory [to lift our lives into the Glory of HIS Presence]. None of the rulers of this age recognized and understood this wisdom; for if they had, they would not have crucified the LORD of Glory; but just as it is written [in Scripture], “Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that GOD has prepared for those who love HIM [who hold HIM in affectionate reverence, who obey HIM, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that HE has bestowed].” For GOD has unveiled them and revealed them to everyone through the [HOLY] SPIRIT; for the SPIRIT searches all things [diligently], even [sounding and measuring] the [profound] depths of GOD [the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding]. For what person knows the thoughts and motives of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So also no one knows the thoughts of GOD except the SPIRIT of GOD. Now we have received, not the spirit of the World, but the [HOLY] SPIRIT Who is from GOD, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to everyone by GOD. We also speak of these things, not in words taught or supplied by human wisdom, but in those taught by the SPIRIT, combining and interpreting spiritual thoughts with spiritual words [for those being guided by the HOLY SPIRIT]. But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the SPIRIT of GOD, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters]. But the spiritual man [the spiritually mature Christian] judges all things [questions, examines and applies what the HOLY SPIRIT reveals], yet is himself judged by no one [the unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer’s spiritual nature]. For who has known the mind and purposes of the LORD, so as to instruct HIM? But we have the Mind of CHRIST [to be guided by HIS thoughts and purposes].”
The devil keeps unbelievers in darkness by blinding their minds to see the TRUTH and the LIGHT of GOD through the LORD JESUS CHRIST so that they won't be set free. Free from sin, kingdom of darkness, the evil forces, their captivities, and demonic bondage.
Satan or the devil does his best to blind people from seeing the truth of GOD concerning their lives. He wants to keep people from hearing the good news about the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the forgiveness of sins. Even after hearing it, he tries to take away the good news once they have heard it, and have them falsely trust in something different other than the LORD JESUS CHRIST and OUR HEAVENLY FATHER GOD.
The enemy wants to keep our lives in darkness for the rest of our lives, and eventually keep you and me out of the Will of GOD so that we may not fulfilling our GOD given destinies.
One of the things we need to do to overcome spiritual blindness is to believe, accept, and receive the LORD JESUS CHRIST as OUR LORD AND SAVIOR of our lives. And then we need to ask the LORD JESUS in prayer to open our eyes, ears, and minds, to hear and see HIM, and to know HIM in another dimension, to see what HE wants you and me to see, and to hear what HE wants you and me to hear.
When we go through difficulties, its best if we ask GOD, "Our Heavenly FATHER, What is it that YOU want me to know?" What do YOU want me to learn from what I am going through right now? What is YOUR purpose behind this problem, unexpected, or unexplained situation? Why am I going through this? LORD, are YOU trying to tell me something? Tell me LORD, in a language I can understand.
One of my favorite Scriptures and easy to remember is Proverbs chapter 3 verses 5 and 6, which says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek HIS Will in all you do, and HE will show you which path to take."
We should not rely on our own understanding. When we seek GOD and HIS Will in prayer and reading HIS Word, and trust HIM even if we may not understand HIS ways, but as we believe and obey it by faith, HE will show you and me which path to take, and reveal the answers we seek. Eventually those puzzles in our lives will be solved. Eventually those questions we have concerning our lives we will have their answers.
The Bible says in Romans 8 verse 14, “For as many as are led by the SPIRIT of GOD, these are Sons of GOD.” Precious HOLY SPIRIT, we ask and allow YOU to lead our lives daily starting today, and as YOU do that, please remove all the spiritual blinders in our lives, this I pray in the MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. Amen.
May GOD heal you and me from spiritual blindness so that we can start to see what HE wants you and me to see. May we never be spiritual blind. May we never be physical blind. We shall see both spiritual and physical, in the MIGHTY NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST I Pray. Amen.
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