#2doomed: Spiritually Blind And Hard Headed!

#2 DOOMED TO FAILURE BECAUSE OF SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS.

HARD HEADS OF SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I do this lesson in two parts.

I. SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE HAVE HARD HEARTS AND HARD HEADS AND THEY REFUSE CORRECTION.

ARE WE PUTTING GREAT EFFORT IN SPINNING OUR TIRES AND NOT GETTING ANY WHERE?

A. ARE WE CONTINUING TO BEAT THE DONKEY, AND NOT MOVE AHEAD? IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE BLIND TO OUR OWN BLINDNESS, AND STILL THINK WE CAN SEE? SOME HAVE SEEN AND HAVE LOST THEIR VISION.

THEY DON’T KNOW THEY ARE BLIND.

B. In Numbers 22 we are introduced to an UP AND COMING PREACHER.

This Preacher is IN TOUCH with God, and he can see and he is sensitive to the deeper things of God.

C. YOU KNOW THIS PREACHER BY HIS FIRST NAME: --- BALAAM.

He is one of the more notable characters of the Old Testament. Balaam was a successful little preacher from Pethor.

D. THE GREAT POLITICAL WHO WHO’S SENT FOR BALAAM.

The Who Who’s needed a favor. They were living in fear of God’s people. The good news of how God had blessed His children had spread. The Who Who’s knew they were no match for the children of Israel.

Numbers 22:6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

E. BALAAM IS A DRIVEN PREACHER. BALAAM LOSES SIGHT OF THE BIGGER PICTURE IN A DESIRE FOR A GREAT NATIONAL MINISTRY. BALAAM IS IN A RUT, THIS IS A PROMISE OF WEALTH AND A NATIONAL MINISTRY TO THE WHO WHO’S.

F. THIS POOR PREACHER HAS WEALTH PLACED BEFORE HIS EYES.

Numbers 22:7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto

him the words of Balak.

G. GOD HAS A DIFFERENT IDEA AND PLAN.

Balaam desired popularity over God’s presence.

Sometimes bribery will get you everything?

Numbers 22:12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

H. GOD REFUSES TO GO WITH BALAAM. GOD GIVES CLEAR DIRECTIONS TO HIS MAN. GET AWAY FROM THEM.

I. THERE IS A GREAT PROMISE OF PROMOTION --- ISN’T ALL PROMOTION FROM GOD?

Numbers 22:17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

J. BALAAM IS BLINDED AND HE IS STUCK IN A RUT, HE IS SPINNING HIS SPIRITUAL TIRES AND GETTING NO WHERE...

So Balaam gives God a second chance ---

Who knows --- Maybe God will change His Divine Mind?

Numbers 22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more.

K. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF GOD? HE HAS BECOME SPIRITUALLY BLINDED BY POWER AND MONEY.

L. BALAAM IS NOW AN ADVERSARY OF GOD.

BALAAM THOUGHT ALL HE NEEDED WAS A CHANGE OF LOCATION, SO HE SADDLED UP HIS DONKEY AND HEADED TO FORCE GOD?

Numbers 22:22 And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

M. IT IS A SAD DAY IN THE CHURCH WHEN DONKEYS CAN SEE BETTER SPIRITUALLY THAN THE PREACHERS.

BALAAM BLINDED BY GAIN, PROSPERITY AND POPULARITY.

PROPHET CAN NOT SEE, HE DOES NOT WANT TO SEE ---

Numbers 22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into

the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

N. GOD TURNS UP THE VOLUME, BUT THE PREACHER STILL CAN NOT SEE. Balaam hurt his ankle or his foot and he still can not see!

Numbers 22:25 And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

O. STUPID PREACHER REFUSES TO SEE --- HE KNEW IN HIS HEART THIS WAS WRONG! Let us stop and sing --- IF THIS IS WRONG --- I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT?

P. GOD WILL TURN UP THE VOLUME --- THE PAIN INCREASES ---- THE SMART DONKEY AND A DUMB PREACHER?

Q. DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT HARD, STUBBORN HEADS AND HEARTS OF SPIRITAULLY BLIND PEOPLE?