God Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart
Mark 10:46-52
Introduction: Ps 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Revival and spiritual growth are God’s desires for each one of his children. Today revival seems to be elusive to many but know it’s God’s desire. In our lesson, a multitude is accompanying Jesus and his disciple, all with different motives. Various motives influenced the multitude to silence the beggar's cries. Some regarded his crying out as inappropriate, distracting their thoughts and interrupting their conversation. Others did not like to hear Jesus referred to as Messiah. Others still, believing that Jesus was about to be crowned king, thought that it was high time that he should cease paying so much attention to beggars and begin to assume the dignities of royalty. But Bartimaeus was filled with the spirit of Jacob. The more resistance he met, the more strenuously he wrestled to obtain the blessing (Ge 32:24-26). He received the desire of his heart!
What are you desiring? Do your desires align themselves with the will of God? Are setbacks, hindrances, and difficulties brought on by the pandemic changing your desires. Even during difficult days, God promises, if we “delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” The present unfavorable conditions and circumstance do not have the power to cause us to come short of their goals, dreams, and purposes. We can still take all our frailties, weaknesses, and faults to God in Prayer. Nothing can stop us in our quest for the abundant life that our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ promised in his word. I realize we have an adversity trying to hold you and me back individually, and personally. Yet, knowing that God will give us the desires our heart should keep us encouraged. The only thing that hinder us is a lack of desire. Bartimaeus, the blind of our text was filled with the spirit of Jacob. The more resistance he met, the more strenuously he wrestled to obtain the blessing. Receiving the desires of our heart may require us to wrestle!
Everyone faces obstacles in life. Winners and losers are separated by how they choose to deal with the difficulties of life. Winners in the Christian race learn how to outlast overcome their difficulties. They overcome and gain victory, to becoming a victor instead of the victim. To overcome means to conquer, to triumph, to beat down and subdue every hindrance that would keep us out of the mainstream of life. This message may not be for everyone because some people are satisfied living beneath their privileges. Others are satisfied living on the sideline of life, receiving handouts from those passing by. Then there are those who refuse to be content with life’s limitations. They are the ones looking for way out or a hand up! They can sense that they were born for greatness. They were born to please God at a higher level. They have not lost their dreams; their hope is alive and well. They hunger to move into the mainstream of life. All they need is the right opportunity; the right message, the right inspiration; and the motivation. They really believe that if they “delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” They are ready to wrestle like Jacob who said, “I will not let you go until you bless my soul.” They understand that they might meet resistance along the way. They have decide, the more resistance they met, the more strenuously they wrestle until they obtain the blessing (Ge 32:24-26).
Today, we have an interesting story. This event occurs during the third year of Jesus' earthly ministry; his year of opposition. His first year was a year of obscurity, when no one really knew him. Jesus was just another itinerate preacher under the watchful eyes of the Pharisees and Sadducees. His second year was a year of popularity when everyone knew him. His influence was great, and his crowds were massive. Many religious leaders became jealous of him. By the third year, a decision had been made, Jesus must be stopped. This is the last time that Jesus would make this journey from his hometown Nazareth up to Jerusalem. Jericho was a common stop-over between Nazareth and Jerusalem. When Jesus arrived in Jericho, the crowds were enormous, and Jericho was tingling with excitement.
Jericho was in the plain of the Jordan River. If you remember, (1) Jericho is known as the oldest city in the world. (2) Jericho was the place Israel selected to enter the Promised Land after the wilderness journey had transformed a band of wanderers into the Hebrew nation. (3) Jericho is the place we found ZACCHAEUS up a tree and out on a limb. ZACCHAEUS’s life was transformed by an encounter with Jesus. Jericho was the place where Bartimaeus stationed himself to beg. During the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry Jericho was a rich and flourishing town, having a considerable trade, and celebrated for the palm trees which adorned the plain around. The word Jericho means fragrant or sweet smell. Jericho was a place where weary travelers could refresh themselves for the journey ahead. Jericho could really be thought of as place of refreshing. Even King Herod owned a summer house at Jericho. Often travelers chose to refresh themselves at Jericho before they journeyed on! My wife and I spent a day at Jericho a few years ago. I rode my first camel at Jericho. This was the last time that Jesus would visit Jericho and if the man of our text is going to get his heart’s desire, it must be now or never.
Matthew ‘s Gospel records that there were two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. Mark only mentions one. Probably one was more vocal than the other. These men were not starving to death from hunger. They were not dying from their blindness, but they dissatisfied living beneath their privileges. While others maybe content living on the sidelines of life, receiving handouts from those passing by, Bartimaeus desired more. Do you desire to be more for God; to accomplish more for the Kingdom?
The world may never give you what you deserve; may sometimes give you what you demand, but when desires align with God’s will, He will give us the desires of our heart! I believe there are people here who realize they were born to live life in the mainstream. The seed of greatness has taken root in their spirit and they refuse to stay on the sideline. They were born to please God at a higher level. They had not lost their dream; their hope is alive and well. They still hunger to move in the mainstream of life.Blind Bartimaeus and his friend positioned themselves right outside the city to earn a living panhandling, begging for handouts. If these blind men are going to gain victory, they must make their desires known. It must be now or never. Bartimeaus may not have been his real name. His name means son of Timeaus. The meaning of Timeaus is unclear; some render it unclean; another meaning is defiled or suppressed and even honorable. Some believe Bartimeaus inherit some degenerate eye disease from his father. He was not born blind, but his condition led to permanent blindness. It probably took him years to acquire a beggar garment and a suitable place to beg. He stationed himself outside the city of Jericho on the wayside. Bartimeaus probably heard of Jesus and his miracles by eavesdropping from travelers passing by. Today, he learned that Jesus was passing his way. Bartimeaus understood Jesus to be the promised Messiah who could do anything but fail. So even though he was handicapped with a limited future, He had hope in the Messiah. In the natural, Bartimaeus' future was set. He would have no educational opportunities, no wife or family, and no lucrative career. He could only be a beggar. Up to this point, his number one concern had been his daily existence. His number problem had been to acquire a beggar's garment and find the ideal spot for begging. But when he heard that Jesus was passing by, he made up his mind, I refuse to stay in this condition. He had a deep desire to be healed.
Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus; Timaeus is rendered mostly in two distinct ways. In some cases, it means accused, unclean or defiled. In other cases, in rendered as honorable, noble, or praiseworthy. These two contrasting meanings are relevant for us today. Even though we are noble, honorable, blessed and created in the likeness of God, yet at times we may appear to be defiled, unclean, crippled and limited. Bartimaeus was born with condition that grew progressively worst until he was completely blind. He grew up but he could not outgrow his condition. Many of us deal with conditions that we never outgrow! So, there Bartimaeus sits, by the wayside, out of the mainstream, never allowed to fulfill his purpose or his dream. In this lonely, isolated and limited condition, he desires to be well. He refuses to stay in this place. In this place of desperation, his desire caused him to cry out to Jesus. Contrary to popular opinion, Jesus is not automatically moved needs. Jesus is moved our faith and our heart’s desire as we cry out in prayer. Ps 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Let’s take a look at how Bartimaeus received the desires of his heart.
1. Bartimeaus made a demand on the Anointing of God – V. 46, "And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people..." Although Jericho was a place of refreshing, a place to be revive, not a single person in Jericho made a demand on the anointing, so Jesus went into the city full of power and came out full of power because no one made a demand on the anointing. Bartimeaus’ condition was something that He could have lived with, but to gain victory over your condition, you must make a demand on the anointing! You must refuse to stay where you are. The scripture teaches that when Jesus went to his hometown where he preached his best message, but... "And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief..." No one in his hometown made a demand on the anointing he was carrying. I don’t know what prevented Bartimeaus from crying out as Jesus entered Jericho, maybe it was fear or a lack of support from his companion. Somehow, he allowed Jesus to pass by undisturbed. Notice Jesus saw them sitting there but passed them by. They displayed no desire for healing or deliverance, and Jesus just passed them by. If you need Him, make a demand on Him.
2. Bartimeaus Used What He had to Get What He wanted - (Bartimeaus was willing to use what he had to get what he wanted) - "... And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me." He cried out in prayer to get Jesus' attention. No matter how disadvantaged you are, you have something left. Bartimeaus knew how to cru out. He had stopped Pharisees, Sadducees, Levites, Roman Soldiers and common folk. Bartimeaus made up his mind, "When Jesus comes back by here, I will stop Him too!" Jericho has one road in and the same road out. I got to stop him today! It is my time. I must seize the moment. Sometimes you can’t wait on the approval of others. No one knows what you need better than you. Cry out! Make a demand on the anointing; use what you have….
3. Bartimeaus Cried Out In spite of Opposition – (Bartimeaus was willing to cry out in spite of opposition)-..."And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me." You must cry out despite the opposition. (1) Time was against Bartimeaus. This was the busiest day of Jesus ministry He had a schedule to keep at Jerusalem. (2) The crowd was against him. Many charged him to hold his peace (3) Isolation was against him. He was alone so far as support was concern, his blind friend refuse to cry out with him. Yet he cried the more a great deal! He got the Lord's attention. Jesus stood still and responded to his cry. If you cry out to him, He will stop for you. If He stops for you he will give you his personal attention. Those who would come to Jesus must be willing press through the opposition. There are three things I see in Bartimeaus’ victory that we should emulate:
(1) We must come out of your comfort zone to get to Jesus. “Bartimeaus be of good cheer, he calleth thee” If we are going to overcome and receive the desires of our hearts, we must be willing to come out of our comfort zone. To receive what God has, we must be willing to leave behind what’s holding us back. My call to full time ministry…My call to this new phrase in ministry…Caused me tp leave some things behind God is calling you! Cast away the garments of your own sufficiency. Free yourself from every weight and the sin that so easily besets you. The present spot maybe comfortable, familiar, and secure, but God is calling you higher. “Bartimeaus he is calling you.”
(2) We must put our finger on the problem in the presence of Jesus. V. 51 “And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.”
What’s wrong with you, man? What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? Not only must we be willing to come out of our comfort zone, but we must also be willing to put our finger on our problem. What’s stopping you? What’s holding you back? Bartimeaus probably never expected this question. God knows everything, does He not? Why ask such simple question? May be to cause Bartimeaus to take a closer look at himself. Finally, he answers, it is my eyes! It is my vision! What’s wrong with you? You must have the courage to put your finger on your problem. If we are to overcome our handicaps, we too must come out of our comfort zone, put your finger on your problem, and finally, follow Jesus in the way and Glorify God.
(3) We must follow Jesus in the way and Glorify God – V.52 “And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”
Bartimeaus begged that his eyes might be opened. His eyes were opened. Jesus said, "Thy faith has made thee whole." He had faith in Christ as the Son of David, the promised Messiah. That same Jesus is passing by today. His mercies are renewed every morning. Faith in Christ will cause us to overcome and gain the victory. Every one of us, sinners, back sliders and saints can look to same Savior as blind Bartimeaus. Wherever this gospel is preached, or the written words of truth circulated, Jesus is passing by, and this is the opportunity. It is not enough to come to Christ for healing, but when we are healed, we must continue to follow him into discipleship; that our lives may honor him, and receive instruction from him. Those who have spiritual eyesight and see that beauty in Christ will draw near and run after him. They will become His witnesses and proclaim His truth that others may find their way out of darkness. He is waiting on you today! He has come just for you! He still saves, heals and delivers. Today, we can overcome! Come if you have to come alone. Seize the moment! Do it now! God will give the desires of your heart.
