#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?
THREE TIMES THE PREACHER BEATS THE DONKEY --- AND THEN FINALLY THE DONKEY FALLS ON THE PREACHER...
Why can the donkey see what the Preacher refuses to see?
Even after talking to the donkey the dumb, stubborn preacher refuses to SEE!
Numbers 22:28 And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
R. DARKNESS CLIMBED INTO THE EYES OF THE PREACHER.
He looked for the national ministry and popularity in the ranking society instead of God’s Promises and obedience.
S. Stubborn, knot headed spiritually blind Preachers LOOK FOR THE SWORD, DONKEY YOU ARE MY PROBLEM, NOT ME!
Numbers 22:29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
T. FINALLY GOD OPENS THE EYES OF THE SPIRITUALLY BLINDED PREACHER.
Numbers 22:31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed
down his head, and fell flat on his face.
U. THE ANGEL SAID, THE DONKEY HAD MORE SPIRITUAL SIGHT THAN YOU DID BIG POPULAR PREACHER!
The Preacher had gone in a sad spiritual condition,
HE WAS SPIRITUALLY PERVERSED!
Numbers 22:32 And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee,
because thy way is perverse before me:
V. HAS MINISTRY BECOME WHAT IS IN THIS FOR ME?
DOES THE CRY FOR POPOLARITY AND APPROVAL DICTATE THE MESSAGE? NEVER GIVE ... CAN YOU HEAR THE CRY --- GIVE ME? GIVE ME?
I WANT FREE FISH AND LOAVES?
THERE IS A CRY TO FEED THE FLESH ...
W. DO WE SEE WITH THE HEART? OR DO WE SEE WITH THE EYES?
II. PART OF THE PAIN OF THIS BATTLE WE FIGHT IS WE HAVE AN INVISIBLE FOE. WE FACE A COMMON ENEMY. HE COMES TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY. WE CANNOT SEE OUR ENEMY.
A. Our enemy is often subtle. He is difficult to identify and understand.
He is highly skilled, and has much experience.
B.To walk in the faith chapter of Hebrews ---
MOSES VISION HAD TO SEE INTO THE REALM OF THE INVISIBLE.
Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
C. Rarely would our enemy come and knock at your door in a red suit with horns and a pitchfork and make the announcement :
HEY I AM THE DEVIL AND I HAVE COME TO DESTROY YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
D. When we cannot see the enemy we often times misidentify who our real enemy may be. The only way to fight an unseen enemy is in THE SPIRIT.
2 Cor. 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
E. BY THE VERY NATURE OF A SNARE OR TRAP IT IS HIDDEN FROM VIEW.
We must see the traps. We must identify our weaknesses
Ephes. 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
III. CAN WE SEE JESUS SPIRITUALLY?
OFTEN WE SEE THE BATTLE AS PERSONAL AND WE FEEL LIKE WE MUST DO THE FIGHTING IN THE FLESH.
A. We tend to trust our fist, the sword, our educational abilities and our glowing
personalities, when Jesus wants us to rise above the flesh.
2 Chron. 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
B. REAL SPIRITUAL BATTLES ARE WON OR LOST IN THE TRUSTING OF THE WORD AND PRAYER AND FASTINGS.
Often times it takes great faith to stand still and trust God.
2 Chron. 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the
salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.
C. WE MUST FIGHT, LIVE AND THRIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT THE FLESH CAN NEVER KNOW!
IV. WE LIVE IN A DAY OF UNEQUALED ENLIGHTENMENT! YET WE TEND TO BE SPIRITUALLY BLIND.
A. We think we see much more than we really see.
B. People know more and more about less and less until finally they know everything
about nothing!
2 Tim. 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
C. We can tend to allow our 5 senses to rule the spirit man.
2 Cor. 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
D. We even say: BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT --- Preachers and individuals have quietly changed the order of priorities from God’s way to our way.
1 Thes. 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your
whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
E. WE OFTEN QUOTE GOD WANTS US TO PROPSER PHYSICALLY AND WE IN OUR BLINDNESS MISS WHAT GOD REALLY SAID.
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
F. Yes, God wants His people to prosper!
God wants His people in Divine Health!
G. CAN WE SEE AS GOD SEES?
MUCH MORE THAN ALL OF THAT --- GOD DESIRES YOUR SPIRIT MAN TO PROSPER, TO GROW AND DEVELOP.
V. SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE ARE EXPERT DAYDREAMERS.
SOMETIMES A MAN HAS TO PUT FEET ON HIS PRAYERS.
A. As a bloom goes before the fruit so faith and works go before the miracles.
Proverbs 5:15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
B. I had a spiritually blind man give a prayer request at church. The man came forward and asked to be anointed and pray for him to find a job. He had been out of work several years. He was very qualified.
We prayed for this man to find a good paying job.
I picked him up for church the next Sunday.
I was really excited.
I asked him, Where did he find his new job?
He said, I STAYED AT HOME BY THE PHONE ALL WEEK AND NO ONE CALLED ME.
I inquired where he had put in any applications or talked to the unemployment office about openings?
He answered, he had not left the house, he was waiting for God to tell someone to call him?
This man did not want a job. He had free rent, free utilities, and enough food stamps to sell some for cash to spend.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
This is a lesson in several parts. Help me? Pass it on?
