OVERCOMING SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS
Study Text: Numbers 22:26-30
Introduction:
- Balaam was unable to see the Angel of God standing on his way because he was blind spiritually.
- He was zealously pursuing a course that God is not pleased with, but being deceived with a fake assurance of the approval of God.
- Spiritual blindness is a condition that an individual has when he is unable to see God, or understand His message, and as a result, walking against the will of God.
- Although God is working all around us, pursuing us and showing us His glory, some people cannot perceive His divine workings due to spiritual blindness.
- A person who does not see God, does not know God, and unfortunately cannot profit spiritually.
- To be spiritually blind can also be translated as being spiritually ignorant, foolish and undiscerning. 1 Corinthians 2:14
- This means that to a spiritually blind individual, spiritual things are unreasonable and meaningless, and such individuals cannot benefit accordingly.
- We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings:
1. The Causes of Spiritual Blindness
2. The Consequences of Spiritual Blindness
3. The Cure for Spiritual Blindness
1. The Causes of Spiritual Blindness:
- There are several causes of Spiritual Blindness, some of which include the following:
1. Satanic Bondage
- Satan blinds human minds from understanding God's good news. This is the case with everyone who is yet to receive the free gift if Salvation, especially after several opportunities of hearing the gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.
2. Spiritual stubbornness
- When people deliberately and continually turn against God, He will allow them to be spiritually blind, as a way of dealing with their stubbornness. Matthew 13:15-16.
3. Not being filled with, or not yielding to the Holy Spirit.
- We must have God's Holy Spirit and yield to His guidance continually to be able to fully see spiritually. Romans 8:14, 1 Corinthians 2:9-11.
4. Being trapped by Lust.
- When one is engulfed by the lust of the eyes and lust of the flesh, spiritual blindness will be inevitable.
- Lust made Gehazi to be unable to discern the reason why Elisha refused the gifts brought by Namaan, and he went behind to collect them, which led to his destruction.
- Some Christians today are blinded by sinful lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Are you among this number?
5. Allegiance to False Teachers and Prophets.
- When one is being led by those in spiritual darkness, it will become difficult to be enlightened spiritually. Matthew 15:14, Isaiah 9:16.
- In Isaiah's day, false prophets caused God's people to err, and they led them astray.
- So also in our days, many false Prophets and teachers are misleading some brethren who do not love the truth. As a result, these brethren are walking in spiritual darkness. Matthew 7:15-18.
- Are you blindly following a preacher because he is very popular with great crowd or do you, as did the Bereans of Acts 17:11, search the Scriptures daily to determine whether or not the things that he teaches and preaches are true?
6. Hidden identity as a Believer.
- Some Christians are not bold to declare their identity as Christians because they fear what others may think.
- Some so-called gospel preachers, fear that they will lose their "jobs" or become unpopular if they speak the truth undiluted. Proverbs 29:25
- The apostles set perfect examples of fearlessness when Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5: 28 - 29)
7. Preconceived ideas or traditions
- Traditions has caused many to reject the truth of God's word without giving it a fair hearing.
- Many are entangled in religious error because they are unwilling to examine what they believe, teach, and practice and compare it to what the Bible teaches.
2. The Consequences of Spiritual Blindness.
- Spiritual blindness, if not dealt with through the power and strength of the Holy Spirit, has great consequences on the life of both the person and the people around him.
- Some of the consequences are enumerated below, but are not limited to the list.
1. Lack of understanding of the perfect will of God.
- When somebody is spiritually blind, he cannot fully discern or understand what the perfect will of God is.
- We can see the example of Balaam, who was going on a journey with an assurance of doing the will of God, but was surprised that God was against his going. Numbers 22:31.
2. Lack of understanding of God's provision and blessings
- A lot of things the Lord is doing that we cannot see or receive due to spiritual blindness.
- We can see Hagar crying because she needed a bottle of water, but there was a well of water provided by God that she could not see until God opened her eyes. Genesis 21:19.
3. Lack of insight and understanding of spiritual revelations.
- A spiritually blind person would lack insight into the word of God, and cannot fully understand spiritual revelations.
- After resurrection, some disciples that were with Jesus could not recognise Him, until He opened their eyes when He broke bread with them. Luke 24: 30-31.
4. Lack of understanding of divine presence, protection and power.
- God is always present with His people, and always protecting them from evils and dangers by the power of His presence. But when one is spiritually blind, he cannot understand, recognise or benefit from divine protection.
-- The servant of Elisha was afraid when he saw the physical army marching against them. But when the Lord opened his eyes at the request of his Master, he was able to see the provision of God for their safety and protection. 2 Kings 6:17.
5. Lack of understanding of the way of Salvation and true righteousness.
- Spiritual blindness is the reason behind every rejection of the gospel and pursuit of self righteousness rather than the true righteousness of God.
- The ignorance of the children of Israel about the righteousness of God, described by Paul is their spiritual blindness, so his prayer actually means for God to open their eyes. Romans 10: 1 - 3.
6. Lack of understanding of the devices of the Devil.
- One of the way the Devil keeps people in bondage and afflict them is to make them to be ignorant of his devices and strategies through spiritual blindness.
- Spiritual enlightenment will enable one to be fully aware of the devices and strategies of the Devil, and such individuals cannot suffer oppression from the Devil. 2 Corinthians 2:11.
7. Lack of understanding of the hidden treasure.
- Things are not usually the way they appeared to be. It takes spiritual insight and enlightenment to discern the content and the true nature of things above what they appeared to be.
- When Lot looked at the plain of Jordan, he could only see that the place was well watered, but could not discern that the people there are wicked and great sinners before the Lord. Genesis 13:10 - 13.
- Spiritual blindness makes a lot of people to make wrong choices, because they were attracted by what the physical eyes could see. And a lot of good things have been rejected, because they appeared to the spiritually blind person as bad.
8. Lack of understanding of who you are and what you have.
- In Christ Jesus, we have received the power to be called the children of God, with full recognition, authority and benefit. Spiritual blindness makes us to forget our true identity and our inheritances in the kingdom.
- Ten of the spies that went to Canaan could not appreciate their position in God, and the program of God for the people as God's peculiar people, so they brought negative reports that troubled the hearts of the people. Numbers 13: 27 - 31.
- When everyone was seeing Goliath the Champion, David was seeing Goliath the uncircumcised Philistine. He understood who he was, and what he has, and so he was able to defeat Goliath.
3. The Cure For Spiritual Blindness.
- God does not want us to be spiritually blind, as this will hinder our healthy relationship with Him, and prevent the fulfilment of His purpose in our lives.
- Therefore, God had made provisions available for everyone who desire to know the truth and be free from the bondage of Spiritual blindness. John 8:32.
1. Effective and Fervent Prayers
- Prayer is the primary weapon of fighting against spiritual blindness. It is impossible to see spiritual things if you don’t spend time in taking specific prayers of removing spiritual veils.
- The power of prayer is so awesome to remove evil veils covering the eyes of so many believers. 1 John 5:14 - 15.
2. Delight and Meditation in the Word of God.
- The word of God is light, and the entrance of it gives light and understanding to those who gladly receive it. Psalms 1: 1 - 2.
- To be free from spiritual blindness, one needs to delight in the word, and diligently meditate in it regularly, with the mind of discovering the truth and living by and for the truth.
3. Mortifying the Flesh and Walking in the Spirit.
- One will remain in spiritual blindness, if the flesh and its sinful pleasures are not overcome. The natural or the carnally minded can not discern spiritual things.
- The recommended way of victory is to deliberately and continually yield to the Holy Spirit and walk in obedience to His guidance. Galatians 5:16.
4. Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness.
- Everyone that is not yet enlisted in the kingdom of God is in darkness and spiritually blind, and only the light of the gospel can bring liberation.
- To be enlisted in the kingdom and to remain in the kingdom, one needs to hunger and thirst after the righteousness of God continually. Matthew 5: 8, Matthew 6: 33.
5. Faithful Fellowship and Sound Doctrines
- One of the ways out of spiritual blindness is to remain a faithful member with a healthy fellowship in the Church of Jesus, which is the ground and the pillar of truth.
- One needs to be determined to endure sound doctrine without given in for seducing spirits and demonic doctrines through false Prophets and Teachers.
6. The Anointing of the Holy Spirit
- Whether we know it or not, spiritual blindness is a yoke of bondage, and only the anointing can totally and permanently destroy the yoke. Isaiah 10:27.
- The anointing is always present in every gathering of the true children of God, and everyone can freely believe and receive deliverance by the Holy Spirit anointing.
Conclusion:
- Spiritual blindness is a great problem, that has great consequences on the life of both the person and the people around him, but has a great cure through the power of the Holy Spirit.
