#4 DOOMED TO FAILURE BECAUSE SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS CAN
SEE BIG TROUBLE OUT THE WINDOW? SHALL WE SMITE THEM?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
This can be done in one lesson if you move quickly.
If not do it in two parts.
I. SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM, AND NOT THE SOLUTION.
A. Before I start this lesson let us understand, YOU ARE NOT THE PROBLEM! YOU AND GOD ARE THE SOLUTION.
Spiritually blind people often so focus on the problem that the problem becomes a problem.
1 Samuel 17:16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
B. The power of reinforced behavior can be HABITUAL.
Habitual behavior can become ADDICTIVE!
Addictive behavior can become GENERATIONAL CURSES!
C. YOU CAN NOT FEED ON THE PROBLEMS OF THIS LIFE.
For a month and 10 days, 40 days, twice a day Goliath’s testimony bred fear in the hearts of the best army of the day.
80 negative messages reinforced the power of the enemy.
D. FEAR GROWS OUT OF HEARING CONTINUED NEGATIVE MESSAGES.
1 Samuel 17:11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
E. SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE THINK THEY CAN RUN FROM THEIR PROBLEMS?
Many Pastors want a new church, then find it has the same problems.
The only differences are there are new names on the problems.
Many people move to a new town to get away from their problems.
1 Samuel 17:24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
F. I WILL JUST WITHDRAW?
I know a man that moved his son from school to school, kids made fun of him.
Finally the man just withdrew his son from public schools because school kids made fun of his son.
He said they would home school him.
Years later they have yet to order home school material.
The son stays up all night and watches TV, and sleeps all day.
The father asked me what would I have done?
I said, Kids made fun of me and my older brother when we were in school?
We went to school and were honor students, we graduated high school and college.
Of course kids made fun of us.
To know the truth, which I do not want to admit, I probably made fun of kids.
That is what kids do. Kids can be mean and cruel.
I will also tell you --- I have seen this man’s son make fun and tease other kids.
But it is different when it is your kid?
G. HOW MANY PEOPLE TODAY DON’T GO TO CHURCH BECAUSE THERE ARE HYPOCRITES AT CHURCH?
It amazes me, they go to Walmart and the gas station with hypocrites?
The church is not perfect people gathering to worship in perfection.
The church is where imperfect people come, hear the word, repent, and make corrections!
II. CAN YOU SEE WHAT IS STANDING OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOW?
SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE REACT TO TROUBLE, THEY DO NOT ACT IN FAITH!
SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE DON’T KNOW HOW TO TREAT THEIR ENEMIES?
A. WHAT DO YOU SEE OUT YOUR WINDOW?
MASTER, I HAVE REALLY BAD NEWS!
The King of Syria has found out that you hear from God, and you learn his battle plan and tell his enemy.
The King has vowed to kill you and if you WILL JUST LOOK OUT THE WINDOW, we are in big trouble.
2 Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
B. Sure, Elisha could see the same thing and be spiritually blind?
Any body can see the problems?
2 Kings 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
C. DON’T YOU KNOW? BY FAITH THERE ARE MORE WITH US THAN AGAINST US?
It breaks the heart of God when God’s people can only see what is before their eyes!
Closed eyes vs opened eyes.
D. By a simple little prayer God opens the servants eyes?
2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and,
behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
E. THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE IN SEEING WITH OPEN EYES AND CLOSED EYES.
F. THERE WERE ANGELS AND A SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR DELIVERANCE
ALL ABOUT ELISHA.
G. ONLY THOSE WITH OPEN EYES RECOGNIZE HOLY GROUND.
III. GOD KNOWS HOW TO OPEN SPIRITUALLY BLIND EYES, BUT DON’T STOP THERE --- GOD KNOWS HOW TO CLOSE THE EYES OF THE WORLD?
A. THERE IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON ABOUT SPIRITUAL VISION.
WHAT DO SPIRITUALLY SIGHTED PEOPLE DO TO BLINDED EYES?
2 Kings 6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them
with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
B. ELISHA IS SMART, HE LEADS THE ENEMY INTO GOD’S CAMP.
2 Kings 6:19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led
them to Samaria.
C. NOW, WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THE ENEMY?
IF WE KILL THE ENEMY THEIR CHILDREN WILL HATE US AND RAISE UP TO RETURN AND FIGHT!
D. THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO DEFEAT AN ENEMY --- MAKE HIM YOUR FRIEND. FEED HIM.
2 Kings 6:20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were
in the midst of Samaria.
21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
E. SHALL I SMITE THEM? DEPENDS ON WHOSE VISION YOU HAVE?
F. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO DO WRONG?
2 Kings 6:22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread
and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
G. THE PREACHER DEMANDED A GREAT PROVISION FOR HE HAD VISION IN A REALM BEYOND THE SIGHT OF MAN.
2 Kings 6:23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master.
So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
H. SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE ARE OFTEN SPIRITUALLY BLIND BECAUSE THEY ALLOW THEIR EMOTIONS TO RULE NOT THE WORD OF GOD.
IV. SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO BE LAZY AND MOVE IN APAHTY. WE MUST TRY, THEN GET UP AND TRY AGAIN.
IF YOU OPEN YOUR EYES WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE, BUT YOU MUST ARISE.
THERE IS ONLY ONE PREPARATION FOR TOMORROW! ---
THAT IS THE PROPER USE OF TODAY!
A. WHAT IS THE RIGHT ANGLE TO TAKE TOWARD THIS PROBLEM?
THE TRY--- ANGLE!
B. SAUL ASKED SAMUEL TO PRAY FOR HIM INSTEAD OF PRAYING FOR HIMSELF!
1 Samuel 12:19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.
C. The man prayed for God to rescue him from the flood waters. God assured the man He would rescue him.
The flood waters started to rise, the man’s neighbor was driving out to safety. The neighbor asked him, DO YOU WANT TO RIDE?
No replied the man, I am waiting for God.
Later a big army truck came by, the water was up around the foundation to his house. The soldiers asked him to ride to safety.
He declined as he was waiting on God to save him.
The water was well above the man’s porch, he went upstairs and a boat came by.
Please get in the boat asked the police man.
The man again replied, No he was waiting on God to rescue him.
The next day the man was sitting on the top of the house. The waters were all around. A helicopter came by and the man told them, God had promised to rescue
him, he was waiting on God.
The man became very angry to God and shook his fist at God and said GOD,
YOU HAVE LET ME DOWN! God you never came and rescued me!
God answered him, I was in your neighbor’s car, I was in the National Guard truck,
I was in the boat, and I was in the helicopter. Why did you refuse My help?
The Man said, I didn’t recognize You God!
D. Spiritually blind people are sitting in drowning flood waters and refuse to apply any effort to arise.
E. The prodigal son had to GET UP! Wash himself! Swallow his pride and HEAD TOWARD HOME.
F. We often want fresh garden food without plowing the fields.
We wait for better conditions. It is too wet now? It is too cold?
It is too dry? Oh, my friends will share their garden produce with me.
V. SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE DRIFT WITH NO PLAN AND NO PURPOSE.
GOD HAS MARKED OUT A PATH WAY THAT IS CLEARLY DEFINED.
A. The darker the night the greater the light.
B. Eve could not see God’s plans or the consequences of her choices.
C. Moses could not see the path before him while wandering in the desert.
D. It is easy to set in the pew and never see the pathway God has for you.
E. WE KNOW THE RELIGIOUS DUTIES AND FORMAL FUNCTIONS, AND WE CARRY WORSHIP OUT AS A MECHENCIAL DUTY.
F. ON MY NEW CELL PHONE THERE IS A GPS SYSTEM.
This GPS ---Global Position Systems can locate where I am within 20 feet at any
given time. Do I know where I am spiritually?
G. What message is the church sending to a world headed toward HELL?
We don’t want to mention HELL now days?
We dismiss church for holidays, for the summer. and sports events establishing a priority system that is not Biblical. Wrong priorities in the long haul are very expensive to the spiritual eye.
VI. SPIRITUALLY BLIND PEOPLE ARE FOREVER CONFUSED AND LIKE TO STAY THAT WAY?
GOD HAS MARKED OUT A PATH WAY THAT IS CLEARLY DEFINED.
CAN YOU SEE THE PLAN?
A. A man told me he was confused and did not know what direction God had for his life.
He seemed willing to stay confused instead of setting a COURSE OF ACTION.
B. It is easy to set in the pew and never see the pathway God has for you.
C. I am told the hawk’s eye is so keen that a hawk can focus so well, that if a hawk could read it could focus on newspaper size print and see it from a quarter of a mile.
Job 28:7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:
D. Can we see God’s plan for us, or will we drift a little longer?
VII. BLIND PEOPLE WANT TO SEE A SIGN. ARE WE LOOKING FOR SIGNS? ARE WE SO BLIND WE DO NOT SEE JESUS?
JESUS DOES NOT ASK QUESTIONS BECAUSE HE DOES NOT KNOW THE ANSWER.
A. God ask questions to show HIS PEOPLE WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW.
Jesus does not work miracles and signs to demonstrate his power.
Jesus refused to make the church have a circus atmosphere.
Matthew 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
B. BELIEVERS DO NOT LOOK FOR AND FOLLOW SIGNS, SIGNS FOLLOW THE BELIEVERS.
Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help enlarge my hands? Pass this on to another?
This is part four of a series on Spiritual Failure because of Spiritual Blindness.
