The Spiritual Warrior Versus The Forces of Evil – Part 4.
A spiritual warrior needs to be ready for the spiritual warfare that is constantly taking place all around us. Randy takes a look at the story of a blind man, Jesus and the Pharisees.
A Veiled Gospel
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord….”
(2 Corinthians 4:3-5).
The blind man healed in John 9 is someone I want to meet in heaven!
Within minutes of his conversion, he was an amateur apologist. When the powerful religious elite alleged that the One who had healed him was in breach of God’s law, he stuck to what he knew:
“they said, ‘we know this man is a sinner.’ He replied, ‘Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!’”
(John 9:24,25).
And he showed what appears to me, to be mild chutzpah. His patience wore thin when continually pestered by those who had induced their own spiritual blindness by willfully suppressing the evidence staring them in the face:
He answered, ‘I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?’
(John 9:27).
The Importance of the Incident
Why does John take an entire chapter to relate this incident and the corresponding fallout, only 1 of 7 pre-resurrection miracles cited in the fourth gospel?
And we don’t even know this man’s name!
This was another irrefutable incident confirming Jesus as Messiah.
In all of the Old Testament, there was not a single example of real blindness being healed; however, twice the prophet Isaiah had predicted about the Christ, that He would be identified by restoring sight to the blind (Isaiah 35:5,6 and Isaiah 42:7).
As his spiritual vision became more clear, so too did the man’s understanding of Jesus’ identity. Notice the cognitive progression in his own words: “the Man they call Jesus” (v.11), “He is a prophet” (v.17), “‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped Him” (v.38).
Spiritual Transition
The instant transition from impenetrable blindness to perfect vision was an obvious, graphic illustration of spiritual perception.
And his interrogators paralleled spiritual sightlessness. They were incapable of seeing the truth, because they had chosen to ignore it – to repress it.
“Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’ Some Pharisees who were with him heard Him say this and asked, ‘What? Are we blind too?’ Jesus said, ‘If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains’” .
(John 9:39-41)
In his unregenerate condition, man’s rejection of God is not an intellectual issue – it’s a moral issue. Man naturally hates God.
Spiritual Warriors and Spiritual Warfare
But spiritual warfare can deepen that – pulling a veil over the mind, intensifying natural human inability to apprehend the beauty of the gospel of Christ.
Think of entering museum of beautiful pieces of visual art, and being blindfolded.
Or, entering a concert hall expecting to hear beautiful music, but taking your seat directly beside a construction crew working with heavy power tools while the band plays.
When writing to the church at Corinth, Paul declares that to those who are perishing, the forces of evil have obscured the beauty of the good news of Christ – throwing a sheet over it; causing a raucous distraction – “so that the light of the gospel” is hidden, concealed, veiled.
Takeaway
Spiritual warfare is a truth encounter, a battle for the mind, a distortion of that which aligns with reality. The purpose of the evil one is to in some way diminish the glory of God by attacking those who are His; or by so blinding men to the beauty and truth and logic of the Word, that they are incapable of seeing the “light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ”.
Are you engaged in spiritual warfare? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Enjoy the entire series:
The Spiritual Warrior Versus the Forces of Evil
The Spiritual Warrior Versus the Forces of Evil Part 2
The Spiritual Warrior Versus the Forces of Evil Part 3
The Spiritual Warrior Versus the Forces of Evil Part 4
Randy Bushey
After completing a 35 year corporate-management career in the general insurance industry, Randy is dedicated to full-time elder’s work at Bethel Gospel Chapel in North Bay (Ontario).
With a primary pastoral focus in Bible teaching (preaching and leading Bible studies). Randy is also engaged in visitation, church music, and helping develop other men in their roles as Christ-followers, preachers and leaders.
He is married to Pat who is investing her life in working with women and children in the local assembly. They are both energized by their 3 children (2 married) and 6 grandchildren!
You can listen to pod casts from Randy’s show, “The Faith Factor,” by clicking here.
More Podcasts Below:
More Blogs:
To Tell the Truth – Honesty is the Best Policy
The “I AM” Statements of Jesus
Peace Through The Christ of Christmas
Images courtesy of:
Panorama – otohp_by_sakul
Blind Man – Tissot
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