Follow-up to June 19th teaching
Sunday follow-up
Acts 9 – “Nothing is impossible with God”
If you are a follower of Christ, you no doubt would say that nothing is impossible with God. We know that our God can open the eyes of the blind. Jesus did this for a man who was born blind. We know that God can make the lame walk. We saw God through Peter heal a man who never walked a day in his life. And we saw yesterday that God through Peter healed a man who was paralyzed for 8 years. We know God can raise the dead. We find in the gospels several occasions where Jesus raised people from the dead. We saw yesterday where God through Peter raised Tabitha from the dead.
We know that our God can part the Red Sea. We know that our God can bring water from the rock. We know that our God can multiply 2 fish and 5 loaves to feed a multitude of people. But when it comes to where people are spiritually we tend to think in terms of – “it will never happen”; “I will believe it when I see it”. Thus our belief that nothing is impossible with God is tested.
Saul was a devout Jew. A devout Pharisee. One who had a great zeal for God and thought he was doing God’s will in trying to stomp out Christianity. Yet what Saul did not understand about himself is that he was spiritually blind. He did not see the truth about Jesus until Jesus opened his spiritual eyes. Every unsaved person you know is blind to the truth of their spiritual condition. For some of them, they don’t want to see the truth.
No doubt there have been those you have known who were not saved and thought – “They will never get saved”. How many people in Saul’s day do you think believed that one day Saul would be saved? Yet, it happened on the day Saul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. Never give up on those who are not saved, because you never know how God might reach them and open their eyes to see the truth about Jesus. Never give up on praying for them.
But it’s not just the unsaved who can be spiritually blind. Even believers can experience a form of spiritual blindness. Believers who are spiritually paralyzed or spiritually lifeless tend to be blind to their condition. Believers can be blind to things they do like being quick to point out the faults of others or their shortcomings while failing to see their own. Just remember, we serve a God who can open the eyes of the blind.
Not only can believers become spiritually blind, but they can also become spiritually paralyzed. A spiritually paralyzed believer is one who is unable to move forward in their walk with Jesus. They are spiritually stuck. This can happen as a result of either something unexpected taking place in their life that is not pleasant. Or things in life not going the way they thought that things would go and/or the way they wanted things to go. This can result in believers becoming angry or upset with God. Becoming disillusioned about the Christian walk. Maybe you know believers in this condition. If so, remember that we serve a God who can make the lame walk. So do not give up praying for them. Maybe God wants to use you, like he used Peter, to help them walk again.
Not only can believers become spiritually blind and/or spiritually paralyzed, but they can also become spiritually lifeless. A spiritually lifeless believer is one who has lost their hunger for the things of God. Their focus is solely on the things of this world. They spend no time in the word of God, no time in prayer, and no time in fellowship with other believers. They are people you know prayed to receive Christ at one time, but now when you look at them, you are hard-pressed to even tell they are a follower of Jesus. There seems to be no life in them spiritually at all. For these individuals, remember that not only do we serve a God who can raise the dead, but we also serve a God who breathed life into Adam and he became a living being.
Keep praying for the spiritually blind, the spiritually paralyzed, and the spiritually lifeless. We need to pray for them because this is a spiritual issue. There is a spiritual battle going on in their lives. When you diligently pray for them, you are coming alongside them and battling with them and for them.
We can’t make them see, but Jesus can. We can’t make them walk, but Jesus can. We can’t breathe life back into them, but Jesus can. When you think it is impossible, remember that nothing is impossible with God.
Have a great week and look to see how God may want to work through you in the lives of others.
Acts 9 – “Nothing is impossible with God”
If you are a follower of Christ, you no doubt would say that nothing is impossible with God. We know that our God can open the eyes of the blind. Jesus did this for a man who was born blind. We know that God can make the lame walk. We saw God through Peter heal a man who never walked a day in his life. And we saw yesterday that God through Peter healed a man who was paralyzed for 8 years. We know God can raise the dead. We find in the gospels several occasions where Jesus raised people from the dead. We saw yesterday where God through Peter raised Tabitha from the dead.
We know that our God can part the Red Sea. We know that our God can bring water from the rock. We know that our God can multiply 2 fish and 5 loaves to feed a multitude of people. But when it comes to where people are spiritually we tend to think in terms of – “it will never happen”; “I will believe it when I see it”. Thus our belief that nothing is impossible with God is tested.
Saul was a devout Jew. A devout Pharisee. One who had a great zeal for God and thought he was doing God’s will in trying to stomp out Christianity. Yet what Saul did not understand about himself is that he was spiritually blind. He did not see the truth about Jesus until Jesus opened his spiritual eyes. Every unsaved person you know is blind to the truth of their spiritual condition. For some of them, they don’t want to see the truth.
No doubt there have been those you have known who were not saved and thought – “They will never get saved”. How many people in Saul’s day do you think believed that one day Saul would be saved? Yet, it happened on the day Saul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. Never give up on those who are not saved, because you never know how God might reach them and open their eyes to see the truth about Jesus. Never give up on praying for them.
But it’s not just the unsaved who can be spiritually blind. Even believers can experience a form of spiritual blindness. Believers who are spiritually paralyzed or spiritually lifeless tend to be blind to their condition. Believers can be blind to things they do like being quick to point out the faults of others or their shortcomings while failing to see their own. Just remember, we serve a God who can open the eyes of the blind.
Not only can believers become spiritually blind, but they can also become spiritually paralyzed. A spiritually paralyzed believer is one who is unable to move forward in their walk with Jesus. They are spiritually stuck. This can happen as a result of either something unexpected taking place in their life that is not pleasant. Or things in life not going the way they thought that things would go and/or the way they wanted things to go. This can result in believers becoming angry or upset with God. Becoming disillusioned about the Christian walk. Maybe you know believers in this condition. If so, remember that we serve a God who can make the lame walk. So do not give up praying for them. Maybe God wants to use you, like he used Peter, to help them walk again.
Not only can believers become spiritually blind and/or spiritually paralyzed, but they can also become spiritually lifeless. A spiritually lifeless believer is one who has lost their hunger for the things of God. Their focus is solely on the things of this world. They spend no time in the word of God, no time in prayer, and no time in fellowship with other believers. They are people you know prayed to receive Christ at one time, but now when you look at them, you are hard-pressed to even tell they are a follower of Jesus. There seems to be no life in them spiritually at all. For these individuals, remember that not only do we serve a God who can raise the dead, but we also serve a God who breathed life into Adam and he became a living being.
Keep praying for the spiritually blind, the spiritually paralyzed, and the spiritually lifeless. We need to pray for them because this is a spiritual issue. There is a spiritual battle going on in their lives. When you diligently pray for them, you are coming alongside them and battling with them and for them.
We can’t make them see, but Jesus can. We can’t make them walk, but Jesus can. We can’t breathe life back into them, but Jesus can. When you think it is impossible, remember that nothing is impossible with God.
Have a great week and look to see how God may want to work through you in the lives of others.
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