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When we look into the Word of God we can see that - He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his
own, and his own received him not (Jn. 1:10-11).
This scripture is speaking of Jesus Christ, the Word of God, manifest in the flesh. How
could it be that God's very own creation, His very own offspring didn't recognize Him when He manifested in the flesh?
When He came to His own, He came not only to for all people, as the savior of the world, but to the Jewish people in particular.
This was a nation that God chose out of all other people on the earth to reveal Himself to.
He came to a nation that read and studied the Law and the Prophets. He came to a nation that fasted,
prayed, tithed and attended 'church' regularly, yet....And yet, they didn't recognize Him....They knew Him
not! How could this be? I mean, how could one read and study the scripture and the
prophecies about the Messiah and then not be able to recognize Him when He was right there in front of their faces??
How could one be devoted to the purpose of God and not recognize God's purpose when He stood right in their midst?
How could one pray, tithe and fast to a God, that when He stood right in front of them they didn't know who He
was and received Him not!??
In
light of the above statements we must ask ourselves the same questions. Is it possible to 'go to church',
read the Bible, fast, pray and tithe and yet not recognize Jesus Christ when He speaks to us? Is it possible
to prophesy, cast out devils and do many wonderful works in the name of Jesus and still not know Him? Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I
profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matt. 7:22-23). These verses say that it is possible!
How could this be? I mean, in vs. 22 these people are doing all the things that we would consider
'christian' things; and yet in vs. 23 Jesus calls these things INIQUITY! What?
And the world knew him not
(Jn. 1:10a)....I never knew you (Matt. 7:23). These are strong statements about Jesus and from Jesus to everyone that calls on
His name.
Come with me as we seek the Truth of the Word of God to be set free
from this deception and come into the light of knowing Him as He is!
And as Jesus passed
by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples
asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered,
neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I
must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long
as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and
made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool
of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The
neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto
him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed
mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not. They brought to the Pharisees him that
aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes,
and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth
not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the
parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was
born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son,
and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we
know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. These words
spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was
Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing
I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened
he thine eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear
it again? will ye also be his disciples? Then they reviled him,
and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners:
but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it
not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could
do nothing. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?
And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto
him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on
him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into
this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind
also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore
your sin remaineth (John 9:1-41).
THE MIND OF THE FLESH
In vs.2-3 the disciples were using false judgment
(based on the mind of the flesh). And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was
born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should
be made manifest in him.
They looked with the natural eyes, to try to understand why this man was blind. As they
did this they cut themselves off from the power of God. They looked into the past and tried to put blame
on something or someone in order to understand the present condition. False judgment always looks back
in history to find someone to blame in an attempt to be released from the realm of confusion into the realm of understanding.
This, as we shall see, is the root of racism, which is not about black and white, but is about the flesh and spirit.
Jesus
responds in this situation, by telling them that the present condition had nothing to do with blaming someone.
Jesus had faith and spiritual discernment. His eyes were open to God's purpose of healing this
man, and therefore he didn't need to blame someone, He was able to release the deliverance from Almighty God.
To have delivering power, we must not seek to blame in order to understand, but stand in agreement with God's
purpose, which puts us in a place of true spiritual discernment. Seeking to blame, is always looking
to the past, and is outside of the realm of true spiritual discernment. True spiritual discernment, looks
to the future and declares the purpose of God for an individual and the whole world. Discernment and faith
reach into the future and establish God's power in the now. This is the prophetic realm of the Living
Word of God. True discernment destroys the spirit of false judgment. Racism, false judgment,
is based on pride and fear looking for someone to blame in order to obtain freedom. True freedom does not
come from blame, but from looking to God's purpose. True freedom and understanding is only found in
the purpose of God manifested in the person of Jesus Christ.
Vs.3 message bible = Jesus said, "You’re asking the wrong question. You
are looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause and effect here. Look instead
to what God can do."
To fulfill the purpose of God in the earth,
we don't have to find the root of blame, but only look at the solution of God's will coming to pass.
God's will is the root that we should be grounded in, not judging after what we see and trying to figure it out
with our natural mind.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:
for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.For who hath known the mind
of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:14-16).
The natural man cannot know or understand the things of God.
The natural mind cannot know or understand the purpose of God. The mind of Christ, His thoughts
and ways are grounded in the purpose of Almighty God. The mind of Jesus Christ is not the mind of the flesh,
but is the mind of the Spirit. For, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him
in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24). For
they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Rom. 8:5 &9a). Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth
know we him no more (2Cor. 5:16). We must know Christ after the mind of the Spirit and not after the mind of the
flesh!
In vs. 8-9 the neighbors and friends
were using false judgment (based on the mind of the flesh).
The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and
begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
They couldn't really understand that a miracle had
taken place. They probably reasoned within themselves about this man's identity and couldn't figure
it out because he had changed. They saw him blind, but now he can see. Something had
happened, which was beyond the power of their natural mind to grasp. False judgment always tries to capture
and bring into bondage the miraculous power of God, but cannot do so. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (Jn. 1:5).
The natural mind
cannot understand or overcome the things of the Spirit of God, but always tries to dominate them. The things
of the Spirit confound the natural mind. False judgment is the effort of the flesh of the natural mind
to be in control.
In vs. 16 the Pharisees were using false judgment (based on the mind of the flesh). Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth
not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
They have the Scriptures, but they did not understand the things of the Spirit of God. The judged after
the carnal mind and not after the Spirit. Their minds were confounded at this miracle. They
knew that only God could do such miracles, but they could not understand it, because it was done on the Sabbath (it broke
their religious rules). Jesus, walking by the mind of the Spirit, was not controlled by the carnal rules
of men. Jesus is the light of the world, and he worked always when his Father told him to (vs.4-5) - I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh,
when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
The carnal mind
of the religious leaders did not understand God when he walked among them. In their attempt to understand
the situation, there was a division among them. Understanding the ways of the Spirit of God will always
escape to grasp of the limits of the human mind. These religious people didn't even rejoice that this
man was healed, but instead looked to try to control the situation. They came across God in the flesh,
whom they could not understand, and therefore could not control. The ways of the Spirit of God confound
the natural mind.
Many times in modern-day churches, we think that because we understand some
things about God, that we can control Him. We have God in a nice neat little box, and he must come through
for us as we expect Him to. But this is not the way of the Sovereign ruler of the universe.
He does not operate according to the carnal thoughts of men. God Almighty operates according to
His Sovereign purpose manifested in the person if Jesus Christ, who walked by the mind of the Spirit. Jesus
walked in true prophetic authority. Jesus is the living Word of God, not a dead religion of rules.
THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT
In vs. 17 &25 the healed man does
not use false judgment. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened
thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
The healed man declares that Jesus Christ is a prophet. True
prophetic authority based upon the mind of the Spirit was manifested in Jesus Christ. True prophetic authority
brings judgment against religious control spirits because it only submits to the purpose of God being manifested in setting
the captives free. Religious control spirits can not control a prophet nor understand His ways, and therefore
will always seek to kill a prophet. This man received his miracle from God. And because
he did not use false judgment, his blinded eyes were open. These are mutually exclusive; if you have false
judgment you cannot receive the miracle, and if you receive the miracle it destroys false judgment. This
man received the miraculous power of God, therefore was delivered from having to try to understand it with his natural
mind. This man was not afraid of the religious authorities. The power of God manifested
through Jesus Christ, who walked by the mind of the Spirit, set him free from the Spirit of control.
In
vs. 30 the healed man was amazed at their blindness. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
Not only were his natural eyes opened, but now his spiritual eyes were open to their religious
bigotry and unbelief. His whole life, he was probably part of their religious system, but now the first
time in his life, he was really seeing.
In vs. 33 & 34 the healed man manifests true spiritual
authority. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and said unto
him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
Because of this man's revelation of
Jesus Christ, he moved to a place of true spiritual authority. He did not need the religious leaders to
tell him about what happened to him. He was once blind, but now he could see. He was
above the religious Pharisees because he received what Jesus did. He could now see, spiritually and naturally!!
This brought judgment upon the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees, because they could not control him and therefore
cast him out of their synagogue.
The Spirit of false judgment will always try to intimidate
through fear, to gain control, but if it cannot dominate it will reject the person in the name of God. Racism
is rooted in the carnal mind of disallowing anything that is different than you have believed it to be. These
religious leaders, who thought that they knew God, were rejecting the very One that was sent to deliver them from their blindness.
This is the training ground for all prophets of God. Every prophet of God was rejected and cast
away from the religious establishment of his day including Jesus Christ! This man entered into true spiritual
authority and escaped the control of the religious system because he was exposed to the prophetic authority of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
In
vs. 35-38th the healed man sees Jesus as he is.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son
of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus
said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe.
And he worshipped him.
This man entered into true worship, based upon a revelation of Jesus Christ, the purpose of God manifest in
the flesh.
CONCLUDING PROPHETIC PARALLEL
And Jesus said, For judgment I am come
into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind (Jn. 9:39). Jesus is speaking prophetically
about spiritual site and spiritual blindness. Jesus came to bring judgment on the Spirit of racism, false
judgment, and to deliver people from its clutches of religious deception. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (1Jn.
3:8b).
Whenever people are released from the Devil's grip, it is a statement
in the Spirit realm of his lack of authority and a statement of God's Almighty power. Jesus came to
bring judgment on the works of darkness by manifesting the prophetic reality of the Truth of the living God. All
that Jesus does brings judgment against Satan and his lies. He came to destroy the devil's domain.
His manifestation brings the destruction of darkness. As the Spirit of the devil is judged, it confounds
and confuses the religious spirit of false control. Those who say they see (those who claim that they know
God, because they pray, tithe, fast, go to church, read the Bible) are actually blinded to the truth of who God is.
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves
that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee,
and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am
not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing
afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his
breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth
himself shall be exalted (Lk. 18:9-14).
Those who exult themselves in God's
kingdom, who say that they see and know God, could actually be in danger of deception. This is the judgment
of God. And for this purpose was the son of God manifest. Judgment! True
judgment. So that those who see not, might see. Those who humble themselves, who are
broken before God and honest about their condition, are in a position to receive the revelation of Jesus Christ as he is.
Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and
where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith
the LORD: but to this man will I look, even
to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word (Isa. 66:1-2).
The judgment that Jesus brings reveals and manifests what
is really in the heart of man. True prophetic power and authority will always cause the hearts of people
to be made manifest. Whether they be good or evil, prophetic judgment by the manifestation of Jesus Christ,
who is the Word of God, goes to the root of people's lives and exposes their hidden motives. Those
who think they see, who are lifted up and pride in false judgment will be blinded by Jesus Christ, Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say,
We see; therefore your sin remaineth (Jn. 9:41).
And their sin remains. Those who say
that they can see, make false judgments about God's character. They perceive him to be a certain way,
and therefore miss him as he reveals himself. This happened in Jesus' day, and that is happening today.
Denominationalism is nothing short of a spirit of racism, excluding others in a spirit pride, which the prophetic authority
of Jesus Christ will destroy!True faith and discernment is rooted in brokenness and humility... be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble (1 Pet. 5:5b).
Humility is absolute dependence upon the Living God. This dependence acknowledges the
sovereignty and authority of God and therefore stays open to his voice and to how He reveals himself. True
spiritual authority, as opposed to false judgment, is able to see and discern because it rests in submission to the sovereignty
of God and receives revelation of his plan and purpose in the earth through Jesus Christ. (Note:
I did not say 'stays in submission to false doctrine or false religious systems based on the traditions of men')
The prophetic authority of Jesus Christ rests on the spiritual discernment of God's sovereignty and the revelation
of His plans. Moving in submission to God's purpose and plan in Jesus Christ puts you in a place of
true spiritual authority and discernment where you judge not according to the sight of your eyes or the hearing of your ears,
but you judge right judgment.
And
shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither
reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with
equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips
shall he slay the wicked (Isa. 11:3-4). Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he
that is perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant? (Isa. 42:19).
True discernment does not rest on seeing with the carnal
mind, but on hearing with the spiritual ear. In this place of submission, brokenness and humility where we
confess our blindness we can manifest the victory of Jesus Christ and bring forth the judgments of God into the earth against
the darkness and the works of the devil. This is the purpose of God = to manifest Jesus Christ.
Anything that seems to be religious, but falls short of manifesting Jesus Christ into the earth is modern day religious
deception. We need to tell ourselves and God the truth! Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part
thou shalt make me to know wisdom (Ps. 51:6).
If God has brought you to brokenness and blindness please do not try to cover your nakedness
with religious works of deception! Before we can have true spiritual discernment God always takes our sight
in the natural, and His promise is for you .... And I will bring
the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things
will I do unto them, and not forsake them (Isa. 42:16)
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