FIST-SHAKERS

[SW621] 4/26/24 blog post by

Pastor Susan J. Wynn

Fist-Shakers

Texts: Psalm 2, Isaiah 30, 2Timothy 3:5, etc.

Fist-shakers are defiant! But who do they defy? Jesus Christ and God the Father! They shake their fists at God! 

Do you not know? You shake your fist at God when you tell Jesus Christ what to do. You shake your fist at God when you tell Him He is wrong to command you to ask Him to crucify your sin nature and purify your heart in a moment of time, and in that same moment of time, fill you with all of God! You shake your fist at God when you sin against Him!

But don’t take my word for it. Take His Word for it! Today, through the Word of God, I will show you the world’s fist-shakers, Judah’s fist-shakers, and today’s fist-shakers. The world does not know God and hates Him, Judah claimed to know God but refused to obey Him, and today, you claim to know God but refuse to obey Him.

The author of Psalm 2 was David, according to Acts 4:24-26. So I will show you the fist-shakers through the song of the Spirit-inspired David — 

Psalm 2:1    Why are the nations raging and the peoples devising a worthless thing? ² The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Messiah, saying, ³ “Let us tear their rebuke apart and cast away their chains from us!”

What worthless thing do the nations devise? Why are they raging? Why are they shaking their fists at God? Because they think they are gods, so they think they can ignore His rebuke and not be conquered by Him!

So they gather together to plot and plan against the Father and the Son, saying, “We don’t have to obey You! We are our own gods! We can tear off Your rebuke! We can cast away Your chains!” 

As for those who are of the world and plot and plan today, they think they can remove all evidence of the true God of heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ. They think they can twist what God has said. They think they can mock, silence and destroy everyone who believes in the real Jesus Christ and the Father. 

But God the Father and God the Son are God. Fist-shakers are not gods! And it is impossible for any human being to overcome God! 

Some of you in today’s so-called church may read my words and say, “Those Old Testament fist-shakers were wicked!” Yes, they were! But I will continue to show you that you are, too, if you shake your fist at God by disobeying Him, telling Him what He can do and cannot do, and telling those who He sends to shut up and go away! Keep reading!

Now I will show you the fist-shakers of Isaiah’s day —

Isaiah 30:9  For this is a rebellious people, false sons, sons who refuse to listen to the instruction of the LORD; ¹⁰ who say to the seers, “You must not see,” and to the prophets, “You must not prophesy to us what is right. Speak to us pleasant words, prophesy illusions. Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”

The Jews in the days of Isaiah shook their fists against God! How? They rebelled against Him, sinned, and tried to silence His prophets. Their actions revealed that they were false sons — they were not children of God who followed false prophets. They would receive nothing from God.

How did the Jews reject God so they could do what they wanted, in Isaiah’s day? The same way as today’s so-called church. They believed in false gods and loved the words of lying prophets and priests. 

You who shake your fists at God today believe in a false Jesus who your lying prophets and preachers teach. But just as with Judah, you deceive yourselves! 

And just as Babylon overran and destroyed them, the lies you believe will go up in smoke when you stand before Him!

Today’s fist-shakers refuse to listen to instruction from those He has sent to them again and again. Thus they have been invaded by the god of this world, Satan, and all of his lying offspring who populate pulpits across the globe!

Today’s fist-shakers are rebels, false sons who refuse to listen to the instruction of the Lord, spoken through His Spirit-filled bond-servants.

Do you not know? If you who are in today’s so-called church shake your fist at God by refusing to listen to those He sends, you are no different than Judah. They followed false gods, and you follow a false Jesus. You say you know Him, but your actions belie your words. You sin, you rebel, you refuse to listen. Therefore, He says He has never, ever known you (Matthew 7:23)!

Those in Judah who rebelled against the Lord sinned against Him, following false gods. They did everything in their power to silence His prophets. They even sawed His prophet, Isaiah, into pieces! 

But Jesus Christ’s Spirit-filled bond-servants see what He shows us, and then we speak what He gives us to speak. And we prophesy what is right — the truth — for He and the Father and the Spirit permanently and fully indwell us! 

We are rejected by today’s fist-shakers, but our words that He has given us serve as a testimony against them. And He will judge them!

Today’s fist-shakers do just as Judah did in the days of Isaiah! You say, “You must not see! We do not want you to see, because then you will speak things that do not please our ears!”

You say, “Our false preachers, teachers, and prophets speak pleasant words and prophesy illusions! We want to hear lies! We love the liars because they tell us God loves us even though we constantly rebel against Him! Once saved, always saved!”

Today’s fist-shakers say to those Jesus Christ sends, “Get out of the way — get off the path we are on!” But what path are you on? The broad one that leads to destruction! Many are on it (Matthew 7:13)!

You say, “We don’t want to hear you! We are right! You are wrong! We will not be destroyed! We are the church, the church, the church!” They echo Judah, in Jeremiah 7:4!

You say, “Get out of the way! We don’t want to hear any more about the Holy One of Israel. We don’t want to hear that we must be holy as He is holy (1Peter 14-16)! We do not want to hear that Jesus Christ commands us to have purified, holy hearts that are filled with all of God! We don’t want to be holy! We don’t need to be holy! We are fine!”

O fist-shakers, do you not know? The Lord will judge you, for He has given us His words, and you have rejected them! 

Isaiah 30:15   “For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.” but you were not willing . . . 

But the Holy One, the Lord, answers you with the truth! You think you are saved but you worship a false Jesus! So you are not saved at all. You are still a slave to sin instead of freed from its shackles! So you have no peace, for you will not repent. And you have no peace and no strength, for you have not placed your trust in God!

You refuse, because you love your false Jesus! But foolish ones, if you would turn away from your false Jesus and turn to Him, He would do this —

— In a moment of time, He would crucify your sin nature and purify your heart, freeing you forever from the chains of sin!

— And in that same moment of time, He and the Father and the Spirit would come in to permanently and fully indwell you!

But we are in the last days, and in demonic times, the very ones that Paul prophesied about, and fist-shakers abound in the world and in the church, as they call themselves  —

2Timothy 3:1   But realize this, that in the last days demonic times will come. 

² For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers against God! disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

You will say that your Bible says “difficult times.” And I will tell you that the Greek word used in this passage is the same word used in Matthew 8:8, regarding demoniacs! These are demonic times! 

Who was the first fist-shaker? Satan! What do His children do? Shake their fists at God. I ask you, whose child are you?

In Verses 2-4, Paul describes those who shake their fists at God. In Verse 5, he closes by saying they have only a form of godliness — they go to church! But though today’s false preachers and prophets use the name Jesus Christ and Father and even speak of the Holy Spirit, they deny the power of God to purify human hearts and fill them with all of God. All who follow them do the same! 

It is an “inconvenient truth” that you and your so-called leaders have swept aside so you all are free to continue to sin! But do you not know? Your deeds and the deeds of your leaders are the evidence that you do not know and therefore have not obeyed Jesus Christ! And like them, you shake your fist at God!

Paul says, “Avoid such ones!” Yet you who shake your fists at God have not avoided such ones. They are your friends, after all! You all love the same false Jesus. God is love, that’s all God is! So you don’t have to listen the Word of God! You cast to the side the words that the Lord speaks through me and others who are filled with God!

Oh, foolish fist-shakers! Brace yourself! The Lion of Judah is roaring —

Amos 3:8  A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?

Listen to His response to your fist-shaking, and tremble —

Psalm 2:4      He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. ⁵ Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, ⁶  “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

You think you are gods who can tell God what to do? You think you can say “No” to what Jesus Christ commands you to do? 

Oh, be terrified! He will speak to you in His anger! He will terrify you with His fury! Jesus Christ sits in heaven. You are not god  — He is! So He laughs at you. How foolish you are! He scorns you. He mocks you!

The Father has installed His King, Jesus Christ, on His holy mountain in heaven! You are not king — He is the King of kings and Lord of lords! 

Psalm 2:7  “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten you (declared that You are My Son). ⁸ Ask of Me, and I will surely give the peoples as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

O fist-shaker, I declare to you that what He said to David is the truth that I live out! He appointed His Son who was with Him in the beginning, before anything was! Jesus Christ made all things, at the command of God the Father (John 1:1-3)! The Father declares that Jesus Christ is God the Son! 

And Jesus Christ will return to judge the earth which He completely owns. Those who have obeyed Him are His inheritance — His offspring. 

But He holds in His hand a rod of iron by which He will shatter those who have shaken their fists at Him! He will shatter them like fragile pottery!  

Psalm 2:10    Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be instructed, O judges of the earth. ¹¹  Serve the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling. ¹²  Kiss the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

He gives this warning to fist-shakers who think they are kings. You think you are in charge, but He is! So He warns you become wise. Learn from what He has given me to write! 

What must you do? Turn to Him! Worship Him with reverential awe! Rejoice and tremble! Bow low and kiss the feet of Jesus, for He is God and you are not!

If you do not, He warns you that His wrath will burn against you! You will perish! Do you not see that you are on the broad path that leads to destruction? 

His wrath will soon be kindled! He will come and judge the earth and all who are so-called believers but disobey Him! But how blessed you are, if you have trusted in Him and obeyed Him, for surely, He has become your Refuge, your Shelter, your Protector!

You have read the words He has given me to write. Now, run with them! 

Amen, Lord Jesus!

REMOVE THE SHACKLES

I wrote this song, which is a prayer, in 2013. It is for the church and for the Jews. But they must ask Him to do it —

1. Remove . . .  the shackles of Your people;

Open their eyes  . . .  that they may see.

Remove . . .  the shackles of Your people;

Open their ears  . . .  that they may hear. (CHORUS)

CHORUS: Give them eyes . . . eyes that are wide open 

And ears, Jesus . . . that fully hear Your truth 

Give them hearts . . . hearts that understand, Lord

So they would turn . . . and be healed!

2. Remove . . .  the shackles of Your people;

Open their hearts . . . so they may understand

Their need . . . for You to give to them new hearts

 That beat in time with Yours . . . and are set free! (CHORUS)

 

THE GREAT INFILTRATION

[SW620] 4/19/24 blog post by

Pastor Susan J. Wynn

The Great Infiltration

Texts: Acts 20:17-31

How can it be? There has been from the beginning — and even now is — a great infiltration of false teaching in the church! 

When did it begin? Immediately after Jesus Christ died, rose, ascended, was glorified, and poured out the Holy Spirit. 

I will show you that from the outside, false teachers infiltrated the churches established by the apostles. I will also show you that false teachers rose up from among the churches. 

How could false teachers rise up from among them? Weren’t they Christians? But they had not obeyed Jesus Christ’s commandments regarding the Spirit, so they did not know Him intimately. As He said through me last time and says again today, if you do not know Him intimately, you will believe anything.

What happened? Their minds were infiltrated by false teachers who came in from outside! Such ones believed the false teachings of the infiltrators who came in among them, even though they were contrary to what they had been taught by the apostles. And some of those rose up to infiltrate from within, teaching the same lies!

Why couldn’t they discern false teaching? What made them accept what is false? They were not filled with all of God, as Jesus Christ commands. So their minds were easy targets for the infiltrators.

Who were the infiltrators? This is just a small sample —

— Gnostics, who said you can sin in your body but your heart will remain pure.

— Judaizers, who said you must obey the Law of Moses to be saved, even though you have believed in and then obeyed Jesus Christ commandments regarding the Spirit and are filled with all of God.

— Synchretists, who told pagans and still tell them today that they can blend Christianity with whatever other religion they follow. Jesuits famously do this even today.

— The Catholic church, which says only it can interpret scripture, that its teachings are perfect and faultless, that the Pope is the only head of the church, that Mary was immaculately conceived, that you should pray to Mary. 

Wait a minute! Isn’t Jesus the Head (Ephesians 1:22 & 4:15, Colossians 1:18 & 2:10), and isn’t He the One who was immaculately conceived, and isn’t it to He and the Father that He says you should pray? I could go on and on!

 — A plethora (excessive abundance) of modern-day false prophets who say that you can sin and still be right with God, that He pours out His grace to you, no matter how many times you sin (called “hyper-grace”), that it is impossible to stop sinning, that Jesus Christ came to do stuff for you — make you rich, make you successful, give you your best life now . . . I could go on and on!

But were all these false teachers and all of their lies the only ones to blame? No! From the beginning, those who called themselves the church had been given the truth by those who were Spirit-filled. But because they did not obey and stay and wait, they have loved the words of the infiltrators!

Again, Jesus Christ says you will believe anything if you do not know Him intimately! 

— You will believe anything that infiltrators teach you, when your sin nature is still alive and well instead of crucified, and when your heart is not purified (Acts 15:9, Galatians 5:24, 1Peter 4:1-2, 2Peter 1:4), as He commands. 

— You will believe anything that infiltrators teach you, when you do not know Him intimately by obeying His commandments regarding the Spirit so He and the Father and the Spirit come in to fully and permanently indwell you (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-5, John 14:17 & 23)! 

— You will believe anything that infiltrators teach you, if you are empty instead of full!

— You will believe anything that infiltrators teach you, if you do not have the mind of Christ by being filled with all of God (1Corinthians 2:6)!

So you are easy prey for them! If you knew Him, you would call them out for their lies, and warn and exhort those who are following them, just as Paul did with the believers at Ephesus!

Listen —

Acts 20:17   From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. ¹⁸  And when they had come to him, he said to them,“You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews …” 

I call out those who are so-called ambassadors, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in today’s infiltrated church! From the time Jeff and I were called and confirmed as preachers and teachers, he and I have spoken and I have written the truth. I have grieved greatly over those who refuse to obey Jesus Christ.

Jeff and I have served the Lord humbly, yet we have been attacked and have undergone trials by those who say they know God but are infiltrators! If they were filled, they would rejoice in the truth we speak!

Acts 20:20  “… how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, ²¹ solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

What I teach is not the “easy believeism” taught by infiltrators. I teach the truth, just according to Jesus Christ’s lead. I do not cower in fear and dumb it down so it pleases your ears. 

It is for your good that I speak the unvarnished truth — that you were born with a sin nature that must be crucified by obeying Jesus Christ’s commandments regarding the Spirit. No sinner will enter heaven (Matthew 7:23)!

Acts 20:25   “And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. ²⁶ Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.” 

What did Paul mean? He was appointed by the Lord as a watchman for the house of Israel (Ezekiel 33:7). He was cleansed and filled. He knew Jesus Christ commands all Christians to stay and wait to be inwardly cleansed of all sin and filled with all of God. He cried out and warned them when the churches were infiltrated from without and within! It is the same for me!

But if he did not speak this truth and exhort and warn everyone to whom he spoke to obey Jesus Christ and be cleansed and filled with all of God, then Jesus Christ would hold him responsible. Therefore, when He judged them and sentenced them to hell, Paul would also be judged and perish in hell, for he was appointed to exhort and warn and did not warn them (Ezekiel 33:8)! He would hold me responsible, and I would perish forever with them!

But if Paul warned them, their blood — that is, their eternal perishing in hell — would not be on his hands, but on their own heads. They would die in their sin, but Paul would be saved (Ezekiel 33:9). 

But because I preach the whole message of this life (Acts 5:20), and warn and exhort you to obey and stay and wait, I am innocent of your blood. I have warned you.  So like Paul, I will not be held guilty by the Lord. Why? —

Acts 20:27  “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.”

Again Paul says that he did not shrink from declaring the whole purpose of God.  The whole purpose of God is the whole gospel — salvation from past sins, and then salvation from the power of sin!

It is being cleansed of all sin so as to live the rest of the life in the body not for the lusts of men but for the will of God (1Peter 4:1-2), and then being permanently filled with all of God (John 14:17, 24)! Just as Paul spoke and wrote, I have spoken and written for many years, and continue to write and speak as I walk about! 

I tell you the truth, there are many who shrink from saying anything that might make their followers fall on their faces and cry out to God! So you send them to hell! You are an infiltrator!

Oh, you say you do not want to make them feel bad about themselves? Then you are not filled with God and therefore have no business speaking in any way to anyone about the Lord, or ear-tickling writing nonsense! You are an infiltrator!

Listen to Paul’s final warnings to the leaders of the church at Ephesus —

Acts 20:28   “Take heed for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

Why did they need to take heed? To protect all of their flock against infiltrators who spoke a false gospel. The leaders at Ephesus were appointed to feed the truth to those Jesus Christ bought with His own blood! Why did they need to take heed?

Acts 20:29   “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰ and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”

I know that after I have spoken the truth to the ones I have ministered to, there are always savage wolves — infiltrators, false teachers —  poised and ready to devour you! They will not spare you, if you love the words of infiltrators instead of the truth!

As I have said, from the very beginning of the church, false teachers arose! They have fed on, and filled their bellies with, and become fat on those who are not filled with God and therefore will believe anything because they do not know Jesus Christ!

But the real shocker is in Acts 20:30 —  there will be and are now those in the so-called church whose minds have been infiltrated by the ear-pleasing false teaching of those from outside.Then they will speak the same twisted gospel and draw others to themselves and away from those who speak the truth. 

But they cannot draw to themselves those who are filled, for we immediately detect their lies. So most of them don’t dare to approach us. But they target ones who are like them — ones who do not know Jesus Christ.

Acts 20:31  “Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to warn each one with tears.”

For three years, he had warned the leaders and the members of the church at Ephesus. Why did Paul weep as he warned them? He knew what would happen to them! 

He knew they would be infiltrated from the outside! He knew the minds of those in that church would be infiltrated by their teaching and begin to draw followers to themselves! And he knew that many would go to hell, because they fell away from the truth (Hebrews 6:6)!

I tell you the truth, hell is for real! Jesus Christ describes it — a place where the worm never dies (eternal torture) and the fire is never quenched (eternal burning) (Mark 9:44, 46, & 48)! 

Now by the power of God that is within me, I warn you! Why? Just as it was with Paul and the rest of the apostles, and just as it is with Jesus Christ and the Father, I do not desire that any perish, but that all come to the truth and live it  (2Peter 3:9)!

My words, just as theirs, are life from the dead for you. I know — I was spiritually dead, but now I’m living in Him, with Him fully and permanently in me!

Therefore, obey Jesus Christ’s commandments regarding the Spirit and be cleansed and filled with all of God, so you can immediately detect the false words of the infiltrators both within and outside the church, and speak the truth wherever you go!

You have read this message. Now, run with it!

Amen, Lord Jesus!

OPENED

[SW619] 4/12/24 blog post by

Pastor Susan J. Wynn

Opened

Texts: John 9, etc.

Who is opened? The ones born blind who can suddenly see! What do we see? The real Jesus Christ. 

How do we respond, when He has made us see? The same as the man in John 9, whose eyes were opened in a moment of time. The Lord inspired him to speak to the religious ones who interrogated him. 

But today, the ones who He has opened are filled with God, and He gives us His words to speak as we go, and as we write! None of our opponents are able to resist or refute us, because we speak His words, not ours (Luke 21:15).

Why did He ask me to show you this? We are all born spiritually blind. The ones who are opened are those who have obeyed His commandments regarding the Spirit (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-5), for it is only then that our spiritual eyes are opened and we see what He sees! He gives us His eyes! 

Why does He do it? So the works of God are displayed in us (John 9:3). He is glorified by it because no human being could do in us what has obviously been done in us!

Why is this important for you who are in today’s church, as you call yourselves? You have said you do not need what Jesus Christ commands you to have. 

Therefore, you remain spiritually blind, like those in the church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:17), God’s works are not seen in you, and He is not glorified through you. I will speak of the consequences of your disobedience at the end of this message.

But hear and act upon what He has shown me to write, and He will open your spiritual eyes! I know that He will, because I was like you, but then obeyed His commandments regarding the Spirit, and He did it in me! 

I will now show you, through John 9 —

John 9:1-3   As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” ³ Jesus answered, “It was neitherthat this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Jesus was in Jerusalem, and saw a man blind from birth. Why was the man born blind? He said it was so that the works of God would be displayed in him! 

Do you see it? As I said in the beginning, the purpose of making spiritually blind eyes see is that when we obey Him, we see! Then He fills us with all of God. Then God’s work is displayed in us!

John 9:6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, ⁷ and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and cameback seeing.

Jesus made clay. Why? It is my understanding that He used the clay to form eyes in the man’s empty eye sockets.

The man did not know it was Jesus — he could not see. Then Jesus commanded him to go and wash in the pool called Sent. He could have healed him then and there. But it was to make this point —  the man had no idea what would happen when he went, but he obeyed and went. Jesus did not tell him that he would come back seeing. 

When you go — that is, when you obey His commandments regarding the Spirit — you have no idea what will happen. He does not tell you that you will come back spiritually seeing. But you obey and go. The man washed in the pool. Jesus washes you inwardly, by crucifying your sin nature and purifying your heart. Then you are no longer spiritually blind — you can see!

The man washed, and returned seeing! He had never seen before, because he was born blind. Think of how it must have felt to see what he had never seen before, all at once! 

And it is the same for you, when you obey Him! You were spiritually blind, and suddenly, He has opened your eyes! In a moment of time you see Him because He and the Father and the Spirit fully and permanently indwell you (John 14:17, 23)!

In a moment of time, you see truths that you never saw before, in the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit continually opens the Word to you, more and more deeply! You see! You see as He sees! It is because in a moment of time, He opened your eyes!

John 9:11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I see.”

The man’s neighbors were amazed. He had been a beggar because he was blind. How could this be him? How did this happen? He answered, saying that the man who is called Jesus made clay, applied it to his eyes, said go and wash, he obeyed, and now he sees!

You are a spiritual beggar until He opens your eyes! But blessed are you if you understand that you are a beggar, for yours is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3)! You are one who will obey Him and be cleansed and opened!

When you have obeyed Him and He has made you see and you are filled with all of God, those who saw you will know something has happened to you — your countenance will be instantly changed. Jeff saw it when I was filled, and I saw it when he was filled! How wonder-full!

John 9:15   Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

The people brought the man to the Pharisees — spiritually blind religious ones who hated Jesus. They were judges of everyone but themselves. Now they interrogated the man who could now see. How did he receive his sight?

They were fearsome, but He was not afraid of them. He gave them the same answer that he had given the crowd. Jesus applied clay, he washed as Jesus had commanded, and now he could see! 

Religious ones who are determined to maintain their position that such things are “not for today” or “unnecessary” they become offended when God works. So when they see that you can suddenly spiritually see, they will interrogate you. And you will tell them that you did as Jesus commanded, and Jesus did just as He promised! He cleansed you and filled you with all of God, so you can now spiritually see!

John 9:17   So they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”

He was not afraid to respond when they asked him what he said about Jesus, now that he could see. He told them Jesus was a prophet, for the Lord sometimes worked wonders through His prophets.

And you will not be afraid to tell those who interrogate you exactly what Jesus has done in you! But you will not say Jesus is a man or a prophet. You will say He is God the Son, and has done just as He promises for all who will stay and wait! 

John 9:24   So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 

Even though he stood before the Pharisees who knew the Law but not the One who gave it to Moses, he refused to call Jesus a sinner. He said he did not know if Jesus was a sinner. All he knew was that though he was blind, now he saw! 

Jesus gave this man the boldness to speak it out. And because you are cleansed and filled with all of God, He has given you a mouth and wisdom which none of your opponents can resist or refute (Luke 21:15)!

John 9:26   Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷ 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?” (NIV)

Again, the man was challenged by the Pharisees. What happened? What did He do? How did He open your eyes? He said he had already told them, but they did not want to receive his words. Did they want to hear it again, so they could become His disciples? Then they hurled insults at him. 

When He has opened your eyes so you spiritually see, you will answer their questions, but they will not receive what you tell them. If you ask them if they want Him to do the same in them, they will be offended and will insult you. 

Jesus said those to whom He has given spiritual sight should expect the same treatment He received from today’s religious ones — those who are the so-called church. Why?

You have challenged them without even saying a word. It is obvious to them that you are no longer like them. He was persecuted, and now you are, because you are filled with Him (John 15:18-19).

Now the Lord gave spiritual insight and boldness to the man born blind. How do I know that?  He began to teach the Pharisees! 

John 9:30   The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.” 

The Pharisees said they knew Moses and they knew God! But they did not know where the man who is called Jesus was from, and they did they know how He opened the man’s eyes. It will be the same for you, with those who think they know God but do not know who gave you spiritual sight.

As the man replied, you will say that is amazing! The Pharisees did not know where Jesus was from, but He opened the eyes of a man born blind!
 

John 9:31  “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.” 

The man said that God does not hear sinners. So how could Jesus have sinned? The man believed Jesus prayed to God, and God opened the man’s eyes. 

God would not have answered if Jesus had sinned in some way. Oh, but Jesus had opened the man’s eyes on a Sabbath, when no work is to be done!

Do you see it? God does not hear sinners. Are you sinning? Your prayers fall on deaf ears. But when He cleanses you of all sin and fills you with all of God, you will cease from sin forever, so as to live the rest of the life in the body not for the lusts of humans but for the will of God (1Peter 4:1-2). 

His nature and character are within you, and you are aligned with His purposes.

So when you ask, you automatically ask according to His will.

John 9:32    “Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 

The blind man who could now see continued to teach the Pharisees! Since time began, no one had opened the eyes of someone born blind. So if this man Jesus was not from God, He could do nothing.

When Jesus healed me of the incurable disease called progressive MS, many refused to believe it. They said I must not have had MS. But if that was true, I should have been able to sue Brigham and Women’s in Boston for giving me chemotherapy to treat it! 

And when He filled me with all of God, and Jeff soon after, they rejected us. This was way beyond their comfort zone. They accused us, but their accusations were false, and fell to the ground.

John 9:34   They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out. 

When the man who had been blind said Jesus had to be from God, or the man would not be able to see, that was the final straw for the religious ones! They accused him of sinning while he was in his mother’s womb. How dare he teach them? Then they put him out.

To put out means to excommunicate. They banned him. He was no longer part of Jewish society. Everyone was to turn their backs on him, if he approached them. He would no longer be able to enter the synagogue or the temple. He would have no job, no family — nothing!

Jeff and I were not banned in that way, but unbeknownst to them, our superintendent in our denomination had already commissioned Jeff and me to do a church plant. Just as we and our pastor had seen, he saw that the Lord had opened a door for us there.

John 9:35  Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ³⁶ He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” 

Being banned was the best thing that ever happened to the man who had been born blind! Why? It led to his salvation! Listen —

Jesus heard that the Pharisees had banned the man. So He went and found him, and asked him if he believed in the Son of Man — that is, the Christ. The man asked who the Son of Man was, so he would believe in Him. Then Jesus said the man had seen him, for the Son of Man was talking with Him! How did the man respond?

John 8:38  And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.

At Jesus Christ’s words, the man believed that Jesus is the Christ. And he worshiped Him. To worship Jesus means to kiss toward Him, to prostrate yourself before Him, to adore Him. 

No Pharisee of those days would do that, nor will any modern-day Pharisees who think they know who Jesus is. It is because their Jesus is not the Jesus of the Word of God. But you will do it, when He has opened your eyes so you spiritually see!

I tell you the truth, He opened my eyes to see, my ears to hear, my heart to be filled, my mouth to speak, and anointed my ability to write. So I speak what He tells me to speak, as I go about. And I write all the truth that He asks me to write. 

He gives you a warning, if you reject the truth I have shown you —

John 9:39   And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” ⁴⁰ Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

He makes the spiritually blind see and makes those who think they see become blind! You will say, “I am not blind,” but He will say you that you say you see and yet disobey His commandments regarding the Spirit. So He says your sin remains, because you disobey Him. He will judge you, unless you turn and obey Him. 

Some tell me that their teachers know Jesus. But I have heard them. The words of your teachers reveal that they do not know Him because they do not teach the truth He has directed me to speak and write. 

He warns you to leave them, because they are spiritually blind guides of you who are spiritually blind —

Matthew 15:12   Then the disciples  came and  said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” ¹³ But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. ¹⁴ Leave them; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

He speaks of the pit of hell. That is the destination of those who are spiritually blind and are led by the spiritually blind. They and you will be uprooted. A plant that is uprooted dies. They do not see, and you do not see, so both of you will fall into a pit — the pit of hell.

You have read the message, now run with it. Amen, Lord Jesus.

A TARGET

I was with the Lord this morning, as always, and I said to Him, “Lord, I am a Christian. I am filled with You and the Father and the Spirit. I am elderly. I was born white. I am a blue-eyed natural blonde. So I am a prime target for those who have been groomed to hate all that You have made me. They hate me without cause, just as haters hated You without cause, and still hate You without cause.

But I do not fear, just as You did not fear, for You are my Lord and my God and my King. What can they do to me? If they beat me to death because of the way I was born and because of what You have made me, I go to you!

I keep my eyes on you and not them, and keep walking and talking and writing. I am compelled to do it, for You have filled me with Your love so I would tell haters that Jesus Christ will fill them with His love instead of hate, if they will turn from their hate and believe into Him and then stay and wait and be filled with all of God!

His kingdom is filled with those who have done so — ones of every nation and tribe and tongue. So I pray that, for the haters.

Amen, Lord Jesus.