Blind and Stupid

Are you amazed and incredulous? Don’t you believe it? Then go ahead and be blind. You are stupid, but not from wine! You stagger, but not from liquor! For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries. All the future events in this vision are like a sealed book to them. When you give it to those who can read, they will say, “We can’t read it because it is sealed.” When you give it to those who cannot read, they will say, “We don’t know how to read.” And so the LORD says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites with amazing wonders. The wisdom of the wise will pass away, and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.” [Isaiah 29.9-14]

This passage speaks to me today of this time in which we live. So many have fallen away from believing the Bible - God's Word - and doubting the validity of the Holy Spirit. Oh, they still go to church mind you, but there is no power in their words or actions.

But Isaiah prophesies here that the condition above will change and all the 'science' in the world cannot stop it. God will "astound" the naysayers in their science, technology, medicine, education, and money. God's mighty power will confound the intelligence of the naysayers and doubters. There will simply be no explanation for it when God's people function in the fulness of His Kingdom power.

What I am describing here is exactly what Jesus taught. Jesus did not withhold this information, but those listening were initially "blind and stupid" (to quote Isaiah above). Jesus said:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12]

So, why don't we see the works of Jesus (mighty powerful unexplainable miracles) today? Because we are blind and stupid (even though we have never had so much knowledge and intelligence). And that is why Jesus made polarizing demands like:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

In fact, we should not be amazed at the manifest power of God. It should be the lifestyle of true Kingdom citizens just like it was with Jesus. He was not working off a script! He was simply addressing life situations (as they came up) with Kingdom power.

In our blindness and stupidity, we read of Jesus' miracles and are "amazed and incredulous," all in our slumber of doubt and unbelief.

No, my words today are not encouraging or pandering. My words today call me to repentance for doubt and unbelief. My words today call for repentance for contentment in powerlessness. My words today call for repentance for knowing Jesus said I should do the same works He did but having no alarm or remorse that I don't.

Jesus got the world's attention by walking in unexplainable power - the very Power of God manifest through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. God will once again get the world's attention when His people finally 'wake up' from their slumber of blindness and stupidity, repent, and display His glory in the earth.

Sounds good, right? It does indeed. But let us be very clear: Jesus' manifestation of God's glorious power got Him crucified. And, you know what? He was glad to do it.

Father, thank You for speaking to my heart today. May I pursue Your grace to walk in the power of Your Holy Spirit to astound the hypocrites with Your amazing wonders... Be glorified in me.