The Power of Faith

The Ability to See What Others Cannot and Receive What Never Existed Before

Mark 10:46-52  

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."

    So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.

    The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Jesus is Near

Like Bartimaeus, You Need to Have a Fresh Encounter with Him

Principle:  What you believe you are labeled determines your destiny.

Something happens when Jesus is near; faith and hope, and the promise of new possibilities arise in the hearts of those who encounter Him.  Think of Bartimaeus… he was known as Blind Bartimaeus!  His disability became his name.  He was known by his condition of failure and misfortune.  That was the label put upon him by all who walked by him.  It was more than an external physical healing that Bartimaeus needed.  He needed something done on the inside.  His destiny changed when Jesus gave him a new label. 

Jesus wants to do more than what you are asking Him to do! 

What are you labeled as today?  You need to have your label changed!  Even towns, cities, and nations can be labeled.  One even said of Jesus’ hometown, “Nazareth?  Can anything good come for there?”  How is Latin America viewed today in the world?  Most likely, you are labeled because of where you are from, the town, city, nation, or people group.

You can be labeled by your family heritage or by something wrong that you have done.  Regardless, Jesus wants to change how you are labeled!  It is a change of destiny that he will provide in a fresh encounter with him.

Principle:  Something happens to anyone who encounters Jesus.  Faith develops. 

Matthew 17:20   “…if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Faith begins as a mustard seed, but then grows to enormous heights.  It begins beneath the surface where no one can see.  In the end, it sprouts forth into greatness, out in the open, for all eyes to behold, and for all glory to be given to God!

Principle:  Your proximity to Jesus determines the development of faith in your heart and your ability to believe. 

Jesus said,

John 15:7  “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

Just before this, Jesus said, “Without me, you can do nothing.”  The branch has to be attached firmly to the vine for there to be fruitfulness.  This is what happened with Bartimaeus.  He got closer to Jesus, face to face.  There has to be close proximity.

Principle:  There are times that we are blinded in life and cannot see Jesus for ourselves.

Isaiah (6:1) was blinded by his relationship to King Uzziah.  It wasn’t until the king died that Isaiah saw the Lord.  Lot was held back by his wife.  Elisha’s servant could not see the armies of heaven surrounding the armies of Aram.  Balaam could not see the angel of the Lord with his sword drawn, though his donkey could. 

From God’s Favorite Houses; Tommy Tenny; pp. 21-24

Bartimaeus Couldn’t See Jesus for Himself

Frankly, we all need to be baptized with the spirit of Bartimaeus.  This is the blind man who ignored the disapproval of the crowd to cry out to Jesus for mercy.  Bartimaeus couldn’t see Jesus for himself.  He was blind and had to believe in blind faith the testimony of someone else who told him, “Jesus is close.”  We must confess, “I’m blind and I can’t really tell how close He is, but if somebody around me says He’s near, then I refuse to let Him pass me by.”

Sometimes the cares of the day and the weariness of life can temporarily blind us or so numb our senses that we can’t perceive the nearness of God.  That didn’t stop Bartimaeus.  Why should it stop us?  When you can’t see, feel, or sense the presence of God, that is the time to find someone you can trust who can sense His presence.  When this witness tells you, “He’s close, He’s here,” take them at their word.  Go for it!  Begin to lift your hands and cry out to Him by faith.

Sometimes all you need to know is that He is near.  Hungry cries from your heart will attract Him closer.  After all, doesn’t God’s Word tell us, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise”?  God cannot turn away from brokenness.  Tears turn on the faucet of God’s compassion.

On the other hand, what happens when you know He is close and do nothing about it?  Bartimaeus was just a blind beggar on the side of the road outside the city of Jericho, but he touched the heart of God with his hungry pleas while the people of Jericho evidently missed their visitation. 

One blind man “saw” more than the entire city and delayed Deity long enough for a miracle!

Tonight, I am here to tell you that Jesus is near.  This is your time.  I announce to you a visitation from on high.  How long it lasts is up to you.  All I know is that, after tonight, you will not be the same, if you will get off the sideline and cry out to the Lord who is near.  Like Bartimaeus, you must cry out until you are heard – even if the breakthrough comes next week or next month.  For out of that breakthrough, from the encounter with Jesus, faith will come that can move mountains.

Principle:  You cannot acquire miracle faith without encountering Jesus.

Some of you tried believing without the encounter, without having a visitation.  It’s like test tube pregnancy.  You figure out what I’m trying to say.  It doesn’t work in the kingdom.  It is in this passionate, intimate worship encounter, where you pour your heart out to Him with many tears and finally there is a breaking and His presence and the nearness of His glory floods your spirit.  It is in the encounter that faith is conceived and contained in your heart becomes the reality of the possibility of things coming into existence that never existed before!

Jesus is Capable

Walking through Jericho that day was one to whom all authority is given in heaven and earth.  The Royal Son of David who opens blind eyes, makes the lame walk, who cures the leper, who opens the ears of the deaf, who raises the dead, and preaches the good news to the poor, was passing through Jericho.

This is the revelation I want you to get a hold of today –that Jesus is royal, he is King!  This is the Jesus who is near!  The crowd when asked by this blind man told him that “Jesus of Nazareth” was passing by.  They described Jesus by his natural heritage and place of residence.  But the blind man called Bartimaeus could see what others could not see.

Principle:  You have to close your natural eyes in order to see by faith.

The crowd and even the disciples were limited to what their own eyes and natural minds could tell them. What set of eyes are you feeding?  Another time, Jesus was feeding the five thousand and wanted to see what revelation they were operating by.  He told the disciples, “Go feed them.”  Philip answered, “Where could we get bread out here in this remote place?”  You see, his answer was a calculation from a mind that was under a limited understanding.  He made a deduction based upon the limitations of humanity and concluded by his confession that it was hopeless.  I am sure that Jesus wanted to say to him, “Don’t you know me by now?  Don’t you know what I can do and that all things are possible to those who believe?”  Philip needed an updated revelation of Jesus and that all things are possible to those who believe.

Principle:  Faith is seeing the reality of possibilities of things that have never existed before. 

When Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus passing by, in his spirit the possibility of seeing became a reality.  He had to see it (by faith) before he could receive his sight!  He saw by faith what others could not see about Jesus, but also saw the reality of what was before impossible – that he, Bartimaeus, the blind man, could receive his sight.  You see, the Bible defines faith in Hebrews 11:1 like this:

Hebrews 11:1 HEB 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Principle:  To Jesus, the reality of bringing into existence that which never existed before was very common. 

Every day, Jesus expected to see the impossible come into existence.  The disciples looked on with amazement when the fig tree, cursed one day, showed the full effects of its withering the next day.   Jesus told them that it was possible for them to speak and live by his faith just as he did.  “When you have the faith of God, you can stand before this mountain and speak to it, and command it to be thrown into the sea, and it will be done for you, whatever you say.”  In Galatians 2:20 Paul writes that, “the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God.” 

Jesus’ words were full of faith and compassion!  Read the gospel accounts and you will find these words of Jesus:  To a man with leprosy who begged Jesus, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”  Jesus, filled with compassion, reached out and touched him.  “I am willing.  Be clean!” Immediately he was cured.  Four men carry in their friend one paralyzed.  They dig a whole in a roof of a house because the crowds were so great that they could not get into the house.  Jesus sees their faith and proclaims to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven,” and then later says to him, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  To the man with a shriveled hand he spoke with words filled with faith,  “Stretch out your hand.”  (He stretched it out and his hand was completely restored.)  Then we find Jesus asleep on a cushion in the front of the boat while a furious storm surprised them.  The waves broke over the boat.  To the raging sea it says that he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet!  Be still!”  Then the wind was completely calm and the sea like glass.

These are just some of the accounts that show Jesus speaking words full of faith and compassion.  But in the book of Acts, we see his disciples doing the same thing!  Peter and John are going up to the temple at the time of prayer where they find a crippled man who was placed at the same spot every day to beg.  The beggar asks the apostles for money but ends up with something far greater.  Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.  First, he walked.  Then they all went into the temple and the man now healed was jumping and praising God.  The crowd was astonished because they knew he was the man who used to beg by the gate Beautiful.

He used to beg, but someone with faith came along and changed all of that.  His label was changed and so was his destiny!  Today, destinies are changing even now as the word of faith is being preached.  God hasn’t forgotten you.  He has faith and compassion toward you and today, you can know it and experience it for yourself.  (Bruce, the phone call ordained by God)

The crowd will be against you one moment and for you the next.  Don’t be surprised when others don’t see what you see.  Even well meaning believers will look at you like you are crazy when they hear your confession of faith, maybe even your wife or husband, or best friend.  The Bible says that the crowd and even the disciples severely rebuked Bartimaeus, commanding him to be quiet.  But this caused Bartimaeus to cry out all the louder by faith.  He became more determined because he knew it was his time for an encounter with the One who does miracles.  Nothing was going to stop him from receiving it.  One translation even says that Bartimaeus cried out, “Have compassion on me NOW!”  Do not quit!  You cannot afford to stay the same another day!  These are days of tremendous things because of His visitation.  Don’t miss Him passing by!  It is your time for that which was before labeled impossible to come into existence.

Yet, many are enslaved to the opinions of the crowd!  Their lives toss violently upon the waves of what others think.  (“Do you want to be a millionaire?”  A contestant can ask the crowd for what they think is the right answer to the question…then it is broken down on a graph in percentages…20% think it is a, 35% think it is b, 5% think it is c, 40% think it is d!)  So many are confused today because they are trying to please so many others; one hears the opinions of mother, and of uncle Frank, of their boss, and of their best friend since childhood, and then there’s the psychic, and horoscopes…Are you enslaved to what others think, to the many voices of the crowd? 

It is time to break free from what others think and say.  There is only one voice that matters in the end and it is the voice of the word of God, Jesus Himself.

“This is my time for a miracle!”  Faith operates in the now.  It may take some time for your faith to grow and take root beneath the surface, in the spiritual realm, beyond where the natural eye can see, and even beyond feeling.  But it will come to pass!  Your eyes will see it. 

But even so, faith is a present reality.  (When I got baptized in the Holy Spirit…as the word of God was being preached that night, in my seat I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit by faith, I knew I had it, and then when I went forward at the end of the service, I spoke in tongues for the first time immediately!)  “Now faith is…” Don’t wait until you have it to have it.  You have to have it before you have it.  Jesus said, “When you pray, believe that you have received those things you ask for, and you shall have them.”  It is not enough to pray.  You must pray and believe!  You will know when faith is alive in your heart.  There will be a witness, a feeling in your spirit, an understanding that somehow got dropped into your heart.  If you are not sure than go back to Him again until the distance is closed and faith breaks through in your heart. 

The witness of faith will be birthed in your spirit during a fresh encounter with Jesus.

Bartimaeus threw off his outer garment, jumped up and came to Jesus.  What does the outer garment signify?  Some of you are having a hard time coming to Jesus because you are wrapped in excuses, reasons and fears.  You can explain with great detail how it won’t happen.   You are so accustomed to being in this poor condition that you have gotten used to it and you think that it will never change!  You think that you are not worthy to receive anything from God because of your past.  For others the outer garment signifies a natural mindset of unbelief, that what you need God to do is just too difficult, and there are too many reasons why it couldn’t happen.  It’s time to throw off your outer garment!  Throw it off and jump up!  Faith in his belly leaped within Bartimaeus and so he jumped up.  Come on, jump up and down, throw it off and jump up and down!  “This is my time,” yell it!  Rejoice!  He is calling you!

“What do you want me to do for you?”  This is what Jesus said to Bartimaeus.  This is the sweet moment!  It is the moment when God will reward your faith.  These are the days of destiny – I announce this to you.  The proclamation has been made:  “This is the year of tremendous things!”  These are the days of miracles, when the compassion of the Lord will be manifested in healing power to those who believe.  Jesus, our Lord and King, the Creator of the universe, says to you today, “What do you want me to do for you?”  Can you see the possibilities?  Open up your sanctified imagination and begin to see the possibilities of something coming into existence that never existed before, something that your faith in God will do for you.  “This is your time,” says the Lord!  What is it?  What will you believe God for?  You have His attention.  Jesus is near.  Jesus is capable.  He says,

John 15:7  “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

You see, it has to do with the reason why you want to have this encounter with Jesus.  For Bartimaeus, it was for sight.  What is it that you are desperate for, that something that only God can do?

“Your faith has made you whole!” One day you will hear these words of commendation when what you are believing for in your heart comes into existence and you see it with your own eyes.  But it must begin today in faith.  Don’t look at your circumstances for improvement and then believe.  They may get worse.  But do not fear and let go of your faith, which will bring you great reward!  Your circumstances at some point have to change; they have to bow in subjection to your faith.  Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith!  Today, you know him as the Author of faith because he is birthing faith within you right now.  But soon, if you hold on to faith with the same persistence of Bartimaeus, you will know Jesus as the Finisher of faith, for he will complete the work he has started today.  What he promised, he will certainly do it!

(The Ten Lepers, all were cleansed, only one was made whole)

“Immediately he followed Jesus along the road.” Bartimaeus became a disciple, a follower of the Lord.  His fresh encounter became a firm commitment of following Jesus.

Conclusion:  From Tenny; God’s Favorite House

Just Tell Me – Is That Him?

As Jesus passed through the gate, the blind beggar on the side of the road turned to someone standing nearby and asked a question:  Is that Him?  Just tell me, is that Him?”

“Yeah, yeah, Bartimaeus; that’s Him.”

“Then you better get out of my way because I’m about to lose my dignity.”

Hear me, friend, you cannot preserve your dignity and seek His Deity.  You can’t save your face and seek His face.  At some point you are going to have to lose your spiritual manners.  You need to forget what you are supposed to do when, where, and how.  You will have to reduce it down to the basics:  “Is that Him?  I think He’s in the building!  I think He’s close.”  I don’t know how you feel, but I refuse to let Him get that close to me and pass me by.  “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Why don’t you forget about your manners right now?  It is time to lay aside your religious protocols, the things that dictate what is supposed to happen and when.  God has always preferred spiritual hunger over spiritual ritual.  Are you going to miss your moment?  If you can feel Him edging closer and closer, then don’t let Him get this close and pass you by, even while reading this book.  Remember that God is shopping for a place to break out.  He is knocking at the door.  I can almost hear Him say, “You know what happens when I visit a church.  You’ve not yet seen what happens when I visit a city.  Open the door and let Me in?”