Spiritual Blind-spots
9/15/19
T. Andrew Farley
This is a testimony and discussion (and prayers below I’ll write about) the topic of spiritual blindness or blind spots. This is for Christians or followers of Christ, but my hope is it may bless those who don’t know Him yet as well, in some way…
When I started driving (w/permit at 15 and full time at 16), I learned a valuable lesson one day while on an interstate headed towards Ohio, with 2 family members and a friend in the car with me. Everything was smooth, I was excited about where we were going (Kings Island) and it was a beautiful day.
I’m approaching a pretty slow car in the lane I’m in, so I glance in my side mirror, it’s clear, so I go to smoothly and quickly transition to the fast lane; where I am then abruptly awoken from my confident and complacent state, to a blaring horn and I see a vehicle that I’m 6 inches from running into right beside me!
I veered instantly back into the right lane, my heartbeat probably had gone from 75 to 140 in the course of seconds; terrifying to say the least, right? We’ve all been there at some point in that type of scenario most likely; but on that day I was taught not to trust my mirrors every single time!
Now, about 37 years later I consider myself to be a man who’s good behind the wheel, with a very good (okay, I must throw in the word blessed!) driving record. Perfect? Not quite, because there is no such thing as we all know. However, the 2 accidents I was in over 37 years, were both 100% the “fault” of the other drivers.
The first incident was a flatbed (semi) truck driver from Virginia who was the only vehicle behind me on the interstate on a rainy early evening, while I was driving south to head home from the north side of Indianapolis, Indiana.
I watched him in my rearview mirror, he was WAY back initially but was quickly approaching me. At that time, I was going 60 mph max., because there was rain and it was gray out on a cool fall evening, visibility was not ideal to start with. I estimated his speed at a minimum of 80 mph, as in the course of maybe 3-4 minutes he came from a couple miles behind me, to quickly approaching me in the slow lane. I glanced up again at my rearview on high alert as he pulled left into the fast line to pass me.
We’ve all been there, right? When a truck is on our side and they increase the spray exponentially to the point we must crank our wiper blades to even see at all.
I did that, focusing my eyes ahead of me, seeing him through my peripheral vision, and the next thing I realize is he’s now slowed down to match my speed! He’s not accelerating, this guy (with no load on the trailer) who was in such a hurry just minutes earlier! As I processed that thought and the overall situation, I immediately let off the accelerator to get behind him, and one second later he turned his truck and trailer right into the side of my car, boom, impact!
I started sliding and spinning, and after the first or second spin I was headed straight toward some concrete, and only by the grace of God (and perhaps the assistance of an angel or two) I recovered control of the car before slamming into the concrete barrier, thank you Jesus!
The other situation years later, was a guy who was going to totally stop at a red light, who then gunned it and ran it as I was turning, and we collided.
Only my first example up above involved a side-mirror. But if there’s a driver out there who’s been on the road as long or longer than I have, who’s never pulled out into a lane, or to turn, and who hasn’t experienced “blind spot syndrome”, then I want to shake his or her hand.
The CRITICAL thing we must remember in that exact situation is that our mirror didn’t really fail us, but our vision did. Here’s a quick link on Britannica about blind spots, it’s only 2 paragraphs long, but it’s very GOOD and succinct, and foundational to this teaching.
Awhile back I was in a minor accident with someone I care greatly about; and this phenomenon was the culprit. A quick decision (as a car stopped suddenly in front of us!) had to be made, the driver looked in the left rear-view or side mirror, and based on the information they had, was required to make an instant decision, slam the breaks or move over. Fortunately, we were moving at a relatively slow rate of speed, as was the driver of the other vehicle who we impacted.
The point of sharing this, as I was praying recently, the Spirit of the Lord placed a word in my heart and that I heard clearly; it was “spiritual blind spots.” As that occurred, I can just explain by saying that it was placed strongly in my heart that I now had to share this story; and bring it to another critical eternal topic that is prevalent not only in the world overall, but in the body of believers, or “the church”.
The topic of spiritual blindness overall, is one that goes well beyond the limitation of this testimony. If we tried to cover all of that, it would become a 400-page study or discussion. The entire bible is about this subject or challenge (and the solution or answer) and everything I’m getting ready to briefly say before the prayer(s), is from that foundation, led by the Holy Spirit.
For now, let’s get to the point of what I believe the Spirit of Truth is wanting to speak to God’s people.
We must examine ourselves, and sometimes there are things we won’t see, coming against us! (refer to David’s prayer in Psalm 19: 12: “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.”)
We are instructed to examine ourselves! That means, use our physical and spiritual eyes, to evaluate, discern, and test.
2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
Jesus Himself spoke (see Matthew 7:3-5) literally via His living word about not being hypocritical, judging and examining others or the “speck in their eye”, without first looking for the “beam” (that MAY be) in our own eye.
He admonished us to remember to “judge righteously”, He didn’t say we were not to judge (that’s a whole other subject), but to realize that with the exact same measure we judge others, we will be judged.
A critical instruction on top of these couple of powerful examples, are an end-time instruction for God’s people. Judgement is on the earth, and the word says “it rains on the wicked and the righteous”, so He gives us the answer to a major challenge, avoiding the pain of righteous judgment currently on and increasing on the earth, is contingent on judging ourselves!
Don’t’ take my word for it, take His:
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:31-32
Condemnation is coming upon the world; God is currently increasing and will be sending harsher judgment against every system and doctrine that has held itself in higher esteem than the “Most High” God! He’s doing this because He loves His people, and “when his judgments are upon the earth, My people will learn righteousness.” (See Isaiah 26:9)
You might be saying: “okay preacher/prayer guy, I KNOW the Lord, I’m good with God and I’m once saved always saved, so there’s nothing on this earth I have to fear, I’m good!”
Well, in love and by the witness of the Spirit of Truth, I’m here to say NONE of us have arrived, and our sanctification (notice I did NOT say our salvation!) is a life-long process!
For any new believer (or seasoned veterans who have fully surrendered) the most critical wisdom needed at the end of the age, begins with the fear of the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7
If you’re truly saved, you WILL make it into heaven, and there is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus! However, to appropriate the fullness of our inheritance and to become bearers of good fruit (see Galatians 5:16-26!) we need to pray strategically and biblically for discernment and discerning of spirits, to examine and test ourselves.
“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12
Okay, here’s a prayer model to invite the King of Glory to help us in this matter.
Father God in heaven, I come to you in the mighty name of Jesus, with praise and thankfulness for your faithfulness and loving-kindness towards me. I thank you for making the way to heaven, through your only begotten son, the King of Glory, and His sacrifice of his life and precious blood for the eternal atonement of sin, for He alone was the only one worthy!
I plead the gift of the blood over my life to rinse me clean from the demonic dust of this world and help wash me with the water of the word, and let it be a light unto my path!
In and through the mighty name of Jesus, I petition the throne room of heaven for the gift of discernment and discerning of spirits, by your Holy Spirit, so that my spiritual radar is completely led by you, and not by my carnal mind which is influenced by the world.
Help me to walk in the Spirit, and not in the flesh. To do this, I pray for help in granting me a spirit of humility and obedience in following your instructions to examine myself daily, to see whether I am walking in faith?
Send your holy and consuming fire, to burn anything in me or coming against me, that is operating as a spiritual blind spot! Please give me not only the mind of Christ but allow me your vision Lord; allow me to see others with your eyes, and let your compassion fill my heart, so that I may be obedient to your greatest command. Forgive me if at times I’ve not put You first or loved myself or my neighbors!
Cleanse me from any secret faults and lead me to all truth by the anointing (the supernatural presence) of your Holy Spirit in my life!
By faith I believe this prayer is heard and answered, and I thank you with expectancy to use me as an encourager and a vessel for your glory, in whatever way you have ordained. I thank you that your word says I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and that You knew me from before the foundations of the earth.
Set a watch over my mouth, and a guard over my lips, so that in all things when I speak, people will see your grace and your love, in Me, for your glory alone! Conform me into Your image, from faith to faith and glory to glory!
In Jesus name I pray, amen….
T. Andrew Farley, Northborough, MA (please share this if you feel led, but leave in place all testimony and scriptures as is.)
PS- To anyone who may have made it all this way, and you have been seeking the truth in this convoluted world, but you’re not sure about Jesus, He came as man, but was God in the flesh.
I give personal witness to His ability to change everything, as I had a one on one encounter with Him showing up in a powerful supernatural moment, placing His right hand in mine, and then putting a new (spiritual) heart into me, and changing everything. He personally delivered me from many things.
This life we were born into, is a huge test. It’s so much deeper than a couple eating an apple, but ultimately, we were born into a corrupt system of blindness, because the “knowledge of good and evil” was opened in the lives of our ancestors.
The fallen angel who started it all (Lucifer, or Satan in his pride) and his followers, are in a war that began before life on this earth as we know it. He’s already lost this battle; and his entire delusion of thinking he will prevail, is only second to his mission to take as many of God’s children possible, with him to the pit of hell.
The only way he can do that, is by making us friends of the world, and satisfying the selfish desires of the flesh, which are contrary to the Holy Creator who seeks an intimate relationship with each of His children, and doesn’t want to lose one of them.
Today is the day of salvation, for the time is short and the battle manifesting in darkness upon the earth, is about to come to a climactic conclusion. Don’t be left behind to suffer His wrath, pray that He opens any spiritual blind spots, and gives your eyes to see…
I encourage you to say this simple prayer:
Jesus,
IF you are truly the one and only way to eternal life and to heaven, I want to know that and for you to know me. If there are SPIRITUAL blind spots that have blinded me to the truth, show me that you are real.
If my heart is hardened, change it for me and give me eyes to see and ears to hear. If you do this for me, I will give you my heart and ask for the forgiveness of my sins and confess you as Lord of my life.
Amen
Romans 10: 8-13 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
A link w/scripture about blind spots and related matters:
https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Blindness
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