God warns us to not let our hearts become hardened and to pray for clarity and wisdom in this world so we do not become spiritually blind. Click here to read what the Bible says about spiritual blindness, hardened hearts, and the last days.
What is Spiritual Blindness?
Being spiritually blind means a person cannot see God or His works. A spiritually blind person cannot see the truth, or godly wisdom but believes in foolishness. They live a worldly life full of selfishness and sin because they have been deceived by the devil and are blindly following him.
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. - 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. - 1 John 2:11
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:18
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. - Psalm 14:1
What is a Hardened Heart?
Having a hardened heart means that when a person sins they do not repent but continue to sin and live a life that is against God and His Word. You cannot be a child of God and continue to live in sin. Yes, we all sin even if we are saved, but if we are truly saved we repent and feel intense grief over our sin against God. Grieving over the consequences of sin or our punishment is not repentance, true repentance grieves over the separation sin puts between us and God, the hurt sin causes Jesus Christ, and the damage and destruction it does to others. If we do not feel grieved over our sin and how it separates us from our Father, then the Spirit of God is not in us and we are not a child of God.
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. - Ephesians 4:17-19
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings. - Jeremiah 17:9-10
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. - Hebrews 4:12-13
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. - 1 John 3:9
How can we have spiritual wisdom? How can we keep our hearts from hardening?
1. Pray to God for spiritual wisdom, eyes that see His Word and truth, and for our hearts to not become hard but be touched by His hand and molded into the person He has designed us to be.
But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. - 1 Corinthians 2:9-14
A Prayer of Repentance. Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,And sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise. - Psalm 51:1-17
2. Read and meditate on God's Word and walk in obedience with Him.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. - Ephesians 5:8-10
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to Your word. I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands. I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. Praise be to You, Lord; teach me Your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from Your mouth. I rejoice in following Your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on Your precepts and consider Your ways. I delight in Your decrees; I will not neglect Your word. - Psalm 119:9-16
3. Seek God's Will and live a godly life, praising God through all seasons, and encourage one another to be a unity of believers, uplifting, instructing, and correcting each other daily.
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. - Ephesians 5:15-21
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” - Hebrews 3:12-15
In the end times spiritual blindness and hardened hearts will be the "norm". People will reject God and His Word and live in the world, following the devil and his schemes. People will turn to ungodliness and lies. In the end times, right is wrong and wrong is right, people will believe unimaginable wickedness and go astray. This is the day and time we are living in now. It is unbelievable how quickly the sins and evilness in this world have progressed. What use to be unlawful, wicked, and insane is now lawful, and accepted. Where morals and guidelines existed, now immoral behavior resides.
Even though we clearly see the decay and destruction this is causing, we have to remember that Jesus told us this would happen in the end times. He told us that we need to guard ourselves and prepare. God has given us clear instructions, and tools to use to battle not humans, but the spiritual world where the devil and evil spirits are raging war against humanity and Christians. God warned us that the devil wants to destroy the church and families. What have we done to prepare? What have we done to put up barriers and guards? What have we done to instruct and teach the younger generations? It is extremely vital to be watchful of spiritual blindness in our own lives, to use the armor of God and seek His help daily, and to pray for others' eyes to be opened that they repent and come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Click here to learn how to fight the spiritual battle.
A great reminder of the importance of remaining sober and vigilant in these most trying of times. Well said......
Great post....and, so regret that so much of it is true in the last two paragraphs...