GOD IS PASSING BY- WHAT ARE YOU PASSING UP?

John 9:1–7

As Jesus passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. Jesus was not wandering aimlessly; He moved with purpose. His gaze was intentional and fixed on the man. In the same way, God sees us intentionally and calls us to see Him.

God Passes By with Purpose

In the Old Testament, God passed by both Moses and Elijah.

After encountering God in the burning bush, Moses realized that nothing in Egypt could compare to the glory of God. His greatest desire became to know and see the Lord more deeply. He prayed, "Now show me your glory" (Exodus 33:18). God placed Moses in the cleft of a rock and passed by him, declaring His name and glory (Exodus 33:21–23; 34:5–7). God came intentionally for Moses.

Elijah, hiding in a cave out of fear, was told by God, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by". There God met him, spoke to him, and restored him (1 Kings 19:11–18). Both men were in the place where God called them to be when He passed by.

Position Yourself to See God

To encounter God, we must be where He wants us to be. We must cultivate hunger for Him and separate ourselves from the distractions of the world.

Prayer is the mountain we climb to meet God. In His presence, fears lose their power. Moses and Elijah were found in the right place when God passed by. Are we in right place?

Today, many things blind us—comfort, possessions, entertainment, social media, money, and endless distractions. Yet Christ is still looking for us. His eyes are fixed on us even when ours are fixed elsewhere.

Healing Often Comes Through Obedience

Jesus instructed the blind man, "Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam" (John 9:7). The name "Siloam" means "Sent" (John 9:7).

The healing did not happen immediately. The man had to obey first. "So the man went and washed, and came home seeing" (John 9:7).

Many of God's blessings and healings are hidden within simple acts of obedience. Like Naaman, who was healed only after washing seven times in the Jordan River as instructed (2 Kings 5:10–14), the blind man received sight when he did exactly what Jesus said.

When God sends, our responsibility is to obey.

Seeing with Spiritual Eyes

(Matthew 20:29–34)

Two blind men cried out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"

Though physically blind, they could see spiritually. They recognized who Jesus was. Faith comes from hearing the message (Romans 10:17), and their spiritual eyes perceived what many others missed.

The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder. Likewise, there will always be voices that discourage us from pursuing God. The enemy opposes those who desire to know Him deeply.

Our prayer should be:

"Lord, open my eyes to see You. I want to know You not only in heaven, but here on earth." The greatest blessing is not the earthly possessions God gives us—it is intimacy with Him.

Enoch walked faithfully with God and was not found among men. Like an eagle rising above a storm, a believer who walks closely with God rises above circumstances through the power of the Holy Spirit.

What Are We Passing By?

Many of us spend hours scrolling through our phones, searching for satisfaction that never comes. Through the doorway of our eyes, countless distractions enter our hearts.

When we have free time, do we pass by God's Word?

Only Christ can truly satisfy the deepest longings of the soul.

The Disciples and the Storm

(Mark 6:45–51)

Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him while He went up on a mountainside to pray (Mark 6:45–46). They obeyed Him, yet they found themselves struggling against the wind (Mark 6:48).

Obedience does not always remove difficulty.

Jesus saw their struggle and came to them, walking on the lake. Scripture says, "He was about to pass by them" (Mark 6:48).

The disciples still had spiritual blindness that needed to be removed. Through the storm, Jesus wanted to reveal Himself more fully (Mark 6:51–52).

Stepping Out in Faith

(Matthew 14:28–33)

Among all the disciples, only Peter was willing to step out of the boat and walk toward Jesus.

How often does Jesus call us, yet we remain where it is comfortable?

Every step of our lives must depend on Him. His Word sustains us. Challenges, hurts, and disappointments will come, but we must continually bring our eyes back to Jesus.

Peter began to sink when he looked at the wind and waves instead of Christ. When he cried out, Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught him.

We are not called to be overcome by circumstances but to overcome circumstances through Him. When our eyes remain fixed on Christ, faith grows and doubt loses its grip.

The disciples finally worshiped Him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33). This was the revelation Jesus wanted them to receive when he sent them out into a storm.

Moving Toward God's Presence

The Outer Court

This is separation from external distractions.

We lay aside our phones, entertainment, and worldly distractions. There is sacrifice, cleansing, and intentional pursuit.

Spiritual growth requires sacrifice. Jesus Himself often withdrew to lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16).

The Inner Court

This is where God deals with our inner struggles and conflicting thoughts.

We learn to rest, meditate on His Word, and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal what is hidden within us.

God promises, "They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him" (Zechariah 12:10). We first look to Jesus, and then true repentance follows.

Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the darkness of our hearts and produce genuine sorrow for sin (John 16:8). As He exposes what is wrong, He also brings healing and order.

The Holy of Holies

This is the deepest place of intimacy with God.

All distractions are removed. The world fades into the background. It is a place where only God and the believer remain.

Here we discover that not only does He look upon us—but we also have to look upon Him.

"One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple" (Psalm 27:4).