## Overcoming Your Circumstance

## Mark 10:46-52

Circumstances can control our lives if we allow them to. Ever tell some one that you are doing alright "under the circumstances"? Get out from under the circumstances! Do not allow them to control you. I have known some dreamers. Oh if this or if that were different, I would.... But nothing is changed, and as a result, nothing is accomplished.

What about us today? Every person here this morning is different. We all have particular circumstances in our lives. All of us have a choice to make as well. We can choose to remain "under the circumstances" and allow our lives to go on being controlled by our circumstance. Or we can choose to overcome them by relying upon God who is greater than all our circumstances.

We have an example in the Scriptures of a man who did not allow his circumstances to control his life. Our text speaks about a very real person who had a very real problem. His name was Barimaeus, and he was blind. He was in every way affected by his circumstances, but he was not content to sit by the roadside for the rest of his life begging. Notice today at what he did to overcome the circumstances of his life. Let us look at his example and learn.

I. He Took Responsibility for His Life. (v.47) - Taking responsibility means:

A. Admitting our weaknesses/shortcomings to ourself.

1. Too often our pride keeps us from admitting to ourself that we have any weakness.

2. We think that we need to appear in control at all times.

3. Bartimaeus "cried out" for help.

a. We are not all blessed with the same gifts or abilitites, but we are to exercise the ones we do have.

b. Although he was blind, he could hear.

c. And he heard that Jesus was near and that Jesus could heal.

4. Our spiritual hearing is very important to us.

a. "Faith cometh by hearing"

b. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith..." Rev. 2:7a

c. We have to admit we have a problem, hear what the Spirit is saying to us about the problem and the solution.

d. Then we are to cry out to the Lord for His help.

B. .Acknowledge our Sin before God.

ROMANS 3:10 10 AS IT IS WRITTEN, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE: (KJV)

ROMANS 3:23 23 FOR ALL HAVE SINNED, AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD; (KJV)

1. The bottom line is that we are all sinners.

2. That is the problem, but God has the solution.

1 TIMOTHY 1:15 15 THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS; OF WHOM I AM CHIEF. (KJV)

3. Now we can ignore the problem, try to cover it up, but it is still there.

4. God's Word tells us that one thing we can be sure of is that our sin will find us out . cf Nu. 32:23

5. The only way to effectively deal with the sin problem is to apply the biblical solution.

6. Come to Christ confessing our need to Him and He will forgive and cleanse.

1 JOHN 1:9 9 IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. (KJV) [4]

C. We don't have to be afraid to ask for help.

JAMES 4:2B "...YE HAVE NOT, BECAUSE YE ASK NOT."

1. Many won't ask for help.

2. Then there are others who ask, but don't really believe it will come.

3. Bartimaeus cried out for help from Jesus.

II. He Believed Jesus Could Make a Difference. v.51b

A. He was blind but he believed he would gain his sight.

1. There are many folks who think that the Bible is a fairy tale, and that God is all make-believe.

2. God is just as real as He has ever been.

3. He is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever

4. Believing requires action on our part, that is called faith.

B. What do you need to believe God for today?

1. He can make a difference in your life.

2. He can make a difference in your marriage.

3. He can make a difference in your family

4. He can make a difference on your job.

III. He Wasn't Concerned About What Others Thought. v48

A. The crowd tried to keep him quiet.

1. The enemy doesn't want us to be joyous or victoriuos over our circumstances.

2. Like the so-called friends of Job, Satan uses people to accuse or discourage us from gaining the victory.

B. But Jesus calls us to come unto Him.

MATTHEW 11:28-30 28 COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. 29 TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN OF ME; FOR I AM MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART: AND YE SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS. 30 FOR MY YOKE IS EASY, AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT. (KJV)

1. What is your burden today?

2. Bring it to Jesus...regardless of what others might think or say.

3. Don't allow others to discourage you from coming to the Lord.

4. I am not talking about religion...I am talking about relationship.

IV. He Didn't Put It Off. v50

A. Casting away his garment.

1. Believing that Jesus was going to make a difference in his life.

2. Believing that he would receive mercy and healing.

3. Believing that he would not need the garments of a blind beggar anymore.

4. He threw them aside and came to Jesus by faith.

B. He didn't hesitate.

1. "He who hesitates is lost" I have heard that ever since the 8th grade.

2. My teacher used all sorts of sayings like that and they have stuck with me.

3. I never truly understood the importance of that saying until I realized it in the spiritual sense.

4. King Agrippa told Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." cf Acts 26:28

5. But almost isn't good enough!

C. Don't put off salvation.

2 CORINTHIANS 6:2B "...BEHOLD, NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME; BEHOLD, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION."

PROVERBS 27:1, " BOAST NOT THYSELF OF TO MORROW; FOR THOU KNOWEST NOT WHAT A DAY MAY BRING FORTH."

1. Come to Jesus today.

2. The Bible says in v52, that as soon as he came to Jesus, "Immediately he received his sight."

3. Come to Jesus and realize that all that we need is provided in Him.

- Blind Bartimaeus took responsibility for his life.
- He believed that Jesus could make a difference.
- He wasn't concerned about what others thought.
- He didn't put it off.

What is your need today?

Salvation? Come to Christ.

Strength? Come to Christ.

Comfort? Come to Christ.

Wisdom? Come to Christ.