BELIEVE - Part 1: THE UNWRAPPING

Mark 9:23 “All things are possible to those who believe.”

Many of us can agree with that verse with our minds, but the real question becomes: What do we believe about ourselves?What we believe about ourselves, can determine the ceilings we live under, or it can cause the Lord to resist us, causing us to never reach our God given potential.

Some of us wrestle with pride, others of us struggle with prejudice. And sometimes we swing like a pendulum between the two.

Prejudice was Gideon:He believed he was the least, the weakest, the smallest (Judges 6:15). He saw himself through a broken lens.

Pride was Nebuchadnezzar: A king who believed he was the source of his own greatness (Daniel 4:30).

Whether it is pride or prejudice, the enemy does not care which ditch he gets us into.

Either one renders us ineffective and unfulfilled.

That is why David prayed:“You will make known to me the path of life” (Psalm 16:11).The path of life is the path of right believing.

MARK 10:46–52 - The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus

This story is not just about a blind man receiving sight;it’s about a man who unwrapped himself so he could step into the fullness of what God had for him.

And from Bartimaeus, we learn three powerful lessons of belief.

MARK 10:46–52 NLT

⁴⁶ Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. ⁴⁷ When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁸ “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁹ When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” ⁵⁰ Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.

“My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”

⁵² And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

THREE LESSONS FROM BARTIMAEUS

1. HE KNEW JESUS BY REVELATION, NOT JUST BY REPUTATION

When Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, Son of David,” he used a messianic title.

Blind eyes saw what many religious people could not. He didn’t call Jesus a teacher, prophet, or miracle worker. He called Him Messiah.

This is revelation knowledge, knowledge the Holy Spirit gives.

Supporting Scriptures:

Matthew 16:16–17 — “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father in heaven.”(Peter’s revelation mirrors Bartimaeus’s.)

1 Corinthians 2:10–12 — The Spirit reveals what eye has not seen.

Ephesians 1:17–18 — Paul prays for “the spirit of wisdom and revelation” and “the eyes of the heart being enlightened.”

Jesus, and His finished work on the cross, is simply enough!

2. HE WOULD NOT BE SILENCED OR STOPPED IN HIS PURSUIT OF JESUS

The crowd said, “Be quiet!”But the more they tried to shut him up, the louder he cried out. This is the mark of someone who refuses to let circumstances, people, or shame keep him from Jesus.

Supporting Scriptures:

Hebrews 11:6 - God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Luke 18:1 - Jesus said we should pray and not give up.

Jeremiah 29:13 - “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”

Psalm 34:6 - “This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him.”

Faith that refuses to be silenced always gets Jesus’ attention.

3. HE UNWRAPPED HIMSELF

Before Bartimaeus ever received his sight, he did something prophetic:He threw off his cloak. In that culture, the cloak identified him as a licensed beggar.It was his identity.His label.His past. He threw it off because he believed he would not need it anymore.

Supporting Scriptures:

·       Hebrews 12:1 - “Let us throw off every weight…”

·       Ephesians 4:22–24 - “Put off the old self… put on the new self.”

·       Isaiah 61:3 - God gives “garments of praise” to replace heaviness.

·       2 Corinthians 5:17 - “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”

Bartimaeus unwrapped himself from his old identity so he could walk in his new reality.

Jesus then said:“Go your way; your faith has made you whole.”(KJV - sozo: salvation, wholeness, deliverance.) Bartimaeus didn’t just receive sight. He received complete transformation.

Like Bartimaeus…

·       We need revelation, not just information. We must refuse to be silenced in our pursuit of Jesus. And we must unwrap ourselves from every identity, label, or limitation that keeps us from walking in the fullness of what God has for us.

Because all things are possible to those who believe.