Desperate Worship: The Power of Crying Out
Summary
### Summary
Today, we gather with hearts full of thanksgiving, recognizing that every day is a gift from the Lord. We are in a season of miracles, and I believe that divine interventions are on the horizon to disrupt crises in our lives. Our focus today is on the story of blind Bartimaeus from Mark 10:46-52. This passage teaches us that people who don't understand your struggle will never understand your praise. Bartimaeus, despite being rebuked by the crowd, cried out to Jesus for mercy. His desperation and determination to be heard, even at the risk of being rude, led to his miraculous healing.
Bartimaeus' story reveals the power of suffering in producing determination. Those who have struggled understand the urgency and necessity of crying out to God. Bartimaeus' cry was not just a shout; it was a croak, a desperate plea that came from the depths of his suffering. This kind of raw, unfiltered cry is what captures God's attention. It’s a reminder that our belligerence in worship can be directly connected to our deliverance.
We also explored the idea that polite worship often lacks the fervor needed to break through spiritual barriers. True worship, the kind that makes heaven stop and take notice, often looks rude and disruptive to onlookers. Bartimaeus' insistence, his refusal to be silenced, and his willingness to look foolish were the keys to his healing.
Finally, we discussed the importance of spreading the "rumor" of Jesus. Bartimaeus had never seen Jesus perform miracles; he had only heard about them. Yet, his faith was strong enough to cry out for healing. This challenges us to be vocal about our faith and the miracles we've witnessed, encouraging others to seek Jesus with the same fervor.
### Key Takeaways
1. Desperation in Worship: Bartimaeus' story teaches us that desperation can drive us to cry out to God in ways that polite worship cannot. When we are in desperate need, our cries become raw and unfiltered, capturing God's attention and prompting divine intervention. [13:58]
2. Suffering Produces Determination: Those who have experienced suffering develop a unique determination and resilience. This determination is often what propels us to seek God fervently, knowing that our deliverance is intertwined with our willingness to cry out in our darkest moments. [12:17]
3. The Power of a Rude Worship: True worship that captures God's attention often looks rude and disruptive to others. Bartimaeus' insistence and refusal to be silenced were key to his healing. Our belligerence in worship can be directly connected to our deliverance. [24:08]
4. Spreading the Rumor of Jesus: Bartimaeus had never seen Jesus perform miracles; he had only heard about them. This challenges us to be vocal about our faith and the miracles we've witnessed, encouraging others to seek Jesus with the same fervor. [29:45]
5. Generational Blindness: Bartimaeus' blindness may have been inherited, symbolizing generational struggles. By crying out to Jesus, we can break free from generational curses and see further than any previous generation in our family. [41:56]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[09:13] - Introduction to Bartimaeus
[10:46] - Connection Between Suffering and Silence
[12:17] - Struggles of Successful Parents' Children
[13:58] - Desperation in Worship
[16:04] - The Decibel of Desperation
[17:56] - Urgency vs. Passivity
[19:33] - The Greek Word "Kradzo"
[21:20] - Shouting as Spiritual Warfare
[22:53] - Offending with Worship
[24:08] - Belligerence and Deliverance
[25:25] - Polite Women Never Make History
[26:22] - Cheerleaders for the Losing Team
[27:11] - Worship and Suffering
[29:45] - Learning About Jesus from Rumors
[31:54] - Blindness to Self and Potential
[33:03] - Crying Out in God's Presence
[35:02] - Making God Stop
[36:46] - The Call of Bartimaeus
[38:07] - Overriding Authority in Worship
[39:09] - Disruption Leads to Deliverance
[40:08] - Last Night in the Dark
[41:56] - Breaking Generational Blindness
[43:31] - Prayer for Vision and Strategy
[45:10] - Call to Follow Jesus
[46:34] - Closing Remarks
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Mark 10:46-52
#### Observation Questions
1. What was Bartimaeus' reaction when he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by? ([09:13])
2. How did the crowd respond to Bartimaeus' cries for mercy, and what was his reaction to their response? ([09:13])
3. What did Bartimaeus do with his cloak when Jesus called him, and why is this significant? ([09:13])
4. How did Jesus respond to Bartimaeus' cries, and what was the outcome of their interaction? ([09:13])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does Bartimaeus' persistence in crying out to Jesus, despite being rebuked by the crowd, teach us about the nature of true worship? ([10:46])
2. How does the story of Bartimaeus illustrate the connection between suffering and determination in seeking God? ([12:17])
3. In what ways does Bartimaeus' "rude" worship challenge our conventional understanding of reverence and decorum in worship? ([24:08])
4. How does Bartimaeus' faith, based on what he heard about Jesus rather than what he saw, encourage us to spread the "rumor" of Jesus in our own lives? ([29:45])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt desperate in your worship or prayer. How did that experience affect your relationship with God? ([13:58])
2. Have you ever felt that your suffering has produced a greater determination to seek God? Share an example and how it changed your approach to faith. ([12:17])
3. Think about your current worship practices. Are there ways in which you might be holding back due to fear of judgment or decorum? How can you be more authentic in your worship? ([24:08])
4. Bartimaeus' story shows that sometimes we need to be "rude" in our worship to capture God's attention. What are some practical ways you can be more bold and unfiltered in your worship this week? ([24:08])
5. Consider the "rumors" of Jesus you have heard or witnessed in your life. How can you share these stories with others to encourage their faith? ([29:45])
6. Bartimaeus' blindness may symbolize generational struggles. Are there any generational issues in your family that you feel called to break free from? How can you seek Jesus' help in this area? ([41:56])
7. Reflect on the idea that polite worship often lacks the fervor needed to break through spiritual barriers. How can you balance respect and fervor in your worship to ensure it is both genuine and powerful? ([24:08])
Devotional
Day 1: Desperation in Worship
Desperation in worship is a powerful force that can drive us to cry out to God in ways that polite worship cannot. When we are in desperate need, our cries become raw and unfiltered, capturing God's attention and prompting divine intervention. Bartimaeus' story in Mark 10:46-52 exemplifies this truth. Despite being rebuked by the crowd, Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus for mercy with a desperation that could not be silenced. His determination and willingness to look foolish in the eyes of others were key to his miraculous healing. This teaches us that our desperation in worship can lead to profound encounters with God. [13:58]
Psalm 34:17-18 (ESV): "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."
Reflection: Think of a time when you felt desperate for God's intervention. How did you express that desperation in your worship or prayer? How can you bring that same raw honesty into your worship today?
Day 2: Suffering Produces Determination
Suffering often produces a unique determination and resilience in those who experience it. This determination propels us to seek God fervently, knowing that our deliverance is intertwined with our willingness to cry out in our darkest moments. Bartimaeus' story reveals that his suffering led to a desperate plea for mercy, which ultimately captured Jesus' attention and led to his healing. Those who have struggled understand the urgency and necessity of crying out to God, and this kind of raw, unfiltered cry is what captures God's attention. [12:17]
2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (ESV): "For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again."
Reflection: Reflect on a period of suffering in your life. How did it shape your determination to seek God? How can you use that experience to fuel your current pursuit of Him?
Day 3: The Power of a Rude Worship
True worship that captures God's attention often looks rude and disruptive to others. Bartimaeus' insistence and refusal to be silenced were key to his healing. Our belligerence in worship can be directly connected to our deliverance. Polite worship often lacks the fervor needed to break through spiritual barriers. Bartimaeus' story challenges us to be bold and unashamed in our worship, even if it means looking foolish to onlookers. This kind of worship, driven by desperation and determination, can lead to profound encounters with God. [24:08]
2 Samuel 6:21-22 (ESV): "And David said to Michal, 'It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.'"
Reflection: Consider how you express your worship. Are you holding back due to fear of what others might think? How can you be more bold and unashamed in your worship this week?
Day 4: Spreading the Rumor of Jesus
Bartimaeus had never seen Jesus perform miracles; he had only heard about them. This challenges us to be vocal about our faith and the miracles we've witnessed, encouraging others to seek Jesus with the same fervor. By sharing our testimonies and the stories of Jesus' works, we can inspire others to cry out to Him in their times of need. Bartimaeus' faith was strong enough to cry out for healing based on what he had heard, and this teaches us the importance of spreading the "rumor" of Jesus to build faith in others. [29:45]
Romans 10:14-15 (ESV): "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'"
Reflection: Think of a recent miracle or answered prayer in your life. How can you share this testimony with someone who needs encouragement in their faith today?
Day 5: Breaking Generational Blindness
Bartimaeus' blindness may have been inherited, symbolizing generational struggles. By crying out to Jesus, we can break free from generational curses and see further than any previous generation in our family. This story encourages us to confront and overcome the generational issues that may be holding us back. By seeking Jesus with desperation and determination, we can experience healing and deliverance that not only impacts our lives but also sets a new trajectory for future generations. [41:56]
Ezekiel 18:20 (ESV): "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself."
Reflection: Identify a generational struggle or pattern in your family. How can you cry out to Jesus for healing and deliverance in this area? What steps can you take to break free from this generational issue and set a new path for future generations?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Every day is a day of thanksgiving, and this is the day the Lord has made, we rejoice and we're glad in it, I believe by faith that the day will not end where you are going to experience undeniable, irrefutable evidence that miracles are working on your behalf, we have come into covenant agreement to believe that this is the summer of miracles, amazing things are going to happen, of divine miracles, and of divine intervention to disrupt a crisis in your life." [00:00] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Desperate times calls for desperate measures. And I came to tell somebody that extremism in the pursuit of deliverance does no rules. I heard something from a Palestinian right after the crisis began to ensue between Israel and the Palestinians. And a Palestinian young person said, don't tell me about table manners when you starved me to death. If I've been starving, don't talk to me about how I hold my fork in my knife and where my napkin is. Because once I finally get food, all rules are suspended." [13:58] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Your belligerence is connected to your deliverance. You know you are ready for a new life when you are ready to look like a fool. Your promotion, if God is in it, your promotion is not going to be polite. Your promotion is going to kick over tables. You know you are in line with what God is doing. When people have an issue with your favor. Why are you mad with me over something I didn't ask for? Why do you have a problem over what I prayed as if my answered prayer impacts your life?" [24:08] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Cheerleaders are unnecessary for a team that's winning. Did y'all hear what I just said? Cheerleaders are unnecessary for a team that is winning. They only bring out cheerleaders for the losing team. When I'm winning, I don't even hear the cheerleaders. When I'm winning, here it is, they don't even bring them on the sidelines. The fans will take care of that. I only need cheerleaders when I am losing. That's why David said, I encourage myself Two, four, six, eight. Who do I appreciate? Me." [26:22] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Your scream is going to get your bill paid. Your holler is going to unleash healing to your body. Your crying out is going to stop the crisis in your household. I will bless the Lord at all times. And his praise will continuously be out there. My breath will be out of my mouth. Ladies and gentlemen, I operate in one area. Because I need healing in another. He screamed out of his mouth. Because he needed a miracle in his eyes. It's a misdirect. It's a redirect. He did not need, he did not need an oral surgery. He needed an optometrist intervention." [39:09] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "There is a connection between how long you suffer and how quiet you do it. Nina Simone said something crazy. Here's what Nina Simone said. People will stab you in the back and then get mad when they get blood on their shirt. They're going to blame you for the suffering that they're going tocher to США. They inflicted, suffering, produces determination. Suffering produces determination." [10:46] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "People who suffer have a different level of determination than people who don't know what it is to struggle. Those who know what it is, what it is to struggle, look side eyes at those who come through with a silver spoon in their mouth. That's why the spirit has led us to this passage today. God has brought us here because somebody needs to be reminded of God. God has brought us here because somebody needs to be reminded of the fact that desperate times call for desperate measures." [12:17] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Worship and suffering have a proportional relationship. Worship and suffering are Siamese twins. Worship and suffering, hear this, are soul mates. Worship and suffering, you ain't never heard it on this wise, have a soul tie. Worship and suffering, I need you all to hear this, worship and suffering sleep together. Man, that was too much. You're like, Rev, you don't know this. I'm gone too far. Nothing will make you reach for God like a dark night. Nothing will make you call for God like betrayal. Nothing will make you wonder about God like poverty does. Nothing will make you lift your hands like heartbreak." [28:30] (66 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Perfect people don't know how to pray. It is only when you've been through something that your prayer life is really provoked. Can you imagine this man? Blind his entire life, living in the dark, and he is blessed. Nobody's ever put it this way, but I got to give it to you because you're connected to new birth. He learns about Jesus from a rumor. Bible says he heard Jesus is passing by. He heard Jesus was passing by. Pastor Brian, why are you saying that he learned about Jesus through a rumor? Because blind Bartimaeus never saw Jesus turn water into wine. He never saw Jesus make a lame man walk." [29:45] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "When is the last time you said something about God that would make a rumor go forth? He wanted to find Jesus based off of the rumors he heard about him. Many of you don't even realize you are here with me tonight because your name is not Bartimaeus. But you're blind. You're blind to how people have been using you. You're blind to how you've been manipulated by somebody who used the demonic principle of love. You are blind to yourself. You are blind to your own possibility. You're blind to your own power. You're blind to your own greatness. You are blind. I hate to say it. You're blind to how beautiful you are. You're blind to how intelligent you are. You are blind to how gifted you are." [30:48] (64 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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