Only God can open our eyes to see things from His perspective. But once our eyes have been opened it is our responsibility to walk by faith as Moses walked and not run after gain as Balaam did. We have to continually see the Lord before us in order to stay in the way and to finish the race of faith – just like Moses did.

Listen to this sermonThe Man whose eyes God opened
17/09/2005
Andre Pelser

Balaam ( ‘Destroyer of the people’) was hired as a professional prophet by Balaak (‘Empty’) to curse Israel so that they would not be a threat to Moab, but when God opened his eyes to see the people of God the way God saw them he could not help but bless them. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he saw things in a different perspective.

Paul prays an apostolic prayer in Ephesians 1 that the eyes of our understanding might be enlightened that we may know the hope of our calling and the riches of God invested in the saints as well as the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. When we know we are the called-out-ones, the ekklesia (that is what ‘church’ really means) we will begin to see what rich deposits of the life of Christ has been made in the lives of ordinary believers and we will treat each other differently. Once we see what God has done in our lives the power of God will work mightily in us who believe.
Jesus opened the blind eyes because He was anointed to do so. What you are anointed to do comes easily. There is no self-effort involved. It is the anointing that breaks the yoke. The moment someone believes there is a release of the powerful anointing that brings deliverance. In Jesus’ case He was absolutely confident about his anointing. He knew exactly what He was supposed to do. He could say to a blind beggar named Bartimaus: ‘Receive your sight!’ and he would have no doubt that it would happen. Bartimaus received his eye-sight back and immediately began following Jesus in the way. If someone’s spiritual eyes have been opened they would also immediately begin to follow Jesus!
People who refuse to follow Jesus are blind and their spiritual eyes have not yet been opened. Where the law of Moses is preached as the Gospel the veil remains over people’s eyes. Where condemnation is preached people never step into the realm of righteousness. Where sin remains unchecked the god of this world darkens the eyes of people so that they cannot see the glorious light of the Gospel.
It is time that we begin to decree that God will open the eyes of the spiritually blind people again. When they hear the Gospel that they will see the light!
Jesus told a parable of ten virgins: five were wise and five were foolish. The wise ones were endowed with spiritual and practical wisdom ‘sophos’. The foolish ones had the eyes of their understanding shut: ‘mores’ comes from ‘muo’ that means to close or to be shut. We get our word ‘moron’ from that. When the eyes, ears and heart is shut it makes someone a moron.
Therefore we sing songs like, ‘Open my eyes Lord…’ It would be better to have our eyes closed to what the spirit of the world is offering to us all the time through the media and have our eyes open to the wonders of God in his word and by His Holy Spirit. It would be better to be a moron concerning evil and to be wise concerning the things of God. If you continually shut your eyes and ears to the warnings of God in your life you will eventually darken your own heart. If darkness reigns in your life you cannot see what you are doing anymore. You become like the five foolish virgins who missed the return of the bridegroom. They were not ready to meet Him. Irreversible spiritual corruption set in. They became spiritually blind, their minds became dull. Because they did not heed the warning that the bridegroom was coming and refused to prepare for His return, they became rotten and corrupted on the inside. They became like salt that has lost its taste – utterly useless. If salt mixes with soil, oil or petrol it looses its savour. We who are the salt of the earth need to be careful that we do not mix with the things of the world in such a way that we loose our saltiness.

Matthew 5:13
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
The King James Version

1 Corinthians 1:25,26
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
The King James Version

If any man thinks himself to be wise… if your opinion about yourself begins to stretch beyond reality you are deceiving yourself and you are not wise. Let such a person become a fool (‘Moron’) so that he can become wise again. Learn to shut your eyes and ears to your own opinions and the opinions of others so that you can begin to receive godly wisdom again. Correction is not rejection! God’s foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom. Man’s wisdom destroys the earth. God’s wisdom saves souls! We need to be simple concerning evil and wise concerning the goodness of God.

Romans 16:19
19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
The King James Version

Numbers 23:20-24
20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. 21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. 22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. 23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! 24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.
The King James Version

Numbers 24:2-9
2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. 3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: 4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: 5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! 6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. 7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. 8 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. 9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.

The King James Version

Numbers 24:13-19
13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak? 14 And now, behol