SPIRITUAL DUMBNESS

EPHPHATHA-

 SERIES: DIVINE TOUCH

MESSAGE: TEXT: MARK 7:32-35, ISAIAH 35:6

The best preachers and communicators are those who were once dumb. If the Lord opens their mouths, they will think they cannot preach often enough to make up for mischief they did before. Last time, we saw that spiritual deafness is a terrible thing. Ears need to be opened so that we can live a holy life, avoid satanic deception and be a good soldier of Christ to defend the flocks of Christ from the Nicolaitans and Balaam doctrines-Rev. 2:14-15.

The man who was deaf was also dumb. He was brought to Christ. After touching his tongue, He took up to heaven, sighed and said “Ephphatha” immediately the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was set free and he began to speak plainly. Who else can do such a wonder “He that has the key of David, He that opens and no one can shut and shuts, and no one can open”-Rev. 3:7. No one or nothing can undo the word of Jesus Christ.

He opened his deaf ears and freed his bound tongue. The man could now praise and worship God. Let us learn:-

TYPES OF DUMBNESS.

1. Natural dumbness.

• There are people who can speak for want of natural ability.
• People asked “why is this person dumb?”
• “Is it because his parents sinned? Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest hi him-John 9:3.
• Furthermore God says in Exodus 4:11, “And the Lord said unto him, who hath made man’s mouth or who makes the dumb or deaf or the seeing or the blind, have not I the Lord?”
• The man who lives in sins is dumb, for he is dead-1^st Cor. 2:14 and there is no dumb like a dead man.
• They cannot sing the songs of Zion nor praise God. They don’t know him, so they cannot exalt Him.
• Sin takes control of their tongue, that they cannot acknowledge the creator of the tongue.

2. Dumb who cannot speak spiritually.

• The person that cannot speak to and teach others for lack of grace and knowledge, “His watchmen are ignorant, they are dumb dogs, they cannot bark”-Isaiah 56:10.
• There are preachers who have eloquence to preach about many things, but little or nothing about Jesus Christ. They lack the grace of God-Heb. 12:15; Hosea 4:6; Hebrews 4:16; 2^nd 9:8; Ezekiel 24:27.
• If we are spiritually dumb as children of God, we cannot tell others about Jesus Christ.
• The Lord says “Now therefore go and I will be with your mouth and teach thee what you shall say”-Exodus 4:12; Ezekiel 3:27; 33:4; 1^st Peter 4:11.

3. Dumb who dare not speak.

• These are those who will not speak, though they can speak-Psalm 39:9.
• King David refused to speak because he felt his speaking would do harm-to the kingdom of God.
• Sometimes we dare not speak because we have nothing to say.
• Job could speak but he chose not speak for his trouble was too heavy-Job 2:13.
• There are times, my dear friends that we are obliged to keep the bridle on our tongues, lest we should murmur against God.
• Other times we keep silent so that we may not revenge for the Lord-2^nd 16:9.
• Jesus tells us to put our sword into its scabbard for, “the servant of the Lord must not strive”-2^nd 2:24.
• The chief priests accused Jesus of many things but Jesus answered nothing-Mark 15:3; Matt. 5:11.
• At times we are dumb under great sorrow, but the Bible says in our dumbness we sing praise to God-Isaiah 35:6. At other times the greater grace of God will be poured into our hearts and His praise shall be continually into our hearts and mouths-Psalm 34:1.

4. Dumb by divine ecstasy.

• There are those who are made speechless by divine ecstasy-Daniel 10:15.
• Daniel became dumb, not able to speak a word as is the case of a person in surprise and wonder.
• Zachariah was struck with dumbness when he did not believe-Luke 1:18-20.

5. Dumb that have nothing to say.

• Those that cannot speak in their own cause either through ignorance and infirmity or because of fear of their more potent adversaries-Prov. 31:8.
• We ought to speak about the things we have heard-Heb. 2:10-3.
• When we preach against fornication, adultery or any other sin and then we are found in the same sin by those who we condemned-1^st Peter 4:17; Acts 17:30; Acts 6:2.

SUBMIT TO THE WILL OF GOD AND HE WILL HEAL YOUR DUMBNESS.

• Prophet Jeremiah had to humble himself before God-Jeremiah 1:5.
• God did something wonderful to Jeremiah which changed him forever-Jeremiah 1:6-8.
• God touched Jeremiah’s tongue and put His words in his mouth-Jeremiah 1:9.
• Jesus touched the man’s tongue and he began to speak plainly.
• When we are ready to let God touch our mouth and our tongue, that muteness is healed and an outspoken man or woman of God is born-Isaiah 35:6; Jer. 1:10.

CONCLUSION-Prayer

• Heavenly Father, please touch my mouth so that I can speak your word plainly and become soldier of Christ.
• Heavenly Father, I realize that you have given me power and set me over the nations and over the kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.
• Heavenly Father, kindly allow the tongue of the dumb to sing praises to your name and declare the glory of God in Jesus name-Amen.
• Ephphatha-my tongue and my mouth are now open to tell of your love-Amen.