A few weeks ago, I taught concerning the lost sense of urgency in several key biblical areas by Christians and the church. In my quiet time as I prayed and sought the Lord for direction on this week’s message, the Holy Spirit brought to mind the word … numb.
We know the meaning of the word numb is simply the loss of feeling or ability to respond. We think, of course, of physical numbness—our hands or feet “go to sleep.” Or we get a “ brain freeze” when we eat or drink something really cold too fast.
The cause of numbness has a very important parallel in the spiritual realm: loss of blood flow.
The word numb does not appear in the Bible, so finding direct verses that speak to this condition may appear difficult. But there are many conditions in the lives of God’s people (Old and New Testament) pointed out by God, His prophets, as well as Jesus, and the Apostles who followed.
Today we are going to investigate three problem areas where numbness has affected our lives as Christians and the church—the body of Christ. This investigation began, as it had to, in my own heart as it must with every Christian.
- Numb toward our own sin.
- Numb toward the sins of the world.
- Numb toward those Jesus commanded us to love and go to.
Numb Toward Our Own Sin
- We become callous toward sin, especially in our own lives.
“For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.‘” Matthew 13: 15
- Apathy – Lazy toward sin in our lives.
“I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; and there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall broken down… I looked on it and received instruction: A LITTLE SLEEP, a LITTLE SLUMBER, a LITTLE FOLDING OF THE HANDS TO REST; so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.” Proverbs 24:30-34
- We pay lip service to God in our worship with no depth of relationship.
“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” Matthew 15:8
- We listen too long to the world and lies of Satan, they dull our hearing toward the Truth.
“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.” Hebrews 5: 11
- We live in fear of standing out as a Christian, we seek middle ground like lukewarm water.
“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16
Numb Toward the Sins of the World
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” Ephesians 5:11-12
Why Christians do not expose sins…
Fear of being called judgmental or attacked by cancel culture
“And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10: 28
Apathy
“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away…how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,” Hebrews 2:1-3
You are among them.
“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” 2 Corinthians 13:5
Numb toward those Jesus commanded us to love and go to. This is in complete defiance of and disobedience to God’s Word – specifically the words of Jesus.
“If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.” Ezekiel 3: 18-19
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works , and glorify your Father who is in heaven . Matthew 5: 16
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28: 19-20
“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5: 18-19
How Do We Cure Spiritual Numbness? The same way we do physical numbness: Bloodflow
Blood flow is the key to restoring the feeling – the blood of Christ coursing through our veins.
Increase blood flow first. Get our hearts pumping vigorously again. Get in the Word of God
Truth is found there and there alone.
Exercise our minds by filling them with prayers of thanksgiving, confession, and petition.
O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63: 1
Increase use of our extremities – the hands and feet of Jesus.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 NIV
Therefore He says: ‘AWAKE, you who sleep, ARISE from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’ See then that you WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:14-16
“…Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:7-10
Finally, numb Christians are tools of Satan used to keep the lost in their place. He does this with the lies and deception Jesus warned about and by rendering impotent those who supposedly have the power of Holy Spirit to war against him AND reach the world with the Gospel of Christ Who alone can save them from their lost and hopeless place.
For Christ’s sake,
