FAITH CAPSULE: Multitude is the agent of discouragement, denial and delay.

Mark 10:46-52

The challenges that are keeping you down also want to keep you quiet. When you remain quiet where there is a need to cry out for help, stagnation will become your identity. Blind Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus was an example of not to be quiet where there is a need to call out loud. Blind Bartimaeus was at the right location to receive his sight when multitude attempted to keep him quiet. Bartimaeus was at the juncture where Jesus was passing by, but a great multitude was also in place. Multitude is the agent of discouragement, denial and delay. Bartimaeus refused to be quiet, “When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.” (Mark 10:47)The crying out of Blind Bartimaeus was an example of what persistency can do against every agent of the wicked, which is set to destroy and deny breakthrough. The more he cried out, the more the attempt was made to get him quiet. In life, there are times of need that calls for us to be quiet in waiting for God to move. Also, there are times of need that calls for us to cry out loud to God. When a believer remains quiet at the time for a need to cry out, the multitude will take such believer for a ride and deny breakthrough in the life of believer. Bartimaeus must have been very loud. The noise of Bartimaeus made Jesus to stand still and commanded him to be called up by Jesus (Mark 11:49). The multitude that was out to keep him quiet was the same multitude that eventually called the blind man out for Jesus. The multitude did not just call on him; they recognized what was about to take place by calling him and saying, “…be of good cheer. Rise He is calling you.” (Mark: 10:49)Have you been exposed to any agent of delay that is attempting to keep you quiet where there is a need to cry out? What you can do is to ignore the multitude and keep on crying out to Jesus. Crying out to Jesus will give you a good cheer. Just like Bartimaeus, calling unto Jesus will cause you to rise above every blind challenges and every force that is in place to keep you grounded. When his crying out could not be dismissed by the multitude, his garment of blindness was thrown away and he rose and went to Jesus. It is never too late to cry out and have the garment of shame, the mark of stagnation, give up in your life. When Jesus hears your cry, you will rise and move out of shame and stagnation.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace not to be quiet where you need to be loud.