Prepare for the reality that some people will not be happy with your success.

When Mr. Blind’s neighbors saw his victory, they questioned and criticized him. Mr. Blind probably expected them to celebrate his miracle but found himself under attack instead.

This part of his story reminds us that we must prepare for the reality that some people will not be happy with our growth or our success. But as the Bible says, ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). With this mindset and this promise, we can rise above any circumstance and win! When the no of opposition shows up, we can respond with the yes of determination.

At this point we have carefully analyzed the circumstances surrounding Mr. Blind’s healing as recorded in John 9. We have considered this man and admired the fact that he never let his condition of blindness define him. He may have been blind, but the profundity of his story goes far beyond the fact that he was a blind man healed by Jesus.

We have come to respect that he still got out of bed and went into the world when he could have curled up and lamented the misfortune of his infirmity. Could you have done that?

When Jesus’ disciples judged him – probing into his background and trying to determine whose sin cause his blindness, he remained unfazed.  When he heard Jesus spitting into the dirt near him, and this spit could have been target at him, he remained undaunted.

Bad could have turned to worse when Mr. Blind who had received no alms, had been talked about and nearly spit on, also had mud smeared over his eyes.  But this story suggests that sometimes there is a miracle in the middle of the mess.

Read the full chapter to learn how to recognize the different devils that can say no in your life and how to counter them.