We live in a time and age that shouting is like a curse, especially in the western part of the world, if you talk a little louder, you will be told off, and if you sing out loud then you are crazy, let alone praying out loud, then you’re weird.
I came from the part of the world that speaks loud whether we are angry or excited, we naturally speak loud. Our voices are amplified, we’re shouters. But shouting is very important, and it is very good most of the time if not all of the time. When a baby is born he must cry out, that is the proof he is alive. If he did not cry out, then he is not alive. I remember a long time ago I witnessed a home birth of a neighbour, I was young and naive I did not know what it looks like to have a baby, so back then the whole scenario looked strange. The lady had been in labour for too long, there was no ambulance then and no mobile phone. So don’t ask “why didn’t you call an ambulance”. The lady had been in labour far too long and she was tired, and there was no strength left in her to shout. But to cut the story short, on the final push, the baby eventually came out and after the baby came out not crying nor shouting, we all thought the baby was dead but thank God for an elderly woman that intervened, she took the baby, gave him several slap on the bum and the baby cried out screaming “I am alive I’m here”. “I was only tired and needed the rest” (my thought though). if the baby had not cried out, everyone would have thought he was dead, but he cried out and life came back to him.
“Unhappy people don’t want anyone to be happy around them, they will rather shut you up.“
Bartimaeus in the bible, Mark 10: 46- 52 had been blind and a beggar for so long, but one day he heard Jesus was passing and started shouting “Jesus son of David have mercy on me”. But the disciples and other people that were there shouted him down to keep quiet, “why are you shouting?” “you are a blind man calling Jesus, those of us with eyes are yet to get Jesus’ attention and you a blind man is here shouting. You better keep quiet, sit where you are and let him attend to us that are whole”. Bartimaeus refused to let the world stop him.
Burke Hedges said” for things to get better you have to get better, and for things to change you have to change”
The world wants you to be quiet in your God given dream; they want to kill your dream, if you allow them, they don’t want you to do anything good or go higher in life, the higher you want to go, the lower they want to bring you, unhappy people don’t want anyone to be happy around them, they will rather shut you up. Just like Bartimaeus was asked to stop shouting he refused to let the world stop him from getting his miracle, he must have heard of Jesus for a long time and all that he does. Now Jesus was passing by close to him, he made up his mind just like the woman with the issue of blood that did not allow the crowd to stop her to get her miracle. So also Bartimaeus, the bible says in verse 48: he shouted louder” Son of David have mercy on me. “
If you don’t let the world stop you from shouting, they will later celebrate with you.
The shout got to Jesus, I can’t imagine how loud Bartimaeus shouted amidst the crowd for Jesus to have heard him. In verse 49 “the bible says when Jesus heard him he stopped.” Are you going to be heard today, is Jesus going to stop at your voice?, if you want to be heard by Jesus today you’ve got to shout a little louder, if Bartimaeus had used a posh voice, I doubt if Jesus would have heard him. It means that desperate need requires desperate action. Bartimaeus was desperate to get his miracle, so he shouted louder.
Are you desperate to walk in your high places, to become what God wants you to be, to get that job, to meet your life partner, to pass your exams, for your marriage to work out, you’ve got to do just one thing, shout louder to God in your requests and needs.
The crowd called out to him and said to him cheer up they meant “congratulations”, “favoured” he had heard your shout. If your shout is not loud enough, if your impact is not felt by people around you in the society/ community you will not be celebrated. Bartimeaus is now a star, a celebrity, they called on him “Jesus is calling you, your shout has paid off”, if you don’t let the world stop you from shouting, they will later celebrate with you.
Come out of the crowd and shout, only shouters receive. Whether you shout or not, people will talk, so it’s better you shout and get talked about than keep quiet and receive nothing.
When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was calling him, he jumped up and came to Jesus. One would have thought that once he got to Jesus, Jesus would have seen that he is blind and healed him straightaway, but Jesus did not do that. He asked him,” though I heard you shout but I do not know the reason for the shout, I only heard the shout and I know the person must be desperate to have shouted that way, so what do you want me to do for you?”.
If your shout is not loud enough, if your impact is not felt by people around you in the society / community you will not be celebrated.
The fact you are asking God for a particular thing or praying for some things in your life, you still need to be specific in whatever you are asking about. Don’t think oh, its Jesus, He already knew what I need before I ask. Yes He is God, He knows what we need even before we ask, but he will not impose anything on us, He wants us to ask.
Mathew 7:7-8 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (NLT)
The shouting doesn’t literally mean that you should go about shouting at people or God. The shouting only means determination, desperation, zeal. It could also mean asking, fulfilling God’s purpose for your life, it could be a dream, vision, and not keeping quiet in achieving your desired goal.
Come out of the crowd and shout, only shouters receive. Whether you shout or not, people will talk, so it’s better you shout and get talked about than keep quiet and receive nothing.
Sante Boeve once said “ there are people whose watch stops at a certain hour and remain permanently at that stage.”
The crowd did not shout and therefore received nothing. The haters did not shout, but got a job of a messenger of someone else’s breakthrough. Jesus sent them to call Bartimaeus; those that cannot shout will help shout on others to come get their blessings. So will you shout today? Just shout.
