Thursday, November 21, 2013

Seeing Beyond Our Natural Circumstances


Where there is no vision, the people perish. 
Proverbs 29:18




The scripture states in Proverbs 29:18, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." The vision to which this verse refers applies to all aspects of our life as well as our spiritual purpose.

Spiritual vision provides direction. It provides focus, challenge and structure for life. Without it, people become spiritually dead. Developing spiritual vision is the process of recognizing the purpose for which we have been brought into the Kingdom of God.

Why is spiritual vision necessary? Why do people perish without it?

The answer is found in one of many Biblical examples of spiritual vision. The account of the Prophet Elisha and his servant, in 2 Kings 6:15-17 is an excellent example of the effects of spiritual vision.

God's people, Israel, were surrounded by the enemy nation of Syria. There were many soldiers, horses, and chariots of war. When Elisha's servant, saw the great force of the enemy he was afraid. He cried out to Elisha, "What shall we do?" Elisha told him:

Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.   2 Kings 6:16

Then Elisha prayed that God would open his servant's eyes and allow him to see in the spirit world. The request was granted, and the servant saw the spiritual forces of God surrounding Israel.

In this example, God actually let the servant see the spiritual vision with his natural eyes. But the important point is that without spiritual vision the people of God cannot see beyond the natural circumstances of life.

Like the servant, we are defeated by the powers of the enemy and negative influences which we see at work in the natural world around us. Our vision is focused on our problems and our life becomes a cycle of crying out, "What shall we do?" Without spiritual vision, we cannot see and understand the divine plan of God.

Before we are born again we are blinded by sin. 

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  2 Corinthians 4:4

Through salvation by the blood of Jesus our spiritual eyes are opened. It is at this point that God wants to develop our spiritual vision.

This process is a spiritual parallel of an actual incident in the ministry of Jesus:

And He cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto Him, and besought Him to touch him.  And He took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when He had spit on his eyes, and put His hands upon him, He asked him if he saw ought.  And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that He put His hands again upon his eyes and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.   Mark 8:22-25

This miracle was an actual physical healing performed by Jesus during His earthly ministry.

Why didn't the first touch of Jesus heal the man completely? Didn't Jesus have all power? Wasn't He the Son of the living God? Yes and yes to both questions, but, Jesus was providing a natural example of a spiritual truth. Jesus wants to touch us spiritually just as He did in this natural healing. First He wants to clear up the basic blindness of sin in our life. Then He wants to develop your spiritual vision; both through the truth of the word of God.

Spiritual vision involves seeing beyond the natural world into the spiritual world. It is understanding the divine purpose of God and recognizing our part in His plan.

Believers who are spiritually "perishing" are in one of the following categories:

Ø  They do not have spiritual vision.

Ø   They have received a spiritual vision but have been disobedient to it.

Ø   They have a vision, but do not know how to fulfill it. They have tried and 
        were not successful.  

Spiritual vision provides a clear image of what God wants us to do and then directs every step of our Christian life towards achieving that goal.

Apostle Paul had spiritual vision. He said:

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:  Acts 26:19

The heavenly [spiritual] vision became the compelling force in Apostle Paul's life. He recognized that having a vision is not enough. Action must be taken to achieve the vision.

A vision can remain "visionary.” This means it never becomes a reality because we never act on it. When God gives a vision He also provides spiritual and practical strategies for fulfilling it.

When God gave Apostle Paul a spiritual vision, He gave him specific things to do to fulfill the vision.

But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.  Acts 26:16-18

God gave Apostle Paul spiritual vision for the purpose of making him a minister and a witness.

His ministry was to be to a special group of people, the Gentiles. The term Gentiles refers to everyone who is not a Jew, so it really means all the other nations of the world.

God gave Apostle Paul objectives [a plan] to achieve the vision. Apostle Paul was to:

Ø  Open their spiritual eyes from darkness to light.
Ø  Turn them from the power of Satan to God.
Ø  Lead them to forgiveness of sins.
Ø Reveal their spiritual inheritance made possible by faith.

God does not save us just to sit and glory in our salvation.  He always gives an assignment.  In the account of the demented man in the tombs (Luke 8:26-39), after Jesus delivered him, the man was so thankful he wanted to follow Jesus but Jesus gave him an assignment!  

Are you allowing God to open your spiritual eyes?  Are you following the instructions that He has given you to accomplish the vision?










(Biblical Studies)



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