Are your heart-eyes open?
Day Five: Daniel Fast 2013
Beloved of God,
Jesus appeared to the Apostle Paul and commissioned him to "open the eyes" of both the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews, with their rich history of revelation and scripture and the Gentiles with their Greek-Roman philosophy, were all considered blind by Jesus. Here is the story: Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, the Lord replied. “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Acts 26:12-32
The entire world needed their “eyes opened” to see the reality of Christ and His kingdom. Seeing, with the eyes of the heart, would result in the faith necessary for them to turn from darkness and Satan, receive forgiveness, and enjoy becoming sanctified (set apart as a child of God). Paul later describes this supernatural “eye-opening” experience when he wrote this prayer in his letter to the Ephesian church: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Eph. 1:17-23
In our spirit, the core of our being, we have an ability to “see” with “heart-eyes”. These “heart-eyes” of ours must be opened by the Spirit of God through the Word of God. If we want to see the kingdom of God, then we must be born again by the Spirit. Jn. 3:3-5 When our human spirits are transformed by the Holy Spirit, then our "heart-eyes" open, and we can actually see the reality of the King and the Kingdom. Everything changes. We get translated from one realm of reality into the heavenly realm. Eph. 1:3,20; 2:5 From this vantage point, seated with Christ, we can effectively advance God's kingdom on earth in every area of life.
Let us not assume that we are seeing everything clearly. We can see the Person of Jesus and His kingdom with much greater clarity if our "heart-eyes" get more fully opened. So ask Father, through Christ, to give you (and those you are called to serve) the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, and for the eyes of your/their heart to be enlightened. It is one of the most important prayers in the Bible, one that God always answers!
From Presence to Planting,
Tim Johns
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