Ephesians 1:16-19 contains a prayer from Paul for the church in Ephesus, that the eyes of their understanding be opened that they might see the hope of their calling, riches of inheritance, and power of God working for us who believe. Wow! If only we could see these spiritual things that cannot be seen by the physical eye, until they are seen in the spirit, believed, and come to pass because of our faith.
This second aspect of heavenly view is our view of our surroundings and circumstances, for the hope of our calling is in this world, not only in the world beyond, as are also the riches of our inheritance in his glory, and the power of God works for us now, not only later. If we cannot see it and expect it, then we will not be able to experience it.
Hosea 4:6 says that God’s people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge: they do not know God, his promises, or his power standing ready to help us in every aspect of life, and that because they have rejected him, he will reject them. This means when we reject (do not believe) his promises, they most probably won’t come to pass in our lives. Of course God is still able, but there is a big difference in hoping God will decide to do something, and knowing and fulfilling the requirements associated with his promises. This second sets into action certain laws, which when the requirements are met, the thing must come to pass.
Example: John 14:12. In this verse Jesus people who believe will do the same and even greater things as he did. Early in my exploration of the power of God (or lack of, as the case may be) one of my pastors told me the Bible says that but it doesn’t mean it (he doesn’t believe). Another said that those things were for the early church, but not needed today (he doesn’t believe).
As I looked around this wounded and hurting world (including believers) it seemed to me the healing and restoration of Jesus is needed now as much as ever! In short, I saw that they did not believe, so of course those things would not happen for them, because the requirement is for believers. I chose to believe. I went around laying my hands on the sick and praying for them for four years before I saw any result. Now, I see things such as the paralyzed woman get up and walk last week in Temanggung, Central Java. I see people bent over in worry and fear leave meetings with smiles and standing straight, and hear their testimonies the next day, next week, or much later, how the results in their lives changed when they decided to trust and obey.
One such woman was in the same meeting our first Friday evening. I don’t even know what her problems were, I understood something about children, maybe husband who ran off, can’t make ends meet, etc. I only understand a bit of what they say! The next day my interpreter and I were out walking through the street market and there was this woman, selling ‘cookies’ from a small cart (like our hotdog carts?). I didn’t even recognize her, her whole attitude was changed, and she gushed about how things had changed. Business was so much better than ever before. She gave us a sackful of goodies and would not allow us to pay - she was vibrant with joy! A week later when we left, she was still in heaven with her heavenly view which had not only changed her inside, but affected the results of her life in the world around her. She brought two of her children (ages 7 and 9) to church for our final Friday meeting, and they were eager to meet me!
Perhaps my favorite story of how the power of God can changes our environment when we believe and act like we believe comes from the Philippines many years ago. A woman came asking prayer to change her husband, who got drunk several times a week and came home and beat her up, sometimes also beat the kids. She needed a miracle! The miracle she needed was to be able to forgive, and I could physically see when she got the miracle. Her body language and face totally changed. Radiant smile emerged to show a beautiful woman. The woman who had come for prayer was plain if not ugly, but the smile made her stunningly beautiful! She stopped me in the street a couple of weeks later excitedly proclaiming that her husband had changed! He no longer was drinking, had become a good family man.
Operating from a Heavenly View will actually
change the result in our lives!
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