THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING
THE EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING
“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know the hope to which he has called you, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Eph. 1:15-23)
GOD CREATED YOUR EY ES
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God created your eyes to work like a high tech camera sending pictures to your brain. •
Your amazing eyes started to develop just two weeks after you were conceived. This is one of the reasons why it is so important for a pregnant woman to take care of her own body so that her unborn child can develop properly.
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While a fingerprint has 40 unique characteristics, the iris of your eye has 256. This is why retinal scans are increasingly being used for security purposes. A retinal scanner uses infrared light to map the unique pattern of blood vessels on a person’s retina. This pattern is so intricate that even identical twins do not have the same configuration.
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You blink on average 4,200,000 times a year. The purpose of blinking is to lubricate your eyes. Adults blink around 15-20 times a minute, which researchers say is more than the required amount to keep the eyes moist.
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Your eye is the fastest reacting muscle in your body. It contracts in less than 1/100th of a second. The eye muscles collaboratively carry out a total of seven corresponding movements that allow you to trail moving objects.
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Your eyes contain 7 million cones which help you see color and detail, as well as 100 million cells called rods which help you see better in the dark. In order to work well, cones need more light than rods. Rods cannot perceive color, just black, white and gray. However, they are very sensitive and tell us the shape of something.
GOD CAN CAUSE YOUR EYES TO STOP WORKING
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God created your eyes and can stop them from seeing any time He chooses.
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God struck the men of Sodom with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway (Gen. 19:11)
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God struck the army of the Arameans with blindness according to the word of Elisah (2 Kings 6:18).
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God struck Saul of Tarsus with blindness (Acts 9:8).
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God struck a false prophet by the name of Bar-Jesus with blindness so that he could not see the light of the sun (Acts 13:6-12)
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As we have said, God created your eyes and He can stop them from working any time he pleases.
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Satan also has the power to keep us from seeing. Paul wrote: “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Cor. 4:4)
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Receiving the gospel, of course, opens our eyes: “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:5-6)
JESUS CAN HEAL BLIND PEOPLE
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“As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then He touched their eyes, saying, "It shall be done to you according to your faith." (Matthew 9:27-30)
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Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. (Matthew 11:4-5)
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“Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.” (Matthew 12:22)
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“And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” (Matthew 20:30)
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“And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.” (Matthew 21:14)
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“And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Jesus and implored Him to touch him. (Mark 8:22)
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“Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. (Mark 10:46)
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“And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” (Mark 10:51)
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“And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them.” (Luke 7:22) •
“And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:2-3)
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Jesus can also heal you!
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Paul prayed: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and
what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe.”
JESUS DID NOT USE RITUALS IN HEALING
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The Jewish people had many rituals. In Leviticus 23, for example, the Jews had special rituals for the Passover, First fruits, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, etc.
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When Jesus healed people, however, He avoided rituals. For example, He healed blind people in several different ways.
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On one occasion, for example, Jesus touched the eyes of two blind and healed them (Matt. 9:27- 30).
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On another occasion Jesus spat on a man’s eyes to heal him (Mark 8:23).
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On another occasion Jesus spat on the ground and made mud with his saliva. Then he rubbed this mud on a blind man’s eyes and told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam (John 9:6-7). •
On another occasion Jesus healed a demon possessed man who was both blind and mute. Jesus apparently drove out the demon to heal the man (Matt. 12:22-24).
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On other occasion Jesus merely said: “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you. ‘Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.’” (Lk. 18:42-43) •
On another occasion Jesus healed the servant of a Centurion when He was not even present with the sick man (Luke 7:1-10).
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Jesus is always reliable, but never predictable.
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Jesus has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5).
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Our faith is in Jesus and not in a ritual!
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God is a very present help in time of trouble (Ps. 46:1).
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We need to pray that God will open our eyes so that we may see (2 Kings 6:17).
GOD CAN OPEN EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING TO SPIRITUAL REALITY
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When Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran he stopped at place called Luz. While he was sleeping God gave him a vision of angels ascending and descending on a stairway to heaven. Jacob was so impressed that he called that place Bethel, which means the “House of God” (Gen. 28:10-22)
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When Moses prayed that God would show him his glory the Lord said: “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Ex. 33:20-23)
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An angel stood in the road to oppose Balaam. Balaam didn’t see the angel, however, until the Lord opened his eyes (Nu. 22:31).
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When Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, “Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours —otherwise, it will not.” As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The
chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.” (2 Kings 2:9-12)
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When Elisha was in Dothan he was surrounded by horses and chariots of fire his servant didn’t see them until Elisha prayed: “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)
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When an angel of God stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem Gold opened David’s eyes and he saw the angel that was striking down the people (2 Samuel 24:15-17).
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“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56)
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Paul stressed the importance of focusing on spiritual reality: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what we see is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)
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God can open the eyes of your understanding so “that ye may know the hope to which he has called you, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe.”
THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING
Paul prayed for the “saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” so the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened so they would “know the hope to which he has called you.”
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Hope is essential to our salvation “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Rom. 8:24-25)
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“God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us must be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.” (Heb. 6:18-20) •
Christ in you is the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).
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The endurance of the Thessalonians was inspired by their hope (1 Thess. 1:3).
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In particular they had hope of the resurrection (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
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The glorious appearing of our great God and Savior is a blessed hope for all believers (Tit. 2:13).
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Our hope in the returning Christ helps us to purify ourselves even as Jesus is pure (1 John 3:2- 3).
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Hope is also a source of faith and love (Col. 1:4-5).
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Hope is also a source of spiritual energy. Isaiah wrote: “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Is. 40:31)
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THOSE WHO EXPECT GOD TO HELP THEM FIND A NEW SOURCE OF ENERGY!
THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF HIS INHERITANCE
There are two possible meanings to this promise.
First, we need to see and know the eternal riches that God has prepared for us in heaven. The greatest treasures on earth are insignificant by comparison to the riches God has prepared for us in heaven. While gold is a precious metal on earth, it is so cheap in heaven that they make streets out of it. Jesus said: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21)
Second, we need to see and know that God considers us as His inheritance. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.” (Ps. 33:12) The church is the Bride of Christ and Jesus loves us so much that He died for us. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain, or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Eph. 5:25-27)
In either instance, we need to have the eyes of our understanding opened to know about this inheritance!
HIS INCOMPARABLY GREAT POWER FOR US WHO BELIEVE
“And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
The Bible has a lot to say about “power.”
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“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” (Acts 1:8)
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“With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (Acts 4:33)
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“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8)
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Jesus “Who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead.” (Rom. 1:4)
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Etc.
The power available to us is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and set Him on the right hand of God in the heavenly places!
There is an old parable about some primitive men who found an automobile. They had never seen one before but recognized that it had seats that were very comfortable to sit on. Since it had
wheels they knew it was capable of moving. Everyone wanted to ride in the car so they immediately began forming committees to discover the best way to move it. One committee wanted to devise a harness and pull the car. Another committee thought the harness was not necessary and that the car should be pushed. Then they began to argue whether it was better to push with your hands or with your shoulder. Imagine their surprise when someone discovered that the car had a motor and would move all by itself if they only had someone to drive it.
A similar situation faces many Christians! They try to get the church moving by human effort, when their focus should be on the power of God! We need to have the eyes of our understanding enlightened to see this power!
Please prayerfully consider this prayer of the Apostle Paul: “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14-21)
ASK
If you truly want the eyes of your understanding opened, then ask!
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matt. 7:7-11)