I Can See Clearly Now
2 Corinthians 4:4 (New Living Translation)
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.
4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
Three Scenarios:
I walked out of the opticians office with my new glasses, into a world that I suddenly saw in sharp focus. I could see every blade of grass, every leaf on a tree in unbelievable clarity.
She walked into her first meeting after having had a cataract operation. Someone asked her how she was and she said, “I’ve got new eyes, it’s dazzlingly beautiful. I didn’t know what I wasn’t seeing!”
We'd been on a long walk and she'd shared her belief system based on eastern mysticism. She'd spoken of her belief in reincarnation and karma--the belief that your state in this life is a result of actions in a previous life. I'd contrasted her beliefs with my faith in Christ, explaining that Christianity compels us to reach out to the poor and powerless, whereas the logical outcome of the faith she espoused would be to believe the poor deserved their fate. Later, over lunch, she laughed at me mockingly and looking into her eyes it wasn't my friend I saw. Her face was contorted as she challenged me. "You can't really believe that Jesus came back to life after dying can you?" This friend, well educated as she is, was blind to the paradox of her words. She was willing to believe that we die and come back in an endless cycle, but refused to seriously consider the historical evidence for the death and resurrection of Christ.
My friend didn't just have a different point of view, but was suffering from spiritual blindness. Human logic and reasoning, isn't always what is needed. Sometimes we need the spiritual weapons of prayer and tearing down of the enemy "strongholds" that can be a barrier against the Holy Spirit who leads us into truth. God has given us everything we need for the battle along with instructions.
2 Corinthians 10:4 (Amplified Bible)
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
4For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.
4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
Three Scenarios:
I walked out of the opticians office with my new glasses, into a world that I suddenly saw in sharp focus. I could see every blade of grass, every leaf on a tree in unbelievable clarity.
She walked into her first meeting after having had a cataract operation. Someone asked her how she was and she said, “I’ve got new eyes, it’s dazzlingly beautiful. I didn’t know what I wasn’t seeing!”
We'd been on a long walk and she'd shared her belief system based on eastern mysticism. She'd spoken of her belief in reincarnation and karma--the belief that your state in this life is a result of actions in a previous life. I'd contrasted her beliefs with my faith in Christ, explaining that Christianity compels us to reach out to the poor and powerless, whereas the logical outcome of the faith she espoused would be to believe the poor deserved their fate. Later, over lunch, she laughed at me mockingly and looking into her eyes it wasn't my friend I saw. Her face was contorted as she challenged me. "You can't really believe that Jesus came back to life after dying can you?" This friend, well educated as she is, was blind to the paradox of her words. She was willing to believe that we die and come back in an endless cycle, but refused to seriously consider the historical evidence for the death and resurrection of Christ.
My friend didn't just have a different point of view, but was suffering from spiritual blindness. Human logic and reasoning, isn't always what is needed. Sometimes we need the spiritual weapons of prayer and tearing down of the enemy "strongholds" that can be a barrier against the Holy Spirit who leads us into truth. God has given us everything we need for the battle along with instructions.
2 Corinthians 10:4 (Amplified Bible)
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
4For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,
Comments