Blindness & Our Need for Eyes to See

Hello friends & beloved children of the King!!!  

My amazing church does a monthly event called Night of Worship (NOW).  It's pretty much exactly what it sounds like it might be: a night where all we do is worship!  It's always a powerful evening and I wholeheartedly believe it is a powerful tool is our corporate arsenal.  

Recently, before NOW, our Worship Pastor asked the team what we were praying about for that night and for the weekend services ahead...  God showed up as I started asking Him where He wanted me praying, and below is a revised version of what I sent back.  There is a powerful message here about spiritual blindness, the schemes of the enemy and God's desire for our victory.  I hope it blesses you.  Enjoy!

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As I started seeking, the story of Elisha & his servant from 2 Kings 6 came to mind right away... the one where Elisha's servant freaks out because they're surrounded, and Elisha tells him not to fear b/c there are more with them than against them.  The part that jumped to mind specifically was where Elisha prays that the servant's eyes would be opened, so he would be able to really see the entire reality.  The idea of opening eyes - opening the eyes of the people of the church, the people of OUR church so that they are equipped and empowered to SEE what's going on around each and all of us in the spiritual realm is what God wants me praying.  Some people, I felt, needed to see that they were under attack.  Some people need to know that they're being pursued by the enemy's forces so that they can respond as warriors, empowered in the truth of victory.  Some people need to see that, in the midst of the battleground they see, they are surrounded by mighty, powerful, warring angels of God.  It's not just that God is with us in this vague, pat-on-the-back kind of way.  Some need a new vision of His ARMY with them.  Yep, this is what He put on my heart... 

Reading this story in its context, I was amazed to see how rich this idea of spiritual sight & blindness is in this passage!  God had more to talk to me about!  After Elisha prays for his servant to receive spiritual sight, he also prays for his physical enemies to be blinded.  He then tells them a simple lie: you're not where you think you are, and the person in front of you isn't who you think he is.  They, of course, in their blindness, just go along with him as he says he'll take them down the right path.  The language, actually, is that he LEADS them.  He leads them to the place HE wants them to go... their original plans and preparation are completely invalidated.  Their hopes & mission are completely cut off at the knees.  They're taken off course, and more than that, they are brought into a place of captivity.  

(There's a whole separate message in what happens after that, but one thing at a time!)  

I think the Lord's message for us includes BOTH of these pieces of the passage.  When the man of God can't SEE reality (because you know the warring angels are definitely part of the REAL picture), he fears.  And when those engaged in the battle can't see, when they are rendered blind, they are led astray; they're led away from the goal at which they had actually already arrived, and they allow themselves to be led into a place of captivity, bondage & powerlessness.  

We need sight.  Not just "insight," but vision for the people of God's church, vision for ourselves, and actually, as this is entirely germane to some things in my own life right now, I'm praying hard for vision for some of those closest to me!  We need to see the world with open eyes, whole vision and through eyes of faith.  We must believe in ALL the reality around us: God's power, His purposes, the warring angels with which He surrounds us, and the already-finished defeat of ALL that comes against us as His people.  

I was and still am praying for vision and standing firm against the areas of blindness by which we are needlessly bound.  I'm praying for revelation of the kingdom - present & future - the way GOD sees it.  I'm praying for Holy Spirit goggles.  Through truth comes empowerment, excitement, freedom and joy.  I'm praying for that.  As conquerors standing under the blood of Jesus, we have every right and reason to pray and trust in absolute victory and freedom.

What does God want you praying for today?  Where do you need a fresh revelation and eyes to see?  Ask Him.  He is with you!  And He is faithful!  I'm thanking Him today for your victory!