Now think of the all the unseen things beyond the physical realm. The psyche of people, the deep wounds, and fuming anger. Now think on another dimension. Think of all the supernatural activity. The angels, the demons, and the Holy Spirit at work all over the world. All unseen.
There is a little story in II Kings 6 that grabs my attention. Here is the backdrop. The king of Syria makes secret plans to raid and attack Israel. The only problem is the prophet Elisha keeps warning the King of Israel of all Syria's plans. The king of Syria gets enraged. He thinks someone in his cabinet is leading classified military secrets. When he asked who was betraying him here is the response.
2 Kings 6:12 (ESV)
12 And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”
How did Elisha know what the king planned?
When I got saved I was rightfully taught God spoke to His people through the scriptures. I have made reading, studying, and meditating on the scriptures a habit for three decades. I cannot even count the numerous times God has spoken to me, counseled me, comforted me, and guided my steps through His word.
How did Elisha know what the king of Syria planned? He could have studies the Torah backward and forward and the law of God would not have helped him to know what the Syrian king planned in his inner chamber. So how did Elisha know this vital information? How did Elisha hear?
God is a communicating God. From Genesis to Revelation God communicated with His people. He still does. So how did He communicate with Elisha? There is no way Elisha came up with those secret military plans on His own. God revealed them through His Spirit. It is my firm conviction He still does the same today.
He still communicates through His word. I cannot over emphasize the importance of that truth. I have poured over the pages of scripture believing God still speaks through the Bible. That was instilled in me after I got saved. Is that the only way God speaks?
There are many who say it is. They are not open to God speaking outside the pages of scripture. They have heard of extreme, bizarre, and outlandish things people testify the Holy Spirit spoke to them. These extremes turn people off. They say the age of miracles ended with the apostles and God no longer communicates with His people except through the word of God.
I d not accept that. I never have. I still believe God speaks through the Holy Spirit. If we have whole groups of denominations who no longer believe this or teach this are we missing out? Are we missing out on vital things God wants to communicate outside the Bible.
I AM NOT SAYING GOD SPEAKING THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A SUBSTITUTE FOR READING AND STUDYING THE BIBE. I know to write that God speaks through the Holy Spirit labels me to some. They will classify as charismatic, a holy roller, a pew jumper, and out of the mainstream.
At this point in my life I don't care what label you put on me. I have read through my every page of my Bible. Over and over again I have circled such phrases as God spoke, God said, and the word of the Lord came and the Holy Spirit said.
Some wil immediately argue that is all Old Testament. Things changed in the New Testament.. They did change. In the New Testament they had the Old Testament to study and read as the word of God. In Acts God sent the Holy Spirit. All through Acts God communicated through the Holy Spirit. Then after Acts scholars say it all changed again. After that many believe God only spoke through the Bible once the full cannon of scripture was completed.
No Old Testament scripture or New Testament scripture study would ever reveal the information Elisha received. And I have read enough biographies to know God spoke to others after the book of Acts through His word as well through the Holy Spirit.
I can testify of a number of times the Holy Spirit prompted me to call someone, make a visit, text, or changed a message right in the middle of the service I had not planned or prepared to preach. We treat the Holy Spirit like He is not even really part of the Trinity.
Some overemphasize the Holy Spirit. Others quench and grieve the Holy Spirit continually. My point is no amount of Bible study could have revealed what was revealed to Elisha.
The story does not end there. The Syrian king wanted Elisha captured. He sent a great army to surround Dothan where Elisha stayed. The next morning when Elisha's servant saw the army he asked, "What are we going to do?"
Read what Elisha said and what he prayed.
2 Kings 6:16-17 (ESV)
16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
How did Elisha know the Syrian army was surrounded by an unseen army? How did he see what his servant could not see? Just like God can speak through the Holy Spirit God can also allow us to see unseen things through His Spirit.
Again Elisha could have studied the law over and over again and not seen that army of fire sent to protect him. God revealed that to Him supernaturally.
AGAIN I AM NOT DISCREDITING GOD REVEALING AND SHOWING TRUTH THROUGH HIS SCRIPTURE. Any time God has moved Brenda and I in ministry He used His word to direct us each time. I lean on the scriptures.
I also cannot deny God has opened my eyes to other things outside the scriptures. Mainly the all the dreams relating to Kermit. Why do people consider that so strange? He spoke to Joseph in dreams and allowed him to interpret other people's dreams in Genesis. He did the same with Jacob in Genesis. He used dreams with Daniel, Joseph, Jesus's earthly father, Ananias in Acts 9, Peter in Acts 10, Paul in Acts 16:9 and John in the whole book of Revelation.
Again I know many mainstream Christian denominations who do not believe this. I have been accused of my dreams being deception by demons. People will think what they will think.
If God could open your spiritual eyes to see the real truth of situations you cannot see in the physical realm, He could comfort, strengthen your faith, produce vision, and offer direction.
What if we could walk so close to God that He used His word in our lives to show us things? What if He also spoke to show things in the spiritual realm opening our eyes to see things from His perspective. So my prayer in recent days has been two fold. Lord, please open my ears to hear and open my eyes to see.
There are things we will never be able to see except through the eyes of faith. An obscure lady prayed God would send D.L. Moody to preach in her home town in England though Moody lived in the United States. She prayed this through the eyes of faith. Eventually Moody did come to England. Another lady prayed God would send Duncan Campbell to preach on her island. Eventually God sent Campbell there. John Hyde prayed for multiple conversions each day while laboring on the mission field and God answered His prayers. Evan Roberts prayed through faith trusting for a great national revival in Wales. God answered those prayers in 1905. He often reported God giving him dreams and visions during that national awakening. God birthed a vision in Hudson Taylor to take the gospel to China and in George Mueller to house and feed orphans.
Throughout history God produced vision in people's heart and they prayed for those things to become reality. If we are never open to receiving such things from the Spirit of God He will use others. Other people, other churches, and even other denominations. My prayer is that He will open our ears to hear and open our eyes to see.
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