How do I obtain good spiritual vision?

2 Kings 6:17Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

Proverbs 3:5-6Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

2 Corinthians 3:14The people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.

It seems ironic that for many of us the only way to see better is to cover our eyes with framed glass lenses. With spiritual vision, we need the lenses of faith—the ability to believe that there is much more happening than we can see. When we face difficulties that seem insurmountable, we need to remember that spiritual armies are fighting for our souls. We must open our spiritual eyes to view God’s power. This involves consistent acknowledgment of God even before we see him and even when we cannot see him at work. When we don’t seek God in all we do, it is unlikely that we will have the vision to find him.

Acts 13:2-3One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.

Vision comes from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Worship and attentiveness to God’s voice does not force God to speak louder but prepares us to listen better. As we learn to be more sensitive to the nudges of the Holy Spirit and respond in faith, our vision will become clearer.

1 John 5:14-15We are confident that he [Jesus] hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Prayer is an essential means for developing spiritual vision because it connects us to God who sees everything. Before God does something with our prayers, he wants to do something inside us.

Psalm 119:18Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.

Isaiah 55:8-11“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

God’s word is one of the greatest sources for vision and inspiration, for it encourages us to recognize not only the greatness of all God sees but also the limitations of what we can see.

Psalm 17:15Because I am righteous, I will see you. When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Matthew 5:8“God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.”

Romans 12:1-2So, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Purity of heart and mind enables us to have a stronger spiritual vision because there is less to cloud our spiritual eyesight. A wholehearted commitment to God and thinking clarified and oriented around God’s thoughts will always improve our spiritual insight.

Deuteronomy 29:29“The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.”

Proverbs 20:24The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?

Jeremiah 33:3Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.

James 1:5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

Seeing life through our limited human vision can bring confusion and frustration. We need to develop the humility of not insisting that God tell us everything he knows. We must keep asking God to help us view life from his perspective. He does not resent our asking; in fact, he longs to grant our requests.

Ecclesiastes 1:8Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

Living in a state of constant weariness can blur our vision and purpose. It is hard to look ahead when we feel like we can’t go on. Growing in faith and vision includes a healthy awareness of our limitations and increasing trust that God knows more and knows best.

How do I obtain good spiritual vision? - Vision - TouchPoints