By Felix Onyango

"A blind man's world is bounded by the limits of his touch; an ignorant man's world by the limits of his knowledge; a great man's world by the limits of his vision." Paul Harvey.

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, vision "is the power of seeing or foresight and wisdom in planning; it is a dream or trance-like state often associated with religious experience; it is a thing seen vividly in the imagination."

The Webster Dictionary defines it as "the ability to perceive something not actually visible, as through acuteness or keen foresight."

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines vision as "Unusual competence in discernment or perception; it is intelligent foresight or the mystical experience of seeing as if with the eyes of the supernatural or a supernatural being."

No man knows the things of God except His Spirit and thus the things of God can only be understood, perceived or discerned by a kind of sight unknown to the natural man;” for what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?”  Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now, we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given us by God." (1 Corinthians 2: 11, 12).

If I may borrow the words of the above definition, vision is "seeing as if with the eyes of the supernatural." God has not given us the spirit of the world but His own Spirit to grant us knowledge of the things He has freely given us. Even as it is contained in scriptures, "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." (1 John 5: 20).

The Bible says in Galatians 4:6, "Since you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying, "Abba, Father." It is that Spirit of adoption who searches the deep things of God and gives us the understanding to know Him that is true, even the Lord. Without the help of the Spirit, it is impossible to know God.

Spiritual vision or revelation is more than just a mental appreciation of the truth that leaves the heart unaffected, rather the insight of truth granting the kind of knowledge that exalts a saint to partake in the life of Christ, who is the word of God. Unto His saints has God given exceedingly great and precious promises, that by them they may be partakers of His divine nature. (See II Peter 1:4). Without spiritual insight, it is impossible to look intently into that precious promise or perfection to which we have been called.

Consequently, though we have such immeasurable treasure and potential, we are yet consigned to the captivity of misery because of lack of knowledge! Thus, it is clear that it is not possible to have insight or revelation of the things of God except by His Spirit. Although all saints have been called to obtain the eternal glory of God, just a mental appreciation of the same does not birth a yearning or a stirring up to lay hold of that destiny. In fact, such kind of sight only "kills" one; for he somehow sees the perfection to which he has been called and for which provision has been made, but that sight does not stir up his soul en route the place where he can lay hold of that destiny.

Felix Onyango is a practicing real estate appraiser and founding director of Dominion Valuers Limited; a real estate consultancy firm based in Nairobi, Kenya. This article is an excerpt from his book,” Anointed For God's Purpose", ISBN 9966790217. He owns all rights to the book. www.felixonyango.com

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Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS.

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