The Eyes of Faith
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· 23 viewsGrace Fellowship in Rusk, Texas Sunday, September 19, 2021 at 10:30 AM
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The Eyes of Faith
The Eyes of Faith
Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”
And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.”
Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice.
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?”
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.”
So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in Dothan.”
Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then 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.
So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria.
So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria!
Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”
But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.”
Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.
What do you see?
What do you see?
Do you see the problem or the potential?
Do you see the obstacle or the opportunity?
Do you see who is against you or who is with you?
Do you see through the eyes of fear or the eyes of faith?
Natural Eyes vs. Spiritual Eyes
Natural Eyes vs. Spiritual Eyes
Natural eyes see things the way they are in the natural.
Spiritual eyes see things the way they are in the Spirit.
The eyes of fear sees what is happening in the natural.
The eyes of faith see what the natural eye cannot see.
So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Lord, open our eyes!
Lord, open our eyes!
Through the New Birth
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Through faith
Faith sees the invisible.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Faith sees the eternal.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Faith sees the impossible as possible with God.
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
Faith confesses things that are not (the promises of God) as though they are.
Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”
And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him,
but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Through prayer
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Response to the Word
Response to the Word
What are the problems, obstacles, and impossibilities that you see?
Put your faith in the invisible God.
Ask God to open your eyes—the eyes of faith—so that you can see the invisible!
Believe that with God all things are possible.
Choose to walk by faith (in God’s Word) and not by sight.