From Pity to Praise

Doug Sheets does a 5 day a week 15 minute prayer time on YouTube. This was his prayer this morning. I thought it was perfect for this morning. It fits so well for this season we’re in:

We are in a time where every believer needs to function in the ability to to see, do you have spiritual perception.

We are living in changing times and experiencinggreater challenges. But there is good news. We do not have to pierce through the lens of adversity or hard times. We should either grope our way through hardship, rear off the highway of destiny, or even engage in survival mode in these times. Rather, we can stand strong and brave because as spiritual believers, we have God given eyes to see what others cannot.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:18 to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For the things which are not seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. We cannot give up but must continue to be people of action who fix our eyes on the unseen, believing in and having assurance of its existence.

While the measure of adversity, we face today is great, it is also indicative of our incredible opportunity that lies ahead. We can see through the tough stuff and the climate of the day, even though we may be are tired we can trust God has an incredible plan.

We have an advantage and that advantage of spiritual eyesight, which by reason abuse, and the Holy Spirit, we can learn to see through our circumstances into ways which we have never seen before.

Spiritual eyesight gives us an advantage to see the heavenly realm -what unbelievers cannot see. We look at the world with our natural eyes, but with our spiritual eyes, we look at the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 6:12 warns us of the reality of the reality of Spiritual realms. And that spiritual realm also includes fallen angels who oppose God’s purposes.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this words darkness.”

This verse emphasizes the spiritual nature of a believers battle against evil.

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit moved upon the prophets of God, giving them the ability to see in the spirit.

The account of Daniel the prophet explains this well Daniel fasted and prayed for 21 days, seeking understanding of a vision while a spiritual battle rages in the unseen realm. Although he was heard on day one, a demonic entity called the Prince of Persia withstood the angelic messenger for three weeks until the archangel Michael intervened in 2 Samuel 12:16-23.

Under the New Testament covenant, the Holy Spirit is in all God’s people and available by His power, to help us see what we cannot otherwise see and what the unsaved cannot see. Paul explained it to the Corinthians this way.:

“Even if our Good News is veiled, it’s veiled in those who are dying, in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Messiah, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.”

Believers do not live as a spiritually blind do. We want the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ Jesus to shine on us even brighter, illuminating greater knowledge and greater understanding of God’s marvelous plans and purposes. God has a desire to fill our hearts so that we may do exceedingly and abundantly above what we can think or ask. This is walking by faith and not by sight. Faith actually opens our spiritual eyes.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the Word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.” -Hebrews 11:1-3

The amplified Bible explains faith as the “conviction of our reality.” The more we see those unseen things in the spirit the greater the realm of faith in our circumstances will be. Natural eyes only see the surface of things -present realities, the appearance of the things as they are in the world. God has given us our physical eyes that are marvels of creation. They are wonders of the product of wisdom, skill, and creativity., they baffle scientist even today.

But by the power of the Holy Spirit, because of the blood of Jesus and our redemption in Him, God allows us to see what our natural eyes cannot. He allows us to see beyond the surface and into the reality of things as they really are, according to God’s plan, work, and good purposes. The moment we enter into a new relationship with our Creator through Jesus, we experienced a new birth. Like a natural birth it has a process. Gradually God opened our spiritual eyes to see what we could not see before well once we could only constitute surface meaning in the words of stories of the Bible, we are now able to go deep enough to see a greater dimension and fastest of wonder, beauty and the glory of God’s Word.

The Bible is a great history and storybook, but in the spiritual the light illuminates, the Scriptures come alive in a meaningful way. Words, truths, promises, instruction, revelation, nature, and history open up with our spiritual significance with direction and insight. With God supernatural help, we can behold every wonderful thing He has for us.

With spiritual vision, we understand our situations and faith that was once seemingly impossible. It’s an advantage to help us accomplish the smallest and greatest feats despite insurmountable worldly odds.

When John the Baptist saw Jesus for the first time, he had to see Jesus for who He really was, the Son of Man. A casual observers -like one of us, had we been there that day, may have seen Jesus as an unremarkable, plain, dusty, and modest, looking 30 something year old man. Im sure some of them did not notice Him at all. The Bible tells us in the book of Isaiah that nothing in His appearance would have necessarily attached someone to Him. Jesus was born into a humble carpenters, family, and a small farming town of Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth, a town swarmed by the elites of the day as a place of nothing good. Then one day He showed up where John was, at the Jordan River in Northern Israel, an obscure and desolate location in the wilderness. John saw Jesus as the Lamb of God who had taken away the sin of the world. John had eyes to see what the world could not. The Father had opened them when He designated John as the one who would prepare the way for His Son. John would point Jesus out to the world.

Jesus was a savior of the world, and the Holy Spirit His gentleness and power.

In the Bible, the hyssop plant is primarily used for purification and spiritual cleansing, a ritual to apply blood or water to remove ritual impurity.

It was famously used to paint lamb’s blood on the doorpost during the first Passover (Exodus 12:22) and to offer Jesus vinegar on the cross (John 19:29).

Here are key biblical uses and significance:

• Ritual Cleansing: Hyssop as used in ceremonies to purify people from leprosy (Leviticus 14:4-6) and for verification from contact with the dead (Numbers 19:18), often in combination with cedar wood, and scarlet yarn.
• Symbol of Purity: In Psalm 51:7, King David cries, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean,” highlighting its symbolic role and seeking forgiveness and spiritual cleansing.

• Passover (Exodus 12:22): The Israelites use a branch of hyssop as a “paintbrush” to apply the blood of the lamb to their doorposts, signifying protection from the plague of death.

• The Crucifixion (John 19:29): Hyssop is mentioned when the Roman soldiers offer Jesus a sponge dipped in wine vinegar on a stalk of hyssop, which closes the loop on the theme of sacrifice.

The connection between Jesus saying “It is finished” and the hyssop stalk used to offer Him wine in John 19:29-30 is a profound link to the Old Testament. The hyssop branches were used to apply the lamb’s blood to the doorposts to escape death in Exodus 12:22, and identifying Jesus as the final Passover Lamb, whose death “finished” the need for further sacrifice and purchased salvation.

I find it amazing that throughout the Bible the hyssop plant was used intentionally to prove Jesus was in control of His death, fulfilling prophecy, rather than being a helpless victim.

The final act of consuming the wine using a hyssop branch immediately precedes Jesus’s declaration that the mission of salvation and forgiveness for us is finished.

Remember, hyssop as used in biblical rituals as a tool for ceremonial cleansing, purification, and protection.

In every aspect of life, a foundation is crucial. Just like a foundation on a house it has to be stable and stand the test of longevity. The quality of our foundation physically and spiritually determines the stability and success of our endeavors.

Foundational problems are the most challenging issues we can face. When our foundation is corrupt, it affects our entire destiny. A faulty foundation limits our potential and hinders our progress. A healthy foundation, on the other hand, leads to a healthier life and better outcomes.

The concept of foundation includes our birth, family history, and activities of the past. It includes our roots, our parents, grandparents, and even the community we come from. Understanding and addressing these aspects is crucial for building a strong foundation.

Jesus’s parable of the house built on sand or rock in Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:46-49 teaches us that building our lives on Jesus’s teachings (the rock) provides stability againest lives storms, while ignoring them (the sand) leads to ruin. It highlights that hearing God’s Word alone is insufficient, and that obedience is the true foundation.

There are many people who are currently living confused lives not because of their present actions, but because of past mistakes. I believe we cannot work toward a strong foundation until we address our past foundation. Thank God even if we didn’t have a strong foundation in the past God allows us to have a chance of a strong foundation in the future.

We see in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 that, “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez, saying, ‘because I bore Him in sorrow.” Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border! May your hand be with me, and may you keep me from, evil, that I may not cause pain!” God granted Him that which he requested.

These verses show us that even if we have a faulty foundation, it is not the end. We can change and rebuild our foundation if we are determined.

No matter what challenges we face due to a faulty foundation, we can choose to take a different path. We have the power to break free. It’s important to realize that it is not enough to simply wish for deliverance or speak empty words. We must have a clear desire to change and take action to rebuild our foundation.

By tapping into the power of Jesus, we can take action to rebuild our foundation and transform our lives, and break free from the limitations of a faulty foundation.

Having a strong foundation is key to a successful and fulfilling life. It is essential to address any negative influences from our past and align ourselves with God’s principles. By doing so, we can rebuild our foundations and experience the transformative power of Jesus in our lives.

God is asking us to take the step of faith in the face of fear, uncertainty and apprehension. He will give us what we go after. If we settle for “normal” the “same” that’s exactly what we will get. There comes a time when we have to stretch for more, enlarge our capacity and raise the bar of our expectations. God will meet every one of us where we are and go beyond.

God will never force us. He’ll give us what we choose.

There has been days when I’ve seen evidence where I should pull back. I’ve been waiting on the “right time” to test my resolve. But it’s time to press through into what I know God has said.

If we look at Jesus’s time on earth, He always heals people according to their faith. In Matthew 9:29 “Then He touched their eyes, saying according to your faith let it be to you.” In Matthew 9:22 and Mark 5:34, He says, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.”

Jesus often pointed to the recipient’s faith as a means of receiving faith as a means of receiving.

According to your faith, it will be done to you. Push through the fear, see beyond the obstacles, press through the limitations. On the other side is a whole new level of living in which we are being invited to – but only we can make the decision to step forward and take the leap.

Matthew 17:20 Jesus replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain move from here to there, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

It’s time to test our resolve and determination to press through into what we know God has said.

God gives according to faith, acting as a reward to those who earnestly seek Him.

“Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” -Hebrews 11:6