That the Eyes of Your Heart may be Enlightened

Ephesians 1:18-23 “ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will 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 surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

As our Small Group Home Bible Study finishes up with the last lesson in the examination into “Spiritual Warfare and overcoming the Enemy”, we learned that as important as it is to be aware of the devil’s battle tactics, the most vital truth to remember is that in the end, we win! Revelation 20:10 “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Or more accurately, Christ has already won, and we get to live in His victory. 

1 Corinthians 15:53-57 “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen, “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”  “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

But do we see with an inner awareness by the Spirit, understand and live in Christ’s victory, in a personal relationship, in the presence of Almighty God? It was the Lord Jesus Himself that explained in John 3:3 “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” And what’s to see and know is the hope, with certainty, of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (those who have received “Salvation”), and what is the surpassing greatness of His power towards us who believe. Don’t miss the “eternal perspective”; the assurance of eternal life guaranteed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Life cannot be seen; only the “vital signs” show that life exists. In the same way, spiritual life can only be perceptible by the manifestation (the signs) of the Spirit of God; not works, but “life”. The word “devil” (the father of lies – John 8:44) literally means “deceiver” and he always tries to sow a seed of “doubt” about the power and faithfulness of God, and attempts to make His Holy Word ineffective. Instead of “blessed assurance” of the King and His kingdom, Satan offers distractions and disillusions that ultimately derail us in Sin. But with the eyes of our heart enlighten and our focus fixed upon our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we see the “working of the strength of God’s might which He brought about in Christ, when He  raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Let us see, recognize, understand and know with certainty that through our salvation, our Heavenly Father has put all things in subjection under Jesus’ feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” The enemy is dangerous, but Christ is victorious. May we live out that truth daily.

In Christ, Brian