From Hearing to Seeing

James Weidner III   -   March 12, 2023

Main Text:

Ephesians 3:16-19 (NKJV) 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Introduction:

  • Today I want to minister a message to you on going from only hearing about to seeing Christ.
  • Moving from an intellectual relationship with the Lord to an intimate one.
  • Having an encounter with Christ.
  • To be able to comprehend the greatness of Christ: apprehend, lay hold of, take possession of,

1. We have heard of God’s works.

Habakkuk 3:1-3 (NKJV) 1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on Shigionoth. 2 O LORD, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy. 3 God came from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of His praise.

1.1. Revive the works from of old.

1.2. Ela… we have been reading about some of the revivals in the past.

1.3. Reviving old works i n new ways is God’s mercy is new every morning. 1.4. The Prophet made it a point of prayer to petition God to revive His works. 1.5. It is one thing to hear about the Lord has done or is doing in people’s lives.
1.6. Let us call upon the Lord to revive His works.

2. Lord, open our eyes.

2 Kings 6:17 (NKJV) 17 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.

2.1. Without seeing for yourself fear sets in. 2.2. Elisha walked with opened spiritual eyes.

3. Isaiah and Jeremiah’s response to seeing.

Isa 6:1 & 5

3.1. Isaiah was undone.

Jeremiah 1:6, 9

3.2. Jeremiah despised hi youth and ability to speak.

4. Now my eyes see you.

Job 42:1-6 (ESV)
1 Then Job answered the LORD and said:
2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

4.1. Jobs revelation during His encounter with the Lord, at the end of his suffering journey, says it all.

4.2. God can do all things.
4.3. Stop uttering things we do not understand.
4.4. Now he not only knows from hearing but knows from seeing. 4.5. Smallness and repentance always follows.

5. Set your mind’s eyes.

Colossians 3:1-2 (NKJV) 1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth

5.1. Once we see it changes what we seek.
5.2. When you see Him it changes everything.
5.3. Seeing glory of God can accomplish in seconds what otherwise seemingly takes years.

Conclusion:

  • Set aside more time to wait on the Lord.
  • Time to pray and seek Him in the Word.
  • Slow down and wait upon God.
  • Friday and Saturday 630pm we will be here waiting.
  • Let’s respond, dig out our wells, and drink in the goodness of God.