Introduction
Spiritual Realities
Spiritual Perception Restored In Christ Jesus:
Understanding our connection with God through Jesus Christ restores our ability to perceive the spiritual realm. The main reason Jesus redeemed us was to remove the barrier between the natural and spiritual worlds so that we could once again commune with God, who is Spirit.
“For this is why the good news (the Gospel) was preached [in their lifetime] even to the dead, that though judged in fleshly bodies as men are, they might live in the spirit as God does.” (1Pet 4:6 AMP)
Peter explained that the good news of Jesus is preached so that people can live spiritually like God does. This is crucial for fully experiencing the benefits of our redemption. God desires worshippers who engage with Him in spirit and truth.
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”” (John 4:24 NKJV)
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal 5:25)
If we don't grasp this truth, we risk repeating the mistake of Adam and Eve in the garden by trying to cover our spiritual nakedness with our own efforts. This is what worldly religion does—it relies on human effort instead of accepting God's grace through Jesus.
Paul warned the Galatian church against departing from spiritual truth and trying to be spiritual through their own actions. He reminded them that they received the Spirit not by obeying laws but by believing in Jesus.
“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal 3:1-3 NKJV)
As we live and walk in the spiritual realm, the natural world falls into place. Spiritual actions naturally flow from a life lived in fellowship with God. We are to cooperate with God's work in us through prayer.
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Phil 2:12-13)
Our true home is in the spiritual realm as spiritual beings. Trying to live out our Christian life in any other way only leads to confusion and frustration. The Spirit gives life, and Jesus' teachings are spiritually empowering.
Spiritual blindness happens when people can't see or understand the spiritual side of life because they are separated from God. This separation began when humans disobeyed God, and it made them blind to the spiritual truths. Instead, they became more focused on the physical world around them. For example, Adam and Eve, after disobeying God, became aware of their nakedness and tried to hide it.
“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” (Gen 3:7 NKJV)
This spiritual blindness is the state of every man or women apart from God:
“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” (Eph 4:17-19 NKJV)
When we accept Christ as our Savior, our eyes are opened to again perceive much more clearly the spiritual realm.
This blindness affects everyone who doesn't have a relationship with God. They become ignorant of spiritual truths and are controlled by their own desires, leading to immoral behavior. But when someone believes in Jesus, their spiritual eyes are opened, and they can see the spiritual truths clearly again.
“to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’” (Acts 26:18NKJV)
However, even those who don't believe in God can still sense spiritual things, but they might be misled by dark spiritual forces instead of God's guidance. This leads to deception and being controlled by powers that are not from God.