Page 18 - Evidence of Things Unseen

Seeing God’s Hand in Discipline

aving read the previous chapter, you should be beginning to note that a large part of
Ha walk of faith, and of seeing the supernatural presence of God in the lives of the saints,
has to do with observation. We can either be oblivious to the presence of God in our lives,
or we can be attuned to it. The book of II Kings relates an interesting account of one man
who saw into the spiritual realms, and another who did not.

II Kings 6:15-17
Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an
army with horses and chariots was circling the city. 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." Then Elisha prayed and said,
"O Yahweh, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And Yahweh opened the servant's
eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all
around Elisha.

Both Elisha and his servant were in the same situation, having the same resources of
God available to them. Yet one man saw God’s provision, and one did not. This is a picture
of the lives of the saints today. God is present and willing to help all who call upon His
name, yet only a few discern His presence. Most Christians have their eyes closed to the
supernatural realm around them.
I believe the time is coming when Yahweh will open the eyes of many of His elect in
the same way that is described here. No longer will they have to see through eyes of faith,
believing things that their natural senses cannot detect, but they will have their eyes opened
to see into spirit realms as clearly as they have been able to perceive things in natural
realms. Yet I also believe that those who will have their eyes opened to perceive spiritual
things in this way will first have proven themselves by trusting in things that their senses
could not detect.
Elisha did not always have the spiritual sight that is described in this passage. He first
spent a number of years “pouring water on the hands of Elijah.” Elijah had this sight while
Elisha served him, but Elisha had to believe first in things that his eyes could not see. Only
after proving himself faithful in “walking by faith, not by sight” was he granted his request
that he might receive a double portion of the spirit that rested upon Elijah. He too then
received an open heaven and was able to see into spiritual realms. Thus we see the principle
at work throughout both Old and New Testaments that “those who are faithful in little
things, will be given greater things.”
I am convinced that the reason many saints do not have any great witness of the
supernatural working of God in their lives is simply due to unbelief. God is present in their
lives, yet they choose not to recognize this presence. They may see some provision come in
for a pressing need at the very moment that they desperately require an answer, yet they
choose to interpret the event as chance and fortune. How often do the saints say, “I was sure
lucky,” or “You were sure lucky,” when luck had nothing to do with it? Why not rather
confess that God orders the steps of His children and causes His rain (blessings) to fall on
the just and the unjust?
What I want to speak of in this chapter is recognizing God’s supernatural presence in