BooksKeys to Opening Your Spiritual Eyes
Two Ways of Seeing Spiritual Reality
The Bible presents at least two ways spiritual eyes operate: the prophetic eye and the eye of understanding. Both enable us to perceive spiritual reality, but they do so differently.
The prophetic eye
The prophetic eye is prominent throughout the Old Testament. Prophets saw God, angels, future events, and activities in the spiritual realm. In 2 Kings 6:17, Elisha prayed for his servant, and the Lord opened the young man's eyes. He then saw the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
The New Testament also records prophetic sight. John saw the risen Jesus and many spiritual realities in Revelation. The gift of prophecy may include open visions, dreams, or other Spirit-given perceptions. These experiences are given by the Holy Spirit; they are not produced through occult techniques or human effort.
The eye of understanding
The second way of seeing receives less attention, although the New Testament speaks of it often. Paul prayed that God would give the Ephesian believers the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ, with the eyes of their understanding enlightened (Ephesians 1:15-18).
Two expressions
One source, two ways of seeing
Both forms of spiritual sight come from the Holy Spirit and remain centered on Christ.
Direct perception
The prophetic eye
Spirit-given visions, dreams, or direct perception of spiritual realities.
Illuminated truth
The eye of understanding
The Holy Spirit opening truth until it becomes living knowledge in the heart.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Paul's prayer shows us what this eye does. When the eyes of understanding open, we know. Spiritual truth moves beyond information and becomes clear, living knowledge in the heart. Seeing, in this sense, is knowing spiritual things by the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
The prophetic eye and the eye of understanding are distinct, but they are not rivals. God may open the prophetic eye, as He did when John saw Jesus in Revelation 1:12-13. He may reveal His Son inwardly through understanding, as Paul describes in Galatians 1:16. He may also work through both.
The endpoint of seeing is knowing. Whether God gives a prophetic vision or opens the Scriptures, He enables us to perceive, become aware of, and know what He reveals. The highest purpose remains the same: to see Jesus, know Him, and be transformed by that knowledge.
Do not measure spiritual maturity by the drama of an experience. Ask whether what you see draws you to Christ, agrees with His Word, and produces a deeper knowledge of Him.