What Spiritual Eyes Are

The eye is the organ of sight. It allows us to see, perceive, and become aware of what is around us. Perception is therefore central to the meaning of an eye.

Because we experience life through our senses, the Bible also uses the language of seeing to describe knowing or experiencing something. Jesus said that unless a person is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). In that statement, seeing is more than looking with physical eyes; it means perceiving and experiencing a spiritual reality.

Three kinds of eyes

God has given us three kinds of eyes.

First, we have physical eyes, the natural organs of sight in our bodies. Second, we have mental eyes: the mind's ability to perceive, imagine, and know. Third, we have spiritual eyes: the heart's ability to perceive, know, or experience spiritual things.

The mental and spiritual eyes belong to the inner person, while physical sight belongs to the body. This book focuses on spiritual eyes, but the distinction matters. A mental picture is not automatically a spiritual vision, and spiritual understanding is not merely human imagination.

Seeing spiritual reality

Spiritual eyes enable us to perceive spiritual beings, realities, and truths. This may involve a prophetic vision or dream. It may also involve the Holy Spirit illuminating Scripture so that we know a truth of God with living, experiential clarity.

That broader meaning protects us from a common mistake. Spiritual sight is not limited to dramatic visions. A believer whose understanding is opened to see Christ in the Word is genuinely seeing by the Spirit. Both forms of sight come from God, and both must remain submitted to Christ and Scripture.

The question, then, is not only, "Have I seen a vision?" A better question is, "Has the Holy Spirit enabled me to perceive and know what God is revealing?" That is the heart of spiritual sight.