I have seen angels, demons and other spiritual things for as long as I can remember. I see them with my eyes, the same way I would see you if you were standing in front of me right now. I did not understand what I was seeing for the first 12 years of my life, partially because I was raised in a home that did not have a context for the gifts of the Spirit and partially because what I saw did not seem out of place to my young mind. Angels in gold cloaks and demons with sharp fangs were just as commonplace as mailboxes, telephone poles and vending machines. To me, they were no more unusual than anything else.
I believe every Christian can see in the Spirit. I believe we are all fundamentally designed to have communion with God and to see the works of His hand across all the earth, both in the physical and spiritual world. And I believe learning to see in the Spirit is one of the best ways to learn to see His goodness.
1. Pursuit
Diligent pursuit of God’s gifts and consistent practice using them creates comfort with and confidence in what He is saying, while conditioning our minds to receive revelation. We pursue gifts we have yet to experience by studying them in God’s Word, seeking impartation (through laying on of hands, reading books, and listening to teachings) from others who have had breakthroughs in these gifts, making the pursuit of these gifts a part of our conversation life with God, and practicing them to the best of our ability.
While we do not and could not earn spiritual gifts, we can grow and mature in our ability to use them to their fullest. Much as a violinist spends hundreds of hours practicing to be able to pull every nuance out of each note he or she plays, we grow in our mastery of the gifts God has given us through practice. Just as the violinist’s ability to get beautiful music from the violin is correlated with his or her mastery of that instrument, our ability to effectively use our God-given spiritual gifts is at least partially dependent on our mastery of them. God gives His gifts freely, but we develop them with diligent pursuit and plenty of practice.
2. Revelation
Seeing what God is doing and hearing what He is saying are meant to transform the way we think and the way we act. Everything He does and everything He says reveals a part of who He is—revelation. The transformation that comes from seeing His works and hearing His voice prepares our hearts and minds to receive all that He has for us. Without this preparation, we may not recognize Him or His works, even when they happen right in front of our faces.
We can practice hearing His voice and study His written Word all we want, but if we do not allow the revelation we find there to transform the way we think and act, we will never grow the spiritual muscles to carry what He has for us.
3. Intent
It may seem extreme, even hyperbolic, to say that the gift of seeing in the Spirit is available for every Christian. That is because many of us misunderstand God’s intent toward man. If we are meant to be only obedient servants, then it makes sense that we should only be equipped to do the tasks we have been assigned—no more, no less. If, however, we are meant to be sons and daughters, heirs and ambassadors of His kingdom, it makes sense that we should be invited to know and be equipped for more than what falls within the boundaries of our specific assignment; we would need to understand how His kingdom works. Our belief in God’s intent toward us sets the standard by which we see the world and the way we see Him. {eoa}
This article is adapted from Profound Good: See God Through the Lens of His Love (Charisma House, 2019) by Blake K. Healy. Healy is one of the senior team members at Bethel Church of Atlanta in Georgia. He is also the director of the Bethel Atlanta School of Supernatural Ministry. He lives in Peachtree City, Georgia, with his wife, April, and their four wonderful children: Haydon, Finnley, November and Ender. For more information or to contact Blake, visit blakekhealy.com.
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