Clear Spiritual Vision

below is another sermon given to my pastor from the Holy Spirit back in 1994. He was being fed alot of info from the scriptures regarding what it means to be made aware of God's vision for your life. While in prayer, God gave him the 7 scripture verses below to confirm the message.

THE CLEAR VISION

Lesson 21

“Sharing in the Clear Vision”

1 Samuel 18:1-4 Mark 2:1-12 John 6:24-27
1 Samuel 20:12-42 1 Chronicles 12:32-33
1 Samuel 22:1-2 Genesis 49:14

“But Ruth said, ‘Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you’” (Ruth 1:16-17).

“David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And every one who was in distress, and every one who was in debt, and every one who was discontented, gathered to him; and he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men” (1 Samuel 22:1-2).

In recent lessons we have considered how David’s status as Israel’s greatest king was not because of the great military victories which he led, but rather because of his spiritual vision – his clear vision of the Lord’s will, His purpose and His Kingdom and David’s faithfulness to that vision. David considered the Lord his shepherd, and understood what the Lord was requiring of him.

There are also those who may not have been blessed with a clear vision and revelation of the Lord, but who can share in the clear vision of others who have. Consider, for example, the relationship that existed between Naomi and her daughters-in-law Orpah and Ruth. Recall how after the death of her husband and sons, Naomi understood that the Lord’s sovereign will for her was that she return to Bethlehem. Naomi had a clear vision of the Lord’s will. While neither of her daughter-in-laws possessed that same vision, they each had a decision to make. They could choose to return to their homeland and begin a new life, or they could remain united with Naomi. It is important to understand that each was left free to choose. There was no coercion on Naomi’s part. In fact, it was the opposite, as Naomi encouraged them to return to their homeland. Ruth chose to remain with Naomi and as a result was able to share in her clear vision of the Lord and His will. All indications are that Orpah did indeed love her mother-in-law; however her choice led her to return to her homeland. (See Ruth 1:1-22).

Another good example is that of Abraham and Lot. Recall how Lot was Abraham’s nephew who Abraham and Sara adopted after the death of Lot’s parents. In this case, it was Abraham who had the clear vision of the Lord. Lot could certainly have shared in that vision, but did not. His decision to separate himself from Abraham was the force that led Lot to not share in that vision. Like Ruth, Lot was left free to choose. Using the strife that had developed between the herdsmen of Lot and those of Abraham as a cover, Lot decided that he could no longer live in the same household as his uncle. Rather than remind Lot of what he owed him (all that Lot had was as a direct consequence of the love of Abraham and Sara), Abraham left Lot free to choose. Lot chose to relocate in the Valley of Jordan, the best of the surrounding land. That however was not the last of Lot’s moves. He continued to move his household closer and closer to the wicked city of Sodom. In time Lot became a citizen of Sodom, so well rooted that he became a judge.

The story of Lot is a sad story indeed. The more he distanced himself from Abraham, the dimmer his spiritual vision became. The last days of Lot, after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, were spent with his two daughters in a cave – going as far as to include acts of incest.

In this lesson we want to focus on those who shared in David’s clear vision. There were those who shared in his vision before he became king, and those who share in it after he assumed the throne. The foremost among these was Jonathan, the first born son of King Saul. Jonathan loved David, and recognized David’s spiritual calling and destiny. He that it was David who was called to become the next king in Israel, and yet he was not resentful or jealous. This is confirmed by what we read in the first book of Samuel: “When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father's house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his girdle” (1 Samuel 18:1-4).

Jonathan was a true friend, even going so far as to defend David against his own father. King Saul also was aware of David’s calling, but unlike his son, King Saul wanted to destroy David.

Besides Jonathan, there were others who chose to be united to David before he assumed the throne, during the time he was in exile. We read: “David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And every one who was in distress, and every one who was in debt, and every one who was discontented, gathered to him; and he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men. David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And every one who was in distress, and every one who was in debt, and every one who was discontented, gathered to him; and he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men” (1 Samuel 22:1-2).

Because of the relentless pursuit of King Saul, David was forced into exile moving from place to place in order to avoid the armies of the king. Noticed the description of those who followed him: “every one who was in distress, and every one who was in debt, and every one who was discontented, gathered to him”. This speaks of those who were in need. The Lord often times will use the visible circumstances and need to reveal a need in spirit.

We see this in the ministry of Jesus, how a physical need brought people to Jesus but the primary thrust of Jesus’ dealings with them was in healing the spirit. Recall the multitude of 5,000 men plus women and children who the Lord fed with a boy’s lunch that consisted of 5 small buns and two fish. The next day the people went seeking for Jesus, and when they found Him were given a message. We read: “So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Caper'na um, seeking Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal’” (John 6:24-27). On this occasion Jesus used the people’s physical need for need the previous day as a spiritual object lesson. The
Lord revealed to them their need for spiritual food as well as material food. Also, the fact that the spiritual food was so much more important, and lasting.

While the Lord is never indifferent to our physical needs, the greatest emphasis must always be placed on our spiritual needs.

Consider the account of the man who, in order to reach Jesus to be healed, was let down through the roof of a home in which Jesus was preaching. In the gospel according to St. Mark we read:


“And when he returned to Caper'na um after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘My son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, ‘Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins’ he said to the paralytic – ‘I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.’ And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’” (Mark 2:1-12).

Here notice that the first thing Jesus addressed in this man was his spiritual need. Jesus declared that his sins were forgiven. Immediately, this man felt the cleansing power of Jesus. However, at this point he was still paralyzed. Jesus sensed the accusations of some of those present. He then asked a question. Was it easier to say ‘your sins are forgiven’ or ‘rise and walk’? To His accusers it was certainly easier to say ‘your sins are forgiven’. After all, there was no way to prove such a command actually happened. To heal a paralytic was, then, much more difficult given that the proof is obvious. However, to Jesus, the forgiveness of sins was much more difficult. In order to have the power to do so a great sacrifice was required. A great price was required of Jesus.

Those who joined David did in fact have many physical and visible needs. But the deeper reason they joined with him was that they were united to him in spirit. Those who joined with David did so of their own accord. And yet, from a human perspective, what was in it for them? What could David do for them? He was an outcast and a fugitive. As for David, these men and their families only increased that which he was responsible for. However, in spirit all those who joined David embraced him first in spirit. They were united in spirit to his calling. We are told that David became ‘captain over them’. They were subject to David and his leadership. They allowed themselves to come under his authority. They understood this was the Lord’s will for them. Some years later, when David became king in Israel these same individuals became the nucleus of his government.

There were also those who shared in David’s spiritual vision after he became king. A good example of this was the descendents of Issachar. Issachar was one of Jacob’s twelve sons. In the first book of Chronicles we read: “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment” (1 Chronicles 12:32-33). These were men who had a spiritual understanding of the times, and thus were able to help counsel David as king. Discernment of the times was, and is today, critical to understanding God’s will and purpose. In the context of the current events of the time, do we understand what it is God is saying to us today?

From where did the sons of Issachar get such understanding? To find out we must return to the days of Issachar himself, and his father Jacob’s testimony concerning Issachar’s spiritual destiny. In the book of Genesis we read: “Is'sachar is a strong [willed] ass, crouching between the sheepfolds; he saw that a resting place was good, and that the land was pleasant; so he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a slave at forced labor (Genesis 49:14). Issachar was indeed a strong willed ass. However, he was enlightened by the Holy Spirit to see the true resting place. He saw a land in the distance a land which was the Kingdom of God. It would be in this territory that he would find true rest. But, to enter that territory there was a change that needed to happen. He could not enter that territory as the old strong willed ass. Instead, he would have to give up all rights to himself and in the process become a servant; a slave who would live for the good of others and for God’s will only where that good was concerned.

Issachar could have rejected that vision of the Kingdom of God. He did not. He embraced that clear vision of the territory of the Kingdom of God wherein he willingly relinquished all rights to himself. As a result of Issachar’s obedience we see his descendents, centuries later being used to assist David in his kingdom.

Amen.
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