Deficits that Draw Us Into Dependence - Musings on recent visual disturbances
For the past few months, I've had vision disturbances. Double-vision, blurriness that aren't helped by wearing specs.
I've gotten re-assessed, and the strangest thing was, the doctor said it's not my eyes. The machine grade says my specs should still work.
It will take a bit of a roundabout to get to where I share the point, but the Lord has been highlighting this holy tension.
This duality — of "the Kingdom already, and the Kingdom not yet"- both the same Kingdom!
"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
2 Corinthians 4:18 KJVAAE
The holy tension. The duality, of this world, and the spiritual realm! Of grace and law. As we've discussed a lot, there is always a counterfeit. And the counterfeit to this DUALITY is DUPLICITY - this displeases and l dishonors God greatly
The duality is the Holy Tension: of being in this world, but not of it. The Kingdom already and the Kingdom not yet.
Existing in this earthly realm, and yet fully aware of the Spirit realm, the undercurrents endlessly shifting and and shaking while it seems nothing is happening.
Yesterday, someone who has become a friend through the Watchman account asked for prayers. They said they were experiencing blurry vision and dizziness. I was floored. I said I think this is a pattern here.
So I put up a poll on Instagram Stories, and a staggering 80% of you were going through the same thing. I would say it is of note that many of you who were having vision, vertigo and disorientation issues were also in the middle of some form of writing or research assignment from the Lord.
And as I took this to the Lord this is what I heard: that there are deficits that draw us into deeper dependence.
Connecting to the Holy Tension I mentioned earlier - this has a lot to do with the things unseen versus the things we do see.
"For although we do live in the world, we do not wage war in a worldly way; because the weapons we use to wage war are not worldly. On the contrary, they have God's power for demolishing strongholds. We demolish arguments and every arrogance that raises itself up against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey the Messiah."
2 Corinthians (2 Co) 10:3-5 CJB
Again, this duality-we live in this world, but we do not wage war in a worldly way.
And God's power allows us to dismantle strongholds - which are erected structures of wrong belief laid brick by brick by little lies.
Strongholds are fortresses that keep a kingdom protected.
These fortresses are built with "harmless" bricks of lies, laid down one by one. Until it's huge and formidable and "impenetrable.”
But the truth of God, his revelation and his power - these are able to pull down and dismantle strongholds!
And his revelation brings not only authority, but it openly shames the enemy, revealing his ploys. And this is what we want to do about this "condition"
Before anything else, we need to repent of triumphalist
doctrines - believing that a life with Christ means VICTORY in this world.
Prosperity in this world, wholeness in body - in this world.
Is He able to heal? In the blink of an eye!
But this is that holy tension. He is not an idol whose arm we can twist. And we do not know the mind of God!
If the triumphalist error actually held true, then none of us would be going through this issue of vision now.
CAN HE HEAL IN AN INSTANT YES. And what I feel the Lord is saying about all this is there are deficits he allows -- because they draw us deeper into dependence and revelation.
Just like Saul crossed a threshold by being "blinded" before he became Paul - I feel like these sensory disturbances - some of you have mentioned ringing in your ears, or hearing impairment, I feel it's all of the same thread! All of these point to the same thing - an invitation to go deeper. To press in. To depend.
As I was praying about all this, I heard "empirical evidence" — Definitely not a phrase you hear daily.
It points to data - the observable - the senses gathered to support or establish a belief.
I am convinced we are entering an era - yes l used that word ~ intentionally. I fully understand how weighty that is. ERA.
We are entering an era where what we are about to see is going to be at odds with what we believe.
What we see will begin to build strongholds of the enemy - making it easier to believe the lies he tells. The empirical data will support the lies of the enemy. The empirical evidence will come against all that we hold true and Holy and Sacred.
I haven't the faintest idea what this all means. I can only speak for myself in this regard. It seems he has allowed this impairment to cut me free from the empirical data mindset. To eliminate my reliance on evidence. On sight. As a "doubting Thomas" all my life - I feel he is inviting me to go deeper into trusting - "sight unseen"
“Jesus said to him,"Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed.
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
John 20:29
Will we refuse to build those strongholds, with brick after brick of "empirical evidence", "empirical data"
Will we come away with the Lover of our souls - our Bridegroom, King of the Kingdom already and the Kingdom not yet?
We are entering an era where what we see will UTTERLY DECEIVE US - if we let it. Perhaps he is allowing, like Paul, this thorn in our side, to keep us grounded IN HIS SENSES. In what He sees, not what we see. In what He says, and not what we hear. It is happening. Things are stirring. They are positioned. BUT SO ARE WE.
May His Shalom envelop us in a way that defies all sense, and all senses.
A peace not achieved by "playing nice" or tolerance - but by confrontation, and cost, and powering through in spite of disturbances visual, auditory, vestibular or otherwise.
Shalom in the shaking.
Shalom in the breaking.
Shalom in the seeing.
Shalom in not seeing.
Shalom, for He is the Unshakeable one.
Shalom, for He is the Unbreakable, Uncreated One.
Worthy is the Lion and the Lamb.
Amen!