Are you blind?

Alan and I went to Cancun, Mexico on our honeymoon. While there we enjoyed spending a lot of time under the cabanas on the beach. We would relax in our lounge chairs for a while. Then, when we got too hot we would take a dip in the Gulf of Mexico. Yeah, we had it rough!

One evening just before sunset we were in the water, riding the waves. All of a sudden, I heard a little “tink” and out popped the right side lens from my prescription glasses. Panic swept over me! As the waves came crashing in there was absolutely no way we could find that lens and I am “as blind as a bat” without my glasses.

I started crying. Alan didn’t know what to do. Alan guided me like a blind person up to our hotel room. As we discussed what to do he suggested that I just close my right eye. To which I sarcastically replied, “Yeah, right! Maybe I should just go down to the gift shop to see if they have a patch I can wear!” Needless to say, we learned a lot about one another on that trip.

Anyway, here I was in this beautiful place. Yet, I couldn’t see any of it. I was “blind.” I was suppose to be enjoying myself, but I wasn’t. My environment hadn’t changed; only my perspective had changed.

There have been so many times in my life when I have been blinded spiritually as well. I have felt such hopelessness. I have been blinded by the enemy and my own ignorance of the power that lies within me as a child of God. God hadn’t changed; only my perspective had changed.

When the enemy sees an opportunity he will pounce on it like a roaring lion seeking a victim to devour (I Peter 5:8). Really he has no power over us. He has no right to bring up past failures. He has no right to speak words of doubt and fear into our minds. He just assumes that we don’t know our rights. Until we choose to stand on God’s promises and believe that we have the power in Jesus’ name we will live in bondage (and blindness). We don’t have to accept the lies of the enemy. We can stand against him (I Peter 5:9).

We also don’t have to live life being controlled by our own sinful nature (Rom 8:3, 9 &12). That’s why Jesus Christ came, died and was resurrected for us (Rom 8:34) He came to give us freedom (Rom 8:2); freedom to live life in it’s fullness (John 10:10) both here on earth and eternally.

As I focused on the Easter holiday this past week, I was awe struck by a few words that continuously “appeared” to me in scripture. Here are three of them:

HOPE - LIFE - POWER

There is HOPE in His resurrection.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
I Peter 1:3

There is LIFE and POWER in His resurrection.

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you.” Romans 8:11

“And may you have the power to understand, as all people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life (abundant life) and power that comes from God.”
Ephesians 3:18-19

God’s Word doesn’t say that we might be filled with fullness of life and power. It says we will be filled with fullness of life and power. You can take God at his word! He doesn’t break promises. His truths do not change. Jesus Christ died and rose again. The same Spirit and power that raised Him from the dead lives in me…and you too if you’ve been born again!

We can experience living hope, abundant life and mighty power NOW. We just have to believe and claim it as our own. We have to stand on the promises in God’s Word and accept them for ourselves (because they are for us). That is why Jesus came, died and was resurrected.

I know it’s hard in the everyday monotony of life to keep this perspective. I know because I struggle with this myself. It’s all too easy to forget just whose we are as we face the struggles and troubles of the normal human life. Yet, I believe that when we truly start to grasp the hope that we possess in Him and the power of the Spirit that lives within us; when we realize just how much He loves us and wants to bless us with the fullness of life; then we’ll begin to see things in a whole new way.

What a shame if we choose to live our lives as blind slaves to doubt, fear and hopelessness when we have the power of the Holy Spirit at our disposal. Instead, let's remember our rights as children of the King and stand on them!!!

Thank God for HOPE, LIFE and POWER!

Thank God also that there is a Wal-Mart story in Cancun, Mexico.

We were able to get a replacement lens for my glasses. It was crazy how quickly my perspective changed when I got that new lens put in!

If you have not been born again please read Romans 10:9 & 10. If you want to know more about taking this step of faith feel free to e-mail me at rachel.beran@yahoo.com