"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
John 8:12
There is something about eternal life that once you receive it, it changes your whole perception. You see things differently. You begin to comprehend a dimension to life that really, without it you simply cannot know exists. There is a certain element of discernment that comes with the life of God. I cannot tell you the times in my life that I've walked up to a person or approached a situation, and just like you flicked your figure, suddenly I became aware of certain spiritual things that surrounded that individual or circumstance. I may not have known all the details, but my spirit was picking up things in the unseen realm.
Sometimes, these sorts of things are the result of the operation of discerning of spirits. Other times, it may be a word of knowledge. But in all my years of walking with God, the one thing that seems most prevalent in me is living out of this light of life. It is the light of God within each one of us that enables us to see and know things in the spirit. John said, "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things" (1 John 2:20). If you read the entire context where this verse is found, you will discover that John was discussing how we as believers can know a true follower of Jesus from those who are pretenders.
In the days of the early church this was very necessary. Not only did they constantly have to stand watch over the teachings that were circulating around the different local bodies, but they had to watch for pretenders who came in to spy out their liberties. Some were planted by the enemy while others were being planted by Judaizers, those whose purpose was to seduce believers to go back under the ways of the law.
John wanted the church to know there is an unction, a divine quickening that dwells within each of us that can shine the light on just about any situation we find ourselves in. But it is not automatic. How you develop an awareness to things your natural senses may never be cognizant of comes by developing this life.
In the first chapter of the gospel of John, we find these words: "In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). This word light has a multi-faceted meaning. It stands for development, guidance, dominion, and illumination. You could apply any one of these words in the place of light and it would give you a better understanding of what life is capable of producing.
When Jesus said, "I have come that ye might have life, and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10), he was saying that the life of God is measurable. In other words, you can have life, and then you can have more life--an abundance of it, if you please. The more life you receive the greater impact it will have on your walk with God. There is a place where you can arrive at where you are so conscious of spiritual things and so connected to the spiritual realm that nothing escapes you. Here are a few ways that will assure your spiritual development.
1) Being nourished by the words of life. That is feeding
on God's Word.
2) Develop a level of prayer that keeps the life of God
stirred up in you.
3) Learn how Grace and Righteousness work together
to produce an overflowing measure of life.
4) Value life by developing a love for it until it masters
everything you do and say.
5) Let life influence the way you perceive things.
Let it dominate your thinking.
6) Lastly, protect your heart will all diligence, for out
it flow the issues of life.
These areas are so vital to you successfully achieving access to things in the unseen realm that I will continue along these lines over the next few weeks.
