Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."
Of all of our senses, I believe that sight is the most important to me. If I had to lose one the five senses, I would want it to be the sense of touch, hearing, smell or taste but please allow me to keep my sight. God has designed our eyes like nothing else in this world. When you study the complexities of the eye really learn about the sclera, cornea, iris, retina and optic nerve you understand that we truly are “fearfully and wonderfully made”. The most advanced camera in the world is nothing when compared to the processing of the human eye. But as powerful as your eyes are, they have one significant limitation. Your eyes can only see physical reality. You can see things like flowers, trees clouds, people and computers. But your eyes are useless when it comes to seeing spiritual reality.
God designed us physically with physical eyes, and yet everyone with physical eyes cannot see physically. Some people are physically blind. Just the same, God designed every person with spiritual eyes and yet every one cannot see spiritually. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." They cannot see unless the Holy Spirit gives them sight. Unfortunately, many Christians don’t see very well either. Often our spiritual vision is blinded by the glare of what our physical eyes see. Our main scripture verse today is Prov. 29:18 “Where there is no vision the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
Many churches have mission and vision statements. These statements give the church a direction to follow, but this is not what Proverbs 29:18 is teaching us. The word vision here means revelation from God. This revelation comes from God’s Word. So, when a person does not study God’s Word or refuses to receive God’s guidance from the bible, that person will experience moral chaos and decay. A few examples in the bible will help us understand this principle. Judges 16:20 "And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him." Here you have one of the judges of Israel (Samson). He was a Nazarite and he took the Nazarite vow. This is someone who knew the Lord, but he got to a point in his life that he did not know the Lord was no longer with him. He was spiritually blind but did not know it.
In Rev. 3 we have a letter to the church at Laodicea. This church represents the time period that we live in today. The church was well off concerning physical things, but God had to rebuke them because they were lacking in spiritual things. Revelation 3: 17 "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” This is a church thought they were something, but in actuality they were the total opposite of what they thought. One of the things God called them was “blind”. They had lost their spiritual vision.
As we move into 2020 – I want every one of us to see things from God’s point of view. God gives us his point of view from His Word. Let me share with you a few practical things that will help you in this area of 2020 spiritual vision.
1. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes. – Elisha’s servant could see the physical enemy but not the spiritual forces protecting them until Elisha asked God to open his servant’s eyes.
2. Remove physical distractions that hinder Spiritual sight.
3. When you come to church devote that time to the Lord. – not Facebook, The football game, Fortnite or anything else. Too many people are distracted while they are in the church.
4. Show up and show up on time – You show up on time for your doctor’s appointments. – Spiritual eye exams are more important. Don’t miss your spiritual eye appointment every Sunday and Wednesday at church.
5. Help your brothers and sisters by lovingly pointing out things that will cause spiritual blindness – you are your brother’s keeper. In love, help them see things that will hinder their spiritual walk.
6. Allow your spiritual experience to be more than just Sunday. Victory in the spiritual realm will not happen with one day a week service to God. Devote everyday to God.
7. Don’t be self-deceived. Galatians 6:7 reminds us to not be deceived. You will only get out of your spiritual walk with God what you put into it.
In closing, my prayer is that you all will have a Happy New Year. The last portion of our Proverbs 29:18 tells us how to do just that. The bible says “but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Please be hearers and doers of the Word and may God bless you with the wonderful gift of 20/20 spiritual vision for the year of 2020.