Unlocking the Invisible: Embracing the Power of Faith to Access Heavenly Realms
Jonah 1-2; Hebrews 11; Ecclesiastes 7
The reality of Heaven is all around us. The message of Jesus is exactly this: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2) It’s invisible, yet fully present and fully active. The scriptures tell us plainly that the glory of God covers the earth. (Isaiah 6) This is not some future vision, but a present reality.
How do we access this realm?
Hebrews 11
3 Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He spoke, and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.
Faith! Faith empowers us to see.
There are many ways to pray, many ways to engage with the Lord, but probably the most important is making time to be with Him. No lists. No decrees. No agenda.
I say that because we can make our lists and decrees while living in the perspective of fear. We can set our agenda without consulting the Holy Spirit. And these prayers may be answered, but the transformation of our hearts and circumstances truly comes when we behold the Lord.
Contemplative prayer, where we come to just be with the Lord, giving Him time to reveal His heart and thoughts toward us, brings us into faith. When we see, well, we are changed. We begin to live from this other reality. We speak from this other reality. We raise our kids with a vision of this other reality.
This is the story of Hebrews 11. Look at this:
8 Faith motivated Abraham to obey God’s call and leave the familiar to discover the territory he was destined to inherit from God. So he left with only a promise and without even knowing ahead of time where he was going, Abraham stepped out in faith. 9 He lived by faith as an immigrant in his promised land as though it belonged to someone else. He journeyed through the land living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were persuaded that they were also co-heirs of the same promise.
Faith moves us out of the familiar. We step out because of what we have seen and what we have heard from this other realm. We step out in fellowship with the One who has showed us His ways and His plans.
13 These heroes all died still clinging to their faith, not even receiving all that had been promised to them. But they saw beyond the horizon the fulfillment of their promises and gladly embraced it from afar. They all lived their lives on earth as those who belonged to another realm.
That last line gets me:
They all lived their lives on earth as those who belonged to another realm.
I want to be a person of faith. I want to please God. I know you do also. The key is living from another realm. This is the Good News. This is the invitation of the cross. To come in, and come close. To see with our own eyes. To come into this face-to-face union with the Father, Son, and the Spirit. To live our lives on earth “as those who belonged to another realm.”
If you will make time to enter into this union, practicing contemplative prayer, you will see and you will hear. You too, like those who have gone before, will live from this heavenly place. Prayer lists are good. This is better.
Deepening Faith: Reflective Journal Prompts
- Contemplating Faith’s Vision: Reflect on a time when you felt particularly connected to the “invisible realm” mentioned in Hebrews 11. What were you doing, and how can you integrate that practice more regularly into your life to maintain that connection?
- The Reality of Heaven Now: How can you cultivate an awareness of heaven’s reality in your daily life? Consider practical steps to remind yourself of this truth throughout your day.
- Overcoming Spiritual Dullness: Have you experienced seasons of spiritual dullness where your faith felt heavy or burdensome? Journal about what contributed to these feelings and what truths about God might help you regain a sense of lightness and ease in your faith.
- The Call of Faith: Abraham stepped out in faith without knowing where he was going. Can you identify an area in your life where God is calling you to step out in faith? Write about the fears, excitement, or reservations you have regarding this step.
- Living from Another Realm: The heroes of faith lived as though they belonged to another realm. What are some specific ways you can start to live from the reality of God’s kingdom here on earth? Consider aspects of your daily routine, interactions, or decisions that could reflect this heavenly perspective.
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