The Spiritual Senses

"But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Hebrews 5:14.

God has given us physical senses whereby we may perceive the things of the physical world-- sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. It should not seem strange, then, that for each of these physical senses there is also a corresponding spiritual sense whereby we may discern the things of the spirit. This can be demonstrated by the Scriptures as well by experience.

To our sense of spiritual sight, Christ is that "true Light which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world." This Light cannot be perceived by our natural eyes, but as we turn our gaze inward, where the Spirit of God dwells, we can behold this Light with our spiritual eyes by faith, even as Moses "endured, as seeing him who is invisible."

In my own experience I have found that this Light may be likened to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, which cannot be perceived with the human eye, but the effects thereof are noticeable even through the clouds, as anyone who has received a sunburn on a cloudy day can attest. Often as I sit in silence gazing upon this invisible Light within, I feel my heart being strangely warmed and my wounded spirit being made whole by the healing rays of the "Sun of Righteousness" .

I once read of a champion marksman who perfected his aim by staring for hours every day at a dead flea pinned to the wall. But it was with a much higher focus that David-- whose skill as a marksman was demonstrated by bringing down the Philistine giant-- trained his vision, for as he declared in the twenty-fifth Psalm, "Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord..." It was this higher focus that enabled him to discern Goliath for what he really was - a spiritual enemy who had defied the armies of the Living God - and to deal with him accordingly, not with the weapons of the flesh, but in the name of the Lord.

David well understood that a single eye toward the Light is the key to developing our spiritual vision, for as he further stated in another Psalm, "In thy light shall,-- we see light." This corresponds with the teaching of our Lord: "The light of the body is the eye. If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light."

Verily, this Light which shines in every heart (though hid from those whose minds Satan has blinded) is the most beautiful sight in the entire universe, for it shines from the countenance of him who is "fairer than the children of men." As Paul writes: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

Think of it…the very light which caused the face of Jesus to shine brighter than the sun on the Mount of Transfiguration is shining right now in our hearts, and all we have to do is look within to behold (though as in a glass darkly) the face of the of the risen Christ!

"And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:11-13

Just as God appears invisibly to our hearts, so he speaks silently there as well. It was thus that the Lord spoke to the prophet in the text above.

God will not shout past the many voices which continually ring in our heads and compete for our attention. If we wish to hear God's voice, we must become still as he is still, and his stillness will speak to our stillness as "deep calleth unto deep." And in that stillness he will impart his wisdom imperceptibly to our souls. We may have a pressing question for which we can find no answer. If we will but cease from our fretting over the matter and still ourselves before the Lord, we will often discover after we rise up from prayer that the answer had been imperceptibly imparted to our spirits, only to later work its way into our understanding.

Some other Scriptures for meditation:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me…” John 10:27

“Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” Isaiah 55:3

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21

“I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.” Psalm 85:8