Ron Sawka Ministries
May 15, 2024; Iyar 7, 5784
“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened” (Eph. 1:18).
“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21).
Shifting into Oneness/Closeness with the Lord
It seems that God is giving us a series on “Necessary Shifts for These End Times.” Two weeks ago, I wrote about “shifting into God’s timing” (see May 1 update), and today I feel God has another shift for us. This one is about making a conscious shift into oneness or closeness with Him, which will result in a vast increase in spiritual vision and an opening of the eyes of our hearts. Of course it will require a change in our thinking and we have to choose to include God in every part of our daily lives. We do this by talking to Him about everything (“Pray without ceasing” [1 Thess. 5:17]). I believe the results will be so fruitful and so amazing. But first let me explain how I was led into this.
Recently, I was asked to prophesy (remotely) to a certain man. He had formerly been a pastor, but had given up on that. However, he still had a small house group and was trying to help people by ministering to them. There was a strong sense of disappointment. Many things hadn’t worked out as he had expected.
As I began to prophesy, I was immediately reminded of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13–35. The Holy Spirit showed me three stages they went through, and that those same three stages paralleled what was happening for this man and what God wanted for him. The shift God gave those two on the road to Emmaus is a picture of a shift He wants for all of us now. Just like it caused them to leap ahead spiritually, so will it be for us.
Stage 1—Walking According to Human Understanding
The two disciples didn’t know it was Jesus who joined them as they walked (“Their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him” [Luke 24:16]). But when He asked what they had been discussing, they explained how they knew Jesus of Nazareth and hoped He would redeem Israel. They explained that this Jesus had been killed and buried. And then to add to their confusion, some women claimed to have seen angels and were saying this Jesus was alive.
I think almost every believer has times like this. Their heart is right. They believe Jesus fully. They believe the scriptures, and believe God’s promises, including personal prophecies they may have received. Yet things don’t turn out as expected. The result is confusion and disappointment. Perhaps the result of this walking according to human understanding is the same as what was for those two—“their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him” (16).
Stage 2—Beginning Stages of Walking with Jesus
As Jesus continued on the road with them, He began to show from the scriptures why Christ had to suffer. He also explained many of the “things concerning Himself” (27). The two men later realized their hearts had been burning during the explanations (see 32), but at that point they still hadn’t grasped the main truth or recognized Jesus.
I think this stage is common for many, many Spirit-filled and hungry-for-God believers, and is a stage that perhaps the majority are at right now. We may believe there is an end-time harvest and that God wants to use us, but still we don’t quite “get it.” Like those two, our hearts may be burning. But the eyes of their hearts were not yet opened to what God wanted them to see. This is why Paul continually prayed in Ephesians 1:18 that “the eyes of your understanding [would be] enlightened.”
Stage 3—Opened Eyes—Oneness/Closeness with Jesus
He wanted more for those two than just understanding and a burning heart. He wanted them to have their eyes opened to recognize and know Him. He acted like He would go further, but accepted their invitation to stay and eat with them. It was during the meal when “He took bread, blessed and broke it … their eyes were opened and they knew Him” (30–31). Everything changed. No more uncertainty and disappointment. No more weariness. The two hurried back to the skeptical Eleven in Jerusalem and told them that Jesus was alive. They had no doubt or unbelief. And perhaps because of this faith, Jesus backed up their story by suddenly appearing to all of them. “Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them” (36).
That was the gist of what I prophesied to the aforementioned man—that the Lord wanted to open the eyes of his heart and that everything would change.
A Shift for Us
Most of us would say, “I want to make that shift. I want the eyes of my heart more open.” The question, of course, is “how”? What should we do? It’s relatively simple. Those two had to invite Jesus into their home. While attending to the routine tasks of preparing and then eating a meal, their eyes were opened.
Likewise, we must do the same. We invite Him in by talking with Him about everything going on in our lives or whatever comes up, even the mundane things. Please remember that Jesus Himself started all of this by joining those two on the road. He began asking questions, then He began explaining. In a sense, it was He Himself who stood at their door waiting for the invitation in (see Revelation 3:20).
Jesus has already done all of that for us. Now it’s like He is waiting for each one of us to make this shift. Declare, “Lord, I want my spiritual eyes opened more. I invite you in. I choose to talk to you about everything.”
I believe as we make this decision and shift, our spiritual eyes will be increasingly opened. Tiredness and uncertainty will be replaced by zeal and expectancy. And yes, as we share with others, we can expect His presence to come stand in our midst, just like what happened to them. “Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them” (36). Many others also will begin to see the things of the Lord!
Praying for One Nation Every Day
Last week I shared about an amazing prayer strategy from Apostle Karen Dey (New Zealand/Sri Lanka). I wrote:
“She saw hosts of angels—some were worshiping and some blowing trumpets; others were warring angels. Then she was impressed by the Lord to ask people to get a world map and to pray each day for a different nation. From this year’s Passover until next year’s Passover—365 days of praying for the nations!”
I urge everyone to do this. Your prayers will turn desolate places into “camps of God.” Please refer to the update from May 8.
Click here to read Apostle Karen Dey’s document.
Thanks for praying.
Ron and Teddy
Comments