I have believed for many years that it is possible to see in the spirit much the same as how we see things physically, yet in the Body of Christ this is a rare thing. My issue is that while it currently is rare, I don’t think it should be. There are many Bible verses that talk about seeing in the spirit, and many of them suggest that it should be normal for us to see in the spirit, or at least more normal than it is right now. Let’s take a look at some of these verses, and consider why we even need to be able to see in the spirit.
2 Kings 6:17, 20 says, “And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha . . . After they entered the city, Elisha said, ‘Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.’ Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.”
In this situation Elisha prayed for those around him to see the heavenly warriors who were arrayed on their behalf, as they were looking only at natural resources available to them in their situation. Has anyone else ever been in a bad situation where they needed to see what Heaven was doing instead of just the forces of the enemy sent against them? Seeing in the spirit is a remedy for that.
In Job 10:4 it says, “Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees?” This verse suggests that mortals see with physical eyes, yet the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that we are new creatures in Christ and no longer “mere men” as Paul chastised the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 3:3. In fact, Isaiah 29:10 suggests that the normative state for prophets is to have spiritual sight. It says, “The Lord has brought over you a deep sleep: He has sealed your eyes (the prophets); he has covered your heads (the seers).” This passage suggests that it is normal for prophets and seers to see in the spirit, hence why God had to cover them to prevent their vision.
There are many other passages that speak to our need and/or ability to see spiritual things, including multiple visions found throughout the Old and New Testaments by various prophets. In fact, in order for the disciples walking to Emmaus to recognize Jesus post-resurrection the Bible tells us their spiritual eyes had to be opened. Luke 24:31 says, “Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.” In Numbers 22:31, the prophet Balaam had to have God open his eyes in order to avoid getting killed by an angel. “Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.”
In the New Testament we are told to literally fix our gaze on non-physical, non-tangible realities, prioritizing things in the spirit over things in the natural. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Now, the reason for this is because unseen things are eternal in nature and have a more lasting value to them than physical ones. God wants us to be able to engage and interact with the spiritual realms, which is why Paul prayed accordingly in Ephesians 1:18-19a, that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”
If you have never seen in the spirit before, or would like to have it happen more, begin by praying something similar to what Elisha prayed over his servant: “Open my eyes, Lord, that I may see!”
The Need for Spiritual Sight
