Is your perspective clear or are you seeing through a filter of past experience?

Do you have a wide perspective or is your sight constricted by adamant attitudes, limited knowledge, selfishness or obsessive thought patterns?

Perspective is the way we look at things. Perspective tremendously affects the way we think, act and feel. It can determine the paths we take, the results we produce, the relationships we have, as well as our own well-being.

The Giraffe

A giraffe has the long neck so it can lift its head over and above to get a higher perspective. It often sees above the tree line, expanding its vantage view when others are completely submerged in the only world they know, a world underneath the trees.

As far as human beings go, we have two main vantage views. One is a natural perspective that sees into the natural world around us – what we see, hear, feel, taste and smell. It is a world where we use our intellect and reason to understand what is natural and earthy.

The second is a spiritual perspective that perceives, understands and experiences spiritual matters. This perspective can only come from the heart, or the spirit of a person. Even a person who has not been through the new birth can have some spiritual perception, like an intuition.

Those who are born again through the salvation in Jesus Christ have a recreated spirit. They also have received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Through this new spirit and with the Holy Spirit, God is able to communicate with us, reveal spiritual truth and flow through us to accomplish things of the spirit.

The World Below

Like the giraffe, God wants us to be able to lift up our head to see things clearly, both in the natural and in the spirit.

When I refer to the world below, I am talking about the condition someone is in when they live beneath God’s best, both naturally and spiritually. God is continually working in the humble to bring us up higher where we are living with more insight, more knowledge and more of His Presence, so we can participate in more of His abundant life.

The World Above

The more we grow in God, the more of His fullness we can know and experience, both naturally and supernaturally.

As we grow in God, we begin to see things like God sees them. We learn that many things are not what they seem to be. We learn to see in both the seen and unseen worlds for what they really are, even if our natural eyes tell us something that is different. When we see it, then we can receive it.

See it

In Genesis 13:15 God told Abraham to get up on a high place and look around him. He said whatever you can see is yours. In a similar way, God wants to show us what He has for us so that we can have what He wants us to have, be what He designed us to be, and do what He’s called us to do!

See His Love

Even Christians can struggle with seeing God’s love for them. Shame, guilt and fear are keeping them questioning their worth.

See His Truth

The Holy Spirit helps us to see the truth of God’s Word and the truth of what is really happening around us. We aren’t easily fooled. Everyone is susceptible to deception, but when we have insight, we don’t fall for the tricks of the enemy as easily. We don’t believe everything we hear from gossip and rumors.

See His Plan

God wants us to lift up our eyes, look to Him and see Him and what He has to show us (Psalm 121). He will reveal His plan for our lives, His purpose for our lives, and how He will empower us to pursue that plan and purpose. God will impart His love as our motivation, His Word as our inspiration and His power for our activation.

See His Freedom

We have to lift up our eyes so we can see the freedom God has for us. We don’t have to be bound by sin and the effects of sin. We don’t have to stay in torment to pain or sickness, anxiety or depression, poverty or any other type of bondage. We don’t have to stay UNDER. God wants to take us OVER.

See His Benefits

Some people feel guilty for wanting to experience God’s benefits, but God wants you to have those blessings. God sent His Son to die so you could have those benefits. You are a joint-heir! See it and receive it! God wants us to live above and not beneath.

How to Get a Higher Perspective

1. Get in the spirit

Soak yourself in worship and prayer. Pull away from the world and all the distractions.

2. Meditate in the Word of God

The Bible is filled with God’s way of thinking. When we read it and meditate on it, we can apply God’s ways to our lifestyle.

3. Speak the Word.

4. Act on the Word.

5. Take authority over the devil. Shake him off.

6. Surround yourself with wise counsel

Who we allow to be close to us can either positively or negatively influence us. Choose to closely associate with people who are mature in the Lord. Get education, training and experience in both natural and spiritual matters.

7. Stay away from what holds you down

If something is a distraction or a temptation to pull down your focus, stay away from it. Guard your heart.

In conclusion, realize that the higher you grow in God, the less some people will understand you. Some people will try to keep you down on their level. Some will criticize the things you now understand. Keep your eyes on the Lord, and grow in Him.

God wants us to expand our perspective so we can see clearly and live our best life, not only for our selves, but for Him!