From the desk of Steve Shultz:
Can you imagine walking down the road – with Jesus suddenly appearing and talking to you? ...Wow!
And it happened to a couple of disciples on the "road to Emmaus", yet at that time - they didn't recognize that it was actually Jesus!
God is always wanting to take us further in our walk with Him – further than we can imagine. You'll read about this and more in Barbie Breathitt's word as she shares:
Jesus always desires to take us farther down the road than we are willing to walk with Him. We set the limits on the heights, depths, or distances Jesus can take us.
Enjoy,
Steve Shultz
***
Note from Steve Shultz: People ask me, "How can I support The Elijah List?"
My answer: The Elijah List articles are emailed for FREE to you and your friends – or published on our website – 365-Days-a-Year – to readers all over the world. Your support helps to pay for this effort by simply purchasing your prophetic resources directly from elijahshopper.com.
We appreciate our dear readers and we thank you for supporting your Elijah List staff!
Barbie Breathitt:
God Wants to Open Our Eyes to See So that We Can Know Him in a New Way
God Is Spirit, and He Communicates In Spirit and In Truth
When the two disciples walked the road to Emmaus, they encountered Jesus. The two men saw Jesus, they walked and talked with Jesus, yet they did not recognize Him as the resurrected Lord (see Luke 24:17). Jesus had taken on a new, glorious form – as He often does.
Jesus sometimes comes in a form we are not familiar with, and it offends our minds. Jesus is the Son of God and Son of Man, the Word, the Lamb and the Lion, the Advocate, Friend, Defender, Provider, Lord and Savior of the world, and so much more. God is Spirit, so He communicates to us through the Spirit of Truth. The Bible tells us that where two or more are gathered "I am there in their midst" (Matthew 18:20).
The disciples felt that they knew this man who walked and talked with them. Jesus asked, "What are you discussing?" They answered Him:
"'But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.' And He said to them, 'O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?' Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures" (Luke 24:17, 22-27).
Their understanding was quickened by His spiritual Words of wisdom. They listened as Jesus, the resurrected Son of God, the Master Teacher, taught about Jesus the Prophet and Seer. Their spiritual ears bore witness to His greatness, but their eyes did not recognize Him in the natural because He came in a different form – Jesus had entered into His glory!
God Wants to Open Our Eyes to See So that We Can Know Him in a New Way
And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." So He went in to stay with them. Luke 24:28-29
Jesus always desires to take us farther down the road than we are willing to walk with Him. We set the limits on the heights, depths, or distances Jesus can take us. But in His mercy and great grace, He is willing to recline and rest with us. He will bless us and commune with us until we are ready to take the next step. We are destined to know Him from glory to glory.
Jesus continued to commune with the men as they rested around the dinner table. Jesus remained with the men until their eyes were opened to see Him for who He is and to discern truth.
When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. Luke 24:30-31
The disciple's eyes were opened to recognize Jesus when He broke the communion bread. Jesus came to share a meal with the disciples to release the promises of the words He had spoken on the road to Emmaus. Prophetic promises are released in the covenant meal of communion if we are able to rightly discern His body. The bread represented His body that had been broken for the salvation of the world.
But God healed Jesus' broken body. Jesus walked and talked in resurrection power. When the disciples recognized Jesus in His resurrected state, He vanished from their sight. When our dim eyes are opened to see at one level or dimension, Jesus will start the process of enabling us to see Him on an ever-increasing level of clarity.
Once Jesus vanished from their presence, "They said to one another, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?' And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, 'The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.' They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread" (Luke 24:32-35).
When we discover who Jesus is at one level, He will empower us to know Him in a deeper and more profound way. Our hearts are ignited to burn with a passionate love. The living, resurrected Word will manifest in flesh once again.
Jesus was the firstborn of many brethren. God knew Jesus was the prototype, the first of many sons and daughters to come. God had a divine plan from before time began. God knew us before He brought the world into existence. He chose us and made us right with Him. After we are saved, He gives us His glory. God fashions the lives of those who love Him to reflect Jesus' image on earth.
Every one of us mirrors a diverse form and reflects a different aspect of Jesus. God orchestrates everything to bring forth His love and purpose in our life. God is faithful to establish us on a solid foundation, to build us until we are transformed into His image. We see who we are destined to become in glory when we see Jesus (see Romans 8:28-30).
As we mature in Christ we take on His form. We look more like the God we love. None of us look the same as we did ten years ago. If we are not continually changing, then we are stagnant. Remember, we are destined to know Him from glory to glory.
What is the form of glory that God will take during our day and time? Each new move of God is known for its uniqueness. We read about the God of the Bible. We know how He appeared in the different moves of the past. But how will He appear in our time? What are the different ways He can come? Are there ways that we have not seen or experienced yet? Will we accept the new move of God or judge it? Will we discern it by the Spirit?
God wants to open our eyes to see so that we can know Him in a new way. God said, "Behold I make all things new. I do a new thing, do you not perceive it?" (see Isaiah 42:9 and Isaiah 43:19). Since He is God, He can come any way He desires!
God is asking, "Do you not perceive the new thing or the new ways in which I am coming?" So often we do not understand or perceive the ways of God. God comes in a unique and special way through every person; but we often don't recognize or perceive the various forms and expressions of God when they are resident in man. Perception talks about the realm of the spirit where our senses are activated to perceive Him walking down the road, past the natural into the supernatural.
As God Releases His Spirit, The Fear of the Lord Will Return
As God releases the seven Spirits of God (see Revelation 4:5), the reverential fear of the Lord will return. Just like the two disciples, Saul also encountered Jesus on a barren road – this one called Damascus: "And he said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting'" (Acts 9:5).
In his zeal, he had gained letters from the high priest to bind, threaten, and murder the Lord's disciples. As Saul approached Damascus, a blinding light suddenly flashed around him. Saul fell to the ground, where the voice of God confronted him. "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Saul responded, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; stand up on your feet, go to Damascus, and you will be given directions there." The men who were with Saul were mute. They heard the heavenly voice that spoke to Saul, but their eyes were not given vision to see anyone. Saul arose from the ground. His eyes were open, yet he was blind and saw nothing. Saul remained in Damascus fasting and praying for three days without sight (see Acts 9:4-9).
The Lord worked to bring Saul into the Kingdom by speaking to Ananias in a vision: "Get up and go to Straight Street, where Saul is praying. I have shown him your face in a vision. He has seen you laying hands on him to restore his sight. Tell him he is My chosen vessel to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings. I have shown him visions of how much he must suffer for My name's sake" (see Acts 9:11-16).
So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened. Acts 9:17-19
Spiritual Ways We May Perceive the Lord and See Him In Our Own Life
In this amazing Bible passage, we see multiple examples of the supernatural realm demonstrated. The Bible brings spiritual illumination to the Believer through the vision realm, prayer, healing, and prophecy. Saul underwent a spiritual transformation to become the apostle Paul. This process of deprogramming Saul began on the road to Damascus. But the process continued over the next fourteen years – two complete cycles of seven – to bring him into perfection. Saul lived in wilderness isolation, learning to overcome a religious spirit which was zealous to destroy the people of God. The Holy Spirit taught Paul to hear the voice of the Lord and to understand the vision realm.
His natural vision was lost in order for him to gain his spiritual vision. The eyes usually are the instruments from where our brain or mind's eye receives pictures. Even so, if you close your eyes, you will be able to envision, or see, the face of someone you love or with whom you are well acquainted. While Saul was not able to see with his physical eyes, God showed him a mental picture of a stranger, the face of Ananias.
The scales that can blind our natural sight must be removed. Our spiritual sight must be healed so we can gaze past our own carnal understanding into the infinite dimensions of Christ. Spiritual sight will allow us to obtain the light of revelation.
Barbie L. Breathitt Ph.D.
Breath of the Spirit Ministries
Email: Barbie@BreathOfTheSpiritMinistries.com
Website: BreathOfTheSpiritMinistries.com
Barbie Breathitt is the author of Dream Encounters, Seeing Your Destiny From God's Perspective, and her new book Gateway to the Seer Realm: Look Again to See Beyond the Natural. She is an ordained minister, dedicated educator, and respected teacher of the supernatural manifestations of God. Barbie's dynamic teaching skills, intelligence, and quick wit keep her a favorite with audiences everywhere. Barbie has become a recognized leader in dream interpretation, traveling to more than forty nations. Her prophetic gifting and deep spiritual insight have helped thousands of people understand the supernatural ways God speaks to us today.
