The Holy Spirit is your power for your eye muscles so you can bring the life and ministry of Jesus into your life and ministry.

Gen 3:6 (NIV) When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Adam and Eve had been having a conversation with Satan. Satan had been preparing their eyes for seeing the benefits for going against God’s command. We can see how our heart affects what our eyes see. If our treasure is the things of this world, if we have our desires and goals set on money, possessions, power, prestige, popularity, and positions, then our eyes look at those things Satan sends our way and are able to envision the potential pleasure that will come from yielding to it.

2 Sam 11:2 (NIV) One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful.

God saw a little lamb that was very special to her husband. David saw something he could devour with his lusts. Our eyes see what our heart contains in it. If we fill our heart with Jesus’ words, we will see what Jesus sees. His words will heal our eyes and help us see with love rather than greed, covetousness, lust, and selfishness. The love Jesus uses is the love the Holy Spirit has poured into our heart from God (Romans 5:5). That love helps us “see” people and things in a godly way. Things will be used to help people we love.

Mat 9:36 (NIV) When He [Jesus] SAW the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

When Jesus sees a crowd, He sees all their hurts, pain, needs, and suffering. He sees them through eyes of love. He comes with the heart of a servant, as He LOOKS for ways to help them. Rather than looking at people to see what they can do for Him, He sees deep down in their hearts and lives and discovers how He can be a blessing to them. This makes His eyes wonderful and beautiful. They are the eyes Jesus wants to share with us.

Mat 15:31 (NIV) The people were amazed when they SAW the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

People with pure hearts can appreciate it when others are being blessed. They can get excited about others being healed and helped. Their eyes aren’t always on themselves. They praise God and let Him know how much they appreciate all He is doing for those around them.

Mat 21:15-16 (NIV) But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law SAW the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. “Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked Him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, ‘From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise’?”

When people with evil hearts see all the wonderful things Jesus is doing, they see competition. They see someone taking their money, possessions, positions, prestige, power, and popularity away from them. They can only see what people and crowds can do for them. They can’t see the pain, problems, and needs they are supposed to be ministering to.

Next, we are going to take a look at two religious leaders who only care about themselves, their schedule, their plans, and their needs. And then we will see a person who doesn’t have any religious assignment but cares about other people and their needs. He can SEE what Jesus SEES.

The things we consider valuable and accept as our treasure sets the standard for our heart. Once this value has been established, our eyes see things on the basis of the value of our heart. The two religious leader’s value wasn’t the same as what Jesus considers to be valuable. When they saw the man who had been left half dead, he was of no concern to them. However, Jesus considered that half dead man to be Himself. Jesus felt that whatever these two religious leaders SAW and reacted to was being done or not done to Him (Matthew 25:31-46).

Mark 5:15-17 (NIV) When they [the people from the region of the Gerasenes] came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man--AND TOLD ABOUT THE PIGS AS WELL. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

Because of these people’s treasure being their pigs, the demon possessed man wasn’t very high on their value list. Because things were more important to them than people, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind but couldn’t appreciate it. Their eyes were contaminated by their heart that had been contaminated by their treasures.

Luke 19:41 (NIV) As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.

Jesus looked over Jerusalem and saw people and cried. His eyes were empowered by a heart filled with love for these hurting people. His heart was being directed by His treasure. He valued us so much that He laid His life down for us. He SAW things the way He wants us to see things. He wants to help us change our value system for His way of LOOKING at things. This will change our heart and change our eyes.

Luke 21:5-6 (NIV) Some of His disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

When the disciples looked over Jerusalem, they saw buildings; things impressed them. The THINGS that impressed them were going to pass away. The people that Jesus SAW were going to spend eternity SOMEWHERE. He saw what was important. At this point in the disciple’s training, their value system hadn’t been changed to the place Jesus was trying to take them. All but Judas allowed Jesus to change their treasures and became mighty world changers. Jesus changed their treasures, which healed their heart, and that healed their eyes.

Mark 6:48a (NIV) He [Jesus] SAW the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night He went out to them, walking on the lake.

This verse in Mark tells what Jesus saw with His spiritually empowered eyes. Then Matthew 14:25-30 gives us a more complete account of this event.

Mat 14:25-30 (NIV) During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s You,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to You on the water.” “Come,” He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Can you see how much the disciples eyes are being affected by the condition of their heart? They couldn’t see Jesus walking on the water; they thought they were seeing a ghost. But, once Peter heard the words of Jesus, it empowered his eyes and caused him to SEE an opportunity to join Jesus in His supernatural power. Peter’s eyes were filled with the reality and power of what Jesus was able to do in and through him.

As Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water toward Jesus, his eyes became influenced by the “science” of the matter. Peter’s heart was still being influenced by the “laws of nature” rather than being completely influenced by the laws of God. Peter still valued his own opinion and beliefs more than Jesus and His trustworthiness. When he SAW the wind, he was afraid. The wind had always been there the whole time. But, Peter had his eyes fixed on Jesus. As long as his eyes were seeing Jesus and all He was capable of, Peter was okay.

Jesus is asking you to turn your eyes over to just seeing Him. He is going to help you do that by changing your treasures. Once your treasures are being stored up in eternity, it will set your heart free to value Jesus and His life and ministry. Once you are seeking FIRST God’s Kingdom and His righteousness (doing good and not doing bad), your eyes will be changed and healed from SEEING things from the wrong perspective.