PERCEPTION- A revelation of the Spirit

PERCEPTION- A revelation of the Spirit

16 June 2018

The word perceive can be explained several ways but in essence it means

o   to know

o   to understand

o   to be enlightened

I'm sure we have all at some point been explaining a thing to someone and they'll interject "Oh! I see". See what? Since you did not physically produce the thing that you are referring too, how can they all of a sudden see it? Typically what they mean is that they"Perceive" they understand and comprehend what you are explaining. So, where does Perception come from? How does it work and is it important? Basically, it comes from God and we'd all be as dumb as a rock without it. 

God has equipped us with an inner ability in that that we can perceive and clearly understand a matter by several means of communication. It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words yet there is another medium of communication, rarely acknowledged or discussed. It is so common that it forms a major part of our day to day understanding of things. That is Perception, some may take that further and call it intuition and that definition may well be closer to the truth. Unknown to most who currently walk the face of the earth, much of what we know and understand about the way things are is in fact the outcome of “Perception”. We were never taught it, told it, even read it, but some how we have managed to ascertain many things as if … by magic?

Although, it is not by magic at all but much of what we understand is the result of input by invisible spiritual entities. We just seem to know and understand a thing, just as if someone had told us about it with words and sentences. In fact, so great is that unsung ability that even when someone is conversing with us in words and sentences, we may

“Perceive” that the talker is not actually telling the truth. And, on occasions, our perceptions, without substantiated evidence may even reveal that the talker is in fact stating a load of rubbish which is the total opposite of the truth. Herein is where a court judge makes His living by trying to perceive and separate the truth from a lie.

That said, our engagements from God are probably far more than we could ever imagine and that is because often, The Almighty does not always articulate to His created ones with just words the thing He wants us to know. In addition to clear speech the Spirit of God may communicate by awareness, revelation, and impartation through perception:

We do well to learn more of this pathway to power, so let’s not be too dismissive and rule out this unspoken, passive dynamic of communication as non-relevant. If we can know things, without having audibly heard or visually seen things and the end result is an understanding just as if we had heard and seen then this is a significant mater that we should pay more earnest heed to. Why? Because God surely is as the bible says “A talking God”. We should understand that His communications and conversations with us are far from limited to mere words only. Just because we didn’t HEAR actual words that does not mean that God did not actually SPEAK.

STRONG'S CONCORDANCE DEFINITION OF PERCEPTION

Original: γινώσκω - Strong's Number: G1097 - Transliteration: Ginosko

Phonetic: ghin-oce'-ko

Definition:

1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel

a) to become known

2) to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of

a) to understand

b) to know

3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman

4) to become acquainted with, to know

Click for Synonyms

Origin: a prolonged form of a primary verb - Part of speech: Verb

Strong's: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to know (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as shown at left with others not thus clearly expressed): - allow be aware (of) feel (have) known (-ledge) perceive be resolved can speak be sure understand.

UNDERSTANDING BY PERCEPTION NOT BY SENTENCE

And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake. –

2 Samuel 5:12

God had not audibly said to David “You are king”. Samuel the prophet had anointed him; he had seen success in slaying Goliath. Yet, David was in fact the chosen of the Lord to lead His people Israel. David’s personal awareness of being God’s appointed king was the outcome of a perception.

REALISED - As if someone told him..

And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. -Nehemiah 6:12

The above verse is from the book of Nehemiah, again, God did neither audibly nor internally whisper to Nehemiah that these two rascals were not ambassadors for Him. However, Nehemiah “Perceived” that they were not from God and as you read the rest of the book you will soon learn that Nehemiah was very correct in his assessment. Why? Because he had an inner God given compass and Tobias & Sanballat expressed an entirely different bearing and agenda compared to his. Thus allowing him to “Perceive” that something was very off base …

PERCEIVED & HEARD IS THE SAME THING

For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it? -Jer 23:18

There is so much more to our make up than we realise. We are not two-dimensional only. There is a very definite spiritual element to our being that for most is veiled from their understanding – Our “Perception” is in part. There is a truth in the songwriter’s words in that Classic Hymn “Amazing Grace when he pens from his own experience “I once was blind but now I see”. What was it exactly that he saw? Did his vision miraculously change from whatever to 20/20 or X-ray even? Could he suddenly see in to the invisible realm that those around him did not?

Well in a manner of speaking it is true that the sincere born again believer can see into the invisible realm.  Not necessarily shapes, sizes and invisible beings made manifest, but this could be the case and has been for some, this author included. But, this “New Sight” would perhaps be better defined by stating that his “Perception” of life and Christ’s central position in it, had suddenly enlarged and became more translucent quite considerably, and that his life, with new sight, would take a more positive direction as an outcome of his new perception.

Another example of both words and perception is in the incident with Jeremiah when he said, “the Lord spoke to him”. But, it doesn’t seem that he was too clear on that until the thing came to pass that he knew for sure. Bear in mind as you read this brief account that the background was that Jeremiah had brought the word of the Lord for decades that Israel would be taken away from their land and into captivity. He was now prophesying that this coming captivity was now imminent and would take place anytime soon. Therefore it made no sense to buy his relatives land. Why would you? Your neighbour is about to tear the place to pieces, take what he wants and burn what he doesn’t. Not really a time for land acquisition, but a good time to sell. However, read on…

6 and Jeremiah said, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 7 Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come

unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for

the right of redemption is thine to buy it. - Jer 32:6,7

THEN THE WORD CAME TO PASS - CONFIRMATION OF PERCEPTION

So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. -Jeremiah 32:8

By Gods kind grace I have on many, many occasions perceived a thing, considered an improbable outcome. It never registered with me at all that perhaps the Spirit of God was enlightening me. However, when the thing came to pass as impossible as it seemed, THEN I was aware by perception that God had in fact communicated with me yet at the time – I perceived it not. How many times do we miss the gentle impartation that the Master gives us. We so often plead “Talk to me God Talk to me please”. If only we had better trained ourselves to respect and revere His voice, we would “Understand Him to say” “Why my dear child, I talk to you all the time, but you have hardly stilled your heart from the affairs of this life so that you can hear me.. Be still, and know that I am God – Psalm 46:10

CHRIST PERCEIVED - As if someone told him..

And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? -Mark 2:8

SOMETIMES PERCEPTION IS HID

But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying. -Luke 9:45

CHRIST BECAME AWARE - As if someone told him..

When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. -John 6:15

PAUL REALISED - As if someone told him..

But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. -Acts 23:6

THE APOSTLES UNDERSTOOD – As if someone told him..

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. -Galatians 2:9

SOME BIBLE WARNINGS

Testing your perceptions – Not all input comes from revelation by God and we should be careful not to simply embrace every imprint that we experience. We are warned that satan will manifest himself as an angel of light with an agenda to deceive the people of God. One of the first strategies he has in that respect is to try and convince us that we personally are above the possibility of being deceived…hmmm!

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. -1 Jn 4:1

NOT ALL PERCEPTION & IMPRESSION IS PURE

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. - James 3:14,15

IS YOUR PERCEPTION IN LINE WITH SCRIPTURE?

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? -2 Corinthians 13:5

Do not just accept a perception - check it with the witness of the spirit and the word of God

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. -1 Thessalonians 5:21