For Your Eyes Only!

[Bishop Andre E. Matthews]

For Your Eyes Only!
Ez. 42:1-8 Ez. 48:1-8 Psa. 42:1-2
Lesson Aim: To help the believer go as far as the Lord leads, and to move only in the direction He commands!

Introduction:
What is deep?
Deep is defined as ‘that which extends far downward/inward from some surface/area. Its derivative means to dip.
• Deep also has the connotation of going laterally from the center of a thing
• that which occurs near the outer limits thereof.
• When using the term ‘deep’ with the concept of color, it means that which is high in saturation and low in lightness!

Now deep is one thing; but depth is another!
• Depth means a remote region of thought or reality
• the degree of departure from colorlessness dependent upon the bulk of the color being observed.

Church, there are some things that God is going to reveal to us that have never been conceived of before!
Why? Because our eyes are adjusting to new light!
• Scientists say that your eyes really do not ‘see’ for you; your mind captures pictures of the area in which you are looking, and transmits a message of recognition back to your eye. ¼ of your brain is used just for your eyes!
So- what you’re about to see is what your mind has ‘seen’ before!
• God has already given your mind images of where you’re headed!
• The only way to identify what’s right is if you’re spiritual eyes are yet properly connected to the mind of God!

Read Isa. 43:18-19 aloud.
This passage deals with the spirits of fear and demonic intimidation versus the power of God to move you!
• My movement is predicated upon which source of power/energy is commanding me.
• New things are for new-minded individuals –folks who know how maneuver in deep waters!
• God is initiating something fresh, new and powerful; something that doesn’t have earthly semblance!
God is about to start something new in you- before He does something unique around you!
• He is going to totally revolutionize your way of thinking from now on!
• In a year and season of dynamic change, transformation, and divine manifestation, you are going to have to learn how to think creatively, comprehend broadly, envision things globally, and operate in every dimension spiritually!

So, I am not here for show or fashion… God has sent me to this area for a divine purpose:
Church, I am on assignment from the Holy Ghost, to preach the acceptable year of our Lord! (Isa. 61:1-3)

Therefore, I am not here to count or censure how many of you that have been beaten, bruised or broken... No, I have not come to simply declare your breakthrough; I have not come today to simply say that your new day has begun… But I am come to initiate a holy breakout for your life!
• If what you’ve experienced in God is enough, then this message is not for you! If what you’ve received from others completed your life, then this word is not for you either! If there is no longer any more frustration or depression or confusion or disappointment for you to deal with in life, then you’ve made it over and probably don’t need any more wisdom from God!
• But if you still have a longing somewhere way down deep inside of you for more of God and what He wants to share with you- then you’ve come to the right place - at the right time!

Somebody, throw your hands up and bless the name of the Lord!
• No more pushing another pinhole in your spiritual milk bottle..
• No more moral or emotional temper tantrums for you to put on…
• No more picking up fallen ‘scraps of message-meat’ in an attempt to survive on your part…
• No, This Time, this time that you’ve come into- is a God-Time!
• This Time, you are getting ready to experience something beyond your wildest imagination…

This Time- you are going to experience an encounter with and a moment with God!
And when you experience this ‘moment with God’, He is going to feed you what angels eat, and you are going to receive, retain, and replicate that which He is going to speak to you!

Before you can rise up and go to a new table prepared by God, you are going to have to make some sacrifices that He will honor!
• God sacrificed an animal to give His son and daughter something to cover themselves with in the Garden!
• Noah built an altar before he moved out into new territory.
• Isaac become a living sacrifice on the altar his father Abraham built unto God for worshiop!
• The altar is the place of sacrifice
• The altar is the place of unselfishness.
• The altar is the place where God’s provision is prompted to meet man’s needs.

No Altar – No Acceptance! No Acceptance – No Provision! No Provision – No Peace!

Elijah built an altar unto God but not before he torn down that which was manmade and flesh-pleasing!
After Elijah built that altar and offered up sacrifices unto God on it, God then manifested His power and proved that He was able to punish every enemy, every adversary, every foe in our lives!

Q: What are we willing to give back to God that is already His?
Q: When will we begin our year right- when everything is just right for us, or when God says for us to simply begin?
• God is calling everyone who has not been giving to His House to come up and repent for keeping back what is already His!

Whenever you stop building altars and bringing your offerings to God, provisions will ultimately begin draining away!
• The process is inevitable: The Word of God plainly commands us to give and it shall be given; but the flip side of that command is this: don’t give and it shall not be given!
• No matter how hard it seems for your flesh to obey God’s Word to give to His House – This House of Worship –Do It Anyhow!
• The enemy’s desire is that you stop giving which will stop God’s reason for supplying all your needs!
• Disobedience, Stubbornness and Rebellion is not tolerated in the Kingdom of God!
• To obey is better than sacrifice!

(Read 1 Kings 19:1-8, where the prophet Elijah eats, and goes ‘in the strength of that meat’)
• I don’t know about you, but Somebody needs to rise up and eat!
• Not only that, but somebody needs to rise up, eat, and go in the strength of that meat!
• Listen- God did not say, “Sit down and die!” He said exactly the opposite: God said, Rise Up, and Eat!”
• Listen- No more changing your mind because some demonic wind recently altered your environment or circumstance!

I open my mouth right now and command you to stand up and be acknowledged and respected by every demon!
• God wants the devil and his imps to give you some respect!
• God wants the devil and his imps to shut up, cease their operations, and relinquish any and all treasures and delegated authority connected to you- but you were unaware of by misinformation!
• And then God wants every visionary and businessperson, every company and ministry to ask you permission to operate in and provide for your territory!
Ez. 44:1-16
A Reason for Faithfulness, A Reward for Obedience
• There is order to every thing God is involved with!
• Follow the patterns already laid out for us in the Word, and we will not falter in receiving God’s Best!
Ez. 42:1-8
Expound on Ezekiel’s visionary experience. Compare with individuals in ministry and life!
• Which dimension of life with God have we grown accustomed to?
• Is it dangerous to ‘peg’ God and what we think He’s going to do for us?
• Which dimension of life are we willing to adjust to?

Ez. 48:1-8
Question: Where’s the water coming from?
• Even though the water is coming out of the House, the source of the water is not the House!
• The House is simply a channel through which the Source delivers the Water to a Place of Greater Need!
• If the water proceeding from the House hasn’t damaged the House, why are you afraid to get wet?
How far out with God (and His appointed spiritual leadership) are you willing to go?
• How many times does God have to keep returning to bring you forward – before you learn to follow His first steps away from you?
• Are you yet afraid to advance for fear of losing your former identity in the old?
• Or, are you afraid of advancing because God didn’t give you all the details when He first called you?
• If your leader has not drowned or been consumed yet, why are you doubting their challenges to you?
• The same water that your leader is walking on is the same water God expects you to make headway in!
• Or, are you simply afraid to move forward because all you can see right now is the water, the turbulence around you?

Psa. 42:1-2
Expound on the hart and its need to reach water:
• To escape predators on their trail.
• To lose its scent (identity).
• To find and receive refreshment adequate to the need.
• Where you are headed, there will be no need for foreign aromas and past triumphs.
• Church, God is about to produce a brand new identity for you!
• Your Assignment: Dismiss The Old, Embrace the New!