In what ways can we apply "salve to anoint your eyes"? Opening the Passage Revelation 3:18: “I counsel you to buy from Me … salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” Christ speaks to the lukewarm church at Laodicea—famed for its medical eye powder—using a physical image to offer a real, spiritual remedy for blindness. Because His word is true and literal, we treat the prescription as binding and practical for every believer today. Why Our Eyes Need Anointing • Spiritual blindness hides sin (Matthew 6:23) • It dulls discernment (Hebrews 5:14) • It clouds hope and joy (2 Peter 1:9) • It keeps us from seeing Christ’s glory (2 Corinthians 4:4) Where the Eye Salve Comes From Only Christ supplies it. Isaiah 42:7 promises He opens blind eyes; John 9 points to Him as the Light of the world. We “buy” without money by humble faith (Isaiah 55:1). Applying the Salve: Seven Ongoing Practices 1. Invite the Holy Spirit’s illumination • Ephesians 1:17-18—Paul prays “that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened.” • Ask daily: “Spirit of truth, show me what I cannot see.” 2. Submit to the whole counsel of Scripture • Psalm 119:18—“Open my eyes to see wondrous things from Your law.” • Read with a surrendered will, not a critical spirit; obey the light you receive. 3. Cultivate repentant humility • James 4:6—God “gives grace to the humble.” • Confess quickly; blindness lifts when pride falls. 4. Walk in honest fellowship • 1 John 1:7—“If we walk in the light … we have fellowship.” • Invite trusted believers to speak truth into blind spots (Proverbs 27:6). 5. Practice discerning prayer • Colossians 1:9—“be filled with the knowledge of His will … in spiritual wisdom.” • Pray over decisions, motives, media intake; wait for His clarifying peace. 6. Guard moral and mental purity • Matthew 5:8—“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” • Renounce anything that fogs vision—bitterness, lust, cynicism, false teaching. 7. Fix eyes on Christ’s glory • Hebrews 12:2—“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.” • Regularly recount the gospel; worship sharpens sight (2 Corinthians 3:18). Signs the Salve Is Working • Sin grows ugly, holiness attractive (Romans 7:24-25). • Scripture reads you even as you read it (Hebrews 4:12-13). • Decisions align with eternal values (Colossians 3:1-2). • Compassion rises for the lost and hurting (Matthew 9:36). • Praise wells up naturally as Christ becomes clearer (1 Peter 1:8). Keep Reapplying Laodicea’s believers needed continual treatment, and so do we. By persevering in these God-given means, our spiritual eyesight stays sharp, our witness bright, and our walk steady until faith becomes sight (1 Corinthians 13:12). |
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