Many people are unaware of the spiritual influences within their relationships that affect every aspect of their life. They confine their thinking to the physical realm and consequently do not see the total truth. Their reality is limited only to what their five senses can perceive.
But as followers of Christ, the Holy Spirit wants us to see the bigger picture. He wants us to be aware, not only of the visible, but the invisible. He wants us to see our life from God’s perspective and live with an awareness of the larger context which includes the spiritual realm.
We may live in a physical world but it exists within a spiritual environment. When we learn how to look at our life from God‘s point of view, we will see that our life and circumstances are affected by both relational and spiritual influences.
See the Bigger Picture
This diagram illustrates how the life of a Christian is affected by these relationships and spiritual influences. It provides an overall perspective so we can better understand the truth about ourselves, our circumstances, and the spirit realm.
God
Everything exists and happens within the context of God’s infinite, loving presence. He created mankind and the physical world in which we live.
Through divine revelation, God reveals truth and himself to us.
God has a masterplan that he is sovereignly orchestrating. You, the Body of Christ, and the secular world are involved in the fulfillment of that purpose.
“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.” —1 Chronicles 29:11-12, NLT
You
God desires that you and he have an intimate loving relationship. He wants you to grow in your knowledge of and love for him. He wants to transform you into the person he created you to be.
God created you with unique traits, and placed you into a particular family, culture and country to accomplish the purpose he designed for your life. Despite how you may feel about where you are in life right now, he has great plans for you. Plans for which he uniquely designed you.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” —Ephesians 2:10, NLT
The Body of Christ
As a believer, you also are part of God’s family, the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is made up of all believers and is also known as Christ’s Kingdom or the Universal Church.
It has great diversity through its multitude of members but by God’s design each individual has been created and equipped with giftedness to fulfill an important role for the well-being of God’s entire family.
The Christian life can only be lived successfully to the degree that we are dependent upon God and inter-dependent upon one another within God’s family. We are Christ’s representatives of love and reconciliation to those who do not yet know him.
“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” —Romans 12:4-5, NLT
The World
The world consists of those who are still blinded and controlled by Satan, the evil one, and live in spiritual darkness. This is the world system from which believers have been set free and transferred into Christ’s Kingdom (Colossians 1:13). However, believers still live as foreigners within this earthly kingdom. Jesus wants us to be his light within this Kingdom of Darkness (Matthew 5:14).
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.…” —John 3:16-17, BSB
Jesus said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness (John 12:46).
Satan
Lucifer is a created being who, overcome by pride, led a host of angels in rebellion against God’s design. As a result, God cast him and these fallen angels out of heaven. And Lucifer became Satan, the devil.
Now Satan seeks to deceive, divide, divert, discourage, and destroy every believer through spiritual warfare. He also manipulates and holds unbelievers of the world in bondage.
Although Satan seeks to wreak havoc among humanity, Jesus has defeated him and has given all of his followers authority to thwart Satan.
“Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. Resist him, strong in your faith,…” —1 Peter 5:8-9a
“For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Look at Life From God’s Viewpoint
Although it is natural for us to just focus on the material realm, God wants us to see the bigger picture. He wants us to see our life from his perspective. He does not want us to live in ignorance but to embrace this truth and live free to become all he created us to be and fulfill all he planned for us to accomplish for his glory.
“Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God–what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.” —Romans 12:2