Matthew 13:15b Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.
One major principle on this earth is that of input versus output or sowing versus reaping. As a result, we can conclude that an outcome is dependent on the input. I saw two definitions of the word ‘Portal’. The first is an entrance, doorway, or gate, especially a large or imposing one. From the opening scripture, three things are mentioned: Eyes, Ears, and the Heart. In scripture, when the heart is mentioned, it is not always about the physical organ in the body. Many times, it is used to replace the human spirit.
Proverbs 4:23 speaks on guarding the heart with all diligence because out of it flows the issues of life. This means that what we do, the way we behave, and how our lives turn out all stem from what is in our heart. So the spiritual portals are the eyes and ears. What you see and what you hear consistently will eventually end up in your heart. (Your spirit man) So the heart is the final destination but the eyes and ears are the entrance to that heart. The second definition of portal I saw says; A website or web page providing access or links to other sites. So the above description fits it. The eyes and ears can be likened to the web pages providing access to the heart.
Jeremiah 5:21 Hear this now, O foolish people, Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not. They were described as people without understanding because of the state of their eyes and ears. This means that what we see and hear has the potential to determine our growth level in terms of insight. Acts 28:27 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. The healing of the people was dependent on what their eyes saw, their ears heard, and what their hearts understood.
That is why the devil would want to blind people because once they can see something, they can possess it. 2 Corinthians 4:4 the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Not only unbelievers can be blinded. Believers can. If not, we wouldn’t be told to renew our minds. That’s why Paul would pray in Ephesians 1:18 that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened. In the first scripture, we see the mind and in the second, we see understanding. Both have a link with the heart. The mind is a spiritual element, different from the brain, a physical element. In other versions of the scripture, the phrase ‘eyes of your heart’ replace ‘the eyes of your understanding’. So, it’s the same thing.
In Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearing. So if faith, without which it is impossible to please God and with which we overcome the world, comes by hearing, it shows that even faith level is influenced by these spiritual portals. All the exploits we would ever do in our walk with God literally hinges on these portals. I have heard a couple of people say that every problem is a knowledge problem. And in Hosea 4:6, we see that people perish because of the lack of knowledge. Knowledge is actually acquired via these portals. The reason you know something is either because you read about it with your eyes, or heard it from someone with your ears. 2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. So even the grace you operate in is a function of your knowledge which has its roots in what you see and hear.
Why are these portals important to God? Let’s look at the five senses. If I hit you with a rod, for instance, you are going to feel it on your skin because of the sense of touch. But the pain would leave after some time. If someone applies perfume on their body and gets close to you, you would perceive it via the sense of smell but the smell would die down after some time. If you put a certain food in your mouth, you can have a sense of how it tastes like. After brushing your teeth or eating something else, the taste of what you ate would leave. So what we perceive with these senses can’t last for a long time as compared to what we see and hear. A statement someone makes about you can literally live with you for the rest of your life. People have self-esteem issues mainly because of statements a person once made about them. People’s words can even make a person doubt their abilities. What a person has seen can also never be taken from them. The image can be in your mind for life. When you experience something and see it with your own eyes, it’s more tangible to you. This is why we must be mindful of what or who we listen to and what we watch because what you feed on will nourish you.
These portals even have eternal significance because to be saved, we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths. Why do we believe in our hearts? Because we heard or saw something. We either saw God move in a way that challenged the notion that there is no God or we heard a message from a preacher and then the heart followed. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, so the confession with the mouth also has a link to the portals which lead to the heart.
See what Proverbs 4:20-22 says about these portals; My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. So what we hear and see not only affects our heart but our body too. Wow!
In conclusion, a prayer worth praying is in Ephesians 1:18. We need seeing eyes, hearing ears, and an understanding heart if we are going to hear from God and fulfill His purpose for our lives.
The Word In Clarity 