Augmented Reality

As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed.
Romans 4:17 (Amplified Bible)
Trinity Church has a long history of seeing and releasing Kingdom realities into our world. At Trinity's formation in the late 1970s, the purpose statement was written to declare that very purpose of our existence:

To bring glory, honor and worship to God by being a “People of God’s Presence, Visibly Demonstrating the Kingdom of God”.

Our discovery of how to be a people who visibly demonstrate God's kingdom continues to this day. We seek to see our world with Spiritual eyes - the eyes of our heart - so we can know God better and partner with Him in declaring those "things that are not as though they are." The concept of overlaying Spiritual sight with a physical reality might be difficult to grasp, but there is a "real world" example we can use to better comprehend it.

There is a rapidly developing computer technology being applied in gaming, design, architecture, engineering and more called AUGMENTED REALITY. It is different than virtual reality. Virtual reality creates an entirely digital world for the user to enter. Augmented Reality overlays the vision of a creator (such as an architect) on a real-world space where the creation does not yet exist. Check out the video below for an example of how the technology works. 

Augmented Reality gives us a wonderful picture of how we can overlay our Spiritual Vision (the eyes of our heart - Ephesians 1:17-23) with our Physical vision (the things we see in the "real" world). Throughout scripture we see examples of those who lived with this curious Spiritually Augmented Reality: Elisha and his servant, Abraham and his promise, Jesus only did what he saw the Father doing, Ezekiel and his wheels within wheels, etc. We see it in David's life as well.

Psalm 27 declares that what we see in the physical and what we see spiritually may seem different, but they are connected. The Psalmist (David) sees - and declares - God's goodness and security in the midst of insecure, even untenable, situations. His physical reality does not seem to reflect the things David knows about God's nature and kingdom . . . so he declares what he sees in the Spirit and calls it reality! That Spiritual Augmented Reality sustains David when nothing else would.
Try this exercise:
Think of a situation or environment where you find yourself on a regular basis (maybe daily). This could be a workplace, school, home, store, gym, etc. Consider what the place looks like when you are there. What does it sound like, smell like, or feel like? Where are you in the place? Where do you see Jesus? Now ask Jesus this: What do You want to do in this place? What are You saying or thinking about this place? What do You want me to do or declare in this place for Your Kingdom?

Walking out a Spirit Augmented Reality in our lives takes practice. I encourage all of us to ask God to open the eyes of our heart to His reality in every place we go. Let's declare those things that are not as though they are.