Jesus cannot be separated from the Word, nor can the Word be separated from Jesus. Therefore when you look to the Word, you are looking to Jesus. James 1 tells us:
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:As you look into the Word of God, you not only see Jesus, you also see yourself in the light of the New Creation. That is the "natural face" that is seen in the glass.
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
(James 1:23-25)
You begin to see what you are to look like as a believer. The Bible begins to paint a picture for you of the possibilities of overcoming. You begin to recognize that it is His nature in you that draws you into an overcoming life.
As you continue in the "perfect law" of the New Covenant, you find His "liberty" becoming more and more of a reality.
It is the person who looks into the mirror of God's Word but does not allow it to adjust his thinking, who will fail. He looks, but he does not continue to see himself as God sees him.
You may look into the Word of God every day, but if you never act on what you are seeing, in reality, you are still going your own way. James said this man "forgetteth what manner of man he was."
When you don't see yourself completely forgiven, as God sees you, you cannot have the confidence that your prayers will be answered.
When you don't see yourself empowered with His nature and ability, you will not walk confidently into an overcoming Christian life.
As you meditate in the Word of God, you are seeing how Jesus will respond in your life. You will discover who you are in Him. You will receive revelation knowledge and understanding.
In Matthew 6 Jesus said:
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye by single, thy whole body shall be full of light.A single eye is one that is looking in the right direction. Having a single eye means having the right vantage pint and seeing things with the right perspective. The Word of God gives you the right vantage point.
But if thine eye by evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
(Matt. 6:22-23)
You see yourself with a new perspective: forgiven; possessing His health; at peace with God, with yourself, with people everywhere. When your spiritual sight is properly focused, when it is pure and sound, it will bring illumination into your heart.
An evil eye is one that is focused on the wrong things and is viewing things from the wrong perspective. To more clearly understand this truth, let's examine that word evil. It means "adversity, affliction, calamity, misery, that which causes sorrow or any other undesirable result."
To focus your attention on sin, immorality, disease, depression, poverty, or any other work of the devil, is to have an evil eye. The reason these things are evil is because they actually produce calamity and undesirable results.
But if you turn your attention to the light of God's Word, it will cause the darkness to be run out of your life. Now you will begin to consider His power in your life to be greater than the problems and temptations attacking you.
by Dennis Burke
Excerpt permission granted by Dennis Burke Ministries