Spiritual Imagination
Greetings and good morning brothers and sisters. This is Dr. James Perry continuing with our series
where we seek to explore the deeper meanings of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the years, the heavenly Father has revealed many revelations of spiritual truth to me, and I want to share them with you. This morning we seek to understand the value and meaning of spiritual imagination.
And now, sit back and listen to today's message.
Spiritual Imagination
Jesus said, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:
but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like he is. And every man that hath this
hope in Him purifieth himself ,even as he is pure." First John, Chapter 3, Verses 2 and 3.
Brothers and sisters, what is spiritual imagination? When it comes to discovering new things, a
variety of mechanisms exists. Sometimes the discovery is accidental, and the inquirer literally bumps
into it, often in his search for something else. It is the keenness of the intellect that allows it to
recognize something that may be of value even though it may not be the thing that the inquirer is
seeking. But given the urge to discover something that is needed, or a problem that has been
identified that needs solving, there remains a vital component that is essential to the full actualization
of the discovery: This is imagination.
Imagination appears to be a gift of the mind. It allows the mind to picture a projected discovery and
discern how it would work according to known laws. The mind first imagines these discoveries and
looks to bring them to fruition in the outer world. In short the inquirer must have the faith to
visualize his discovery and the desire and tenacity to pursue it until it materializes. It so happens that
some things are revealed right away while others may take several generations to bring it into
existence, each generation building on the back of the previous one. We know that the laws
governing discovery by imagination are three-fold and linked together: conception, belief, and
achievement.
Conception: A potential reality is conceived, the pre-reality stage. This is the stage of desire, existing
before will and belief. That which appears in the mind must be validated by the laws governing it.
For example, we cannot conceive of a square circle or a circular square. These conceptions violate
the inherent principle of mind for reality conception. If that which we desire to exist is meaningful
and reasonable and does not violate known laws governing it, then we can feel safe and secure of
such a projected reality. We can, then, proceed to the next state.
Belief: After a potential reality is conceived, the mind must have the faith that it can become a
reality. After studying all the factors--its reasonableness, its meanings--then desire envelops it, and
the projected reality becomes surcharged with faith. Faith is the transmuting force that turns the
wheels from potential to actual once will acts upon it. This may be called the intellectual reality of
the thing projected. It is in the process of being actualized. The next and final stage of the projected
reality is the achievement stage.
Achievement: After the potential reality is subjected to faith and desire, will begins that protracted
effort to materialize the reality. Here all the powers of the self are mobilized to bring about the
projected reality. Here reality comes under critical study and observation. Experimentation and fine-
tuning take place. In due time the will functioning under the power of desire and faith brings forth
the projected reality. This is the stage of actual reality, the conception is recognizable to all and can
be duplicated.
Let us apply these same principles to spiritual imagination. The Father has commanded mortal man
to be perfect even as He is perfect, and spiritual imagination plays a role in this achievement. The
Father's Son has provided the human example of (spiritual) perfection attainment in response to this
command; thus mortal man can enjoy the same achievement. Jesus lived life in submission to the
Father's will, becoming perfect in the process. The image of this perfection is present in the form of
the divine spirit as revealed in the Son. These images are present in the mind and soul of mortal man.
It requires only faith imagination to activate them. It has been said that without faith it is impossible
to please God, and this is because without faith no force exists to turn this image of perfection into
actual reality. Without faith mortal mind cannot become perfect. Everything in his being urges him
onward, and when he embraces the leading of perfection, he begins to conceive of it. It is reasonable,
meaningful, and desirable. It is the Father's will that mortal man become perfect, and whatever the
Father wills and the son desires, is. All that is required is to desire and will it by the technique of
submitting his will to the Father's will. Having conceived of this perfection as an obtainable reality,
he is now ready for the next stage.
Living faith is a critical stage, for here is where the potential of perfection is transmuted to actual
perfection. Living faith is a rate-limiting step. It is essential: from human experiences are divine
values acquired and transmuted into the meanings of mind. These experiences are essential in order
to achieve divine perfection, which is the divine technique. The experiences are progressively
difficult, requiring us to always choose the Father's will in our interactions with one another. And
sometimes, in fact quite often, we are confronted with the need to trust the Father's guidance as we
cannot see the way of perfection in a given experience. It requires living faith to continue on this path
of perfection when it appears that absolutely no growth towards perfection is being made, and we
are apparently left stuck in a disagreeable experience, and all we see is personal frustration and
antagonism. But the Father undoubtedly knows what he is about.
Each situation is designed to bring out some aspect of Jesus' character. And it does not require much
imagination to realize that each situation is designed to call forth the fruits of the spirit. And these
fruits are ripe and ready for harvest, signified by the absence of any kind of resentment, impatience,
doubt, or any temptation to disobey the divine leading. These evil feelings have been replaced with
feelings of love, sympathy, empathy, patience, tolerance, forbearance, understanding, mercy and
forgiveness-- the spiritual consciousness of the Father. Now is the stage set for the crowning
achievement of divine perfection.
After demonstrating living faith during progressive experiences, all he has to do is to realize and
acknowledge his achievement. He has begun and completed this process by first conceiving of his
perfection through his spiritual imagination; and has faith-visualized himself perfect in his spiritual
imagination, and finally has achieved this spiritual perfection through his persistence in seeing
himself as perfect even as the heavenly Father is perfect. His value system is now perfected, and the
flow of meanings of this value system are exquisitely satisfying and are joyous. And all of this
occurred on his part by seeing himself as he would like to be regardless of all the obstacles and
barriers that he now recognizes were absolutely necessary along with living faith to make it so.
This concludes today's message on understanding the meaning and value of spiritual imagination.
We hope you find something in this message to ponder and pray about as you go about your day.
Until next time, this is Dr. James Perry.
Inspirational Messages
By Dr. James Perry
Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done!
Spiritual Imagination
