Spiritual Realization
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 grasp the meaning of spiritual realization.
And now, sit back and listen to today's message.
Spiritual Realization
"Jesus said unto her, ‘‘I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, thought he were
dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.’’" John, Chapter 11,
Verse 25.
He was already dead, and didn't know it;
On the other hand, he was alive and didn't
know that either. What a predicament.
Brothers and sisters, in today's broadcast, we shall share some insights into spiritual realization. We
know that we are constantly changing. Most of these changes occur gradually but occasionally they
occur suddenly. Eventually the changes reach such a state that we become aware of them. We realize
that they have occurred and begin to consciously adjust to that realization. This brings about a change
in our attitudes and a conscious change in the kind of decisions that we make. In short, we lived the
experience before we realized the meaning of it. Today in our attempt to make these truths clear to
our minds, we shall again resort to the use of material analogies to help us grasp the more real and
lasting spiritual changes that are occurring in us.
When a child first learns their ABCs they do so through sing-song rhythm. This is how they learn to
memorize them, though they still don't know them yet. At the same time, they are learning to
memorize their alphabets, they are also learning how to use them. At first they use very simple tasks
such as learning how to write their names, learning to write the days of the weak, and so forth. They
are also involved in learning the different sounds and how they combine together to give a given word
its pronunciations. This is called phonics. As time goes on with this process, they learn how to read
and pronounce words they have never seem before. They also learn how to write short sentences and
paragraphs. They also learn to say the ABCs without singing them. Now each letter has become
distinct in their mind along with its meaning.
Under this process of learning, they awaken to the truth: they know their ABCs. They may have
mastered the use of the ABCs long before they realize it, but something happens to trigger the
realization. They may have been asked to do a difficult writing assignment, and during the process
the realization struck them. And what a vast difference there is now from the time when they sang the
letters in rote memory compared with the ability to combine the different letters into different
combinations and create any written thing that they desire. They are now full of confidence and with
the force of knowledge can now carry out the various manipulations of the ABCs without thinking.
They have moved from the conscious use of knowledge to the unconscious use of knowledge. It is
this use of knowledge without thinking about it that unleashes their creativity.
This writer remembers when he was learning his time tables, how he suddenly realized that he knew
them. I remember it was quite a chore to remember the time table from 1 -to 12. I practiced and
practiced, until I could recite them. At this stage I was like the child who first learned his ABC's
through rote memory. And I went through the same process of using these tables in doing simple
calculations. When I had to, for example, multiply 6 x 7 in a problem, I would stop and recount the
time tables in my mind until I got to 6 x 7 = 42, and then I would continue with the multiplication
problem. As time went on, I became more skillful in manipulating the numbers, and did not have to
stop and recount the answer to the numbers I was trying to multiply.
As time went on the problems became more complex: there were combinations of various sums and
differences, and divisions along with the multiplications. But I remember it was a long time before
I realized that 6 x 7 was equal to 7 x 6. This is called the commutative property of multiplication.
When I realized this property I realized the other combinations as well. If you take any two numbers,
say A x B = C, then B x A = C. There also exists the same property for addition, but not for
subtraction or division. But after I realized this property of multiplication, I became skilled at
multiplying and adding numbers. It did not matter how complex the multiplications were, my skill
was more than adequate for the task. Now that we have a feel for realization, lets us now turn our
attention to spiritual realization; particularly lets us turn our attention to the born again experience.
When we are born again of the spirit, it is quite a while before we consciously realize that we have
been born again. We go through the experience in an analogous way of learning the ABC's and the
multiplication tables. In this experience, we must keep in mind that there is a growth process
involved. After entering the Kingdom of Heaven, we do not enter as a full grown adult but as a little
spiritual baby. Consider this parable: ". . . The kingdom of heaven is also like a man who cast good
seed upon the earth; and while he slept by night and went about his business by day, the seed sprang
up and grew, and although he knew not how it came about, the plant came to fruit. First there was the
blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And then when the grain was ripe, he put forth the
sickle, and the harvest was finished. He who has an ear to hear, let him hear."
When we enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we become active sons and daughters of the heavenly Father.
This is a faith experience that takes place within the soul; the material mind cannot comprehend this
experience but it does not mean the experience is not real; on the contrary, it is absolutely real but not
so to the material mind. And though at first we talk the talk, we cannot walk the walk perfectly. There
is a dichotomy between what we say and what we do. We don't comprehend the meaning of being a
son of God. That is why those who are just born again will acknowledge that God is their Father but
will not acknowledge that they are sons and daughters of God. They call themselves servants of God,
despite the fact that they pray, ““Our Father who art in heaven.””
They acknowledge that they are one with God but will not acknowledge that they and the Father are
one. They acknowledge their dedication to doing the Father's will, but will not acknowledge that they
represent Him to their unrecognized brothers and sisters. They pray to the Father but remain unsure
of the answers. They do not recognize the answers to their prayers because they do not understand the
spiritual aspects of their prayers. They understand intellectually what they have asked for but not what
they have asked for spiritually. At this stage of their development, they do not understand the
commutative laws of the spirit: things that are equal to each other are equal to the same thing. You
cannot be a son of God and not be one with the Him. But all of this clearly shows the failure to realize
spiritual reality even though they are experiencing it.
Faith is the only requirement for entering the Kingdom of Heaven, to being born again, and once you
wholeheartedly express this desire in faith, it happens, notwithstanding that the full meaning of this
event is delayed by time and handicapped by space. One most grow continuously--sometimes
gradually and sometimes in a sudden growth spurt, which may be caused by a spiritual crisis, where
a new potential is actualized in the face of a spiritual challenge. However it happens, the realization
takes place, and the individual becomes consciously aware of all the phases of his relationship with
the Father and of the different meanings that are derived from that great truth. He now freely and
without hesitation comprehends the commutative spiritual laws. His mind has finally grasped the
meanings of the values that have been incubating in his soul. His confidence now soars; he not only
talks the talk but walks the walk. He is a joy to behold, a breath of fresh spiritual air for those
breathing stale air. He is a drink of cold water for those who are sipping tepid water. Look at Him!
He is his Father's child. He looks and acts just like Him.
This concludes today's message on grasping the meaning of spiritual realization. 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 Realization
