We all deal with “invisible” things every day. Air, oxygen, smells, wind, love – and germs!

In 1546, the Venetian physician, Girolamo Fracastoro proposed that diseases were caused by transferable tiny particles he called “spores” that could transmit infection by direct or indirect contact. It didn’t catch on.

Agostino Bassi in Italy in 1844 stated the idea that not only animal but also human diseases were caused by living micro-organisms. No one really bought in.

In the 1850s a Bavarian scientist, Friedrich Henle and his student Robert Koch together created the fundamental rules for cleanly defining disease-causing microbes – the early predecessor to Germ Theory.

In the late 1860s, Louis Pasteur, considered the father of germ-theory, states that disease is cause by specific microbes and sets out to prove these assumptions.

But perhaps the most startling story of the scientists who pioneered germ theory is that of Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian obstetrician working at a prestigious hospital in Vienna. He noticed a dramatically high incidence of death from childbirth fever among women who delivered at the hospital with the help of the doctors and medical students. Births attended by the midwives were relatively safe. Investigating further, Semmelweis discovered that the doctors and medical students were coming in to deliver the babies having come directly from doing autopsies. Semmelweis asserted that childbirth fever was a contagious disease, and made the doctors wash their hands with water and lime before examining pregnant women, and thereby reduced mortality from childbirth to less than 2% at his hospital. Nevertheless, Semmelweis and his theories were viciously attacked by most of the Viennese medical establishment.

It isn’t until the late 1800s that Joseph Lister develops the earliest practices of antiseptic surgery.

They couldn’t see the germs – so they through out the theory as unsupported and unsubstantiated – and people continued to die because of unwashed hands and unwashed surgical equipment.

Invisible – therefore unreal or non-existent?

The Apostle Paul wrote to the young Timothy, these words of praise: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)

When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God told him: “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. . . But,” He said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:19-23)

We cannot SEE God – but that doesn’t make Him unreal or powerless or a myth.

The writer of Hebrews tells us: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

Nice words. Easy to remember.

The word HOPE is being used in what we might consider an archaic way. It means “to have confidence; trust.” It’s looking forward to something with confidence and expectation. We’re certain of what we have confidence in and look forward to with great anticipation.

But it’s that being certain of what we don’t see that can seem a little out there. And yet – we confidently believe in a God that is invisible to us. Have you thought about that? You believe in an invisible God. Without seeing Him – you still believe in Him.

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. (1 Peter 1:8)

Does that describe you?

Check out 2 Kings 6:8-17.

Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

The man of God (Elisha) sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God (Elisha). Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” (Who is the traitor among us?)

“None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

“Go, find out where [Elisha] is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” Then [the king of Aram] sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

When the servant of the man of God [Elisha] got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

The Army of the Lord was there! The men of Aram may have encompassed the city, but the Heavenly Host – a multitude, an uncountable number of warring angels – had surrounded the army of Aram! The men of Aram were around the city – but the angelic military might could be seen on the hills and mountains completely surrounding the human army – puny in comparison to the angelic military divisions. God’s might was there in countless numbers – but they were invisible!

How many times have you encountered hard times and thought you were on your own, all by yourself? If you are a child of God, those foes encamp about you – THEY are encompassed on all sides by the Army of God!

Read this psalm of David:

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
so why should I be afraid?
The Lord protects me from danger—
so why should I tremble?

When evil people come to destroy me,
when my enemies and foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
Though a mighty army surrounds me,
my heart will know no fear.
Even if they attack me,
I remain confident.
(Psalm 27:1-3 - NLT)

How can we be confident while we’re under siege or under attack? We have God on our side! Read this promise of our invisible God and protector: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Turn in your Bible and study Hebrews 11:24-27:

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

Moses kept right on going because he not only had SEEN the one who is invisible, but he kept his eyes on Him the whole time – not fearing what he saw with his earthly eyes. Moses was motivated because he had his eye on “the One” no eye can see! That’s faith – and it’s comforting.

By now – you may be making this important connection: the invisible is invisible to US – but the invisible has been seen by some!

Elisha and his servant saw the Army of the Lord encompassing the army of the king of Aram. Moses saw the glory of the Lord pass by after the Lord hid Moses in the cleft of the rock. . . he didn’t see the face of God, but he saw His glory pass by. We may not be able to see God – and we may not always see how He’s working around us – but we can always see what God is doing – by faith.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

The writer of Hebrews reminds us of Abraham’s faith in the Lord. Turn to Hebrews 11:17-19.

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

God had made him a promise, and even when faced with the prospect of losing his only son – the son through whom the promise of countless offspring was to come true – Abraham knew God could bring Isaac back from the dead, so Abraham was willing to do whatever God said, because he knew God would keep His word.

Hebrews 11:13-16 sums this all up in this way:

All these people (Moses, Abraham – and the others who walked by faith and not by sight) were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

We should live as if we’re looking for a country of our own – a country in which to live that is not this country – a better country – a Heavenly one! We can’t see that Heavenly Land, but we know it’s there, and we’re looking forward to living there for eternity!

The invisible is invisible to us – but the invisible has been seen by some – and God, while invisible – can be witnessed and experienced because of His actions in the world!

The Apostle Paul tells us that “We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) In fact – our very salvation and citizenship in Heaven is based on our FAITH and in our ability to know even though we cannot see. Turn to 1 John 5:9-12 and read the Apostle John’s teaching.

We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

If we take human testimony at face value, how much more should we be reassured when God gives His testimony? Whoever believes in the Son of God inwardly confirms God’s testimony.

Folks – all that we are as believers is based on the invisible. Yet – by faith we can “see” the invisible and embrace it. We can see the results of healing. We can see and experience love. We can see the tangible of God at work in our lives when we receive help from someone, or give help to another. Paul tells us that everyone in the world can “see” God – perhaps not His invisible, spiritual form – but certainly His living work and evidences. Read what Paul teaches us in Romans 1:20:

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

We can “see” God in creation – in the compassion, servanthood, and selflessness of His followers. We “see” God in our Savior.

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known. (John 1:18)

Paul tells us this in Colossians 1:15-20:

He (Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.

The 3rd century Christian scholar and theologian, Origenes Adamantius, had a great analogy for what Jesus did. Origenes told of a city with a huge statue – so immense you actually could not see for sure what it was supposed to represent.

Finally, someone miniaturized the statue so one could see the person it honored. Origenes said, “That is what God did in His Son.”

Paul is telling us that Jesus Christ is the self-miniaturization of God, the visible icon or image of the invisible God (Colossians 1). In Christ we have God in a comprehensible way. In Christ we have God’s own personal and definitive visit to the planet.

You can imagine seeing a statue so large that you can only see the toes and the under-side of the toe nails. The true form is so tall you can’t make out what it is. Only a miniature version of the statue will tell you what you’re really seeing. That’s how it is with Jesus – He came to show us what God truly looks like!

We can also “see” God in our love for one another.

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:12)

I’ve talked a lot about it in the past – and I’ll never stop talking about it – that when we love one another the way Jesus taught us – people can see God in us because they see God’s love brought to full expression in and through us.

Our hearts and our spirits also give testimony to what Jesus has done and is doing in our lives. We can feel our hearts being warmed.

John Wesley, wrote this in his diary:

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

Wesley gives witness to how our unseen God works in hearts – warming them, changing them, and healing them. Have you felt your heart strangely warmed? Have you had an encounter with Jesus that changed the way you felt and changed the way you lived your life? We need to learn to embrace the invisible! What we cannot see is sometimes right at the foundation of what we believe!

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

And when we start to get this right – another invisible force comes along and tries to submarine what we’re experiencing and take away the joy we’re feeling.

Wesley writes a bit later in his diary – about his return to his home after that evening at Aldersgate Street:

After my return home, I was much buffeted with temptations, but I cried out, and they fled away. They returned again and again. I as often lifted up my eyes, and He “sent me help from His holy place.” And herein I found the difference between this and my former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yes, fighting with all my might under the law, as well as under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now, I was always conqueror.

When we live for the Lord – His blessings may or may not be invisible, but they’re tangible in many other ways. At the same time, our enemy’s attacks are just as invisible but definitely felt and very real! He injects fear and doubt: “If you really believe, why are you not a better person? Why do you still fall down from time to time? You must not really belong to Jesus.” In fact – I would say that if you are feeling some oppression from time to time and never experience the attack of the enemy – you are probably coasting in your spiritual life and need to turn it up a notch and get noticed by the enemy!

Philip Yancey, in his book, Seeing the Invisible God, wrote:

Every animal on earth has a set of correspondences with the environment around it, and some of those correspondences far exceed ours. Humans can perceive only 30 percent of the range of the sun's light and 1/70th of the spectrum of electromagnetic energy. Many animals exceed our abilities. Bats detect insects by sonar; pigeons navigate by magnetic fields; bloodhounds perceive a world of smell unavailable to us.

Perhaps the spiritual or “unseen” world requires an inbuilt set of correspondences activated only through some sort of spiritual quickening. “No one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above,” said Jesus (John 3:3 - NRSV.) “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” said Paul (1 Corinthians 2:14.) Both expressions point to a different level of correspondence available only to a person spiritually alive.

That’s really the bottom line: our spiritual lives are, for the most part, made up of invisible, eternal realities that we must make sense of in the temporary world in which we live; and that can only be done when we’re born from above in Christ, and purposefully tuning in to a different set of frequencies or correspondences that can only come from a growing faith in Christ. We may not see our God face to face – but we certainly can experience Him one-on-one, and up close and personal!

The Apostle Peter says: Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. . .” (1 Peter 1:8)

And Paul pretty much wraps it up for us in this statement:

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

The spiritual world is invisible to us – but it’s real and can be experienced right here in the temporary and polluted and degraded world in which we must live. We all need to learn to sense the invisible and embrace it. If can only come from being born from above in Jesus Christ, and through a growing, forward-moving spiritual life fully-connected to Jesus Christ.

How do we get in touch with our invisible God? The same way we get in touch with a tangible, flesh and blood person visible before us: we talk together, we walk together, we spend time in each other’s presence. It doesn’t matter if one is invisible to the other – you’re both right there!

If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He’s waiting for you to come to Him. If you already have Jesus living in your heart, may today be a day when you fully and completely connect with Him in a tangible way.