Verse of the Day:
“When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’”
— Acts 7:54–56 (NKJV)
Standing Firm with Heaven in View
Stephen’s final moments on earth were not marked by despair, fear, or regret. Instead, they were filled with divine clarity and unshakable peace. While he faced the fury of the Sanhedrin—the religious elite who could not bear the truth he preached—Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked past the violence and hatred. His eyes were not on the crowd but fixed on heaven, where he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing to receive him.
This moment reveals something extraordinary: while the world around Stephen was crumbling with anger and persecution, he was granted a supernatural vision that no one else could see. God opened his spiritual eyes to perceive an unseen reality, one that gave him strength, assurance, and joy even in death.
We all face moments of crisis—accusation, illness, loneliness, rejection, fear, or even spiritual opposition. It can be easy to feel surrounded, helpless, and unsure of where to turn. But just like Stephen, when we are full of the Holy Spirit, our focus shifts from the chaos of the moment to the presence of God. The Holy Spirit empowers us to see what others cannot, to hear a voice that cuts through the noise, and to stand firm when others fold under pressure.
When your situation feels overwhelming, ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes. There is an “escape route,” a divine path, a heavenly strength that is invisible to the natural eye but revealed to the faithful. You may not be removed from the trial, but like Stephen, you can be given a view of glory that sustains you through it.
Closing Prayer:
Holy Spirit, fill me with the same boldness and clarity that Stephen had. In every moment of pressure or pain, open my eyes to see heaven’s perspective. Help me walk with confidence, knowing that You are near, and that Jesus is interceding for me. Amen.
