Perception Is Reality

2 Corinthians 4:18

welcome

tell story of movie that inspired this… Our Perception of Reality is more real than reality itself.

Perception is reality.”

Have you heard that saying before? It’s not a Bible verse, but it carries a truth we see all throughout Scripture—and it has everything to do with filmmaking, storytelling, and the way we represent God and life through our art.

Here’s what it means: The way people see something—interpret it, perceive it—shapes what they believe to be true… even if it’s not the full truth.

FILMMAKER CONNECTION

Filmmakers, you know this better than anyone.

When you set up a shot—lighting, color, angles—you’re not just capturing an image… you’re shaping the audience’s perception.

A close-up on a tear-streaked face makes us feel the character’s pain.

A wide shot of a sunrise gives hope without a single word.

A dark alley with ominous music… we just know something bad is about to happen.

Your creative choices create a reality for the audience—one that impacts what they feel, believe, and remember.

SEEING THROUGH THE LENS OF FAITH

2 Corinthians 4:18

2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Paul is saying—what we see with our eyes isn’t always the full picture. There’s a greater reality—God’s reality—that goes beyond what’s visible.

POINT 1 – THE LENS YOU USE CHANGES THE STORY

In filmmaking, the lens you choose determines what the audience sees.

A wide-angle lens makes the world look big.

A tight lens makes the world feel small, intimate.

A tilted angle makes the world feel off-balance.

Likewise, the lens of our faith determines how we see life.

If our lens is fear, the world looks dangerous.

If our lens is faith, the world looks full of possibility.

If our lens is God’s Word, we see the unseen—hope, redemption, grace.

MISINTERPRETED SCENE

Imagine filming a scene where a father is yelling at his son. Without context, it looks like anger, maybe abuse. But when we pull back—reveal that the father was warning his son about an oncoming car—we realize it was love, not anger.

Perception changed reality.

That’s how life is. Without God’s perspective, people misread the scene. They think pain means punishment, delays mean denial, or struggle means God has left them. But through your films, you can pull the camera back and reveal—there’s more to the story.

POINT 2 – FILMMAKERS AS LENS CARRIERS OF THE GOSPEL

As filmmakers, you carry the power to influence how people perceive God.

If your films show God as distant, people might believe He doesn’t care.

If your films show brokenness without redemption, people may believe hope is gone.

But if your films show grace, forgiveness, and love woven into real life… you’re shaping how someone sees the greatest reality of all—the Gospel.

THE REALITY WE REVEAL

John 14:6 (

John 14:6 NLT

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Jesus isn’t just part of the story. He is the story. He is the ultimate reality we want people to perceive—not just a good teacher, not just a historical figure—but the Living Truth who changes everything.

POINT 3 – REDEFINING REALITY THROUGH STORY

Stories have power because they bypass the walls of skepticism and go straight to the heart.

That’s why Jesus taught in parables. He didn’t just state facts—He told stories about lost sheep, prodigal sons, and hidden treasures. Why? Because stories shape perception. They make eternal truth feel real, relatable, and reachable.

CHALLENGE – A CALL TO CREATE WITH PURPOSE

Filmmakers—what reality are your films shaping?

Are they pointing people toward fear or faith?

Despair or hope?

Confusion or clarity?

Emptiness or redemption?

What if your next film wasn’t just entertainment, but an encounter with truth? What if your storytelling helped someone see that God was with them in their darkest scene? What if your art became a lens for the Kingdom?

NEW VISION

Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2 NLT

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Renew your mind. Renew your lens. Renew your storytelling.

lets pray!!

HOLY SPIRIT TAKO OVER!!!!