Word of the Week - Vision - Part 1
Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18
What Is Vision? Vision is the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination, creativity and wisdom. Vision allows us to see a picture of a preferred future, which infuses us with energy, enthusiasm and passion for life. It can truly be the difference maker in our lives that determines if we are flourishing or simply surviving. Unfortunately statistics tell us that most people live with very little personal vision and thus don’t really experience the fullness of the life that God intended.Our Vision Is a Function of Our God Purpose: If you are alive and breathing then you have a God purpose for being on this earth that I believe can only be discovered and revealed through a personal relationship with our Creator through the person of Jesus. Ephesians 2:10 tells us “That we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for us to do”. The first step is to acknowledge this reality through a personal and intimate relationship with Christ by surrendering our hearts and life to Him. This is an amazing and life-transforming step that is the eternal difference maker. As amazing as this is for us, this is just the beginning of our eternal journey; there is actually much more that God has for each of us. God’s plan for us during our time on earth is that we live and grow to our full potential in Christ so that we can realize our God purpose and experience the abundant life.Having a God Vision Is the Difference Between Surviving and Thriving: “'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope'” Jeremiah 29:11. I know this sounds great and most everyone desires to hope and a good future but the biggest life question is how do we find our purpose and get a clear Vision for our lives. First we have to understand that we have an enemy of our soul that is working overtime to keep us from God’s best for our lives and he will use anything he can to distract us from our God purpose because this is where we are most effective. The main way the enemy keeps us from our purpose is through our pursuit and conforming to the customs of our culture/world. We are typically so caught up in our day to day lives that we are confused about what is most important or we are constantly playing the comparison game trying to keep up with the Joneses, or we are simply pursuing counterfeit gods that will never be able to satisfy us, this is called idolatry. “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy but I have come so that you may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10. Through the power of the Holy Spirit living within us, we can overcome the enemy of our soul and live with God Vision and purpose.How Do We Develop Our God Vision? With this in mind, we must intentionally seek after God and pursue Him to know our God purpose and Vision by asking God to reveal it to us. We should also take time to reflect on our lives so we can discern our God-given gifts, talents, passions and values: those innate things that we were born with, because our design reveals our destiny (Vision being lived). We should also take time to get feedback from those that are closest to us who may be able to see things in us that we cannot see in ourselves. Self-assessment tools like disc or others like the 2:10 Project can really be helpful. Studying God’s word and knowing His heart will also reveal Vision and purpose in our lives because we are made in His image and thus our life vision and purpose should be aligned with His word and will. We should also look for opportunities and doors that are being opened for us that lead us toward our God purpose. Finally we should pray to hear from God directly through a personal encounter with the Almighty and be willing to step out in faith when we hear from Him. Our faith is activated when we step out of our comfort zone and walk in faith and trust by God’s spirit. This is life that is truly life, the abundant life in Christ.We can confirm if we are hearing from God or something else by testing what we are a hearing against a few simple litmus test. Does our Vison and purpose align with God’s word? Are we being motivated by fear or faith? A godly Vision promotes faith rather than fear. A godly Vision motivates people to action and requires risk-taking. A godly Vision glorifies God, not us. As with everything we do in our lives, we must stay connected to the vine of Christ and keep our eyes focused on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.I pray we will experience the blessing of knowing our personal God Vision and live in our God given destiny; for this is “the life that is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:19.Have a great week.-Duane