Living in God’s Plans for Your Life Part 8
Vision 1
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
I.Vision
A.What is Vision?
1.Foundation Scripture: (Prov. 29:18)
(KJV) “Where there is no vision, the people perish…”
(NKJV) “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint…”
(NLT) “When people do not except divine guidance, they run wild…”
(AMP) “Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelations of God], the people perish…”
a. Vision defines your life:
~Vision makes your life very narrow.
~Vision simplifies your life.
~Vision controls your choices.
~Vision gives you direction.
~Vision defines what you can and can’t do.
~Vision makes it easy to refuse things.
~Vision determines your friends and associates.
b.Vision is the ability to see with the heart what can’t yet be seen with the eyes. Vision requires faith.
~(Heb. 11:1 NLT/NIV/TPT)
~Sight is a function of the eyes, while vision is a function of the heart.
~Sight is the ability to see things as they are, while vision is the ability to see things as they could or should be.
~God gives us vision so that we can live by faith and not have to live by sight.
c.Vision is the ability to see the end at the beginning.
~(Isa. 46:9-10)
d. Human beings are the only life form on earth that have the ability and capacity to change the course and trajectory of their life through vision.
~Animals obey instinct and genetic code.
2.Purpose is the source of vision!
a. (Prov. 19:21 Amp) “Many plans are in a man’s mind, but it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand.”
~God imparts desires in our heart to draw us towards His purpose for us.
b. (Prov. 37:4, 5) “Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
3. Vision is much more than mere interest!
a. Vision is the idea that never leaves you, the dream that never goes away.
~Vision possesses you; you don’t possess vision!
~Vision separates you from average people!
4. Vision is Unselfish
a. Vision’s purpose is to bring about God’s kingdom on earth and to turn people to Him.
~Vision should always focus on helping humanity or building up others in some way.
~God will never have you pursue your vision at the expense of your family.
~True vision will not take the form of building a big business just so you can have millions of dollars, an expensive home, a sleek car, and a vacation home on the beach.
-Your perspective on finances must be God centered not self-centered.
5. Accomplishing vision brings fulfillment!
a. Merely working at a job to get a paycheck can be disheartening. True fulfillment comes with doing what God created you to do.
6.Vision requires a vital connection with God.
a. (Eph. 2:10 AMP) “For we are God’s own handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us, (taking paths which He prepared ahead of time) that we should walk in them-living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live.”
~(Joel 2:28) “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and you sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions…”
7. Vision is specific!
a. (Mark 16:15) “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
~This is called the “Great Commission” or our purpose which is every church’s co-mission or shared mission. Vision is the specific approach God has given each church to fulfill its part of the co-mission.
8. The fulfillment of vision requires a plan.
a. (Prov. 16 Amp) [1]“The plans of the mind and orderly thinking belong to man, but from the Lord comes the wise answer of the tongue. [3] Roll your works upon the Lord-commit and trust them wholly to Him; [He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed. [4] The Lord has made everything [to accommodate itself and contribute] to its own end and His own purpose…[9] A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.”
b. Write the vision.
~(Hab. 2:2,3) “…Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
9. The cost of vision fulfillment is usually underestimated.
a. (Eccl. 5:3 Amp.) “For a dream comes with much business and painful effort, and a fool’s voice with many words.”
~(Phil. 3:14) “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
b. (Heb. 12:11 Amp) “For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful, but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consist in righteousness-in conformity to God’s will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God.]”
c. (Gen. 11:31 Amp) “…and they went forth together to go from Ur of the Chaldees into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there.”
[Pastor Lee Stokes]