Do you have a Vision?

Sight is the ability to see things as they are, but vision is the capacity to see things as they could be (Myles Munroe). To be a visionary requires us to imagine the impossible made possible – we need to see the bigger picture. Although, our future is predestined as God called us in him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1 v 4) - we can be in the will of God and not know where we are going.  

Proverbs 29 v 18 – Where there is no vision, the people perish. 

Visions are from God and give our life direction, but without a vision we have nothing to aim for. Although, we don’t need to know every little detail about how we will reach our destination - God has 100 different ways to get us to achieve his purpose for our life, but we do need to know what we are trying to achieve. This is important because our destiny dictates the decisions that we make. Everything that we do should be motivated by our vision. It should dictate the places that we go to, the books that we should read, the friends we associate with and how we use our time.  

Habakkuk 2 v 3 - 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. 

Visions can take years to come to pass, but we shouldn’t get frustrated by the process.   

Example: 

The story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) is a great example of a man who was given a vision by God. He dreamed that he would one day rule over his family and become a national leader. Joseph was seventeen when he was sold into slavery and he was 30 years old when he became ruler over Egypt. This means that Joseph’s process took 13 years until he accomplished God’s purpose in life, which was to go before his family and save entire generations in the time of famine. However, it was Joseph’s process where his character developed to become more like Christ.  

Key lessons we can learn from Joseph’s story: 

1.  We have to see the vision - Joseph had a dream about what he would become (Genesis 37 v 5-10). 

2.  We must fear God - Joseph feared God and was committed to his moral principles, because of this he didn’t abuse his position of power when Potiphar’s wife tried to get him to sleep with her (Genesis 39 v 7-9). 

3.  We need to serve and be patient - Joseph served willingly and faithfully in the prison and in the palace and used his gift to help others (Genesis 39 v 4). 

4. We must learn and grow from the process - Joseph’s time in the prison and the palace allowed him to develop relationship skills, humility and empathy (Genesis 40 v 6-8). 

5. Forgiveness sets you free – Joseph was able to deliver his family and walk in the fullness of God’s grace because he forgave his brothers who sold him into slavery. Joseph didn’t focus on his past and see himself as a victim but he focused on his future and how he could glorify God. 

From Joseph’s story we must question – what are we learning from our process. Can you imagine if we were all committed to our process – the innovations that would be developed, the businesses that would be created, the people that would be saved through our obedience. 

Practical steps we can do now: 

1.) Seek God - if visions come from God, then we must seek the one who gives the vision. - through prayer and through studying the word. If you set your heart to know what your life purpose is, and even what your purpose should be for the year and you ask God, he will reveal it to you. 

2.) Write down the vision - Habakkuk 2 v 2 “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it” Write down what you want to achieve for the year because writing it down makes it clearer for us to visualize and makes us more accountable to walk out the vision. 

3.) Set goals - to help us achieve where we are going. We must be honest with ourselves and determine what our strengths and weaknesses are. What are our passions and desires and what burdens us. This can help us in setting goals, which we will achieve through faith. If the goal is to pass an exam, then we must put the work in through studying because faith to achieve a goal without putting the work in is dead (James 2 v 26). 

4.) Learn and grow – there are obstacles that we will face and challenges that we will need to overcome and we must take the opportunity to learn from these situations and let the process strengthen our character.  

5.) Don’t quit – If you know you have a vision from God or you know you really want to achieve something, then pursue it at all odds. 

Vision Board

How I’ve walked this out:  

In 2018 I sought the Lord because I had a vision that the following year I wanted to do my Masters but I wanted to secure a scholarship to do it. I prayed asking God for this and then believed that I had received. I wrote down the Universities that I wanted to go to, I wrote down how much I wanted the scholarship for and I wrote down what I wanted the scholarship to pay for. I set goals of how I was going to achieve the scholarship for the following year. I needed to research the universities, I needed to take some exams, write the applications and ask lectures to write references for me. This was a time consuming process and I applied to four places. One after the other I got rejected until there was only one university that was left to respond to me. Fear says the last place will reject you too, so apply to more universities because it gives you a greater chance that your more likely to get a scholarship. Faith says trust in the lord and lean not on my own understanding (Proverbs 3 v 5). I chose faith. When people asked what I was doing the following year, I told people I'm doing my Masters. How are you funding it they asked. I told them I’m getting a scholarship.  Why? Because you have to be bold. We confess with the mouth that we are trusting in God. I did start to doubt, don’t get me wrong. Questions would rush in my head like – what are you thinking, why do you think you could get a scholarship, there are people who are so much more intelligent than you. Because I was seeking God continually, God reminded me of who he is and I had to repent because I was making the situation all about me. I was putting God in a box, that this would be difficult for him to do for me when nothing is too hard for God. I learnt that its not about what I’m asking God for that’s important, its about my trust in him to believe him for what I asked for, because without faith it is impossible to please God. 

Because I took the opportunity to learn and grow from this process I went back to God and asked him for more than I did before. I had to amend my written down vision for the following year. This time I said – because of who you are I don’t just want the scholarship, but I want you to pay for all of my travel costs, my accommodation, and I want enough money left over to buy clothes and shoes. After 11 months went by I was led to sow a seed to release what I was believing God for. Low and behold 2 weeks later, I got an email saying I had received a £17,000 scholarship! I didn’t quit because I had faith to believe through seeking God and it didn't matter what people said, I would put the work in and pursue this scholarship at all odds. This goal of doing my Masters and receiving a scholarship is part of a vision that I had for the year. We should make yearly goals, as well as longer life goals.   

Conclusion:  

We can all achieve whatever vision we have from God because - we can do all things through Christ, which strengthens us (Philippians 4 v 13). This means that whatever your dream is – as long as you have Christ on your side anything is possible. Living the blessed LIFE requires a vision. 

If you'd be interested in finding out more about how can I help you with your vision and setting goals, please book a session with me here