Can't Live Without Vision

Going to the Next Level (Dreams)

Text: Revelation 1: 1-11 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. 4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

I. John understood his assignment for this season in his life. He was on the island called Patmos because of his faithful to God’s word and because he was a testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ!

A. Two questions: [Do you understand your assignment]? Secondly, [Would there be enough evidence against you because of your testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ and because of your faithfulness to God’s word to send you off to Patmos]?

B. Patmos was a one-way ticket labor camp. Chained by night; breaking rock by day! ( But John dreamed.)

C. The Message Bible say’s in Revelation 1:3 How blessed the reader! How blessed the hearers and keepers of these oracle words, all the words written in this book! Time is just about up. [It’s time for each one of us to go to the next level].

D. John was a man that understood loss, sorrow, pain and tribulation, but he became a man who kept his eyes, heart and mind fixed on the presence of God. Think about this, every one of John’s friends inside the ministry had been executed, but John kept dreaming!

E. John had a revelation (vision) that God was bigger than any mountain he would ever face; therefore, it did not matter what came his way he was living for a reason bigger than him! (He had a dream!)

F. In Hebrews 10:32,35 the Bible instructs every believer vs.32 But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: Vs.35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. (God wants to give you great reward now, and Favor now!)

G. I’m remind of the men in Matthew 25 that Jesus spoke about. One man was given 5 talents, the other 2 talents, and one man 1. The man with the 1 talent thought maybe he should save his gift, or maybe he thought he would just allow others to use their talents, but when Jesus came back he hadn’t done anything with his talent. (Jesus told this man to depart from him!)

H. If we are going to the next level we have to be willing to do anything and everything for Jesus Christ with the right attitude. (Or Spirit)

I. I have a vision from my Lord and that vision (or dream) is to see this congregation grow and become great and mighty for God!

J. It’s time for you as a body to think differently, talk differently and act differently because Jesus Christ paid the price!