Title: An Above Average Vision
Text: Hebrews 11:11
Intro: Here in this text we find an elderly gentleman that is faced with a problem in his life. Abram is about 85 and has no heirs. He has a slave that was born in his house but no blood heir to carry own his name. Abram begins to talk to God about this problem and God gives him a vision, that his children would number as many as the stars, that there would be nations and kingdoms to come from him. And I like what it say’s in the Gen. 15:6 “and he believed in the Lord.” Here is this old man and woman and God say’s “it’s going to happen, you are going to be parents” And he believed. You see the key to fulfilling of a vision is FAITH.
I. Have a positive vision
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
- You are what you dwell upon
- You become what you focus upon
1. Everyone has a vision it can be positive or negative
- Get a Positive Vision
- Of a positive God
- Who can bring you through Positively
• Either punching bag for Satan
• Tackling dummy for the enemy
2. Our problem is usually with our perspective.
ILL. In a Peanuts comic strip, there was a conversation between Lucy and Charlie Brown. Lucy said that life is like a deck chair. Some place it so they can see where they are going; some place it so they can see where they have been; and some place it so they can see where they are at present. Charlie Brown’s reply: "I can’t even get mine unfolded."
- Perspective determines your attitude
- Attitude determines your altitude
- You must decide what it is that you are going to focus on.
• Attacks of enemy on your finances
• Attacks of enemy on your family
• Attacks of enemy on your health
- You can worry and fret over your problems or you can get a positive vision from God.
3. Get a vision of what you can be in the power and manifestation of the anointing of God.
- I am an overcomer
- I am more than a conquerer
- I can do all things through Christ
- I am a child of the King
- I am anointed
- I am a soul winner
- No weapon formed against me shall prosper
- I will not fear what the devil may bring me
4. You must get a vision from God in you heart
- Focus on God or attack
Romans 4:17 even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
• You must get a vision of overcoming on the inside to overcome on the outside
• You must see yourself prospering on the inside before you can prosper on the outside
• You must see your family coming to God on the inside before it will happen on the outside
• You must see your marriage restored on the inside before it can happen on the outside
- We must find that quiet place with God get into that closet and shut the door on doubt, fear and disbelief and get a vision from God in our hearts, mind and spirit.
- Isolate yourself from fear & doubt
- What you focus on is what you will believe
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
5. This is what Paul meant when he said:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think (Contemplate; Focus; Dwell) on these things.
- This is what will take me through When I focus on God
II. KEEPING THE VISION
2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
- God has given you a vision, don’t lose heart
2. It is easy to lose heart
- Come under attack
- Depression sets in on you
• “Your never going to see victory”
• “Your never going to see your family saved”
• “Your never going to see your healing”
- Others began to add to your feelings of hopelessness
• “Well now brother don’t ask God for anything and you want be let down”
• “He’s done nothing for me in 40 years”
• You feel like Caleb when he said, “Our brethren have discouraged our heart.”
• How many have had dreams and visions crushed by the brethren
• Nothing will stop you dead in your tracks quicker than a discouraged heart.
• You must see beyond the giants in the land and see the fulfillment of God’s Promise
• It takes more than looking on the bright side you have got to look on God’s side
• What is your prospective; how do you view the situation
ILL. I read about a schoolboy who brought home his report card. It was filled with bad grades. “What do you have to say for you self?” ask the father. “Well, one thing is for sure,” The boy replied, “You can be proud. You know I haven’t been cheating.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen,
• I’ve have never seen a person depressed, who wasn’t looking at something that would depress them
ILL. I Was Watching the Referee
One time when Michigan State was playing UCLA in football, the score was tied at 14 with only seconds to play. Duffy Daugherty, Michigan State’s coach, sent in placekicker Dave Kaiser who booted a field goal that won the game.
When the kicker returned to the bench, Daugherty said, “nice going, but you didn’t watch the ball after you kicked it.”
“That’s right, Coach,” Kaiser replied. “I was watching the referee instead to see how he’d signal it. I forgot my contact lenses, and I couldn’t see the goal posts.”
• If you focus on depressing things you will be depressed
3. Holding on
A. Keep working toward the vision
• Abraham was 85 when he began to have those romantic eyes for Sarah she was 75
• Close to 15 years after the original promise
• No children and name was changed
• Just because you dream a dream or have a vision does not mean that it will come to pass over night
• You keep taking that promise back to God and hold it up before Him
• Don’t let go of promises, be persistent
ILL. A father had just put his young daughter to bed. He had just settled himself in the living room, when she called out from her bed, "Daddy, will you please bring me some MILK?" "No, Sally," said her Dad, "you’ve already HAD your milk!" A few minutes later she called out again: "Daddy, I want some MILK, please!" "No, Sally," said her father, "I’m busy now. Go to sleep and don’t call me again!" Her father thought that that should settle the matter. However, not two minutes later, Sally called AGAIN: "Daddy, PLEASE bring me some MILK!" "Now listen, Sally," said her father, "if you aren’t quiet, I’m going to come and give you a SMACK!" There was a short silence. Then Sally called out: "Daddy, WHEN you come to give me a smack, will you please bring me some MILK?"
- With God there is no problem to big
- With God Everything is possible
- With God everything is yea and amen
- All Power belongs to God
• So I have learned that I can admit to God, first of all, my problem
• Second I can admit to God where I am
• But I am not admitting to God that my problem is so unique that He can’t solve the problem.
Job 26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
- Surely a God who can hang the earth on nothing / suspended out there in space/ can handle any problem in our life.
B. Look not at the things, which are seen
- How do you look at things that are not seen
• If the provision has not been created yet, there is only one place you can see it. In your hearts mind, Your secret place with God
• I am not talking about some Far Eastern visualization technique.
• I am not talking about mind over matter
• I am talking about letting God put something great into your heart and acting by faith in believing that God will bring it to pass.
• Your faith is the key to having a vision
• What in your life can you believe God for.
III. RESULTS OF A VISION
1. That is why we must have a vision
A. Vision motivates us
B. Vision encourages us
C. Vision gives us something to reach for
D. We need to be motivated to accomplish something for God
E. The greatest deterrent for sin is to be focused on a vision from God
F. When you have a vision you are to busy to be tempted by things of this world
2. Vision gives us courage to accomplish great things for God
- The courage of vision is to say, “Lord if that is you, let me come to you walking on the water.”
- The courage of a vision is to say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’
- The courage of vision is to say, “If God be for us than who can be against us”
- The courage of Vision is to say, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine.”
ILL. Helen Keller was asked once “What would be worse than being born blind?” to which she replied “Having sight without a vision.”
