SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES
(Proverbs 29:18) "Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."
(Habakkuk 2:2-3) "And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.” [3] "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end, it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."
(John 15:16) “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
(Numbers 12:6) "And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream.”
(Proverbs 19:21) “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
PREFACE SUMMARY
Beloved, did you know that the scriptures teach that the church is to be a unified body consisting of many members, and each member has a unique function?
No one can accomplish what God placed in your heart to do; therefore, beloved, we must be persistent in achieving the visions God has placed within each of us.
When we make up our minds to fulfill our vision, we can expect opposition from the enemy of our souls to try and steer us off course; therefore, beloved, this is why we must make plain the vision and then be persistent in obtaining it.
We must let every opposition strengthen us and use every failure as an experience and stepping stone to give us more determination to meet our goals.
To complete our vision and God-given purpose on earth, we need to be bold as a lion and harmless as a dove.
Did you know that people with a determination to walk this walk of faith will be persistent and never take no for an answer to fulfilling their visions?
In summary, let us accept the challenge to fight until we get our breakthrough so that we may experience the joy of the Lord. Let us recognize who is with us, encouraging us to meet our purpose and fulfill our dreams. If we have joy of the Lord resonating in our souls, the word of God tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. May we acknowledge that the strength of God’s vision in our heart is more vital than any darkness the enemy may bring our way.
"FINDING YOUR PURPOSE PURPOSE."
Beloved, in our preface summary, we discovered that vision is the deep calling to the deep things of God within you. We also learned that it will help steer you toward the goals that God has set for your life.
May I ask you a fundamental question "What is your purpose for being on this planet, and how does it affect and drive your vision to be all you can be for the kingdom of God?
After years of experience, I believe I can describe "Purpose" as the inward clarification that gives meaning to our vision, which in turn motivates us to chase or fulfill our vision. You might compare it to worship inward, which is released and vocalized through our praise.
Our purpose guarantees God's promises to us much like an anchor does to secure a ship. It holds us steadfast in God and allows us to draw from our future instead of being tripped up in our past.
We can look at King David's life and how many times, with his life in danger, he had to hide out in caves but beloved, David was a worshipper, and when he made the statement in (Psalms 121:1-2) [1], "I lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From whence cometh my help." [3] "My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth."
Notice how David speaks of understanding the purpose within, which drives his vision to fulfill God's call and purpose.
The secret to David's success is found in his experiences with God as he watched after his father's sheep in the wilderness and saints; this can be a lesson for us when we discover that this relationship with God caused him to look unto the excellent heavenly father whom he called "my darling," O Yes, beloved, David allowed his divine purpose to motivate his vision, which prompted him to look unto the hills of the Lord, instead of his surroundings for there he knew he could receive the strength and help to be an overcomer and fulfill the cause and purposes of God, especially when he needed direction in enemy territory.
Notice how David speaks of looking unto the hills of the Lord for his help. Let me pause in this sentence and inform you that other versions of the Bible speak of him looking to the physical mountains. If he looked at the hills around him, especially at night, he would be looking at the campfires of the enemy that were all around him, for many times, beloved, he was in unfriendly territory.
Far too many people today are trying to live their past all over again, and if they are living their past, there is no way they can live their future. and did you know that although David was living under the law, he was able to reach into the future of grace by stating in "Psalms 32:1-2) [1], "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." [2] "Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile."
Beloved, did you not know that years later, we will find the Apostle Paul quoting from these verses as he states in (Romans 4:6-8) [6], "Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works," [7] "Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." [8] "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."
David discovered his purpose and allowed it to drive his vision, which granted him to not only envision the glory of Israel through the promised messiah but helped him envision the day when men will no longer be required to bring a sacrifice to a priest on earth to offer for their sins but would be able to be forgiven by putting their faith and trust in God who alone can forgive sins.
"WHAT IS DRIVING YOUR VISION?"
Beloved, when we apply vision to our future, we can create a mental picture or image through our imagination, which can be used to direct our actions to complete our assignment; for beloved, we visualize the purpose through our vision, therefore beloved, our vision serves as a guide and motivator to show us our purpose."
Vision gives direction to complete our goals in life, which will not only fulfill our purpose but also our beloved; the bottom line is, "Our purpose and beloved drive our vision. Once we discover our purpose, we can work to complete and fulfill our vision.
When we have a vision, we gain an understanding that the trials we face may not seem reasonable at the time, but they serve a purpose. Therefore, beloved, we must reach a point where we see things the way God sees them.
Having a vision enables us to wake up every morning with purpose. Our vision will keep us moving forward to accomplish our goals, for we can rest in knowing that the Lord our God had our life planned, the end from the beginning therefore beloved, we can be safe in saying that a person who wakes up every morning with a strong desire to fulfill their vision, is a person that will have a strong future.
What happens when things happen in our lives that cause us to lose focus on our goals and shake us up to the point of giving up on our vision?
We live in a fallen world, and things will come against us mainly because we have an enemy who works to disrupt the plans God has for our lives. He uses people, places, and things to derail us, including orchestrated events designed to distract us from our vision.
I have encountered these roadblocks most of my life, but there is one thing that keeps me going: the holy scriptures, which help me grasp the purpose that drives my vision.
(Jeremiah 29:11) "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
(Philippians 1:6) "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"
When we discover the purpose that drives our vision, we will learn to choose carefully who we allow in our inner circle because not everybody who pretends to be our friend has our best interests at heart. If we do not work to fulfill our vision, they will distract us from working on theirs.
"WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CHRISTIANS FAINT?"
I believe what I am about to share with you will help you, especially when you encounter something coming out of nowhere, maybe even someone you had confidence in and gave an essential position in your ministry, only to have them tear up overnight what it took you years to accomplish, and now your vision is shattered in tiny pieces all over the ground and you in tears before God seeking "what you did wrong.
Beloved, your vision has not gone anywhere; it is just not appearing in your imagination as big as it was, but let me tell you, dear, that God knows the plans he has for you, and he made provisions for those plans before he created the world for Adam.
Did you know that our God knows every piece of matter in the universe, and everything seen and unseen has a purpose for its existence? Did you know that the living God has carefully planned each part of our life, which I call the moment we will live on this planet? In eternity past, Ge worked out the course that our life would take, and he knows everything that will happen to us in this life span because nothing surprises this wonderful creator.
Did you know that God can look at our past, present, and future simultaneously and that His Holy Spirit was there when our moment was planned?
In the beginning, the Living God carefully looked down through the ages of time and, yes, through every generation that would be born and planned every intricate detail of every life that would live on Earth.
The answer for life and our existence, which drives our vision, can be found in (John 3:16): "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whomsoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
We can safely say that we exist because God wanted a family, a mirror image of himself on Earth, including a deep desire to recover as many as possible from Adam's fall and Satan’s rebellion.
Beloved, we must understand that God’s divine plan for us is in the Spirit, and his Holy Spirit is in us, enforcing this plan as Spiritual law. The Holy Spirit will take charge and control the circumstances surrounding us, causing natural law to be for or against us, and that is why we need to discover either by revelation or have it revealed to us through God's Holy word, the plan he had for us before the foundation of the world, and when he reveals that plan, we use it to strengthen our hearts to drive the vision to complete it, realizing that books were written about what we are to accomplish on earth before birth.
"LEARN FROM YOUR PAST, BUT DRAW FROM YOUR FUTURE."
Beloved, there have been times in my younger years that, on three occasions, I attempted to take my life to end it all, dear; let me tell you that these trying experiences helped condition my life for where I am today, for it was in these seven years suffering through a nervous breakdown that the television show "Touch by an Angel" became a reality in my life for the living God sent absolute Angels my way. They informed me that he sent them to me.
Meeting those Angels who looked human, who spoke of the miscalculations in my life and spoke of a bright future that the Lord God Jehovah had planned for me, helped awaken the purpose deep within me to accept the call on my life, realizing that I was not a mistake but was born for a specific cause and purpose.
Beloved, this divine revelation drives my vision to become a willing vessel for my creator to use so that he may leave his signature through my life to other generations.
Reflecting on my past experiences without getting stuck in them has allowed me to gain valuable wisdom and insight into the complexities of human nature in a world that is far from perfect.
God has used the things and people of my past to mature me to walk in his plans and calling on my life today. If I had been placed where I am now living in the Philippines, doing evangelism as the International Evangelist for a powerful ministry founded by the late A.A. Allen and carried on by Apostle Don Stewart, I would not be able to be confident in maintaining that position.
Beloved, in a world where it's easy to criticize and tear down, let us consider using discernment and actively reaching out to contribute to God's work, helping to strengthen and build up his kingdom.
The Apostle Paul not only made it into God’s Hall of Fame but was also used by God to give us most of the New Testament that we have in our hands today. He suffered shipwreck several times and was beaten till the bones in his feet were broken.
We find him in (Romans 8:18) making the statement, “I reckon the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
Beloved, please remember that no matter how much trouble we have, such as heartaches or sorrows, there is a reason and purpose for it, and our God is behind the scenes. (Romans 8:28) “And we know that all things work together (good and bad) for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."
The word of God teaches that the Christian race is exemplified unto us as that of not embracing the swift or intense as the winner, but all who win this race are those who endure to the end, which reveals to us that to be a winner in this race; we must have a spirit of endurance.
There have been instances where runners have decided to quit a race only to realize that the finish line was just around the next corner. This just goes to show that sometimes success is closer than we think, and giving up too soon can lead to missed opportunities.
When we try to serve the kingdom of God, we should be prepared to encounter opposition. It's important to acknowledge that achieving victory won't be easy. However, finding solace in Christ's presence is crucial. As he states in his word, "His grace is sufficient for our every need," signifying that we can rely on his grace and strength to overcome any challenges we may face.
Did you know that the Apostle Paul made a statement to his disciples instructing them to follow him as he follows Christ? If we were to follow the life of Paul, we would find a man who, once discovering his purpose in life, allowed that purpose to drive his vision, maintaining a high standard that did not allow him to quit, turn back, or give in to the pressure of others but with boldness and confidence made a bold statement that speaks wisdom to us today, and beloved that bold statement can be found in the third chapter of the book of Philippians and the fourteenth verse.
(Philippians 3 14) “I press (stretch) toward the mark for the prize of God's high calling in Christ Jesus.”
Beloved, may we allow our purpose to drive our vision to complete the assignment the Lord has called us to, and in closing, may we always remember that “we cannot do what you say we are unable to do until we attempt to do what we can.”
May I ask you, “Do you remember the woman spoken of in John the fourth chapter of the word of God, and how after meeting with the Lord, she ran and told her story, which, knowing her past failed marriages, caused a whole city to come to see the Lord for themselves?”
That Samaritan woman despised and had to come to the well in the day's heat made it into God’s book.
The Holy Bible speaks volumes today that God chooses those incapable of producing anything of their own so that He might show Himself strong through them so that no flesh can glory in His presence.
Do you remember that after meeting the Lord, she ran and told her story, knowing her past failed marriages caused a whole city to see the Lord for themselves?
Beloved, this Samaritan woman, like some of us, got a rough start in life, but notice beloved, in the end, she could make it into God’s book as one who could evangelize a whole city.
The woman was looked down on as unfaithful, but God had a plan for her life, which she loved. However, the scriptures declare that the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans, the needs of Jesus to be at a specific place and at a particular time. She brought him the long way through the desert of Samaria to set on that well.
The Jewish rabbis of that day would usually tolerate up to three divorces. However, this woman has been married five times and lives with a man. What made this woman stand out was her failed past, and no doubt she knew women would be gossiping behind her back. (Is This You?).
Beloved, did you know that this Samaritan woman may have had a slow start in life, but God had a pre-ordained plan for her to make it into his Hall of Fame?
No doubt, like some of us, she may have grown up dreaming of someday becoming a happily married wife with a wonderful family, and this chosen vessel of God may have had a hope chest that she showed to her friends. Still, beloved God had plans for her to turn a whole city to glorify his name.
Beloved, notice how the Lord made the statements in John chapter the fourth chapter that his needs brought him to this woman in Samaria.
The people in Samaria were of mixed races of people, and the Jews were to have no dealings with them.
This Samaritan woman may have had grand plans for her life only to see them vanish before her eyes. Notice how the scriptures reveal that she had said her “I Do's” to five husbands only to watch her marriages fall apart. (Is this You?)
Because of her past, she is no longer a respected woman in her community, and now beloved, she is dealing with low self-esteem. She cannot come to the well in the cool of the day like the other women because now she lives with a man who is not her husband.
This woman is a broken vessel who had some knowledge of the coming Messiah and temple worship, but notice beloved as Christ asks the woman to receive Him and his Gift without any prerequisite change in her life. (God wants us as we are).
Notice that after talking with the Lord about her situation, she was persuaded and believed that Christ was the promised messiah, causing her way of life to be changed forever. (This can be You).
Beloved, like many others before me, I can reflect on my life and find ways to identify with this woman, including her failures; however, I have decided that someone’s opinion of me does not have to become my reality, and they will not be the ones who sign my report card. Therefore, beloved, the mystery of life proves that God will allow circumstances, people, and things to come into our lives for three reasons.
1. To educate us
2. To teach us
3. To elevate us to the next level
Beloved, I can boldly declare today that because of God's amazing grace, I am no longer the man I used to be because when I accepted Christ into my life, my nature was changed, and I have been forgiven. (He Loves Me)
The lesson for us to learn on how to deal with our past without re-living our past is to get an understanding that God knows the plans he has for us, and he will and does allow things to come the way that are designed to take us apart and break our human stubborn selfish spirit.
Beloved, this breaking will leave us vulnerable but pliable to realize our need for him above all else, making us workable in his hands.
Imagine an old musical instrument that may not seem worth much to some. Still, when the master musician cleans it up, tunes it, and begins to play, it suddenly becomes valuable and beloved; when we allow the master to remold us and work through us gracefully, we can gracefully say to others, "I might be marred, but I am in his hands."
MY CONCLUSION
Beloved, did you know that Apostle Paul is a person who not only made it into God’s Hall of Fame but also contributed significantly to most of the New Testament that we have today? Despite suffering shipwrecks and being brutally beaten, Paul's faith in God never wavered. In (Romans 8:18) Paul writes, “I reckon the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
Remember that no matter how challenging our circumstances may be, God has a purpose for everything. (Romans 8:28) “And we know that all things work together (good and bad) for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."
Our journey as Christians is not a sprint, but a marathon. It's not about being the fastest or the strongest, but about enduring until the end. We must cultivate a spirit of endurance to triumph in this race. Just as runners who give up before they reach the finish line miss out on the joy of victory, we must not abandon our faith because success doesn't come overnight. Yet, we can find solace in the knowledge that Christ is with us, and his Grace is sufficient for our every need.
Take a lesson from Apostle Paul, who urged his disciples to follow him as he followed Christ. He was a man who not only found his purpose in life but also clung to his vision with unwavering determination. He refused to quit, turn back, or succumb to the pressure of others. Instead, he boldly and confidently declared in (Philippians 3:14), “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” His example encourages us to discover our own purpose and stay committed to it, no matter the challenges we face.
In summary, it is easy to criticize others, but are we willing to use our judgment and help in the work of God to build his kingdom? let us allow our purpose to guide us as we work towards fulfilling the assignment the Lord has called us to. Remember, "We cannot accomplish what we believe is impossible until we first attempt to do what we can."
International Evangelist
Jerry W. Hulse, Ph.D.
Miracle Life Church International
