A. INTRODUCTION
1. An honest visionary sees things as they are, a future visionary sees things as they want them to be, a biblical visionary sees things God wants them to see.
2. Vision will give you strength to persevere through tough times.
B. SPIRITUAL VISION, ELISHA: 2 KINGS 6:13-17
1. Problem, the King of Aram. “Go find out where he (Elisha) is … send troops to seize him” (2 Kings 6:13).
2. Surrounded. “A great army … many chariots” (v. 14).
3. Answer. “Lord, open his eyes … he saw the hillside filled with horses and chariots of fire” (v. 17).
4. Faith statement. “There are more on our side than on theirs” (v. 18).
C. THE NECESSITY OF VISION
“Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth” (Proverbs 17:24, NLT).
1. Wise people learn and obey what God shows them.
a. Know the value of God’s ways.
b. Know the foolishness of other ways.
c. Make good decisions based on good facts.
d. Stay rooted.
e. Disciplined.
2. Never overlook the potential of where you are, when tempted by greener grass over the fence.
3. Get a true picture of who you are and where you are at. Marina Chapman was kidnapped in the jungles of Columbia, South America, and crawled under a bush, lived with monkeys, ate monkey food, lived like a monkey. One day everything changed by a mirror… she saw herself.
4. Life tells you are an addict, ugly, dumb, second-rate. God didn’t make you that.
5. You cannot be someone you cannot see. God’s new vision of yourself.
6. Get a picture of yourself. Transform yourself into that picture.
7. The promises of God are a revelation of what He wants you to be.
8. Believing the picture is crucial but seeing it and living it is better.
9. The vision you have for your future is more powerful than how you see yourself today.
10. Ministry, do you see empty nets or full nets? Mark 1:17.
11. Einstein said, “Imagination is more powerful than knowledge.” “Knowledge is limited to facts, but imagination is limited by possibilities.”
12. Facts tell you what to believe, imagination tells you what you can achieve.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
Video presentations of the PBC are available online at trbc.org/pbc
Television Airing Times for the PBC
Go to hopenow.tv for the current program schedule.
