UNDERSTANDING THE VISIONS OF GOD
By Adedotun Ojelabi
Frustration, Depression, Stress, Discouragement and Unnecessary Struggling are all members of the same family. They spring up whenever there is a lack of vision concerning a person’s life, identity, purpose, future and most importantly who his God is. Today, we are about to discuss “Understanding the visions of God” and I pray that you will be greatly blessed.
Main Text: 2 Chronicles 26:5 and he sought the Lord in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God: as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper.
What is a vision?
· Act or power of sensing with the eyes. (Sight)
· The power of anticipating that which may come to be. (foresight)
· Instance of apprehending true nature of a thing through intuitive understanding (Insight)
· Vision is the art of seeing the invisible things. That’s why the word of God says “Looking unto JESUS the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame and is set down at the right hand throne of God” Hebrew 12:2.
2 KINDS OF VISION
1. OPEN VISION: 1 Sam 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no open vision
2. FALSE VISION: Jer 14:14 Then the Lord said unto me. The prophets
prophesy lies in my name. I sent them not neither have I commanded them,
neither spake unto them; they prophesy a false vision and divination and a
thing of thought and the deceit of the heart.
3 LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING VISIONS
1. ISSACHAR UNDERSTANDING: This is ability to use knowledge or understanding of times to interpret the moves of God. It is the simplest level. It involves using the understanding of times, seasons and signs to predict accurately the mind of God. The bible records that the Children of Issachar were this category. 1Chronicles 12:32 And the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of times to know what Israel ought to do.
Illustration: In the discipline geophysics, you have what is called Structure Maps. They are constructed by interpreting recorded travel times of seismic waves sent into the ground. It is critical for the interpreter to have knowledge or understanding of the travel times through various formations that is now interpreted into depth. So many things are revealed through this map that makes it one of the most powerful tools in oil and gas exploration.
Lesson: As end-time believers, it is the will of God for us to see visions as one of the powerful tools to live an effective life in the last days. Joel 2:28
2. ZECHARIAH UNDERSTANDING: This is a higher level of understanding. The bible describes Zechariah is an example of man that receives revelations from God and has ability to interprete it in line with the mind of God. This type of understanding has positive effect on people around him. It was the understanding of Zechariah that Uzziah tapped into and prospered. 2 Chronicles 26:5 And he sought the Lord in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God: as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper.
3. DANIEL UNDERSTANDING: It is the highest of the three levels. Daniel like we know has divine ability to capture other people’s vision and give the interpretation. The bible says even when revelations come in subconscious mind (dreams) he understands. Daniel 1:17 As for these four Children God gave them Knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
KEY POINTS TO NOTE ABOUT VISIONS
· God makes himself known in visions and speaks in dreams. Numbers 12:6 And he said, hear my words if there be a prophet among you. I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision and will speak to him in a dream. Gen 46:2-3 God spoke to Israel in a vision; I am God the God of thy father. Gen 15:1 God appeared to Abram in a vision, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.
· Vision of God will always bring about divine transformation. Isa 6:1 In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon the throne high and lifted up and his train filled. Isa 6:5 Woe is me for I am undone because a man of unclean lips. Saul on the road to Damascus saw and was transformed. Acts 9.
· Correct Vision of God will give you a correct picture of yourself. Prophet Isaiah saw he was a man of unclean lips when he saw the true vision of God.
· A vision will make you know where to stand and what to stand for. Unless we stand for something we can fall for anything. Look at what the bible say about Paul in Acts 15:26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
· Vision is the major difference between Success and Mediocrity.
o Illustration: Two sales men were sent to a city to explore market opportunities for shoes. The first returned back to the president of the Shoe industry with frustration and said “the people do not wear shoes and so there is no market opportunity in that city”. The other man saw what the other could not see, stayed and requested the president to send two lorry loads of shoes. He saw tremendous opportunity to market in that city. He was promoted to be the Vice president.
o Lesson: How far you can see will determine how far you can go.
· To every God-given Vision there is a divine provision. Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknew he also did predestinate. Foreknow in Hebrew means Foresee and Predestinate in Hebrew means to decide before hand or provide for before hand.
· King Uzziah must die. As long as King Uzziah was alive Isaiah could not see
the vision of God. King Uzziah represents things that obstructs or impair our
getting the clear picture of God for our lives.
· What you see is what you get. There is power in positive vision and positive confession. If you have the Picture of a winner in mind you will eventually be a
winner. Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart so is he.
· Where there is no vision People perish. Prov 29:18
· Vision without action is daydream. Action without vision is Nightmare.
You need to run with your vision Habakkuk 2:2-3
· Every God–given vision is a result of the outpour of the spirit of God. Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams.
· A man with a vision will always endure to the end. Hebrew 12:2
