By: Donna J. Kazenske
Have you ever felt as if you were in a battle and you were on the losing side? Have you ever felt as if you were in an electric dryer being tossed to and fro with the heat turned up to the highest setting? I’m sure most of us have been in these types of situations at some point in our lives. In these times of immense testing, it may seem as if God has gone on vacation without leaving a telephone number of where He can be reached. However, we cannot live from the soul realm of feelings and emotional ups and downs. We must live by faith in the Son of God who died for us and loves us with an unconditional love.
Isaiah 55:8 – “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
There’s a huge gap between heaven and earth. As human beings, we have a tendency to see things from an earthly perspective, while God sees things from a heavenly perspective. We see the beginning, while He sees the beginning and the end. He sees the completed puzzle, whereas we see huge stacks of puzzle pieces lying all over the place, not knowing where each piece is supposed to fit in the puzzle. We see through a glass dimly, yet God has given us the ability to hear, know, perceive and see by His Spirit.
As the Apostle Paul encountered the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, we see the Lord revealing purpose and vision to Paul. In Paul’s personal testimony to King Agrippa, we read the following:
Acts 26:16 – Jesus said, “….rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.”
Jesus told Paul that he was created so that he could be made a minister of the gospel. This “being made” involves a process. Through a process of time, God began to reveal things to His Apostle by His Spirit. Transformation began to take place on the inside of Paul’s mind, will and emotions. The religiosity and traditions of men were broken off as the Holy Spirit brought revelation knowledge to Paul. The revelation that he received from God became His message.
God has not called us to preach what we do not know. He has called us to preach that which has been made revelation to us by His Spirit. What we preach must be worked in us and come directly from the heart of God.
The Lord continues to speak to Paul in Acts 26:17 - “I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”
Paul’s purpose and vision was to the Gentiles. He was called to preach the gospel to them so that they might be saved and turn from darkness to light.
Acts 26:19 – “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”
What was Paul saying in this verse? He was saying, “I want you to know King Agrippa, that I did not miss my purpose or calling in this life. I have been obedient to preach what God has given me to preach by revelation knowledge of His will. I ministered to both the Jews and the Gentiles telling them to repent and turn to God so that their sins could be forgiven. I have done all that God has called me to do. I have been obedient to the heavenly vision.”
Paul was obedient to the vision that God had given to him. It was a vision that was ordained by God and not by man. It was vision given from a heavenly perspective and not by an earthly perspective of man’s knowledge and wisdom.
Have you been obedient to the heavenly vision that God has given to you or have you been walking according to the earthly vision that comes as a result of that which is heard and seen in the natural realm? Are you seeing things with an earthly perspective or a heavenly perspective?
As we allow ourselves to spend quality time in the presence of Jesus, He will be able to minister His purpose and heavenly vision to us. He will be able to bring the revelation knowledge that we need in order to accomplish all that He is calling us to do.
As the revelation of purpose and vision begins to penetrate into our spirit man, we will find ourselves walking in newness of life and purpose. We will find ourselves walking in a greater dimension of holy boldness and glory. The fiery trials of this life will no longer have a negative effect upon us, because we will go through them with a heavenly perspective instead of an earthly perspective. We will understand that all things work together for good to them who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.
As we go through times of great testing and trials, we will be able to hear the voice of the Lord penetrating the darkness of our souls saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” His voice will bring forth resurrection life, and His presence will bring joy unspeakable and full of glory. His joy will bring supernatural strength that will cause us to endure the process.
We will never go astray by obeying the purposes and plans of God. We must always keep looking up, keeping our eyes focused upon Jesus, for it’s in Him and through Him that heavenly purpose and vision will be established.
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