The Principles And Power Of Vision Series

‘‘Where there is no vision the people perish.’’ One of the things that this verse makes very clear is that a vision is vital to carrying out God’s will and Purpose for our lives.

Vision in Proverbs 29:18 is the knowledge and understanding of God, His will, and purposes for their life revealed in the scriptures. Without this vision, we can be sure we will perish—suffer, be defeated, struggle, and be baffled by the issues of life. When people have no divine guidance, they rebel against the will of God and commit themselves to the awful and evil things of life.

A “vision” is a clear mental image of a preferable future, imparted by God to His chosen servants, and is based upon an accurate understanding of God, self, and circumstance.

Based on this definition, there are three aspects of vision: (1) GOD – Your vision comes from God, it is not something you thought overnight; (2) SELF – Your priorities and spiritual gifts will help you focus on your vision; (3) CIRCUMSTANCES – your vision begins where you are now; so you must face and solve your problems, and then overcome all barriers to fulfill your dream.

Vision is all about the future, not the past and present! Vision applies to all individuals, organizations, communities, and governments. A visionary leader is one who sees first and sees most. He sees farthest into the future! He gets things started and done. Your vision must be tied up and consistent with the word of God (Prov. 29:18b). It is your key to happiness and blessedness!

According to the Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Visions often occur in the Bible as instruments of supernatural revelation. They are typically a communication between a heavenly being (God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, and angels) and an earthly recipient. In both the Old and New Testaments, vision is the act of seeing, observing, or perceiving.

The English word "visions" and its singular form occur 86 times in the Old Testament of the King James translation and 17 times in the New Testament. In comparison, the words 'dreams' or 'dream' occurs 87 times in the Old Testament and 8 times in the New. The book with the most occurrences of the word (or its singular) is the book of Daniel (32 times) followed by Ezekiel (18).

The question is, Am I living out the vision God has for my life?” What is God’s vision for my life, marriage, kids, education, career, finances, relationships, and faith?

Throughout the Bible, God lays out his plans for his people. He wants us to acknowledge him in everything we do, have faith in Him, love Him, and love others. The following scriptures on purpose and vision go into a bit more detail on those principles:

Proverbs 3:6--- “In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 16:3- “Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

Micah 6:8 -Micah summarizes God’s will for His people this way: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Acts 18:9-10- We can rely on God’s presence as we share and strive toward His vision. The Lord told Paul, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you ….”

Ephesians 3:20 -God’s power is at work in us, and He wants to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”

Jeremiah 29:11 God says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

The words of Jeremiah 29:11 bring a confident peace in knowing our good Father has a good plan for our lives. He promises us that we have hope and a future. Knowing this gives us a great understanding of what our future with Christ holds, and it is always good. This verse is a wonderful way to keep God’s vision for us at the forefront of our minds, especially when circumstances are leading us to believe otherwise. It is important that we hold fast to the vision of God’s plans to guide and protect us as we serve God and follow Him. The beautiful thing about serving a mighty God like ours is that He is all-seeing and all-knowing. There are no limits to the wisdom and vision that He gives as He shows us things to come through His Word and His Holy Spirit. The Bible is full of God’s dreams for us so let us explore a little of this idea of VISION.

Charles Swindoll said, “Vision is essential for survival ...It is greater than sight, deeper than a dream, broader than an idea. The vision encompasses vast vistas outside the realm of the predictable, the safe, and the expected. No wonder we perish without it!” Having a vision enables you to wake up every morning with a sense of purpose. It will keep you moving forward, knowing that the Lord has so much in store for you. A person with a vision is a person with a future.