February is our month for ‘Vision for the Next Level,’ and as a Church, we will explore the subject of “Vision” throughout February.
“And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.”
Genesis 13:14-15, KJV
Seeing in the scripture above conveys a meaning that goes beyond physical sight. It is a seeing that connotes vision. To “see”, not only do you have to look at the object, but you have to pay attention to it until a new understanding arises. Often, when a concept is explained to you, you look at it from different angles until you come to a point where you finally say “Oh I now see”. For many of us, what we do is simply look with the eyes. However, when we “see”, we have understanding.
In the journey to the Next Level, it is critical for us to “see”. For Abraham to understand what God was telling him and the level that God was taking him to, God had to take him out. God directed Abraham to look to the north, to the south, to the east and the west. In a similar manner, God also told Abraham to look at the stars to give him a picture of how numerous his descendants would be. The point God was making to Abraham was that until you see it (the promise, the Next Level), you cannot get it (the promise, the Next Level). Until you see that Next Level you cannot get there. This is why vision is crucially important.
Vision Defined
- Vision is simply the capacity to “see”. Physical eyes look, while inner eyes (the eye of our understanding) “see”.
- Vision could be described as a mental picture of a preferable future.
- Vision is seeing beyond what is present and grasping the future that God has planned for you.
- Vision is not just mere sight; it is divine revelation.
- Vision is purpose and direction from God. There is a thought and a plan that God has for your life, and vision is what reveals that plan.
Importance of Vision
- Vision is critical to your journey to the Next Level. The dreams of today are what become the realities of tomorrow. With our imagination, we can see what is not yet real in the physical world.
- Vision is so critical that to be blind mentally is to be denied destiny, and you cannot go anywhere until you see somewhere.
- You need to have this vision because there is a connection between the picture and the future. If you can’t picture it, you can’t feature in it. There is a link between what you picture and where you will feature in the future. What you see you see today is intertwined with where you can be tomorrow.
When we are talking about this journey to the next level, what you see is very important, and the truth is that what you picture determines what you can capture. If you can’t picture it, you cannot capture it. Your perception determines your possession, and until you perceive it, you cannot possess it. If you can perceive it, then you can possess it. Your life will only move in the direction of your vision or the revelation that you have.
Food for Thought: What is your perception about God and life generally? This will determine what you can achieve on earth, and that is why vision is very important.
Your vision is what determines your destination. Where you see yourself determines where you will find yourself eventually. If, in the midst of frustration, you can picture elevation, in a short time, that frustration will be swallowed up by the vision of elevation you have. You are not going anywhere until you can see somewhere. Your future is not at the mercy of your name or title, rather, your future is at the mercy of your vision, and how far you see determines how high you can reach.
The worst form of blindness is not the blindness of the physical eyes but the blindness of the mind. To be blind mentally is to be denied destiny. A shallow mind equals a shallow life. A shallow vision equals a shallow future. The point here is that vision is very critical in our journey to the Next Level.
Perspectives on Vision
1. According to Proverbs 29:18, without vision, people will wander aimlessly, lacking direction and purpose. By implication, when a person has a clear vision from God, they move forward with confidence, they overcome obstacles, and they fulfill their destiny.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
Proverbs 29:18, KJV
2. According to Habakkuk 2:2, vision needs to be documented. Remember that “the weakest pencil is better than the sharpest memory”. When you write it down, it becomes clearer and keeps you accountable.
“And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.”
Habakkuk 2:2, KJV
3. According to Jeremiah 29:11, there is a thought and a plan that God has for your life. Vision is what reveals and unveils that plan.
“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.”
Jeremiah 29:11, KJV
4. Vision can be personal or corporate. Even families are supposed to have a vision, just like corporate organizations have visions
Why Vision?
1. Vision gives us direction – A person without a vision is like a sheep without a compass – just drifting without purpose. When you have a vision, you know where you are going and what God has called you to do. The Next Level is not just a gamble, you need to know what God is asking you to do at the Next Level.
2. Vision inspires you to action – If you don’t act on your vision, then it will just be a mirage. A God-given vision moves you to take action, it keeps you motivated even when challenges arise. When challenges arise, it keeps you moving.
3. Vision empowers us to overcome obstacles – Beloved, there will be obstacles on the pathway to the Next Level, because for every promised land there will be giants to be encountered. There will be sons of Anakim (Deuteronomy 9:2). There’ll be giants that will make you look like a grasshopper in your own eyes. But people of vision will overcome. People like Joshua and Caleb who believed that they would overcome and said they could possess the land because God had spoken it.
4. Vision infuses faith and perseverance to push through hardships – Joseph faced betrayal and imprisonment yet he held on to God’s vision and in due time it was fulfilled (Genesis 50:20). Apostle Paul was a man of vision yet he endured persecutions, shipwrecks, and imprisonment but he kept his eyes on the vision. That vision was of spreading the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 26: 19).
How to Receive and Walk in God’s Vision.
1. Seek God in prayers. Vision comes from God, so spending time in prayer and asking God for divine direction. Jeremiah 33:3 says
“Call upon me and I will answer you and I will show you great and mighty things which you do not know.”
2. Align yourself with God’s word. A true vision must align with the principles of the Bible. Psalm 119 : 105 says:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path”
3. We must then walk by faith. Visionaries see the invisible and believe in the impossible. The Bible in 2 Corinthians 5:7 says:
“For we walk by faith and not by sight.”
We walk by faith, not by sight. We need to take action and remain patient. Faith without works is dead (James 2:26) Once you have a vision, start working towards it, because every great vision requires patience and preparation (Hebrews 6:12).
Conclusion
Beloved, as we journey to the Next Level, you cannot underestimate the power of vision. It will give you direction, it will inspire you to action and it will enable you to persevere. If you have lost your vision, ask God to renew it. If you are uncertain about your purpose, seek God for clarity, and no matter the challenges that come your way, hold on to the vision that God has placed in your hands.
