How To Know God's Vision For Your Life - Part II (You Must Be persuaded By The Vision)

Hey friends; in my last post, I wrote that in order to catch God’s vision for your life, you may follow the blueprint set forth in the eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews. In verse 13 of that chapter, the writer states that the people of God who caught a vision for God’s life (1) saw the vision afar off (2) became persuaded by it (3) embraced it and then (4) confessed it with their lives.

Last week we discussed how the people of God may begin to see the vision. This week we will focus on how we may become persuaded by the vision. It is not enough to just see a vision; many people see a vision, but they never do anything about it because they are not persuaded by it – they’re not fully convinced that it is worthy of pursuit. There may be many reasons for this but one of the primary reasons is that they lack the faith to act. So how do we develop the faith required to act once we’ve seen God’s vision.

First, we must understand that God confirms His vision through His word. Romans 10:17 says that “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Mark 4:24 also tells us to be careful what we’re hearing because the measure of thought and study we give to the truth we hear will be the same measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to us. Thus, we must become a hearer, reader and student of God’s word. When we begin to spend time and thoughtful study in God’s word, He will begin to speak to us about our lives. His word will become a guide for us – a lamp to our feet and light to our path. Psalm 119:105.

God is speaking today primarily through His word. If you want to know God’s vision for your life, you must get into His word. Then you will be able to say like the apostle Paul, “I am persuaded …” Romans 8:38!

By contrast, the Bible clearly teaches that God conceals his vision from the halfhearted. A story is told in Matthew 8:19-21 of a would-be disciple who approached Jesus. The Lord gave the man a vision for his life which entailed radical trust in him. Just then another would-be disciple overheard the high cost of the Lord’s call and decided he needed a year before he could commit to the vision. He asked for permission to go take care of some family business before he could follow.

This, of course, is an excuse. The Bible is filled with many other such individuals who heard a God-given vision, but backed away because they were not persuaded. See Luke 18:18-27 – a certain rich young man walked away sorrowful because he rejected God’s vision for his life. What a mistake. In Acts 26:27-28 King Agrippa mouthed some of the saddest words in the Bible: “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” King Agrippa saw the vision painted by the apostle Paul, but lacked the faith to commit. He was “almost persuaded” but you know the old song, “almost doesn’t count.” King Agrippa, by his lack of faith and half-heartedness, never experienced God’s greater vision and will for his life.

God conceals His vision from the half-hearted, but he reveals His vision to His servants. Throughout the Bible, God reveals Himself to His chosen vessels. Amos 3:7 says, “Surely the Lord does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants…” Hebrews 11 is not a record of people who went searching for God – it is a record of God revealing Himself to ordinary people and showing them an extraordinary vision for their lives. This vision led each person to a crisis of belief – would they believe God enough – become persuaded to the point of obedience?

It is never a question of whether God has a vision for us. He made us, knows us and has plans for all His children. Jeremiah 29:11. The question is whether we are listening for His voice and when we hear it are we committed to obeying His leading –are we persuaded by the vision He shows us?

Stop and think about that for a moment friend? Are you persuaded?

Image by areavoices.com

How to Know God's Vision for Your Life - Part I (You Must See the Vision!)

Hey friends; some years ago I was having some private time in the book of Hebrews, Chapter 11 when God began to speak to me about catching a vision for my life. In that Chapter (affectionately called the "Hall of Fame of Faith") the Scriptures set forth a number of God's people who, by faith, caught God's vision for their lives. The Scriptures teach that these people fit a pattern laid out in the text. The key verse states that the people of God mentioned died in faith without fully receiving all of the promises, but (1) having seen them afar off (2) they were assured or persuaded of them (3)they embraced them and (4) they confessed that God had given them a new agenda in life. This is a paraphrase of Hebrews 11:13.

I believe that this pattern is still operative today. It is a blueprint for how God's people may begin to see God's vision for their lives. In other words, if we are to know God's will for our lives, we must begin to (1) see God's vision (2) become assured or persuaded by the vision (3) embrace the vision and (4) confess it with our words and our actions. If we are willing to go through this process with God, I believe that He will reveal Himself in powerful ways. So how do we get started?

You must begin to see the vision. Well, that sounds easy, but everyone knows it is not. How do we practically begin to see God's vision for our lives? I suggest that we can do a few things. First, we must understand that God speaks over time. Hebrews 1:1-2 says that God has been speaking over time and in various ways through His prophets, but now He is speaking through His Son. God has always been involved in the lives of His people, but He rarely reveals His complete will for a people or an individual all at once. Most people who lived out God's calling in Scripture and in real life did so over time. It is a process, so don't knock yourself if you feel like you're missing the will of God. He will reveal His will to you over time.

However, the most significant part of God's will for your life is that you be rightly related to Him. Hebrews 1:1:3 says that Jesus, the express image of God, died for the sins of mankind and purged those sins from anyone who would believe Him and receive His forgiveness. Having completed the work of redemption, He sat down at the right hand of the Father. Thus, in order to be rightly related to the Father, we must receive forgiveness for our sins from the Son.

Once you receive that forgiveness, which is a free gift for the asking, you must begin to seek Him for your assignment. I suggest that you begin to seek Him in prayer and fasting. Here are some ideas for ways in which to seek Him. When you pray, be honest with God about all your feelings and concerns. Psalm 62:8 says we are to pour out our souls to the Lord. Pray also constantly (the Scriptures tell us to pray without ceasing); pray confidently (believe that you will hear from God when you pray and if you don't believe admit it and ask Him to help you to believe); pray with someone or a small group (there is power in group prayer) and pray with intensity (add fasting to your prayers).

Finally, be watchful. Once you have sought the Lord in all the ways mentioned above, be mindful of what is going on around you. Did anything change? Did God open (or close) any doors? Did you experience an inner heart change? What have your loved ones, spouse or others been saying to you? What is going on in your life and in your church? All of these things will come together to begin to paint a picture of God's vision for your life. Like the people of the Scriptures, you will begin to see God's vision "afar off" and it will begin to draw near to you as you draw near to God.

Friends, there is no microwave version of this process. It involves realizing that the vision emerges over time; it starts by being rightly related to God; comes alive when we begin to seek Him in prayer and fasting and will appear when we are watchful and expectant. I challenge you to take these steps in your spiritual life and watch God show up with great power and blessing!

Tune in next week for Part II - You Must be Persuaded by the Vision! Until then, God bless you and keep you as you seek His vision for your life!

Image by areavoices.com

Fasting For Your Spiritual Breakthrough

"And one of the throng replied to Him, Teacher, I brought my son to You, for he has a dumb spirit. And wherever it lays hold of him (so as to make him its own), it dashes him down and convulses him, and he foams (at the mouth) and grinds his teeth, and he (falls into a motionless stupor) and is wasting away; and I asked Your disciples to drive it out, and they were not able [to do it]. And when He had gone indoors His disciples asked Him privately, Why could not we drive it out? And He replied to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything, but prayer and fasting." Mark 9:17-18, 28-29.

Dear Friends: Have you ever been in a situation where you really needed a spiritual breakthrough? Perhaps you are in that predicament today. You may be facing a difficulty, a tough relationship or you may have a personal need. Facing a problem that is larger than yourself, you cry out to God, you look for Him in His word and you seek the prayers and guidance of others. You then wait patiently on the Lord and … nothing seems to happen. The situation remains the same, or even worse, it deteriorates. “Where is God?” you cry out. “Why doesn’t He move in this situation?” “Does He care?”

The answer is God cares! In fact, He cares more about us than we could ever care about ourselves. We are usually so selfish that that statement is probably hard to believe. But yes, despite our great love for ourselves, God loves us even more. In the Scriptures above, the disciples encountered a spiritual obstacle and could not defeat it. They had met seemingly similar obstacles in the past and had defeated them. But with this one, they stumbled. So much so that the Lord strongly addressed their lack of faith. What was it about this particular issue that overwhelmed the disciples?

The Bible makes it clear that there are levels and rankings of spiritual powers that oppose our walk with God. The day-to-day problems of life also vary by degree of difficulty and seriousness. Like the disciples, the day will come when you and I will meet a situation or spiritual obstacle that will require greater faith and reliance upon the Lord than ever before. In such a time, we must reach out for a higher level of faith and trust. When this happens, the Lord invites us to pray and fast; to enter into a denial of our appetites and a fuller yielding to His Spirit. In this time of yielding and divine connection, we lay down our desires, our goals and our very being. We allow Him to fill us with His Spirit and, by faith, we relinquish every burden to Him.

Is there a burden or obstacle that is overwhelming you today, beloved? It may be the kind that can only be overcome by prayer and fasting. Last night I had the privilege of encouraging our church family to seek the Lord in prayer for a demonstration of His power and His Spirit in their lives. (I Corinthians 2:4-5). This is also my personal desire. Beginning tomorrow, I will also add fasting to my prayers and I encourage all who seek to draw near to God in a special way to fast a meal or a day (as the Lord leads and your health allows) and dedicating that meal-time to the Lord in prayer. Some folks may need to consult a doctor before fasting so please plan accordingly.

But if you do not have a health issue, I ask you to join me in seeking the Lord daily in prayer and fasting for your spiritual breakthrough and for a demonstration from the Lord of His power and Spirit, active and present in your life. Jesus makes this bold promise in Luke 11:13(b), "How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" So let's ask my friends; but let's enter into a deeper realm of asking and fellowship with the Lord through self-denial. I believe we will experience the Lord in a fresh way and we will experience the blessings of Isaiah 58:8-9:

"Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I."

Stop and quietly think about that.