Vision: A Look at God’s Plan for His People
Working Definition of Vision: The Application of Biblical
Truth As Illuminated by the Holy Spirit’s Activity in a
Disciple’s Life. It is usually revelational about some aspect of God’s
character at work as a personal application of the Holy Spirit’s illumination
of Scripture.
Assumptions in this Definition:
• There
is going to be application, not just talk about it. (James 1:22) But prove yourselves doers of the word, and
not merely hearers who delude themselves.
• Based
on Biblical Truth (1 Jn 5:7-8) For
there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood;
and the three are in agreement.
• The
Holy Spirit Controls the Illumination, so God gets the glory (Jn 14:26;
16:13-16) But the Helper, the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and
bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He
will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative,
but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to
come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine
and will disclose it to you.
• Only
within the lives of true Disciples (1 Cor 2:16) But we have the mind of Christ.
Common Misconceptions:
• Vision
is NOT the same as a human idea.
• Vision
is NOT the same as a dream.
• Vision
is NOT the same as cult leadership.
Why Do We Baptists Not Talk Much About Vision?
• We
are afraid we will be misunderstood by others.
• We’re
afraid that we will misunderstand the vision.
• We
don’t want to be mislabeled as charismatic or cult.
• We
just plain don’t have vision.
Biblical Basis for Vision (OT)
Where there is no vision [revelation], the
people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law. -Prov
29:18
And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour
out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions- Joel
2:28
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.
– 1 Sam 3:1
Biblical Distinctions of Vision (NT)
while we look not at the things which are seen, but at
the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but
the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor 4:18
for we walk by faith, not by sight– 2 Cor 5:7
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
– Matt 5:8
Guiding Principles
• All
things about God and His plan are perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ. (Heb
1:1-2) God, after He spoke long ago
to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He
appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made
the world.
• We
understand and accept the Word of God as the final authority for revelation,
although there are some things we won’t fully understand until we meet Jesus
face to face. (1 Cor 13:12) For now we
see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I
will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
• Vision
is given in the context of the covenant community of faith. (1 Cor 12:7) But to each one is given the manifestation
of the Spirit for the common good.
Good Examples of Vision:
• Isaiah
saw the Lord (Isaiah 6)
• Peter
saw the Lord’s food offering (Acts 10)
• Paul
heard Jesus’ voice; saw a Man of Macedonia; some things he couldn’t talk about
(Acts 16)
• John
saw the final revelation of Jesus Christ and the things to come. (Revelation)
Understanding God-given Vision:
• Vision
is not usually through others nor for others; it’s for you
among the church. (Jn 10:27) My sheep hear My voice, and I know
them, and they follow Me;
• Vision
will agree with God’s revealed Word. (2 Tim 3:16) All Scripture is inspired by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, for training in righteousness;
• Vision
will be validated by godly counsel within the covenant
community of faith. (2 Cor 13:1; 2 Pet 1:20) Every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses. But know this first of all, that no
prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s
own interpretation,
• Vision
will be God-ward, not man-ward, in glory (1 Cor 12:5-6) And
there are varieties of ministries, and the same
Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.
• Vision
will have worship & mission as its goal. (Acts 1:8) but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
has come upon you; and you shall be My
witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the
remotest part of the earth.”
• Vision
will bear testimony to Jesus as Son of God in a real body.
(I Jn 4:2) By this you know the Spirit of
God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh is from God;
• Vision
will bear witness of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 8:16) The Spirit
Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God
• Vision
will promote unity, not divisiveness. (Jn 17:21-22) that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that
they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The
glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;
• Vision
will promote morality according to the character of God. (Rom
6:1-2) What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may
increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
• Vision
must be shared carefully & articulately in truth. (Eph
4:14) As a result, we are no longer to be
children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by
craftiness in deceitful scheming;
What is the Biblical Model of Vision?
• Crisis
of Condition (recognition of sin or limitation)
• Cost
of Change
• Consequence
of the Conflict
Prayer for Vision
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