EVERYONE IS BORN TO EXIST, BUT ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE VISION HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE.
BEFORE YOU ASSOCIATE WITH ANYBODY, CHECK WHETHER HE HAS A VISION BECAUSE ASSOCIATION IS INFLUENCE.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A VISION, DON’T CLAIM YOU HAVE A MINISTRY. A CLEAR VISION IS REQUIRED BEFORE GETTING INTO MINISTRY.
VISION IS THE PLATFORM BY WHICH GOD SENDS US. IF HE DOES NOT SEND YOU, MEN AND CIRCUMSTANCES WILL SEND YOU BACK.
WITHOUT VISION, DESTINY IS AT A RISK, HEADING FOR A CRASH.
MINISTRY IS THE PURSUIT OF VISION. MINISTRY IS INITIATED BY HEAVEN-CERTIFIED VISION
GOD DOES NOT APPROVE YOUR CHOICE OF PURPOSE, HE APPROVES YOUR DISCOVERY OF PURPOSE.
IN MINISTRY, YOU DONT DO WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING, YOU ASK WHERE DO I BELONG? ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU BELONG, COMPETITION AND COMPARISON STOPS.
EVERY VISION CONTAINS A PATTERN. YOU NEED TO ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU THE PATTERN. A LOT OF MINISTERIES TODAY ARE BATTERED BECAUSE THEY MISSED THE PATTERN.
VISION IS CATCHING A PICTURE OF YOUR FUTURE. GOD’S EXCITEMENT IS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SEE WHATEVER HE IS SHOWING US.
VISION MAKES YOU A DEFENSE CITY. GOING OUT OF VISION IS TURNING YOURSELF TO A PREY IN THE HAND OF THE enemy.
THE PRINCIPAL WAY BY WHICH YOU ACCESS VISION IS BY PRAYER AND FASTING.
YOU DO NOT ASSUME VISION, YOU MUST ENQUIRE VISION. FOR ANYONE WHO CARES TO ASK IS ENTITLED TO AN ANSWER.
VISION NOT ROOTED IN THE WORD BECOME SHAKY.
ANCHOR YOUR VISION IN THE WORD.
-Bishop David Abioye at 2022 Ministers’ Summit ||THE TRIUMPH OF LIGHT || Day Two, Morning Session || Canaanland, Ota.
My portion this morning, as I have been given the privilege, is on the subject of BREAKTHROUGH POWER OF VISION.
Remember, the theme of this Ministers’ Summit is TRIUMPH OF LIGHT.
Life triumphs by Light. Light can never be defeated. Everywhere it appears, atmosphere changes, even natural light brings hope, life, direction, what have you. Everything good done in life is an outcome of light. No wonder the Scripture says light is good, light is beautiful. Church Gist. The subject we are looking at, Breakthrough, is another definition of Triumph. Obtaining result without sweat. Watching things done without struggles. And that’s what vision does.
So vision is a product of light. Its another description of light. Just as light helps us to triumph and breakthrough, Vision is the beginning of triumph in ministry. Going into ministry without vision is heading for frustration without knowing. Life begins to count only when one locates where he belongs in ministry. Church Gist. The life of Abraham was mere existence until God gave him vision. At 75, he was frustrated, not knowing what to do. Existence begins at birth but life begins with vision.
Everyone is born to exist, but only those who have vision have the right to live. They are two different things. Most people are just existing, goal-less. Not knowing where to go, not knowing the next thing to do but not so with vision. Vision puts you along a path of profitable engagements that avoid any form of frustration. Without vision, destiny is at a risk, heading for a crash. Proverbs 29:18.
He that keepeth the law of vision will always be happy. Now a little while ago, while Pastor Paul was speaking; he said, If someone is in a wrong direction, the people following him follow into destruction. So its not enough not to have a vision, it is a risk to the people that are around you. Church Gist. Be careful to walk with a man that has no vision. Innocent people were in a ship, making their own journey, then a wrong man who lost vision or who refused his vision (Jonah) entered the ship and it caused disaster for everyone that was with him.
-May you never cross the path of a vision-less man!
This is very important, please check it very well, before you associate with anybody, check whether he has a vision because association is influence. You are commanded by God to love everybody but not to befriend everybody. Open your eyes! Just like a farmer does not plant without checking the soil. Church Gist. You must not plant your destiny without checking the soil of where you are planting it.
By privilege, I had examined the life of our father, God’s servant before following him and the profit is showing today. For us to appreciate the subject of vision, let us quickly look at what ministry is because the birthplace of ministry is vision. Ministry, simply put is pursuit of vision. But for you to pursue it well, it must first be discovered. Hence the necessity of vision. Please, understand this fundamentally: if you don’t have a vision, don’t claim you have a ministry! A clear vision is requisite to getting into ministry. As a matter of fact, ministry is initiated by heaven certified vision. The ministry of Moses began with a clear vision. Exodus 3:7-10.
The vision of this ministry as delivered to God’s servant, Bishop David Oyedepo is based on what God showed to him. He saw an array of people suffering. He began to weep with them, in the midst of that God spoke to him, saying, “The hour has come to liberate the world from all oppression of the devil through the preaching of the Word of faith and now I am sending you”. So if you don’t have a vision, don’t claim a ministry. A clear vision for that matter. It is necessary for us to go for vision. Vision is the platform by which God sends us. If you are not sent, men and circumstances will send you back. If you are not called, you will end in a corner. God does not approve your choice of purpose, He approves the discovery of your purpose. Jeremiah 23:21.
No matter how smart you are in running, if He didn’t send you, you will end either in a wrong direction or in frustration. Vision is the discovery of what you are sent to do.
1: VISION IS THE UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR PURPOSE IN GOD’S MASTER PLAN. His plan is very wide, wide enough to accommodate every minister. Where do I belong? Not what do I see others doing, but where do I belong? Our safety in ministry is the understanding of where each person belongs. Church Gist. Once you understand where you belong, competition stops, comparison stops. You are unique. Your number is not as important as your function. Joel 2:8, Proverbs 27:8.
So each of us has a path to follow.
2: IT IS THE UNVEILING OF GOD’S AGENDA TO AN INDIVIDUAL.
Jeremiah 1:5, 11. Acts 9: 6, 15. Asking for clear vision. Its not too late to find out for each of us.
3: VISION IS THE DISCOVERY OF GOD’S PURPOSE FOR ONE’S LIFE:.
Jeremiah 29:11-13.
4: VISION IS RECEIVING THE DICTATES FOR ONE’S LIFE DIRECTLY FROM GOD.
Hebrews 8:5. Every vision contains a pattern. What has He said to you? How are you to go about it? According to the pattern showed to you. So vision is God’s pattern for you. And if you miss the pattern, you will end up being battered. Many ministries are battered today because they missed the pattern.
In summary, vision is a catching a picture of your future. God showing to you now what tomorrow is going to be. The excitement of God is that we are able to see what He is showing. Church Gist. And with that excitement, He launches us forth into outstanding ministries.
For benefit of doubt, lets look at this: Why do I need vision?
1: YOU DID NOT CREATE YOURSELF NEITHER DO YOU KNOW YOURSELF.
Some times, we assume we know ourselves. No one can explain a product more than the manufacturer. The product cannot explain itself. No creature can describe itself like its Creator. We do not own ourselves, He owns us. Psalms 100:3. He owns us, He created us. He has details about us. Jeremiah 1:5. That’s why we need vision. Usually when God gives you a vision, it is about something bigger than your capability. He is bigger than what you can do. Church Gist. He gives you a picture of who you are. They came to John, and asked him, Who do you say you are? They were putting words in his mouth until he discovered by revelation who he was, I am a voice of he that is speaking in the wilderness saying, prepare ye the way of the Lord. So I need vision because I didn’t create myself, neither do I know myself. Any description you give of yourself is inaccurate. Anything anyone says about you is false absolutely or inaccurate. Because everywhere looks the same. Church Gist.
2: WE DO NOT KNOW THE WAY.
That’s why we must commit ourselves to God who says, ‘I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way that thou shouldest go. I will guide thee with my eyes.’
Psalm 32:8. We don’t know the way! Everywhere looks the same! We don’t know the destination! Habakuk 2:3.
3: YOU AND I CANNOT ARRIVE AT THE FUTURE WITHOUT HIM.
If you don’t understand this, life will be reduced to chance, not knowing its because we didn’t acknowledge Him.
4: WE CANNOT PROTECT OR DEFEND OURSELVES.
If it is God who gave you the vision, though you pass through the valley of the shadow of death (which all of us normally pass through) but you will fear no evil, because I will protect you. Upon receiving the vision from the Lord, He said to Jeremiah, assuring him of protection and defense. Jeremiah 1: 18,19. Can you see what vision does? Vision makes you a defense city.
When Paul followed the vision God gave to him about the Gentiles, he was ever defended. When he shifted to the other side, he lost his defense. So loss of vision is loss of defense. Going outside of the vision God gave to you is turning yourself to a prey in the hand of the enemy.
5: IT IS ONLY GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE THAT CAN STAND THE TEST OF TIME.
Only vision can stand the test of time. Lamentations 3: 37. Ecclesiastes 3:14.
If this is so important, how then do you access vision. Two primary ways:
We must first understand that vision is as determined by God but as discovered by man. So you have to go for discovery. It is as revealed by God but as seen by man, what seest thou? Psalms 16:11. He is busy showing us the path of life, for anyone who cares to see.
The number one principal way by which we access vision is by ENQUIRIES IN PRAYER AND FASTING. We cant stop making reference to this. In the word that came from Pastor David, we saw the mention of prayer and fasting. It’s a thing we must keep doing. Church Gist. We don’t know the way! Anyone who cares to ask is entitled to an answer. Vision is not to be assumed, it is to be enquired about. Habakuk 2: 1-3.
You are not entitled to answer if you don’t ask. Write the vision! Jeremiah 3:3. Just search Scriptures. It is the Scriptures that gives root to our vision. Every time God speaks to you, please listen to me Beloved co-labourers, quickly find a root for that word in Scriptures.
41 years ago, God gave me a clear vision of stewardship under my spiritual father. I was privileged to go with him for a conference and I was asked by God, “Step out.” and I heard a clear word. Not more than 2 minutes, but anchored in Luke 16: 10-12. He said “Be faithful serving this man.”
Every time you anchor your vision on Scriptures, you become immovable. The Bible is the book of visions. Isaiah 29:10-12. You have to be busy reading the book for you to see. You have to learn to study the Scripture. Jesus anchored His vision in Scriptures. Luke 4:16,17. He was a reader. He found where it was written. To every vision, there is something written in Scriptures.
Why must we keep getting back to Scriptures? Because “Forever, Oh Lord, Thy Word is settled…” Vision may be shaky if it is not rooted in the Word. But once it is rooted in the Word, nothing can shake you. It becomes a clear ‘Thus sayeth the Lord.’
John 1:19-23. For as long as he was in the wilderness, people were coming to him, even soldiers. He will harass them, they will beg him for baptism. Can you find anyone abusing a soldier, and the soldier will be begging him? It doesn’t happen. But once he stepped into the city, he lost his head to Herod. Church Gist. The vision was: Stay in the wilderness! Be crying there! They will come and meet you there! And they were rushing to meet him, because he was in pursuit of his vision where God wanted him to be. Daniel said, I understood by books. What are we emphasizing? Anchor your vision in the Word. But for this tool to work for you that is prayer and fasting, searching of Scriptures, you must be meek. We heard that awhile ago, you must be spiritually sensitive. You must possess a quiet spirit and a quiet environment. Psalms 46:10, 1 Kings 19:11,12.
We must always look out for the still small voice.
We also have the BIBLICAL PROOF OF A TRUE VISION:
1, When you have true vision, it will stir up inner joy. Psalms 89:15.
2, When you have a true vision, it will impart divine peace. Psalms 85:8.
3, When you have a clear vision, it will attract divine presence. Exodus 4:11.
4, It engenders divine strength. Judges 6:14. 1 Kings 8:46.
5, It provokes overwhelming results. 1 Kings 8:16.
6, It commands divine provision.
7, It leads to fulfillment in ministry. 1 Thessalonians 5: 24.
In conclusion, when we walk in God’s plan or vision for our life:
1.He goes before us. That can be assured. Isaiah 45: 1-3, Exodus 3:20.
2.He goes with us. Matthew 28:20. John 3:1,2.
3.He walks with us. Acts 10:38.
4.He works through us. He becomes the agent of whatever is working through us. Phillipians 2:13.
5.Finally, He works for us. John 14:10.
6.
What a blessed moment by the privilege God has given to us. I know that by vision, each and every one of us will keep triumphing!
Rise to your feet and pray, Lord make this vision clearer to me! Make it stronger for me! Establish my feet in the vision you have given to me!
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