Vision

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We exist to help people far from God, draw near to Him. We do that through emphasizing worship, prayer, ministry and healing.

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Introduction

I can still remember it clearly. I was 17 years old and I was deep in prayer. I saw a vision of myself preaching and I knew in that moment that God was calling me to preach. I didn’t want to do that and I was struggling to believe it, but I knew deep down that is what he was calling me to do.

Back in early 2018, God again affirmed that calling by speaking to me clearly and directly while I was at my first Souly Business retreat.

And here’s what I knew. I knew that because he had revealed this to me, I had to take action. I had to do something about it. He wasn’t just telling me so I could feel good. He wasn’t trying to stroke my ego, he wanted me to follow his calling and that meant action.

Today we are continuing our series called the DNA of a Disciple. We only have two weeks left after today. Here’s what we have talked about so far:

Faith - expressed in sacrifice and self-denial

Enlargement - God’s process of moving us from obscurity to influence. 

Fathering - Imparting values without requiring conformity. 

Wholeness - the process of being “healed in heart and formed for service”

Openness - Embracing the whole body of Christ in every genuine move of God. 

Vision - Prophetic revelation inspiring disciplined obedience. 

Here’s my statement to help you understand what I mean by this:

A Disciple Is One Who Is Following God’s Vision For Their Life.

If you are following Jesus, we know from Ephesians 2:10 that God has specific works planned for you. There are things that he wants you to do and accomplish on this earth. You have purpose and a disciple is one who searches the desires of his heart and chases after God’s purpose for his or her life.

Main Text

Proverbs 29:18 ESV

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.

As we dive into this passage, I want to first remind you that this is a Proverb. It’s a wisdom statement. We read this as a generality. In other words, you could start every proverb, as “Generally speaking, where there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint.”

Secondly, I want to note, there is no greater context in most of the proverbs. These are meant to be one-liners designed to make you think. That’s the idea, so let’s dive in.

This proverb starts with the idea of the need of prophetic vision. The Hebrew word here is Hazon, which means revelation or vision, such as one given to a prophet. The idea behind this is a prophetic vision is a communication from God that is meant to be shared and obeyed.

People Cast Off Restraint - The author of this proverb states that where their NO vision, the people cast of restraint. Now this statement is a little more difficult for people to translate. Your version of the Bible may say, the people perish. The idea behind this is that without prophetic revelation, people choose death, they cast off all restraint, they run wild. In fact, the NLT translates it that way.

Proverbs 29:18 NLT

When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.

This brings me to my first question…why do we need prophetic vision?

Vision Brings Life

If People Choose Death When They Have No Vision, The Opposite Must Be True. We choose life when we walk according to the prophetic vision God has for our lives.

When we submit ourselves to his plan and his purposes for our lives, our lives are more enriched, there is a blessing in it.

Think about the Apostle Paul. Paul knew his purpose. God revealed it to him on the road to Damascas. During Paul’s conversion, God reveals to him that he is being sent to the Gentiles.

1 Timothy 1:18–19 ESV

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,

It’s possible to have a false vision.

Ezekiel 13:6 ESV

They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word.

Every Vision Will Be Tested

Habakkuk 2:2–3 ESV

And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

What’s Your Vision?

Every Couple Should Have A Vision For Their Marriage & Family.

What’s Our Vision?

Here at Cornerstone, We Believe God Is Building This House. Jesus is the chief cornerstone. He is the center of everything that we seek to do here. We want to glorify him, magnify him and share his gospel with as many as we can.

On that Cornerstone, that firm foundation, we are seeking to build a House of Worship, Prayer, Ministry and Healing.

Obedience Produces Happiness

Decision