Why We Must Have the Kind of Vision God Desires for Us
In the previous study, we learned that God has an ultimate vision for us to conform to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). He also has individual or personalized visions for each of us based on our unique call and destiny. When we loose sight of the ultimate goal, we would also fail to walk in the personalized vision God has ordained for us. Knowing the kind of vision God has for us and pursuing it is among the wisest use of our lives.
Knowing what God expects from us, i.e. His will and vision for us, enables us to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please Him in all respects, bear fruits in every good work, increase in the knowledge of God, and be strengthened with all power according to God’s glorious might. This helps us to properly give thanks to God as we ought. We read this in Colossians 1:9-12: “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light”. All these blessings are ours, when we have knowledge of God’s will and vision for us.
But when we don’t have God’s vision, we fail to redeem the time and thereby live like the unwise who get caught in evil. Ephesians 5:16-17 reads, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is”. This text teaches that the evil days we live in require that we redeem or make most of our time. This is how we move from being foolish to being wise. The only way to make the most of your time is to know and use the time for what it is meant for. Otherwise, you would waste it, no matter how busy you may get, and be counted among the foolish who fail to redeem the time. That is why we are exhorted not to be foolish but to understand what of the Lord (also His vision) is.
Additionally, we waste our efforts and time on earth, lose our rewards, and become like those who barely make it into heaven when we lack God’s vision (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). You are not called to do everything; what matters is you fulfilling the very purpose for which God called you (Philippians 3:12, 1 Corinthians 12:12-30). We learn from Scripture that there will be those whose works will burn when tested by fire, although they themselves will be saved. But they will be like those who barely escaped thorough fire and will fail to receive the reward God had for them (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). These will include not just those who did nothing with what God gave them but busybodies, who got involved in almost everything except the vision God had for them.
Knowing the vision God has for you is also a prerequisite for being counted among those who will reign with Jesus in His millennial kingdom when He returns (Revelation 20). In Revelation 2:26-27, Jesus gave the qualifications of those who will reign with Him. This included those who will keep His deeds to the end. Even so, if you have no idea of what God expects from you, how do you even keep them for any length of time let alone until the end?
Another major reason why we need to know God’s vision for us is because we will end up being unrestrained or ungovernable when we lack revelation of God, His Word, and His vision for us (Proverbs 29:18). To be unrestrained or ungovernable concerning the ways of God is to rebel against God’s rule and His vision/will for you. Yet, Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21). In other words, the unrestrained and ungovernable are excluded from entering God’s kingdom. Our very lives depend on knowing what God expects from us, and giving our selves to it.
Kwadwo Omari, Ph.D.
June 6, 2023
A Very Important Message
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Therefore, If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, I invite you to put your faith in Him. Pray the prayer below to accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour: “I come to you God in Jesus’ name and surrender my life unto you. I repent of my sins and I ask You to forgive me all my sins. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, and I believe with my heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead. I thank you God for saving me, in Jesus name, Amen”. If you sincerely prayed this prayer, believe and be assured that you are saved, for the Bible says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13, Romans 10:9-10, Acts 16:31). Find a Bible believing church to attend so that you can be discipled to grow in the ways of God. You can also email me ([email protected]) and I will be happy to grow together with you in Christ.