How to Fulfill the Vision God Has for You
In the previous studies, we looked at God’s will for us to be people of vision. We also looked at the importance of living by God’s vision, and how we can obtain the vision God has for us. Just as knowing the right medication does not profit a sick person until they actually take the medicine so does knowing God’s will/vision will not profit you until you actually obey and do it (cf. Matthew 21:22-30). We are not called to only hear and know the word but to also do it lest we deceive ourselves (James 1:22). We read in Colossians 4:17 “Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete/fulfill the ministry you have received in the Lord”. Because what was written aforetime was written for our learning (Romans 15:4), the instruction given to Archippus is the same instruction God is given you today, “…See to it that you fulfill the ministry or vision you have received in the Lord” (cf. Colossians 4:17).
A very important step we need to fulfill the vision God has for us can be found in Habakkuk 2, which says “Then the LORD answered me and said, “Write down the vision and inscribe it clearly on tablets, so that one who reads it may run”. After we come to the knowledge of God’s vision for us, we are exhorted to write it down clearly. Writing down the vision is to help us run. Paul said, “Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly…” (1 Corinthians 9:26). In the same way, writing down the vision God has for us is supposed to help us run the race of our lives properly, giving our lives purpose, direction and focus. This helps us to continually know what we ought to give our attention to and obey. The second reason for writing down the vision can be found immediately after the biblical exhortation to do so: “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay (Habakkuk 2:3). It usually takes time and patient endurance to accomplish anything significant. Writing down the vision helps to keep the promises/vision of God before you continually and give you a joyful hope. This helps to develop the faith and perseverance needed to go through the trying and waiting period until the vision is fulfilled (Habakkuk 2:2-3). Proverbs 4:20-21 gives us another major reason to write down what God gives to us. The Scripture reads, “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart” (Proverbs 4:20-21). In other words, after inclining our ears to what God says, we should not let them depart from our eyes because keeping them before our eyes is one of the ways we get His sayings into our hearts. And based on what fills our hearts, the issues of our lives flow forth (cf. Proverbs 4:23). A practical way to prevent God’s vision from departing/escaping from our eyes, and consequently our hearts, is to follow the exhortation in Habakkuk 2:2 and write the vision down. The fourth reason for writing down the vision can be found in what David said regarding writing down what God gives to us. He shared from his own experience that “‘All this,’ said David, “the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern”” (1 Chronicles 28:19). Form this text, we learn that one of the ways God gives us understanding and insight into the depths of His plan/vision is by making us write down the vision. I believe this insight and understanding may also stem from the honour we show God, when we value His instructions and visions enough to write them down so that we can keep them before our eyes and run with them.
Just as the body of Christ, like the human body, is one body with many members and each member has its unique function (1 Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 4:15-16) so is our personal lives. Our personal lives are made up various aspects, each with a unique purpose or function, e.g., our personal devotion to God, church life, family, career, ministry, relationships, parenting, etc. Each of these aspects of our lives are avenues or training grounds God uses to conform us to the image of Christ – which is our ultimate vision/goal in life (Romans 8:29). Despite our inclination to treat certain aspects of our lives as important while disregarding or trivializing other aspects, the Bible says that a false balance is an abomination unto God (Proverbs 11:1). Thus, if you succeed in ministry but fail as a parent, for example, you are living with a false balance and that is an abomination unto God. Therefore, if we are going to please God and not be abominable then we must seek God’s vision for each aspect of our lives and write those individual visions down so that we may run with them. Writing them down will help us run the race of our lives in such a way that we will win the prize as we give each aspect of our lives it’s due and proper attention in accordance with God’s will (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:24).
To be continued…
Kwadwo Omari, Ph.D.
September 15, 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.