Why Vision Is Vital!

We have been on a journey of seeing God’s vision for this church.  We long to see ourselves through the lens of our heavenly Father who I believe created each and everyone us with a sense of purpose. 

Why Vision Is Vital

You were born with a desire to make a difference, to be part of something bigger than yourself. Every person has a desire to live a life of vision, of purpose, and significance.

We were all born with certain hungers and certain desires and this is not just a God thing…  Fast Company magazine reports that psychologists have identified three hungers that are common to all of us: to connect to the creative spirit of life; to express our gifts and talents; and to know that our lives matter:

For those of us who believe in God, He doesn't always reveal the full picture of what he wants us to do with our lives. But we can enter into a relationship with God in which we sense his direction, the burdens and concerns that he places on our hearts. As we follow God in that relationship we can play a role in building God's kingdom.

Lessons from the life of Nehemiah

Nehemiah 6:15,16

15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.16When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

A vision from God fulfilled gives us incredible confidence that God has enabled us!

He had opposition, he had cynics, he had doubters, he had distractions.  There were a lot of obstacles that he had to overcome!  He had to tear people’s hair out to get their attention… Nehemiah 13:25….It wasn’t just about rebuilding walls for Nehemiah…it was their spiritual walls and sense of identity as God’s people.

Who was Nehemiah – in short one of the exiles led away in captivity to Babylon and put in the service of the king as a cupbearer.  A cupbearer may seem insignificant…bring wine to the king; however;  someone had to be absolutely trustworthy in this position and ready to even swallow what he brought to the king with the fear of plots against him. 

Nehemiah receives news… Why were the walls in disarray?  This city was destroyed and burned by the Babylonian army in 586 BCE….at least 70 years had passed since then.

One of the best examples of somebody who lived a life of vision is Nehemiah. Nehemiah's taught us that vision is a divinely given picture of what could be and should be. Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been broken down. Right away, Nehemiah saw what could be and should be - that the defenses of the city could be restored, and the walls rebuilt. A vision is always a picture of what could be and should be from God's perspective.  I believe that God has placed in each of us a passion for influence.

The 7 Mountains of Influence in our Culture.

In 1975, Bill Bright, founder of Power To Change…known back then as Campus Crusade for Christ, and Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth With a Mission, had lunch together in Colorado. God simultaneously gave each of these change agents a message to give to the other. During that same time frame Francis Schaeffer was given a similar message. That message was that if we are to impact any nation for Jesus Christ, then we would have to affect the seven spheres, or mountains of society that are the pillars of any society.

These seven mountains are business, government, media, arts and entertainment, education, the family and religion. God was telling these three change agents where the battlefield was. It was here where culture would be won or lost. Their assignment was to raise up change agents to scale the mountains and to help a new generation of change agents understand the larger story.

Influence in Arts and Entertainment – I think of just this week the unmistakeable desire that God put on Sheryl T’s heart -  Saturday Morning Art @ Grace!  encouraging each other in art and life, bringing glory to God and Brian J. w/ art as an initiative with Parkwood Gardens.

Education – Mair G. for the neighbourhood surrounding her school at Brant Public, Elmer W. is for the people of VietNam  

Government – Dr Anne Marie – influencing change agents through the Institute of Global Health that just was launched this past Friday

Business – I think of Rob B, Rob G, my wife Sharon, all part of our B2B initiative to help see new self-sustaining business initiatives and partnerships take place in Lesotho, helping business people there get access to funding, to strong business plans.  Bryan and Dan Andrade’s conversation 43:1

Religion –Amy W and Sam B is for the youth and children of Carmen Bajo,

Yours could be for a certain people group or a need that you've observed. What do you burn about? What do you dream about, laugh about, cry about? God has given you some burden, concern, or passion that will eventually grow into a vision.

Nehemiah's was to change government and it was  for the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

Remember, what God originates, God orchestrates. Nehemiah didn't have the resources to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He didn't have the money. He didn't have the freedom. He didn't have the authority. But when God originates a vision, God always orchestrates the how. God is the God of the what, but he's also the God of the how.

Some of you may be thinking, "I'm not a visionary. I don't even believe that God will give me an overarching plan for my life. I don't buy this vision stuff. God is calling me to walk with him - nothing more." You may be right - God may not give you the full plan for your life and what he should be doing. But he will give you a picture of what could be and should be in different areas of your life - in your marriage, in your family, in your business. That picture will come directly as a result of your walk with him.  There is something that he is calling you to do, you have a greater destiny.

The vision may not be a plan of what you're going to do. The vision may that you would develop the character qualities of a person that God can bless. It may be specific and lifelong; it may relate to a specific area of your life, either lifelong or temporal. But God does give his followers promptings, stirrings, pictures of what could be and should be in the various areas of our lives.

This morning from the life of Nehemiah, -we are going to get life lessons.

A vision is birthed through a realization and a revelation  Nehemiah 1:1-4

Let me explain what I mean by both:

A realization comes as a  deep dissatisfaction with how things are. 

At the root of every history maker’s calling is a complaint.  The complaint is our cause, our fuel, our drive, our motiviation.  Complaining is not whining.  Whiners are people who complain about things they permit or tolerate.

You will get to the point where you are not comfortable

When Nehemiah is given the report of the conditions in Jerusalem, it arrests him to the point of becoming undone, to tears, to being driven to his knees in prayer and fasting.

Let me show you another example of this:

Habbakuk 2:1,2

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint. ² Then the Lord replied:

“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablet  so that a herald may run with it.

            A realization comes from the potential of what could be.

In that time of prayer and fasting, waiting on God, God gives Nehemiah the picture and it is about a city restored to it’s place of greatness and influence.  A stronghold, a fortress to remind the people of God that their God surrounds them.

A revelation is a prompting that we receive from the Spirit of God

Notice that on receiving the news about the walls of Jerusalem that Nehemiah spent days in God’s presence seeking His face. 

It is not enough just to picture what it could like, but a strong sense of determination that I am the one called to lead this change.  Things can’t stand the same.  It is time to change our perspective.  The beating in your heart for what God has put there won’t go away!

A vision crystalizes through time spent in God’s presence v4-10

prayer and fasting

crystalizing - to give a definite, precise, and usually permanent form to

-        Why should we fast?...is it so our prayers are heard more? No.  It is to remind me of

-        Isaiah 58:6  Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  It leads me to action.

-         It is many ways like margins, it creates space for me to hear God more clearly,

-          like leaving my phone at home for the week I was gone on vacation!

-        What should a week of not reading God’s Word do in you?  Make you feel guilty?  It should make you feel hungry!

Before he takes any action, he waits on direction from the Lord, he calls out to awesome God, he repents for the sins of His people, He reminds God of the promise that He made with Moses

Then notice the request for a prayer of favor v11  (read)

Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

A vision is developed through a strategic plan.  Nehemiah 2:1-10

Nehemiah's also taught us that vision takes time to grow. A vision isn't necessarily a green light. You've got to wait until you sense that it's time to move on that vision. Waiting time isn't wasted time

Step 1  Convince the king to allow me to leave his service in order to rebuild the wall around a city that in years past posed a threat to him and his kingdom

Step 2 Convince the king to lend financial support to the building project

Step 3 Procure letters from the king to the governors in the surrounding area asking them to provide us with safe passage.

Step 4 Work out a deal with Asaph, keeper of the King’s forest, to secure enough lumber to build the city gates as well as a home for himself

Step 5 Ask the king for the title of Governor of Judah

Step 6 Organize and equip the people living in the city of Jerusalem

Step 7 Begin construction!

Andy Stanley in "Visioneering"

Strategic planning is a process that helps you focus on the unique gifts and resources God has given your church to take advantage of the opportunities in front of you.  Ephesians 5:15,16

You've been praying and planning. You've trusted God and watched as he has orchestrated events and people to accomplish the vision. If it's of God, you've seen God's thumbprint all over that vision. But we've now come to a scary point. We've come closer to the implementation of the vision, but before you can implement, there's one important step left. You've got to share the vision with others.

After months of waiting, Nehemiah finally had the green light to proceed. The pace was picking up. The vision had been launched. Nehemiah was given permission to use trees from the king's forest. He was given permission to travel back to Jerusalem, along with an armed escort. After years of routine and menial service, Nehemiah must have felt like a caged bird set free. For the first time in a long time, his abilities were about to be put to good use.

A  vision involves others and transforms others.  Nehemiah 2:11-20

11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. 

But there was one step left. Nehemiah knew what God had put in his heart to do. He even had the green light and the resources to proceed. But there was still one crucial step. Nehemiah had to share the vision with others. 

Two things are true of every God-given vision: it involves others, and it transforms others. Before Nehemiah could proceed, he had to share his vision with the residents of Jerusalem. Without their support, success would be impossible. Before you can begin to implement God's vision for your life, you need to share your vision with others who can partner with you and support you in accomplishing that vision.

Nehemiah 2 is an example of how to share your vision with others.  

Share your vision with the appropriate people at the appropriate time.

Nehemiah teaches both groups three important lessons on how to share your vision in to the appropriate people at the appropriate time:

Timing is everything!

Investigate before you initiate. Walk before you talk. Before you ever open your mouth to share the vision, you've got to do your homework. When God first gives you a vision, don't tell anyone. Investigate before you initiate.

Before you can move ahead with the vision, you need to know everything possible about that can be known before moving ahead. Jesus once said, "Don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills?" Luke 14:28 It's not a lack of faith or a change of heart to do some research. We need to get the facts.

Nehemiah  2:17,18

Once Nehemiah completed the investigation phase, he took action by beginning to share his vision. Here's the second lesson on how to communicate vision to the right people at the right time:

Expect Criticism    Nehemiah 2:19,20

Whenever you share your vision, expect criticism. Opposition is the price of vision. Just expect criticism right from the start.

Nobody likes criticism. But you've probably figured out that you'll be criticized no matter what you do. Even if you do nothing, you'll still be criticized. You may as well be criticized for living out God's vision for your life.

There's nothing more exciting than following God's leading in our lives. There's nothing more exciting than sensing and obeying God's promptings on your life.

I believe that God is calling some of you to follow his promptings. It's time to share with others what God is calling you to do and to be. It's time to share the character changes that he's asking you to make. Whatever it is, follow Nehemiah's example.

If you've never signed on to the adventure of following God, then I invite you to do so today. Why wouldn't you want to live out God's vision in your marriage, your family, your business, your calling?

The Takeaway

When your vision is from God, you are ready to give your life to it.

Nehemiah left a comfortable job with the Persian government and risked his life in the presence of the king for the opportunity to rebuild the walls.  God’s vision for his life was worth everything to him.

His job security. His status of living. Even his life.

Jesus had us in His sights when He shared with the disciples, “greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” in John 15:13  We were the vision He gave His life for!!