The importance of vision - part 1, Aim.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18

Without vision we don’t know where we’re going, just as without sights we have no clear aim.

The best way to get lost is to have no direction; the best way to get to where you want to go is to know where your’e going.

Where do you see your life going? You become what you behold.

I grew up with a dad that took us hunting. He taught me everything that I needed to know about the gun and how to use it. Otherwise, I would have gotten hurt, possibly hurt someone else, or wounded the animal. That’s why the Word says happy is he who keeps the law. God’s direction is good.

I must say, the only thing that my dad didn’t teach me was direction, but I wasn’t worried about it because I was always with him. He taught me the basics of what to look for; landmarks, trees etc., but no real “if you get lost scenarios.” I think I missed out when God was giving out internal compasses, I have a horrible sense of direction. But, my dad did teach me a lot about aim. Just as I knew I could count on my dad to help me find my way out, I can always count on Gods guidance. He is always with us. He is our direction and our helper, His Spirit lives inside of us but we must seek His guidance and follow Him.

Hunters target practice because they don’t want to miss the prize! This practice gives them the experience and confidence that they need when they are hunting the real game. I understand that hunting is not everyone’s forte but it’s just an analogy to compare the vision that we should have for our lives. Every day is a real life target practice but if we don’t know what we’re aiming for, how will we hit it?

Life is not just about wishing and hoping , but also aiming and firing. We are called doers. We have to have vision in order to know what goals or targets to set out before us. Think of goals like the basket or hoop as we call them in basketball. The players don’t just hope they get the ball in, they tirelessly practice to perfect their skill. They play to win, they aim to hit that goal every time. They know what the goal is, what the rules are, and what how to get the ball in! Our goals help us to win. They are the how to’s and plans on how to get there?

We must know where it is that we want to go and seek God for His direction so that we don’t have to keep wandering and wondering. We can have many plans but it is His plans that always stand, otherwise we are just going in circles. If we are believers then we must trust and believe that God’s way is the best way. The best way to get on that path, is to seek Him for direction. As we begin to seek Him, we start to get vision, and then we can begin to align and set goals accordingly. We can then aim and shoot for what we believe that He’s put in our heart to do. It will soon become more clear. The faith part is doing: How will we know unless we go?

As Christians, or at least for me, I make it harder than it has to be. God doesn’t punish us for trying, He actually honors faith in action. I would never step out, for fear of doing the wrong thing. That’s the opposite of faith. He can’t steer a parked car. It’s like David when he wanted to build the temple, it wasn’t for him but for his son to do. He didn’t pitch a fit, he pitched in to help. He didn’t give up and say I can’t believe I tried. He kept going towards the prize.

Back to the vision, it’s kinda like planning a vacation or trip. First, we figure figure out where we want to go. Then, we set a date, we carefully plan out the details, we budget, and we work towards that which we’ve planned out. We have something in mind; we first saw it in our mind before we ever planned it out or actually got to the destination. Vision is simply seeing it with your mind before you ever obtain or see it with your eyes.

A visionary is defined as: having or marked by foresight and imagination . It’s also, as one having unusual foresight and imagination.

Visionary’s are always envisioning and imagining, they are always pressing towards something greater. They use their minds in such a big and fascinating way. They stretch and exercise their brains way beyond average thinking. That’s what it takes to get to extrodinary heights. You must see beyond where you are at, daring to see past the why nots that stand in your way.

Dreaming and imagining must be coupled with action. We don’t just keep our head in the clouds, but we keep our hand to the plow with a dream in our heart, like David did. We are all going toward something, whether it’s what we want or not. It’s time we start saying so. We all have or have had a dream in our heart! We must start seeing and believing for them again. We must believe! Some dreams and promises can only come to pass from the miraculous work of God but we still must believe.

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:6-8

Maybe you’ve given up on hope, maybe you doubt, whatever it may be, it’s time to start beleiving again. What have you got to lose? Everything! What have you got to gain? Everything! This subject is very hard for me but very necessary. We must get vision, it’s not only important but vital for our future. His word says so. To perish is a big deal!

We got to get our vision back. For ourselves, our families, the body of Christ/His Church, our businesses, etc. Without it we aren’t going where we should.

We should never stop dreaming or we are like a ship tossed and washed up on shore. It’s like that vacation that we planned, once that one is behind us, we need to go ahead end plan out another. Always have something set before you. Once we stop planning and dreaming, we stop going.

It’s important to have bite size goals attached to our vision, breaking it down into attainable steps in order to get there. God gave us these desire so that we might accomplish them, not just to tease us but we have a part to do. I am not by any means an expert on this subject but He is. The Word says to delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. That’s the first step, to get in alignment with Him so that your desires will be His, the ones that He implanted in you.

Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. Habakkuk 2:2

The vision doesn’t come immediately. That’s why God places dreams in our hearts and gives us glimpses into them, so that we will know what it is we are going towards and not give up hope. Writing down our dreams is like a builders that turns his plans into a 3D model or rendering. This inspires and serves as a daily reminder to know what we want the vision to look like and so that we will plan as we go towards it. We must have laser focus on what we do want to accomplish or we are distracted by loss of sight.

The purpose of this is to enlighten, not to discourage. I know that I’ve missed the mark many times but that doesn’t mean that I should stop aiming. No good fighter or hunter gives up. They know that missing sometimes is part of the game, however, they practice to improve. Everything we don’t shoot for, we miss. Don’t forget about your dreams. It’s often not too late for certain dreams but we can always get new ones too. Keep your eye on the prize or you get sidetracked and misled. Ready, aim, fire!! Don’t quit. It’s time to start dreaming again, no matter your age or stage. God hasn’t given up on you, don’t give up on Him or the dreams that He’s placed inside of you. Get in alignment with Him. 

We got this because we have Him….

In Christ, Amen.