Nehemiah could have enjoyed the pleasures and the comfort of living in a palace, but that wasn’t enough for him. Sometimes, in order to follow the burden the Lord has placed on us, we must leave the comfort of our surroundings, friends, or position in order to go to the land unfamiliar but full of God’s harvest! …
Jesus had to heal a blind man the second time. The first touch gave the man partial healing; he was only able to see men as trees. Sometimes we see people as trees and we need Jesus’ second touch to help us see people for whom God has created them! …
What do you do in times of discouragement and opposition!? Nehemiah continued to cast a vision and lead the people despite all the opposition in rebuilding the wall. There is much to learn from him in facing discouragement and opposition. …
When God gives us a vision for the future, it requires us to take an inventory of our lives and make the necessary adjustments to align ourselves with His will. In addition to building our spiritual lives and developing a strong foundation, we also need to build the practical aspects of our lives according to His principles. One of those areas is our money. …
Having God’s vision helps us to prioritize our lives according to His will. It also gives us the willingness to shore up our lives and set things in order. One of the priorities in the life of a believer is their need for a spiritual family. …
As we begin the New Year, it is important to seek the Lord’s vision for our lives. His vision and priorities will help us to stay on track and remain focused on God’s will and His plan for our lives.
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Then the Lord answered me and said:
“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:1-4
The Lord reminded Habakkuk of three truths that are important for us to remember as we go through the process of seeing God’s vision being fulfilled:
The word “speak” in its original Hebrews means: to blow, to breathe, to inflame, and to excite (From Strong’s Concordance). God’s vision brings about fresh breath of air, and it inspires its hearers. It blows air into the embers, and it inflames our faith afresh. The good news is that when the vision comes from the Lord, it speaks truth and does not lie! It excites us but with the purpose to move us forward into God’s purpose. The vision has substance and is weighty. It is not wishful thinking nor does it puff us up! When Joesph had the dreams about his future, they did not puff him up. They were substantive and purposeful in his life as he went through many struggles before he saw their fulfillment.
The Lord reminded Habakkuk that there would be a delay in bringing forth the vision! Things are not going to happen in our timeframe. We may have an opinion as to when is a good time, but the Lord sees all things and knows the appointed time for it. In Hebrew, the above word “wait” is about longing for it and to “tie a knot” (From Strong’s Concordance). The Lord calls for our faith to be anchored in Him for bringing forth the vision. God is trustworthy, and He will bring it into fruition!
At first, Abraham believed God when he heard God’s vision, but then through years of waiting, his wife convinced him that they must do something to make it happen! So Abraham had Ishmael with his Egyptian maidservant! They found out, the hard way, that God’s vision will be done in God’s timing and in God’s way. In spite of their impatience and mess up, the Lord was merciful and allowed them to have the promised child, Isaac, through Sarah !
The delay may cause believers to doubt the Lord’s vision and His promises, but the Lord expects His children to remain steadfast. He is faithful, and He will accomplish what He has spoken. Those who are in a right-standing with the Lord will continue to live by faith. They will continue to believe God. While we cannot make a vision happen in our timeframe, we can cause God’s vision to be delayed due to our grumbling or disobedience.
While in the wilderness, the Israelites had God’s vision. However, when things took too long and the heat and dryness of the wilderness caused weariness in their bodies and spirits, they lost the vision for the Promised Land. That generation died in the wilderness and it was the next generation that saw the fulfillment of God’s vision!
Most of us have experienced delays in the vision that God has given us. With the above scriptures, the Lord is encouraging all of us about the reliability of His word. As we wait for the fulfillment of the vision, let’s consider the following:
1. Was the vision from the Lord!? If you’re not sure, talk to a spiritually mature believer. Share the vision and ask them to prayerfully evaluate God’s vision with you.
2. If you believe it was God’s vision, be sure to write it down.
3. Deal with any unbelief in your heart by asking the Lord for forgiveness and renew your mind with His truth.
4. If you have experienced some disappointments, surrender them to the Lord and allow Him to refresh your vision.
5. Enjoy your relationship with the Lord and stay in faith.
6. Be obedient to what He asks you to do and continue to pray over God’s vision for you.
Then the Lord answered me and said:
“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:1-4
In the above passage, the Lord told Habakkuk that the vision is for an appointed time. That meant that even though the Lord was giving him a vision, it did not mean that he were going to see its fruition right away. The different aspects of God’s purpose have to all come together before the fulfillment of the vision is seen. Also God’s vision is connected to God’s timing and the season in which it is to be fulfilled. The below passage is a good example of this.
And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joel 2: 28-29
In the above passage, Joel prophesied about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and that God was going to pour out His spirit upon His people. Joel wrote this vision down in a period between (835-796 B.C.) He didn’t know when that was supposed to happen. It took about 800 years prior to the fulfillment of those prophesies! Joel and others could not have done anything to make this prophecy happen in their lifetime. They didn’t even know what it meant for the spirit of God to be poured out upon the people.
In Acts (1:4-8), when Jesus told His disciples to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem, the disciples were still thinking about the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel! They had no idea what Jesus meant to be empowered by the Holy Spirit! It wasn’t until they received the promised baptism of the Holy Spirit that their eyes were opened to that reality. They also recognized that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophesies from 800 years prior and what God had intended from them from long ago!
The truth is that we cannot manufacture the fulfillment of God’s vision. The Lord has an appointed time and He knows the right season! God’s vision had to come into fruition in parts. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was only needed after Jesus came to earth and accomplished God’s mission. Subsequently, the disciples needed the empowerment and the revelation of the Holy Spirit to become His witnesses in all the earth and proclaim the Good News of salvation! Hallelujah!
The Lord provides a vision for His people, so we can continue to look to Him and not get derailed. The vision allows us to perceive a preferred future where God does His work on the earth and sets things right. Sometimes the vision is for an individual person, but many times it is for His people. This allows them, in one accord, to push forward into God’s purposes and not grow weary.
I wonder how many people over the 800 years prayed about fulfillment of the Joel’s prophecy and God’s vision for His people!? Those individuals had no idea how the fulfillment of this vision was going to look like and whether they would see it in their lifetime!
We still have many other prophesies and visions that God wants to fulfill, and they will come at the appointed time. While we cannot make them happen, we can pray that God’s Kingdom would come and His will and His vision is done on earth as it is in heaven! Pray with your brothers and sisters in Christ for the shared vision that God has given you through His word or through a prophetic word to the body and stand together in faith for the fulfillment of God’s vision on the earth!
Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay
Then the Lord answered me and said:
“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:1-4
The Lord directed Habakkuk to write down the vision, and then He explained why this was important. The Lord stated that God’s vision brings clarity to our paths, so we can run with the vision set out for us.
If we are going to run according to God’s vision for us, we first have to ensure that His priorities are our priorities! Many people are seeking God’s purpose and vision for their individual lives, but they neglect how God builds the lives of His children! Our Pastor gave a prophetic message on New Year’s Eve about “building a healthy foundation.” Having a healthy foundation is also important as it relates to the subject of vision! We cannot run towards God’s vision for our lives without properly securing a solid foundation!
For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. Deuteronomy 30:11-15
The Lord spoke to Moses concerning His people, and He stated that His commands are not too mysterious to be understood. Sometimes people think unless they receive a special word from heaven, they have not heard God. In reality, God’s instructions are not difficult to comprehend nor do they require us to be a theologian to understand them.
For some, God’s commandments may sound like Cliche’ because we have heard them so many times. Hence, they don’t consider them as God’s vision for their lives. The truth is that if we are not serious about following God’s instructions for our lives, we are building on a faulty foundation and are not prepared to run with God’s vision!
People run from event to event or podcast to podcast to find the latest word of the Lord, but God tells Habakkuk that His word is near us and is on our lips. That tells me that we may know the word of God and proclaim it, but we may not do it!
All of us need to be very cautious about not deceiving ourselves by thinking that if we know the word of God that we must be obedient to it. One of the key areas for a seasoned believer to be deceived is when they justify their disobedience. They use the words such as “You don’t understand”, “You can’t trust them”, “I have been walking with the Lord for years and I know the Bible!”, or “If you only knew what they have done to me…”. These are the words that justify one’s actions to remain in sin, offense, unforgiveness, or hardened heart. Some can also be deceived when they look for people who agree with them, and if they don’t find them they feel rejected and judged.
Some people seek God’s vision and purpose in their lives all the while the Lord is showing them that the foundation still needs more work! Praise God that the Lord is merciful and gracious, but that does not change the fact that His commands still need to be the priority for our lives. When we follow His basic instructions for Godly living and Godly relating to others, we are building a solid and healthy foundation that honors the Lord!
In the above passage, the Lord told Moses that He has set before the people life and good, death and evil. God provides a blueprint for living that is full of His life and His goodness. This is His first and foremost vision! He tells us that the alternative also exists for those who do not want to build according to God’s instructions.
So what is God’s vision for your life!? Begin with the areas that the Lord wants to shore up in your life. Are there people that you need to forgive? Do you need to expel jealousy, envy, or hatred? Is temper an issue for you? Do you need to stop murmuring and complaining? Is gossip or exaggeration something you struggle with? Do you tend to be lazy or lack motivation? Do you need to learn to live on a budget? Is the Lord impressing on you to be more generous with your time, talents, and treasures? Any area that the Lord is speaking to you, find scriptures regarding those areas and write them down in your journal or on 3X5 cards and meditate on them regularly. Allow the Lord to rebuild the broken places and build up your life on solid foundation as you run with His vision for your life!
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Then the Lord answered me and said:
“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:1-4
A vision is a prophetic word or picture that God speaks to His children in order for them to become aware of the work of God and to move forward in His purposes. The Bible is full of stories of God’s people receiving a prophetic word or vision from the Lord as they began their process.
For example, Moses tended his father-in-law’s sheep for four decades without, knowingly, being involved in anything spiritual. Moses didn’t have a vision for his life until God appeared to him in a burning bush in the desert when feeding the flock. When the Lord appeared to him, He told him that He had heard the cries of the Israelites enslaved in Egypt, and He wanted to rescue them by sending Moses to them. The Lord explained that He had a land flowing with milk and honey that He was going to take them into. It was already a difficult task for Moses, but without this vision, it would have been much more difficult for Moses to go before Pharaoh and ask for the children of Israel.
In the above passage, as Habakuk stood and watched God, the Lord began to instruct him to write down the vision. Why is writing it down so important!? First, the written vision becomes a point of encounter with God. Second, it becomes a tool for us to remember what God has spoken. Whenever the Lord met the Patriarchs in the Bible, they built an altar in that place as a point of remembrance. Third, by the written vision, we can fight the enemy when he comes to bring doubt, discouragement, and derailment.
Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7
The Lord reveals His heart and His plan to His servants before He begins His work. The vision becomes a vague blueprint as to what the Lord intends to do. Generally, He does not give specific information such as the length of time or the obstacles ahead, but He provides us with enough information to keep us going in the direction that He has set out for us.
When Mary received the vision from the angel about having a baby, she did not have many details. Basically, she knew that she was going to carry God’s son and that it required her stewardship of this child until such a time that God would reveal His plan for His life. Mary and Joseph had to overcome many obstacles. However, they continued to follow the Lord’s leading every step of the way, and the Lord was faithful to show them what they needed to do.
Has the Lord given you a prophetic word or a vision? If so, what have you done about it? Some may have given up on the vision after years of waiting. The truth is that God’s vision does not always equate with activity, but it does equate with a process that may or may not appear spiritual.
Allow the Lord to bring to remembrance the words that He has spoken to you in the past some of which He may desire for you to focus on in this season. For others, the Lord may speak a new vision in your life. Incline your ear to Him and make sure you are in tune with His voice. When He speaks, write it down. Cooperating with the Holy Spirit allows us to have continued revelation of the work of God through the vision of God! Praise God for His vision for His children and His desire to walk with us on the journey!
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
