UNDERSTANDING VISION BY PR DENIS KALUNGI

KIREKA CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

Vision is a picture ‘a mental sight’ of the future that inspires hope. Or it could be the ability, the art of seeing things that are invisible to others.

Where there is no vision the people perish Proverbs 29:18 

1, Sight is a function of the eyes while vision is a function of the heart.

2, Vision is seeing the future before it comes into being Hebrews 11:1.

3, Vision is the ability to see farther than your eyes can look.

4, It is vision that makes the unseen visible and the unknown possible.

Vision requires action to become a reality!

Vision – What do you see? Purpose – Why do you see it? Goals - How are you going to get there? Set long range and short range goals. Stop dreaming about stuff you can finish in 1 week next  “chase a vision not the "money” the money will end up following you. if Joseph was for chasing money, stuffs, ego and pride he would have slept with polestar's wife thus killing the vision but because he understood that his vision was big he did not do so.

Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision is a nightmare! But vision combined with action can change the world. Proverbs 29:10–18

Why do you need a vision?

God does not speak to you about where you are, He speaks to you about where you are going because where you are going is far more important than where you are. Jeremiah 1:5, Genesis 12 Abraham. Genesis 37 Joseph; Judges 6:12 Gide

You should have a BIG vision!

1, Isaiah 6:1 you have to see God as high and lifted up. Ephesians 3:20 Exceedingly!

2, Not just a God that is good for emergencies and problems!

3, Your vision determines your destiny. Numbers 13:33 we were in our own sight as grasshoppers!

4, Vision is the key to your future.

The importance of vision

‘Where there is no vision, the people perish’ roverb29:18, KJV

The Hebrew word used can be translated as ‘revelation’ or ‘vision’. It refers to God’s communication to his prophets. Where there is no revelatory vision from God, there is often spiritual and political anarchy/chaos ‘the people cast off restraint’ Proverbs 29.18.

Vision and restraint/check should go together. The passion and moral outrage that drives vision can lead to ‘uncontrolled anger’. But, says the writer, ‘Fools give vent/opening to their anger, but the wise keep themselves under control’ proverbs 29.11. Pr. Denis Kalungi, alongside Kireka Christian fellowship Members, give an example of a leader holding together the tension between vision and restraint.

In the rest of the passage we see the results of both good and bad leadership. ‘When degenerates take charge, crime runs wild’ Proverbs 29:16-17, whereas ‘leadership gains authority and respect when the voiceless poor are treated fairly’ Proverbs 29:14-16.

“Lord, please help me to hear your voice. Give me a fresh revelation of who you are today.”

The power of vision 1 John 2:28–3:10

Jesus had a very clear vision for his life and he combined that vision with action: ‘he appeared so that he might take away our sins’ 1 John 3:5, John goes on to say, ‘The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work’ I John 3.8. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has taken away your sins and destroyed the devil’s work.

Do you realize how much God loves you? ‘How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1John 3:1. God had a very clear vision in sending his Son to die for you. He wants to lavish his love on you. His vision for you is that, one day, you will become like Jesus and see Jesus ‘as he is’ 1 John 3:1-2.

God has a vision for your life. You too should have a vision for your life. Your overarching/main vision should be to become as much like Jesus now as possible: ‘All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening/shining purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own’ 1 John 3:3 MSG.

The test of whether you are a child of God is this: ‘It’s not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love brother or sister. A simple test’ 1 John 3:9–10MSG. Love and right living are the two indicators that you are a child of God.

Joyce Meyer writes, ‘I used to be a full-time sinner, and once in a while I “accidentally” did something right. But now that I have spent many years developing a deep, personal relationship with God. I still make mistakes, but not nearly as many as I once did, I am not where I need to be, but thank God, I am not where I used to be. I do not do everything right, but I do know that the attitude of my heart is right.’

Your vision should be to stay close to Jesus: ‘stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when he arrives’ 1 John2:28, MSG. This should be your primary vision for your life. It is possible to focus on specific things that we usually rightly believe God has called us to do, and yet neglect this main vision for our lives. God is much more concerned about how you live your life than what you achieve. Our individual callings are good and important – but our primary vision for life should always be to draw nearer to Jesus.

Lord, thank you for your amazing vision for me – that one day I will be like Jesus and I will see him as he is.

The fulfillment of vision

Daniel 8:15–9:19 

Daniel was a ‘visionary’ in both senses of the word. He received divine revelation ‘vision’ – a word that appeared seven times in Daniel 8:15–27 and had visionary goals for his life.

In the first half of today’s passage, Daniel is given the interpretation of his vision divine revelation by the angel Gabriel 

Daniel 8:16,

This is the first place in Scripture where an angel is mentioned by name}. “Gabriel explains to Daniel that the vision he has seen ‘concerns the time of the end’ Daniel 8:17. ‘This vision is accurate. It refers to the far future’ Daniel 8:26, MSG.

Daniel was also a visionary in the other sense. He understood ‘from the Scriptures’: ‘I, Daniel, was meditating on the Scriptures. According to the word of God to the prophet Jeremiah’ Daniel 9:2, MSG; see also Jeremiah 25:11–12; 29:10, that the exile would last seventy years that is, from 587 BC to the rebuilding of the temple in 516 BC.

If you want God to give you a specific vision for your life, we see in this passage that there are two essential keys. First of all Godly vision needs to come from your heart and be ushered in, our understanding ‘from the above Scriptures’. Second, fulfilment of vision begins with prayer. Daniel turned to the Lord in prayer. He was conscious of the greatness of the God to whom he was praying Daniel 9:4.

I mean:

1, If your vision is to have an orphanage you must have the passion for orphans and then complement it with a prayer.

2, If your vision is to preach to nations you must have passion to the word of God and then complement it with a prayer.

3, If your vision is to help the valuable poor you must have passion for them in your heart and then complement it with a prayer.

4, If your vision is to be a leader you must have passion to all kinds of people and then complement it with a prayer.

You are perfect for your God given vision.

1, Stop wishing you were somebody else. Psalm 139:14 You are fearfully and wonderfully made

2, God has given you everything you need for what he called you to do Exodus 31:2 Bezaleel.

3, This is not the season in your life, to hate yourself. This is the season to discover yourself

4, You have too much purpose to die. You will die when you have finished and not a day before.

Daniel’s prayer was a free-flowing outpouring of his heart to God. He was conscious throughout of God’s greatness and mercy and his own unworthiness. But he was also confident of God’s ability to answer his prayer.

God longs for you to talk to him about what is on your heart. You don’t need to hold back or censor what you talk to him about or try to come across as something you are not. He already knows everything about you; he wants to hear it from you and to talk it through with you. Pray the way that God made you – not the way you think you should be.

Daniel confesses that they have sinned in every way imaginable, ignoring God and doing what pleased them. They are filled with guilt and shame Daniel 8:3–16, MSG.

Yet Daniel knew that God would never give up on those who love him Daniel 8.4, MSG and that ‘compassion is our only hope’ Daniel 8:9 MSG.

On that basis, he prayed for his city and his nation Daniel 8:17–19. Daniel’s prayer was answered. You too can cry out to God for your city and nation, and believe that God will answer your prayers and fulfil the vision he gives you.

Lord, give me a vision for my ministry and my nation: For the sake of your Name have mercy on us, O Lord. Revive us and heal us. Glorify your Name.

1 John 3:1

‘How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!’ ‘Lavish’ is such an extravagant word.

How to develop God’s vision for your life?

Surrender your whole life to God Mathew 6:33 but seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” And remember surrender goes with conforming to the standards of God as seen in Romans 12:1-2

“1 Therefore, urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Confess any known sin Psalm 66:18,”David says, if I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”

Obediently pursue what you know to be God’s will John 14:21 whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to

Seek God through prayer, fasting and worship Acts 13:1-5 in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

Search the Scriptures for the revealed will of God Acts 17:10-11 as soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Be attentive to the impressions and guidance of the Holy Spirit John 16:13-15 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

Honestly evaluate your gifts, talents, passion and resources 1 Peter 4:10-11

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Romans 12:3, do not think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but think so as to have proper judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith

Use your mind, know the times and learn from others 1Chronicles 12:32 from the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course

Translate God’s vision into faith goals and practical action steps Heb. 11:1 now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

1 Cor. 9:24-27, don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

Believe great things about God, ask great things of God, attempt great things for God Eph. 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Jer. 33:3,”Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Isaiah 6:8, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Keys to Realizing God’s Vision for Your Life 

DARE TO DREAM VISION.

Read through Genesis 37:1-11. “I love what Joseph teaches us here. “He had a dream, a vision, and in reading through this part of scripture, it led me to the question: “Am I living out the dream/vision God has for my life?” What is God’s vision for my life, my marriage, my kids, my education, career, finances, relationships, faith? Joseph was a normal kid, only about age 17, carrying out his duties in the family business. He was the youngest of 12 brothers and his brothers didn’t like him, but his father sure did. 

Joseph was the favored son – and everyone knew it. He was given a beautiful robe by his father the fabled “coat of many colors” which made the favoritism even more conspicuous. To top it off, this “kid brother” began having dreams and visions that showed him ruling over his older brothers. And as if having these dreams wasn’t bad enough, he actually told his family about the dreams! Of course, they didn’t like it; any of it. 

There was a growing sentiment of jealousy, animosity and even outright hatred rising up in the family. Although they thought about killing him, his brothers eventually sold him into slavery. Almost unbelievably, that didn’t stop Joseph; it didn’t deter him.  He had a dream – and what’s profound to me is that he lived his life in such a way that he could realize the dream. This was no ordinary dream; it was a God dream, and Joseph lived in pursuit of that dream, day-by-day, and building toward God’s ideal for his life.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” The Bible is full of God’s dreams for us so let’s explore a little of this idea of VISION.

Joseph dared to dream verse 5. How about you?  What is your dream?  If your answer sounded something like, “Well I don’t know where to start” then I encourage you to start with God’s Word. The foundation is there in the Bible. He has already told you his dream for your life. His plan for you is to give you “a hope and a future” in the areas of you’re:

1, Faith

2, Marriage

3, Kids

4, Finances

5, Relationships

6, Integrity

7, Godliness

So start with what God has already given us in His Bible and then go from there.

Why is it that we don’t dream? I’ve identified nine dream killers, some of which may sound familiar:

1, I’m too “young” there is no such thing. Now is the time. God wants to use you!  Joseph was only 17; David was practically a child; Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego were teenagers; think of the young boy’s lunch that Jesus used to feed the 5,000. You’re not too young! Jesus loves children – so dare to dream.

2, I’m too “old” never stop dreaming. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 when Isaac was born. In God’s timeline, there’s no such thing as “too old.”

3, I’m “too much of a failure” Says who? Failure is not fatal and our miscues are not final. Run through the finish line for God. He’s not after perfection, He’s after obedience.

4, I’m too “new to God” So were the disciples. So was Paul. And they impacted the whole world! God sees your “newness” as a strength.

6, I’m too “tired” Ask God to give you strength – and don’t give up!

7, I’m too “insignificant” Really? Jesus died for you as if you were the only person who has ever lived. You are going to have a hard time convincing me, or, more importantly, the Lord, that you are anything short of HUGE in God’s eyes.

8, I’m too “encumbered by problems” Well then Joseph is the perfect fellow to follow. Smith Wiggles worth said it pretty well: “Great triumphs can only come out of great trials.”

9, I’m too “hurt by others” Joseph gets it. So does Jesus. Hurt is hard, but we must forgive. Don’t let resentment ruin you.

10, I’m too “not where I thought I’d be” If your life hasn’t turned out how you thought it would, then you are right in line with Bible greats like Joseph, Daniel, Esther, Ruth and Nehemiah, to name a few.

God has a plan, a purpose, a dream and a vision for your life, so make the rest of your life best for you, “Helen Keller said, the most pathetic / sad person in the world is someone who has sight, but without or with no vision” Dare to dream! Ask god to give you a God-sized dream/vision for your faith, marriage, kids, finances, character, etc. start with the bible and let god grow your dream/vision from there.

Your future lies within you!

1, Your future is not ahead of you, rather it lies within you.

2, The decisions  you take and act on today, create your tomorrow Isaiah 1:19

DEFINE YOUR DREAM

Joseph defined his dream. In verse 10 he basically says, “I’m going to save my family and nation.” How about you? Here are 3 ways we can add definition to what God is calling us to do and be is to:

DATE IT: If your dream is, “God I’m going to spend more time with my kids, become debt free, go to church each week, serve others, grow my faith, and go back to school.” Then date it and say, “And I’m going to start on 10/1/2023.”

DETAIL IT: If your dream is, “I want to grow in faith.” Then detail the steps necessary. Say, “God, I give my life to you. Now take the Next Steps:

1, Be Water Baptized

2, Join a Life Group

3, Serve in a ministry.

DEADLINE IT: Don’t be vague; be specific. “I will be debt free by 11/30/2022 if I follow my detailed game 

DAILY DEVOTION IT: Spend time every day in personal prayer and in the Word. Be intentional about praying over and focusing on God’s dream for your life and your game plan to live it out in obedience.

Henry David Thoreau said, “In the long run men hit only what they aim at” so date it, detail it and deadline it.

DECLARE THE DREAM

In verses 5-10 we see that Joseph declared and shared his dream with his brothers and father. Now while it would be fair to talk about who to share your dream with and how to share it, there is definitely value in communicating your dream to others.

It is important to have people around us that will help us spur on and root us on toward victory. What does your support system look like? Gather folks around you. Get into a Life Group. I think there is a process to building our faith and realizing our dreams that we see in Scripture and in life, and Joseph illustrates it here:

In many cases, if I care deeply about something and am willing to share it with others it becomes a declaration or manifesto that I’m willing to give my life for, or at least live my life for. And telling others about it will help you hold to it.

Joseph was willing to go all in on his vision/dream. He believed it was from God therefore he cared deeply about it, even though he wasn’t sure how it would all work out. He shared it with his family because it was bubbling up from deep within him and it became his mission statement for life. Like the Declaration of Independence signed by 56 men who were willing to give their life for the dream, Joseph was willing to give – and live – his life for His God-dream.

Surrounding yourself with good people is important. Joseph didn’t have a strong encouragement team or support system around him. Get some good folks around you that you can declare your dreams to, people who will encourage you to evaluate/emulate/elevate – and then run hard after your God-given dreams.

Declare “Victory or death.” I will make it that’s what we call a declaration! Like Joseph’s story, there are a few things about the vision that stands out to me from George Washington’s story:

HAVE A BOLD VISION. Define it. Declare it. Be willing to die for it – or at least live for it. George Washington declared, “Victory or death.” He was chasing after freedom against all odds.

DON’T STOP MOVING TOWARD THE VISION. Joseph kept moving, day by day, and he built a life of trusting God and fulfilling God’s purposes for his life. So don’t stop! Keep moving toward what God has called you to.

DON’T GET DISTRACTED sin, compromise, a lack of focus, laziness, callousness, disobedience, resentment, and discouragement can all distract us, and the costs can be immense.

DEFEND THE DREAM

Joseph’s example here is amazingly powerful. Think of whatever dream/vision you are contemplating in your life right now, whether it involves your career, education, faith, ministry, marriage, kids, family, relationships, integrity, character, godliness.

Now consider Joseph.

Joseph stayed the course when he could have crashed and burned. He fulfilled God’s dream for his life, even though he had to defend the dream along the way. So here’s my question for you: What is God’s dream for you and how much do think the enemy would like to steal and destroy that dream? Now, how are you going to live to defend that dream?

As I look at Joseph and what I have read about his incredible life of faith and character, here is what deeply inspired me as I seek to defend the dream God has placed deep in my spirit:

1, Fight unbelief with faith Genesis 37:1-11

2, Overcome adversity with perseverance Genesis 37:12-36

3, Beat temptation with integrity Genesis 39

4, Resist resentment with forgiveness Genesis 40-41

5, Conquer self-absorption with influence Genesis 42-50

As we leave the starting gate on this journey together, let’s pray, “God I want to embrace your dream for my life. I want to understand it clearly, share it boldly, and live my life to achieve your ideal for my life.” I hope you’re as excited and inspired about this journey as I am.

VISION PART ONE… kindly comment