Got Vision...
Do
you have dreams
and/or goals for your life? Has God given you a vision for your life?
What is
God’s will and purpose for you? What is God’s Word for you?
First,
let’s make
sure that we understand that the Greek language primarily uses two
words to refer
to God’s Word: logos and rhema.
Logos
refers
principally to all of Scripture and to Jesus who is the living Logos.
The
following
passages of Scripture give examples of the logos of God:
- “In the beginning was the Word [logos], and the Word [logos]
was with God, and the Word [logos] was God” (John 1:1).
- “The seed is the word [logos] of God” (Luke 8:11).
- “Holding fast the word [logos] of life” (Philippians 2:16).
- “Be diligent to present yourself approved to
God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the
word [logos] of truth”
(II Timothy 2:15).
- “For the word [logos] of God is living and powerful”
(Hebrews 4:12).
- “Having been born again, not of corruptible
seed but incorruptible, through the word [logos] of God which lives and abides
forever” (I Peter 1:23).
- We get general
direction and guidance for our lives from God’s written Word or, His Logos. For instance, along with the
examples above, we learn from chapter 2 and verse 12 of Paul’s first letter
to the
Thessalonians that we are to “walk worthy of God.” We also know from
God’s word
that we are to be witnesses of Christ; that we are to love God with all
our
being; that we’re to love one another. These are just a few examples of
God’s
desire for all of His children. As we read and study His Word the Holy
Spirit
will reveal more and more of God’s desire for our lives and how we can
grow to
maturity in our Christian walk.
- All of these are
extremely important necessities in our walk with God and of our
understanding
of Kingdom living. What I’m referring to when I speak of God’s vision
for our
lives goes a step further, although it must always be in agreement with
His written
Word. What I am referring to is “rhema.”
- Rhema is
used to denote the spoken Word of God and means “an utterance”. A rhema is usually a verse
or portion of Scripture that the Holy Spirit brings to our attention
with
application to a current situation or need for direction. A rhema
may also come through prophecy, a
word of knowledge, or a word of wisdom. The gift of discernment will
also
provide rhema.
- Please don’t
misunderstand, every word of God is inspired, and “all scripture
is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16).
However, the
Holy Spirit will, through His Gifts and through the illumination of
particular
Scriptures, aid and direct us in our daily walk with the Lord.
- The words of Jesus
are significant on this point. “Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by
every word [rhema] that proceeds from the mouth of God”
(Matthew
4:4). Jesus also stated, “The words [rhema] that I speak
to you
are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).
- When God gives us a rhema, He will confirm
it
by a second rhema, that “By the mouth
of two or three witnesses every word [rhema] shall
be established” (II Corinthians 13:1).
- Any God given rhema,
whether it comes through
Scripture, a prophecy, a vision, a dream, or a desire will never be in
conflict
or disagreement with God’s written Word.
- The following passages of Scripture will help to provide some insight into the rhemas of God:
- “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing
by the word [rhema] of
God” (Romans 10:17).
- “And take the helmet of salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word [rhema] of God” (Ephesians 6:17).
- “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ
also loved the church, and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify
and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word [rhema]” (Ephesians 5:25–26).
- “If you abide in Me, and My words [rhema] abide in you, you will ask what
you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).
- The following passages of Scripture give examples of the rhemas of God:
- When
Jesus instructed Peter to cast the fishing nets on the other side of
the boat, Peter replied, “Master, we have toiled all the night,
and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word [rhema] I
will let down the net” (Luke 5:5).
- When
the angel informed Mary that she would have a child, Mary said,”
Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your
word [rhema]” (Luke 1:38).
- Simeon
recalled the promise that he would see Christ before he died: “Lord,
now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your
word [rhema]” (Luke 2:29).
- God
revealed to John that he was to preach as a forerunner to Christ: “The
word [rhema] of God came to John” (Luke 3:2).
- The
Holy Spirit reminded Peter of Jesus’ Word: “Then I remembered the
word [rhema] of the Lord, how He said, “John indeed baptized
with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit”” (Acts
11:16).
- Jesus
told Peter he would deny Him. Peter remembered the word [rhema]
of Jesus, who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny
Me three times” (Matthew 26:75).
Now, let me rephrase the earlier questions: Got Rhema? Do you have dreams and/or goals for your life? Has God given you a rhema for your life? What is God’s will and purpose for you? What is God’s rhema for you?
Proverbs 3:5 tells us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” When we walk without vision we are leaning on our own understanding.
How can we join Paul in “pressing toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” if we don’t know what the goal is?
Most of us are familiar with Proverbs 29:18 that states, “Where there is no vision the people perish (cast off restraint).” The Hebrew word that is translated “perish” has the meaning of having no guide lines or being uncontrolled.
A God given vision not only provides us with a goal to proceed toward, but it helps keep us on the “straight and narrow path” of righteousness. The shortest distance between where we are and where God wants us to be, is a straight line. We need a vision to know where we are going or we will be like the “blind leading the blind.”
- It’s
clear to see that we need a vision. Not just any vision will satisfy.
We must
have a God given vision for our future to give us hope. I like how the
Modern
King James Version translates Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the purposes
which I
am purposing for you, says the LORD; purposes of peace and not of evil,
to give
you a future and a hope.”
- Is
your vision perhaps a little foggy or unclear? Call upon the Father
(Jer. 33:3)
and He will answer. Seek wise counsel. Discuss it with your Pastor or
Mentor.
When Kathy and I received from the Lord the vision for God’s House we
confirmed
it with our leadership and made sure that it was in harmony with God’s
Word.
- Do
not be surprised or daunted if the vision God gives you seems
overwhelming or
too big. You should probably be more surprised if it does not seem that
way.
God has a way of doing things that help to keep us dependent upon Him
and His
strength and resources. As Jesus said, “Without me you can do nothing.”
- Once
you have your vision, you can begin setting both the short and
long-range goals
to reach its fulfillment.
- May
each of us hear Jesus say “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Bob
Haught
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