”Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Proverbs 29:18
What is a vision? According to the Oxford dictionary, vision is ‘The ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.’
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6
“But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels[and] in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.” Jeremiah 7:24
When you visit your optometrist, you want to hear him say you have 20/20 vision. Why? Because it is optimal vision, it’s considered perfect vision because visual aids are not required for better eyesight. If our optometrist conveys that we had 20/30 vision, he or she will offer corrective lenses, because our vision is impaired. We would require corrective lenses because, without them, our surroundings would appear blurry, keeping us from being able to see objects. What is the doctor checking when he is testing your vision? He or she is looking for the sharpness of vision at a distance, and this includes vision skills such as peripheral awareness or side vision, eye coordination, depth perception, focusing ability, and even color vision all contribute to one’s overall visual ability.
So, vision is essential. Imagine going to the doctor and receiving news that you were going blind. It would cause significant concerns. If we were to lose our eyesight, it would be difficult to navigate around objects, to see what’s ahead. We would have a world surrounded in darkness. Our vision is important, physically, and spiritually. If you want to have a clear view of this upcoming year, it is essential to put on your spiritual lenses to get into the presence of God.
This year, I believe God is going to bless his body with total clear vision—20/20 vision. That he will unite and divide, open and shut doors, and remove adversaries and hindrances in our lives. Unlike us, who are imperfect, God’s plans are perfect. He who has begun a good work in us can complete it (Philippians 1:6). And He can do this by giving us vision, a vision that will help us see at every angle and help us to focus on what is important. To let go of the trivial nuisances that sidetrack us in life — having God as our spiritual lenses are going to propel us into a year of abundance, grace, peace, and clarity. We may not do everything perfectly, but with God’s guidance, we will have a clearer picture of His plans.
Revelation
In 2009, I had a dream that I was pregnant with twins. I carried these two precious babies to full term. When the time came for me to deliver them, I went behind a curtain and my husband took my place at the delivery table. Instead of twins, 8 babies were born! These babies were not babies that possessed my appearance or even my husband’s. They had blue eyes and blonde hair, and we took our babies home. Our once small house was now larger, and in this home, we cared and nourished our babies. While taking care of them, I noticed that one of them could not see well, and during a doctor’s visit, I mentioned it, but the doctor was not concerned. He said, “He will see perfectly fine.”
It was recently that the Holy Spirit brought this dream back to my remembrance. This sweet revelation was the only piece of the puzzle that was left. God had revealed all the other pieces to me, but this last revelation came through this dream; God was going to bless His body to have a clear vision in 2020!
Remember, Our vision includes vision skills such as peripheral awareness. We can be encouraged; God sees what is coming at us from both sides. He will warn us and teach us to move accordingly when schemes and devices come at us. Visual skills also include eye coordination. Did you know that the eye muscle is the fastest moving muscle in the body, and if they don’t move together rightly, the result can be a double vision or lack of 3D vision? If these symptoms are not caught in the early stages, they can cause many issues such as lazy eye, headaches, bad depth perception, and blurry vision. God wants us to be able to move quickly, to see clearly, and to walk in the right direction. So, how do we begin our 20/20 vision for 2020? We need to be in His presence, write down the vision, and seek mature, godly advisers.
3 things I believe God has revealed to me about 20/20 vision
1. Prayer and His Presence
“Abiding in Jesus isn’t fixing our attention on Christ, but it is being one with Him… A man is abiding just as much when he is sleeping for Jesus, as when he is awake and working for Jesus. Oh, it is a very sweet thing to have one’s mind just resting there.”
Hudson Taylor
It is through abiding with Jesus that we can receive clear direction and wisdom from God. We need to be led by the Holy Spirit and meditate on His word daily. Psalm 16:11 says, “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand, there are pleasures forever.” Being in God’s presence and praying to Him is so vital for us to receive vision. Without God, we can do nothing. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1-5)
We need to ask God for wisdom because His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways. If we try to work in our strength, we will try to manipulate situations, bribe individuals, and create our vision, but God wants to show us the way. Joshua obeyed every command of God to prepare for the battle of Jericho, even the ones that didn’t make sense.
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Obey when he begins to open and close doors.
In Isaiah 22:22, it says, “The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut, and he shall shut, and no one shall open.”
Allow God to be the one to open and shut doors:
- He will close the door to the past; open the door to the future
- He will close doors to relationships and open doors to new relationships
- He will close doors to old partnerships and open doors to new partnerships
You may not understand it all, but God’s plans are perfect. He will reveal to you what needs to be coordinated, planned, launched, etc. It is crucial to be nimble during this season.
Obey when he begins to destroy and consume that which does not belong in your campground.
Joel 2:22 says, “Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; for the open pastures are springing up, and the tree bears its fruit; the fig and the vine yield their strength.”
We all know that the burning of a forest can cause significant damage to property and people, but it also is an integral part of our ecosystem. When a forest fire occurs, it enables sunlight to get to the forest floor allowing for new growth. You also can see things ahead, unlike when the forest was thick and overgrown. Don’t be surprised when God asks for you to let go of things that are keeping you from seeing His vision. Are you afraid to knock down the trees? To get rid of the wildflowers? –to begin again? What seems very beautiful may be keeping you from God’s true riches for your life and others. This burning of the forest may be the dreams in your heart too. Let God create a new heart in you, and to do that, He may need to clear out the grounds and begin again.
Obey, when He is removing people from your life.
Deuteronomy 2:22 says, Just as He had done for the descendants of Esau, who dwelt in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them. They dispossessed them and dwelt in their place, even to this day.
This year God wants to remove the adversaries and hindrances in your way. He does not wish you tangled in conflicts and disputes, to battle against resistance that cause delay and frustration. He wants to guide your every step. Help you to see the direction you need to go. And don’t grieve over your past. Do not let it dictate you moving forward. Take everything in your life that you have seen as catastrophic and look at it through Romans 8:28. Don’t dwell on your past mistakes.
“What is birthed in our hearts through prayer will flow into the hours and days that eventually add up our lifetime. Prayer makes sure we live with a humble acknowledgment of our need for His grace, knowing He is our only hope for staying on course and fulfilling our created purpose.” – Nancy Leigh Demoss( The Quiet Place: Daily Devotional Readings)
2. Write the vision down.
“Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.”
Habakuk 2:2
“But what if there was another vision? What if journaling wasn’t simply about recording the past, but preparing for the future.”
David Mathis“Habits of Grace.”
When God begins to speak, We will need to listen and be prepared to write it down. Where do we write it? Today, there are so many devices to put down information. If we would take instruction from our bosses, how much more we should write down what the Creator of the universe says. You can write down your vision in a notepad, a smartphone, or IPad. Another place to write your vision is in a journal. A journal is a great way to keep all wisdom or direction God has given you in a localized place. Wherever you are, when God speaks, make sure you write it down. You may think you will remember it all, but you will most likely not remember every detail. These pages in your journal should hold the sweet essence of your time with the Lord. It is here where you will write down your vision, your prayers, your concerns, and much more. God will answer, and when He does, you must write it down.
Also, write it plainly. In Habakkuk 2:2, the word “plainly” is “ba’ar” in Hebrew and means to make plain, distinct, to make clear. God wanted Habakuk to write in such a way that generations would be able to understand what was written. We should consider this. When God has given us a vision, take time to meditate on it and write it in such a way that others can understand and be able to move forward confidently. This is when you can have a godly advisor walk alongside you. We will discuss godly advisors later in this article.
God wants ministry partners. He wants His children to trust all that He says and be willing to act on that faith. Those who are ready to trust and go out and do the work He has called to accomplish it.
3. Seek a Godly adviser
“Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.”
Proverbs 15:22
So, first, we pray and sit in the presence of God, next we write down the vision plainly, and lastly, we share these things with a godly adviser. One thing that we cannot forget that everything should be by the leading of the Holy Spirit.
You will want to have someone with you as you walk through this season. When we can talk things through with someone else, it can make things more apparent to us; we also will find that God will use others to make something known to us or help us to understand something that wasn’t entirely clear. You should always use discernment; we are all human and can make mistakes, but be assured that once God has given you a vision, He will provide you with instructions on how to accomplish it.
Once God has given you the vision, you must act on it. In Jeremiah 1:17, The Lord told Jeremiah, “Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them.”
”Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision is just passing the time. A vision with action can change the world.
Joe McGee
Begin this year in the presence of God, asking Him for vision and direction. Once He has given you vision, write it down and talk to a godly friend who can counsel you on helping you move forward. This is the year for you to see clearly, to have 20/20 vision. Don’t waste a moment wondering what God has for you; instead, ask Him for VISION and step out in faith.
