How Vital Is Vision? Where there is no vision, people perish Proverbs 29:18

Two Indispensables for Spiritual Understanding RegenerationRegeneration John 3:3 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a man be born again, he can not see the Kingdom of God. IlluminationIllumination Ephesians 1:15-19

15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

Outline I.The Spiritual Concept II.The Sad Condition III.The Serious Consequences

The Spiritual Concept Spiritual Vision – the most important kind of vision a person can haveSpiritual Vision – the most important kind of vision a person can have Everything begins with VisionEverything begins with Vision Oswald Chambers: It is easier to serve God without vision, easier to work for God without a call, because then you are not bothered by what God requires; common sense is your guide, veneered with Christian sentiment. But if once you truly hear the full commission of Jesus Christ, the awareness of what God wants will be your goal from that point on, and you will no longer be able to work for Him on the basis of common sense.

Spiritual Vision - Colossians 1:9 J. B. Phillips – We are asking God that you may see things, as it were, from His point of view by being given spiritual insight and understanding. –Spiritual vision = seeing things from Gods point of view Dawson Trotman Vision is getting on your heart what God has on His heart. God has people on His heart! All people! Where there is no vision, people perish.

What is the difference in the church in Acts and most churches today? Jesus?Jesus? Holy Spirit?Holy Spirit? Bible?Bible? Strategy?Strategy? –Building individuals vs. institutions –Explosion (outward) vs. Implosion (inward)

The Strategy in a Word Jesus trained twelve men whom He called Apostles. Luke 6:13Jesus trained twelve men whom He called Apostles. Luke 6:13 stolos = to send apo = away from Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:28Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:28 –His strategy begins with Apostles –Temporarily in – Vocationally out A global mission requires a global vision!

The Great Commission Total world impact! make disciples of all nations

The Formula at Work No Vision = total failure Limited Vision = little success Vision - plan - action = only a dream Vision + plan – action = a haunting dream (guilt) Vision + plan + action = a spiritually productive ministry

Understanding Your Potential The richest deposits on earthThe richest deposits on earth –Cemetery A little success - often a great enemyA little success - often a great enemy A SeedA Seed –What you see is not all there is! The most important thing in your life is to have and pursue a vision that agrees with God!

The Sad Condition No awareness of Gods plan for reaching the world!No awareness of Gods plan for reaching the world! No Spiritual Vision in the pulpitNo Spiritual Vision in the pulpit No Spiritual Vision in the peopleNo Spiritual Vision in the people No Spiritual Vision in public lifeNo Spiritual Vision in public life

The Serious Consequences of No Vision Proverbs 29:18 para = to cast off restraintpara = to cast off restraint para = to dissolvepara = to dissolve para = to be unclothedpara = to be unclothed para = to perishpara = to perish

The Serious Consequences of No Vision Proverbs 29:18 para = to cast off restraintpara = to cast off restraint – The Moral Effect of No Vision para = to dissolvepara = to dissolve – The Social Effect of No Vision para = to be unclothedpara = to be unclothed – The Personal Effect of No Vision Genesis 3Genesis 3 Zechariah 3Zechariah 3 Matthew 22Matthew 22 Luke 15Luke 15 Revelation 19Revelation 19 para = to perishpara = to perish – The Eternal Effect of No Vision

The Fox Formula The PrincipleThe Principle When dogs run in packs they will: 1. sleep 2. secure their own survival 3. accept new members when they adhere to the rules of the pack 4. fight among themselves Until a fox goes by! The PursuitThe Pursuit The Analogy of the ChurchThe Analogy of the Church

Gods Vision Matthew Matthew –Only One commandment in the Great Commission –Make disciples of all nations! Total World VisionTotal World Vision –Seeing the masses through the person –Building the person to impact the masses to the ends of the earth to the end of time