IDENTIFYING YOUR VISION AND STAYING IN IT

BIBLE QUOTES:

*        The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light (Isaiah 9:2)

*        Your old men shall dream dreams; your young men shall see visions (Joel 2:28)

*        Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he (Proverbs 20:18)

WHAT IS A VISION?

Vision literally means a state of seeing. For vision to be there, light is inevitable. Light in literal terms are rays that come from anything that illuminates. Spiritually, for Christians light is Christ Jesus. Spiritually, vision is a mental image, idea, statement, or any other that comes when on is awake, asleep, praying or in a trance. There are many examples in the Bible e.g.

1. Joseph had two similar visions about his future leadership (Genesis 37:5-11)
2. Saul got into a trance and had his name changed to Paul together with a vision for his life (Acts 9:3-6)

NB: A dream can be a vision but not all dreams are vision, because some of them are as a result of what you do during the day and many cares (Ecc. 5:3)

Vision is different from imagination in that one may form a mental image at will, but in a vision there is a DRIVING FORCE COUPLED WITH CONVICTION to achieve what you SAW.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A VISION AND MISSION

Vision means “TO BE”-what you are expecting to be. It’s a point of DESTINY; your DESTINATION. Mission means “TO DO”-what you are expecting to do. It is a process of Reaching your Vision. The connection (relationship) between the two is that you need to carry out a mission for you to reach your vision. In other words, you need TO DO SOMETHING for you TO BE SOMEBODY IN YOUR VISION.

WHY DOES GOD OFTENLY GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE VISIONS?

Joel 2:28”Young men shall see visions”. This is because young people:

*        Are strong and therefore can carry out missing needed to accomplish a vision (1 John 2:13)

*        Have enough time to fulfil their vision. Don’t wait till it’s too late!

*        Are not yet entangled with many cares of life and so can easily conform God’s will for their life. DO NOT get yourself hooked too early in your life.

*        They are agile and fast in their work.

*        They adapt positive change easily e.g. fast changing use of technology

HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR VISION

1. LOOK INTO YOURSELF

Identify what you like doing and are successful in. what you like is not automatically your vision. You must be successful in your vision. Looking into yourself is knowing your God’s given talents and attributes.

2. LOOK AROUND YOU

This involves listening to the comments of significance others in your life. Their voice can at times help you catch a vision. However, you must measure their comments against what you already know about yourself.

3. LOOK FOR COUNSELLORS

Proverbs 11:14 says that “where there is no guidance, a people fall, but in abundance of counsellors there is safety”. Professional counsellors can help you identify your vision when you finish them with some information about yourself.

4. LOOK UPTO GOD

We need God’s guidance every time we are making critical decisions concerning our life. Create time to meditate upon God’s word and seek His guidance in prayers. He knows. He loves you. He created you.

HOW TO STAY IN YOUR VISION

1. DISCIPLINE

Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no revelation people cast off restraint” (NIV). Restraint is discipline. Having a vision is the first step that makes you have restraint so that people don’t put you into their program at will. This protects you from being tossed to and fro by your peers. IF YOU DON’T PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE, PEOPLE AND EVEN THE DEVIL WILL PLAN FOR YOU.

2. IMITATION

Choose mentors that are in line with your vision.

3. REMEMBER (Habakkuk 2:2-3)

“Write the vision upon tablets”. Keep reminding yourself about the vision. If you don’t refresh your vision you will keep having additional visions which will lead to DI-VISIONS (divisions) meaning that your mind is divided to an extent that you are torn between forces. This leads to confusion, anxiety, depression, drug abuse etc.

4. TIME (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Redeem the time for the days are evil. Stop wasting time with what doesn’t line up with your vision. If you waste it you are forced to procrastinate and you know “procrastination” is the theft of time.

5. SIN NOT

Stop gambling with sin. Though Samson knew his vision of delivering the children of Israel, he deviated by sinning repeatedly against God by his drunkenness, sexual immorality, touching dead bodies, revealing the secret of his strength. He devalued his vision.

Lastly, your attitude is very key to your success:

Ø  HUMILITY (avoid pride and arrogance)

Ø  ABILITY to accept mistakes, learning from them, but not passing the back.

Ø  READINESS to learn (attend seminars, read books in line with your vision)

Ø  Have the right value system to help you make the right choices on daily basis.

You are a winner!

God did not create losers!

God has equipped you to win!

Follow your dream/vision and enter your God given destiny as a winner and victor.

SEE YOU IN THE VICTOR’S CAMP

MRS. M. W. KIWANUKA

COLLEGE CHAPLAIN