Clarity of Vision Going Into 2025

Biblical Principles On Cultivating and Manifesting Vision

"Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it" - Habakkuk 2:2 (NKJV). I have a vision board session scheduled this month with my Bible study group and in anticipation, last month's Bible study was on Clarity of Vision. The aim was to gain a firm grasp of the importance of Vision according to what scripture says. I've put together my notes and summarised some key thoughts.

With our attention turned to 2025, let's go on a journey to reveal the importance of vision as explained in the Bible. Vision isn’t just about what we see with our eyes, it’s about the ability to see beyond what our eyes currently see. I'm a fan of big visions. BIG. We sing about how great our God is, and read about the great things He has done. I don’t know about you but as long as I’m tapped into His spirit, I see great things.

What is Vision?

Stripping it down to its bare bones, vision is divine revelation from God. For our lives, for other people’s lives, for a nation, for a community - vision is insight or revelation providing direction and purpose. As a man of faith, vision to me is the ability to see beyond the present as directed by the Holy Spirit towards God’s greater plan.

Some key Biblical points on Vision:

1. Vision is how God reveals Himself to Us

Number 12:6 (NLT) - And the Lord said to them, “Now listen to what I say: 'If there were prophets among you, I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams'."

Genesis 15:1 (NIV) - After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

1 Samuel 3:10 (NIV) - The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

2. Vision is how God gives us warnings

Isaiah 1:1 (NLT) - These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah

Genesis 20:3 (NIV) - But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”

Matthew 2:12 (NIV) - And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route

3. Vision is how God gives us instructions

Exodus 34:27-28 (NIV) - Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments

Genesis 6:14 (NLT) - So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth! “Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior.

Acts 9:10-11 (NLT) - Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias! “Yes, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now.

Consequences of No Vision

Even without Biblical context, I genuinely believe without a vision of what we want our future to look like, we fall into the trap of instant gratification. Without a vision of the future, we live for the now and throw caution to the wind. Without a vision of a better future, it’s easy to lose hope for things to get better. Too often, we get caught up in the now and we forget that everything is happening as it’s meant to happen in order to prepare us for the future.

Some Biblical references:

1. Without vision, our unique talents and gifts go to waste

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT): For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago

Our unique talents and gifts are tied to a higher purpose - the good things He planned for us long ago. Without vision (and right application), we will fall short of fulfilling that higher purpose. Without recognising that we were called to do those things, there is a likelihood we will not follow through, hone those talents and gifts and waste our potential.

Shameless Plug: Last Bible Study newsletter was on the topic of Talents. Check it out if you missed it.

2. Without vision, we are unsure what we should be doing

Judges 21:25 (NLT): In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes

Proverbs 29:18 (NIV): Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction

Not so dissimilar to the point above, this point focuses on what we do instead of fulfilling the purpose outlined in vision - we do whatever we want and whatever the world asks of us. We act autonomously and in our best interests. This leaves us vulnerable to sin and disobedience.

3. Without vision, we can lose hope

Proverbs 13:12 (NIV): Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life

Amos 8:11-13 (NIV): “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it. “In that day the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst.

I’m willing to go out on a limb here and assume we have all experienced situations we thought or felt were completely hopeless at the time. Loss of hope can have serious emotional and mental consequences. It’s difficult to be hopeful if we are unable to see beyond present circumstances. Without vision, we have nothing to dream about or a future to look forward to.

Cultivating Vision

We were born with an innate sense and ability to grow, develop and expand. We were not created to be stagnant, stuck in our ways or rooted to the same spot. From birth, we always had a vision for more and sought more. This is why after spending time rooted in the same place with slow or no growth, we get bored and itch for more. However, life can erode that connection we have with our ability to envision and do more. Disappointments, setbacks and lack of faith in our abilities can get in the way of doing more and stifle our ability to visualize more.

In order to cultivate vision, we need to be intentional about seeking God's guidance while taking steps to grow and refine the vision we receive. We also need to be cognizant of the discrepancies between our earthly desires and God-given vision. Here's how we can cultivate God-given vision, backed up by scripture.

1. Seek God First

Fundamentally, in our walk with Christ, we need to ensure vision we receive comes from Him. The foundation of God-given vision is built on deep intimacy and freedom with Him. To tap into what He sees, we have to prioritize Him above all else.

Matthew 6:33 (NIV): But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well

Exodus 20:3 (NIV): "You must not have any other god but me"

Matthew 6:24 (NLT): “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money"

Matthew 22:37 (NLT): “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.“

I quite like the entirety of Matthew 6 as Jesus says in pretty straightforward terms the importance of serving God and not getting caught up seeking worldly things. The enemy has so influenced the world and us living in it that we do it in reverse; we prioritise worldly things (money, status, respect, ego, impressing others) and treat our relationship with God as secondary.

Prioritise intimacy with Christ and detach from worldly things so we can ensure the vision we receive is aligned with God's will and not contaminated by our worldly desires. Time spent with Him is how we receive clarity.

2. Document the Vision Clearly

The benefits of documenting goals, aspirations, dreams and plans have been spoken about in depth by both religious and non-religious scholars. Personal development experts, coaches, teachers etc have encouraged this practice from a young age. Documenting vision forces us to articulate our thoughts clearly and narrow down our focus.

Writing also helps enhance our ability to retain information and will also help keep vision at the forefront of our minds. It can also be motivating as we now have something tangible to read or look at rather than having to refer to a thought or memory.

Besides that, the Bible instructs us to write down vision and also provides us with examples of people who wrote down their vision:

Habakkuk 2:2-3 (NKJV): Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.

Sidenote: Let's take a moment to acknowledge how the Bible covers every single one of our worries. "if it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed". Waiting can be exhausting but we can stand on God's word - it will SURELY take place. It will not be delayed. Just a reminder that we need to be patient and it happens according to His time, not our time. It will NOT be delayed.

1 Chronicles 28:19 (NIV): “All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan.”

• I'd encourage you to read through verses 10 through to 19 in order to understand how much detail was captured and retained by David which he passed on to his son Solomon

Revelations 1:19 (NKJV): "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this."

• John received revelation while in the Spirit and was instructed twice (verses 11 and 19) to write down the vision he received. Don't believe me? Read it for yourself.

3. Align with the Holy Spirit

For starters the Holy Spirit is how God would have initially revealed His plans, purpose and will for our lives (read 1 Corinthians 2:9-11). However we don't want to just receive the plan once, we want to remain in constant communication. The Holy Spirit communicates to us through prayer, dreams, convictions people etc.

As a man of faith, I believe in ensuring any vision, goals, dreams, aspirations etc are aligned with God's will. We've sought Him, and documented our vision, we now need to align and remain in continuous alignment with Him.

In addition, the Holy Spirit is what keeps us on the straight and narrow, and provides direction and guidance. As long as we remain tapped into the Spirit and remain obedient, we experience His presence in every area of our lives. He influences our decision-making, how we spend our time, who we spend our time with etc. He protects us over the course of fulfilment of vision and purpose, as long as we remain aligned to Him.

The Holy Spirit provides comfort, encouragement and help when bringing a vision to life. It's one thing having a vision, it's another thing entirely bringing it to life considering the challenges life throws at us.

John 14:26 (NIV): But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you

Romans 8:26 (NIV): In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

Acts 1:7-8 (NIV): He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

4. Commune with Like-Minded People

One thing for sure is that any God-given vision is for the good of the people and His Kingdom not for the individual. It takes a community to bring vision to life, it cannot be done in isolation. We have to surround ourselves with people who provide wisdom, accountability, advice and counsel.

We need to surround ourselves with other believers who are on the same mission of fulfilling God's purpose. Mentors, spiritual leaders, friends, partners - we need to seek out people who understand (or seek to understand) their role in God's kingdom. People who will pour into us instead of take with no return. We also need to be willing to accept counsel, criticism and correction.

We go through ebbs and flows in life and there is a season for everything. While we're in a valley, we need to ensure we're surrounded by people who will lift us up rather than push us further down.

Proverbs 15:22 (NLT): Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success

Exodus 18: 17-19 (NLT): “This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to Him

• I'd encourage you to read verses 13 through to 27 (or the entirety of that book to be honest)

2 Samuel 7:3-5 (NLT): Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” But that same night the Lord said to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in?

Proverbs 11:14 (NLT): Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers

Shameless Plug (two in one post? Yikes): I previously wrote about the Value of Good Counsel, check it out!

5. Work, Grow and Be Patient

What separates vision from mere dreams is action. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17). We have to put in the work daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly and keep taking steps forward. There is power in compounding, the journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step. Whatever vision we receive may be daunting initially but if we weren't capable, we wouldn't receive it. We just need to focus on the next step in order to close the gap between where we currently are and where we need to be.

There is also innate gifting within each and everyone of us that we have been equipped with by God to fulfil His purpose and vision placed within us. Growing and developing these gifts is key for bringing vision to life. Dedicated practice, training, courses, coaching, mentorship etc will help hone and sharpen these gifts. We need to grow and put behind our childish ways in order to be who we've been called to be.

Finally, we need to be patient. This is something I have to hold my hands up and admit that I sometimes struggle with. Vision takes time to manifest and there have been times when I've stumbled and compared myself to others wondering when my time will come. Luckily I snap out of it pretty quickly and ask for forgiveness but I have to remind myself often to trust in God's timing. What He has in store for me will change the world as long as I remain obedient and keep doing the work.

• David was anointed by Samuel at a young age that he would be King (check out 1 Samuel 16:11-13) yet he was 30 when he became king (2 Samuel 5:4). For context on how young he was, his father Jesse didn't even bother calling him among his brothers when Samuel came to visit.

• Joseph was 17 (Genesis 37:2) when it was first revealed to him that others would bow before him (Genesis 37:5-11) but he was 30 when he became prime minister.

• Abraham the father of many nations was 100 years old when he had Isaac. 100!

• Jesus’ ministry began at age 30 (Luke 3:23). His arrival was spoken about so often in the Old Testament, that it would be easy to assume that His ministry would begin immediately

A few final thoughts

Another benefit of documenting our vision is for legacy. We can share it with others who may take it upon themselves to fulfil the vision - just as Solomon accepted and built the temple of God with the details shared by David. Similarly, Moses documented the 10 Commandments so they could be passed down and around. Documenting visions, goals and divine revelation is a way to bring clarity, ensure obedience and preserve God's guidance - the guidance we still follow today.

Alignment with the Holy Spirit takes surrendering. Through prayer, humility and consistent time meditating on God's word, we are able to align with Him. I don't know about you but if you're anything like me, surrendering can be VERY challenging. Surrendering and obedience are two of the biggest challenges I've faced on my journey. Ironically, "Obedience" is my word for 2025.

Finally, I believe the vision we "receive" depends on our personal view of God and our relationship with Him. Or the vision we allow ourselves to receive, interpret and believe should I say, has a dependency on our level of intimacy and faith. I believe it is us, man, who minimise the vision we receive rather than trusting that God's vision for our lives is far greater than anything we can imagine.

Ephesians 3:20 (NIV): 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

Isaiah 55:9 (NIV): As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts

I hope you were blessed and encouraged by today's post. As we start to visualise 2025, let’s take some time out to document our vision AND visualise the work it will take. Let’s ensure it’s aligned with scripture. While I have pretty grand dreams and visions, from late 2022 I put more emphasis on my input and leave the output to God and that is what I will be doing for 2025 as well, documenting my input.

Stay blessed and as always, make a decision that future you will be grateful for.

Have a great weekend!

CT

P.S: Psst! I will be releasing a podcast alongside YouTube videos centred around the Living With Intention and Bible Study newsletter posts expanding more on the points covered. I recognise these posts can be lengthy (you don’t say) so I'd like to offer alternative forms of consumption. For now, subscribe to my YouTube channel:

www.youtube.com/christopper

P. P. S.: I recognise I’ve dropped the ball recently in terms of the output of my newsletters. As the cool kids say, “life has been lifing” and I’ve been pretty swamped but I’m truly grateful for your patience and believing in me.