THINGS TO KNOW AND DO ABOUT YOUR GOD-GIVEN VISION
11 TO WHICH I WAS APPOINTED A PREACHER, AN APOSTLE, AND A TEACHER OF THE GENTILES.
12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
14 THAT GOOD THING WHICH WAS COMMITTED TO YOU, KEEP BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO DWELLS IN US."
2 Timothy 1:11,12,14 (NKJV)
A number of things you should know and do as a believer and visionary, concerning your God-given vision:
• A visionary should not be caught off guard, you must be ready to passionately protect your God-given vision.
• Your God-given vision should be committed to doggedly—unreservedly (Ezra 4:1-5)
• You should be focus on your vision, concentrate on it, and not allow anyone to give you another vision or dream apart from the one given to you by God.
If you are lagging in the pursuit of the God-given vision, you appear to be confused about it or focusless, someone would want to counsel you to abandon it, talk you out of it and introduce to you another vision which is contrary or not the same with the one given to you by God.
• Do not trade your vision, it is your birthright, do not sell it: “LEST THERE BE ANY FORNICATOR OR PROFANE PERSON LIKE ESAU, WHO FOR ONE MORSEL OF FOOD SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT (Hebrews 12:16 (NKJV)
There are supplanters, tricksters and swindlers, who might want to collect the vision from you, asking you to trade the vision, because of the mundane, material things; do not agree with them (1 Kings 21:1-3; Genesis 25:29-34).
• Contend when your God-given vision is attacked (Jude 3).
Another important thing to take notice of is those who would be envious of you and hate you because of your God-given vision.
Someone will hate you because of your vision without doubt, thus, you should know this beforehand and get prepared for it:
5 NOW JOSEPH HAD A DREAM, AND HE TOLD IT TO HIS BROTHERS; AND THEY HATED HIM EVEN MORE. 6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 AND HIS BROTHERS SAID TO HIM, “SHALL YOU INDEED REIGN OVER US? OR SHALL YOU INDEED HAVE DOMINION OVER US?” SO THEY HATED HIM EVEN MORE FOR HIS DREAMS AND FOR HIS WORDS" (Genesis 37:5-8 NKJV).
READ: John 15:18,19
It is natural for you to have enemies, those who would oppose your God-given vision or dream, who would not want the vision or dream to materialize.
The devil who is the arch-enemy of believers (Revelation 12:10,11) would automatically raise some people against you to stop or hinder you from fulfilling the vision—the devil would not just fold it's hands and be watching you.
There would always be an adversary who opposes you at every turn, in your bid to fulfil the vision (Nehemiah 6:1-9), thus, you have to be circumspect and be prepared for it.
How to contend
• Being watchful in the spirit with perseverance is one of the ways through which you contend for your God-given vision (Ephesians 6:18). Some may want to bewitch you and wanted to hijack the vision through manipulation, that is, witchcraft spirit (Nehemiah 6:1-9).
• You contend by standing firm on the Word of God, without compromising your stand (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; James 1:22-25).
• You contend in prayer for your vision or assignment. You endeavour to add fasting to your prayers: “THIS CHARGE I COMMIT TO YOU, SON TIMOTHY, ACCORDING TO THE PROPHESIES PREVIOUSLY MADE CONCERNING YOU, THAT BY THEM YOU MAY WAGE THE GOOD WARFARE" (1 Timothy 1:8 NKJV).
READ: Ephesians 6:10-18; Nehemiah 4:7-9
10 FINALLY, MY BRETHREN, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT.
11 PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 THEREFORE TAKE UP THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND.”
Ephesians 6:10-13 (NKJV)
Peace!