What vision has God given you? Goals are man made but vision is from God. ~
Your goals must line up with God's vision.
The book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament is one we can glean from. The story of Nehemiah was during the exile of the Israelites from Jerusalem into Babylon. There was a remnant that survived the exile. (Nehemiah 1:1) At the time God gave Nehemiah a vision, he was a servant to the king of Babylon. God gave Nehemiah the vision to repair the wall that once surrounded Jerusalem. Interestingly enough, an attempt to repair the wall had been made by a group before but where they failed, God would allow Nehemiah to succeed.
Once God gave Nehemiah the vision, he then turned it into action. Nehemiah's distress over the destruction of the wall was so great that he couldn't hide his sorrow, not even from the king. Nehemiah 1:4-2:1. Before even being in the king's presence though, Nehemiah consulted God. Let's see how he did it.
Step 1: Nehemiah prayed and fasted
Step 2: Nehemiah asked for foregiveness of his sins and the sins of his people.
Step 3: Nehemiah asked for God's favor. A very important factor in doing anything.
Once in front of the king, Nehemiah was given the opportunity to express God's vision. (Nehemiah 2:4-6) Once given the blessing of the king, he took a small trusted group/team to exam and begin rebuilding the wall. (Nehemiah 2:11-20, 3)
Soon after the rebuilding started, Nehemiah faced opposition. (Nehemiah 4:1-3). How did Nehemiah handle the opposition? He gave the battle to God. Understand that we do not battle against flesh and blood but against the principalities of darkness. (Ephesians 6:12)
Any opposition that we encounter is spiritual in nature so why would you battle what is spiritual in the flesh? (Nehemiah 4:4-5) Once Nehemiah prayed he allowed God to point him in the direction he needed to go.
Of course then the people assisting him became weak. So Nehemiah had to encourage them despite what was going on. (Nehemiah 4:13-14)
This process of dealing with opposition and the people needing encouragement continued in chapter 5. God also provided Nehemiah with the discernment to see what and who was of God and who wasn't as false prophets were sent to further destress him. Nehemiah continued to be in prayer and stayed in God's presence through the process. The wall was completed because Nehemiah sought God throughout the process. (Nehemiah 6:15) He didn't leave God out. Why leave God out of a vision that He gave you? If you do, you delay the fruition of God's vision and even the termination of by you. Remember what I said in the beginning. The attempt had been made before but where the others failed, God allowed Nehemiah to succeed.
(EMAIL SENT BY JOY RILEY)
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1 comment:
Great Blog,
I was at Wednesday Prayer about an hour ago. Well The Pastors wife and another very trused friend came up to me to tell me about a Vision God had given them.
She said she saw the Pastor and I was a few step behind bearing a cup held in my two hands. She was told I would be a type of Cup bearer for him. She told me to pray about it and share what i got if I wanted to. Well I have been and it seems to line up with the Word my Pastor gave to me just two week before about being a "Mouthpiece" and a few week before that an elder said i had the calling/Mantel of a Mouthpiece for God.
And lately our Pastor has been called to speak all over the state and help others start churches, and will be traveling abroad also. And i have for the first time in my walk been giving the task of doing some sundays and wednesday studies. So I believe God and my Pastor have given me the Great honor of being HIS and my Pastors Cupbearer and this artical was just a confermation of what HE wants me to be.
David Thompson
dotlord@gmail.com
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