Sermon Central
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Where Are You Going
Contributed by Carl Allen on Mar 19, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: What is it that drives your day, day in and day out. Do you feel that you are merely walking around in circles or just passing yourself by. God has a specific vision for each of us. What is yours?
Where Are You Going?
Intro
How many of you know where you are going today? Really, do you know where you are going? I am not talking about for lunch or dinner here. I am talking about what drives your day; day in and day out. Some of you probably feel like you pass yourselves coming and going, don’t you? Today we are going to talk about having a vision for our life.
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We hear a lot about vision today. Companies, churches, and even people have vision statements. But what should vision truly represent for the Christian?
I. What is a Vision
a. Vision is the ability to see the future achievement of God’s personal plan for your life.
i. Wait a minute, you mean God has a personal plan for me?
ii. That’s right, there are no cookie cutter plans in God’s kingdom.
iii. God has individually tailored a plan specifically for you.
iv. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, “ declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…”
b. Vision is the picture of what God wants to accomplish in and through your life.
i. So maybe you’re wondering, “Why do I need a vision anyway?”
1. First of all reflect back to the opening scripture.
2. Without a vision the people perish
3. Vision motivates by giving clear direction.
4. Vision specifies our destination, so course corrections can be made when we see we are drifting.
ii. Exodus 32:6 is a good illustration of what happens when you don’t have a vision.
1. The people in the wilderness had lost sight of God and had made a molten calf to worship.
2. In verse 6, they made burnt offerings to it and had a feast and played.
a. The Hebrew translation of that word “played”, sets the scene to being one of a drunken sex orgy.
b. The people had completely drifted away from God and lost it.
c. Vision is dynamic
i. What I mean is that your vision will unfold over time.
ii. God reveals more of His plan in response to your obedience.
iii. Acts, 16:6-10 shows us this dynamic principle:
“They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing Mysia they came down to Troas. A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
1. As you can see. God was actively working to mold Paul’s passions and at the same time was revealing Paul’s path of ministry.
2.
II. What Vision is Not
a. Vision is not ambition
i. Ambition is dreaming your own dream for God to bless.
ii. Living by ambition leads to driven-ness and panic.
iii. Vision on the other hand is discovering what God has created and called you to do and surrendering to it.
iv. Clear vision leads to peace, power, and passion.
• So how do you discover your unique vision? Henry Blackaby in his book, “Experiencing God” gives this profound statement: “When God gets ready for you to take a new step or direction in His activity, it will always be in sequence with what he has already been doing.”
III. Steps to finding & using your Vision
a. Examining your past
i. This is the best place to start when discovering God’s unique vision for your life.
ii. Ask yourself:
1. What are your experiences?
2. Who are the people god has used in your life?
3. What patterns of God’s activity do you see?
As I look back on my own life, I can see how God used my life to bring me to be a Pastor.
b. The power of prayer
i. God will use your time with him to speak to your heart and guide your path.
ii. Acts 10:19-20, “While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold three men are looking for you. But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.”
iii. Keep in mind that vision is a process.
1. You need to apply the P.U.S.H. principle to it.
a. Pray Until Something Happens.
b. Continue to pray for God’s unique vision, don’t quit
c. God will reveal in His time His vision for you.
c. Articulate your vision