Video presentation: Norm Wakefield, Spirit of Elijah Ministries
(This will be our last meeting of the season.)

Breakfast made by the amazing Michelle Englefield

Here is the outline for the video, as downloaded from Elijah Ministries.

Vision Comes as a Blessing from God

• Prov. 29:18 Without vision [revelation] the people are unrestrained, happy is he who keeps the law.
  1. Without vision or revelation from God, people are abandoned to their own vision when determining direction in life.
  2. So that helps us to see a couple of the blessings of revelation or vision: ?? A. Security ?? B. Direction
  3. The implication in this verse is that God’s people ought to be distinguished from those in the world.

Two Perspectives of Vision

• God’s Vision: an idea or perspective of heart which influences every decision and action toward His creation.
• Man’s Vision: It is that filter through which one views life, God, relationships, and circumstances. It may also be thought of as a goal or purpose and therefore it influences every decision and action.

God’s Vision

1. Purpose provides vision, and the vision predetermines every act of God.
   • Rom. 8:27-30. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
   • Eph. 1:5. He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.
   • Rom. 9:10-12; 17-18. And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, " The older will serve the younger."… For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, " For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth. So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
   • Eph. 1:5, 9-11. He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,…He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.
   • 2 Tim. 1:9. ...who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.
   • Acts 4:27-30. For truly in this city there were gathered together against Thy holy servant Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur. And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Thy bond-servants may speak Thy word with all confidence, while Thou dost extend Thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Thy holy servant Jesus.
     1. The principle of vision is discovered in the word "predestine".
     2. An artist's vision of his work predetermines his actions.
   • Eph. 2:10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
2. God's vision for His people is to make them like Jesus Christ. "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son."
   1. This influences every decision and action by God toward His people.
   2. It is that filter through which He views His people.
   3. The vision is predetermined by His purpose.

Man’s Vision

1. Man’s vision for himself is to be happy, feel comfortable, and serve himself.
   • Eccl. 3:22. And I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?
   • Eph. 4:19. And they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
     1. Without having a change of heart that comes with the new birth by God’s Spirit, the heart of a man has one vision: his own happiness.
     2. He is a user. He views everything from the perspective of what it does to him, takes away from him, or gives to him.
2. With such a vision he lives his life unrestrained by anything but his momentary lusts and desires.

The Root of All Conflict: Di-Vision

1. Conflict is what occurs when two people in any union or organization have different visions.
2. The primary source of conflict we experience is di-vision with God.
   1. When we live with a vision of making ourselves happy and comfortable, we are in "division" (two-visions) with God and His Son.
   2. If your vision for life is to be happy and comfortable and God's vision is to expose selfishness, you've got problems!
   3. Jesus Christ lives to intercede for His people according to the vision of God which is to make us like Himself.
      • Heb. 7:25. Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
      • Rom. 8:27-30. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
        1. He is interceding every moment of every day.
        2. Every prayer he prays is according to God’s will, so God answers every prayer.
        3. So everything which happens in our lives is in answer to Jesus’ intercession to make us like Christ. As long as we have the same vision God has, we can’t be frustrated or in division with God. We know that what we are experiencing in relationships or in a given situation is exactly what we need to get out our own pride and selfishness and love and trust like Jesus.
        4. Consider Jesus’ character compared to ours.
   4. How does God expose and reveal these things? Cup illustration.
      1. Through relationships.
      2. Through situations.
      3. Therefore, every relationship and situation in life may be interpreted from that perspective or vision
   5. A secondary source of conflict we experience is in di-vision with another person.
      1. It occurs when their purpose or goal is different from yours.
      2. It occurs when jurisdictional principles are ignored or not known.
      3. Apply this to a relationship and a life situation.

Application of Both Jurisdiction Principles and Vision Principles

1. As the husband/father, it is your responsibility to give God’s vision to your family and expose and remove all di-vision.
   1. Teach them jurisdictional principles.
   2. Teach them God’s vision for family, work, every area of life.
   3. Give vision for each member of the family after listening to them and praying--annually, semi-annually, monthly, weekly, daily.
   4. Anytime you're gone, your vision acts as your presence to provide order and security.
2. If you don’t give vision, expect every member of your family to be unrestrained and living according to their own vision.
3. Understanding these two principles helps you further analyze problems. When in conflict check:
   1. If you are the one having jurisdictional responsibilities
      • Am I in di-vision with God? Is my vision for this my own happiness or to display the Lord Jesus?
      • Is God shaking out my self-vision through this individual or situation?
      • Have I articulated and communicated the vision clearly?
      • What is my vision? What is their vision?
      • How is God using this di-vision to make us both like Christ?
      • Am I loving? Am I trusting?
      • How can I gently, lovingly correct someone’s vision which is in conflict with mine.
      • Can we come to the same vision?
      • Where you haven’t given vision or have been in error, confess, apologize, and give vision.
   2. If you are in someone else’s jurisdiction
      • Am I in di-vision with God? Is my vision for this my own happiness or to display the Lord Jesus?
      • Is God shaking out my self-vision through this individual or situation?
      • Do I have the right to hold to my vision? Is it my jurisdiction?
      • Will I and can I with clear conscience submit myself and adopt the vision of my leader as Jesus Christ did to His Father at the cross?
      • If it is not your place to give vision, then die to yourself as unto the Lord and fully embrace and submit to the vision of the one having jurisdiction.
      • If you can’t submit yourself with a clear conscience and you can remove yourself from that jurisdiction, then do so with grace and kindness.
      • If you can’t submit yourself with a clear conscience and you can’t remove yourself from the jurisdiction, seek grace to suffer for righteousness sake--it is God’s vision for you.
      • Let’s pray for wisdom to learn and apply these key principles so that we might be equipped to lead our jurisdictions with vision.