Studies In The Kingdom Of God

Volume 2: Chapter 10: Run With A Vision

"Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law." Proverbs 29:18

Most of us have seen or heard the first part of this verse from Proverbs many times throughout our lives. It is a foundational principle of leadership that is taught in both secular and Christian leadership courses. We all know that having a clear vision for what we do is critical to our pursuit and eventual success in achieving our goal. Vision can be as grandiose as all that we desire to accomplish within our careers or ministries, or it may be as tactical as what we want to accomplish over the next few years. Regardless of the scope of that vision, it is necessary to have a vision if we expect to achieve our purpose in an effective manner.

What we seldom think about or consider is that God, Himself, casts vision for what He wants to do. Why would He tell us to have a vision so people know what we want to do, if He doesn't have a vision for what He wants to do? The purposes and plans associated with His vision may take millennia or centuries to complete, or He may want to complete them in a matter of decades or years. Regardless, God has a vision for what He wants to accomplish and He casts that vision to us, along with the plans and purposes He has put in place to achieve that vision, so we can know what He is doing and what He is saying, in that regard.

The reality is many of us don't realize God is casting vision, so we aren't listening and watching to what He is saying and doing through the prophetic resources and activities of His Kingdom. God casts vision for what He wants to do in this world through the Holy Spirit. But, it requires spiritual resources and capabilities to hear and see Him that many of us are ignorant of or don't make ourselves available to.

As a result of not hearing the voice of the Spirit, we are "unrestrained" in that we may be engaged in a lot of activities that may not be the activities He wants us engaged in or to accomplish for Him. They are our own plans and activities. We are "unrestrained", not because God isn't casting the vision for what He wants to do but because we aren't "listening" and "catching" the vision He is casting. The Kingdom of God is prophetic in its nature and activities in this age, and we have to function prophetically, as His Kingdom people, if we are going to hear, see and interact with Him.

The scope of our vision for leadership and ministry, individually and corporately, is strongly influenced by and connected to the overall purpose and plans of God and His Kingdom. That is why we cannot forget or ignore the last part of this verse which says, "...but happy is he who keeps the law." Our purpose must be strongly linked and dependent upon His overall purpose for His Kingdom. The unique vision God reveals for each of us will correspond to the overall vision He has for His Kingdom.

Therefore, what we do or don't do has an impact on the Kingdom of God. If we don't receive and act on His vision for us, it doesn't hinder the success of God's Kingdom purpose and plans but it does impact our particular contributions to it. We don't have the luxury, as God's Kingdom representatives on the earth, of being able to establish our own vision based on what we want to accomplish and how it will benefit us as individuals or as a church.

Our vision must be tied to God's revealed will and purpose for us otherwise our vision is a self-imposed vision, devoid of the Spirit and anointing of God. Even if we do what we and others consider to be "good things", they may not benefit us in eternity because they are not in accordance with His purpose and plan for His Kingdom and for us. There is a reward system in heaven. It is not based on what we think is the good and right thing to do. It is based on the purpose, plans and desire of God and His Kingdom, and our willingness and ability to recognize, pursue, and accomplish what He has planned for us to accomplish, as part of His Kingdom activities. His vision for us and the activities associated with that vision will always be good because they spring from the vision He, Himself, has for the expansion of His Kingdom.