Vision, or Revelation, is not easy to teach. Defining vision is sometimes elusive. Go through the Bible Studies in this section on your own before teaching this subject. The study from Nehemiah comes from the book, Visioneering, by Andy Stanley. Let the Word speak to you. Every believer in Christ has some vision. Every believer has purpose. This study helps you begin to understand how vision develops in someone, and the role both God and you play as the vision becomes reality and is implemented.
The simple definition of vision is seeing a need and working to fulfill that need. The following story about the Blue Outhouse, told by Teen Missions International Director Bob Bland, helps to illustrate vision. Bob saw the need for this village. It needed a public bathroom facility, and the facility got painted blue.
A group of teenager and adults with Teen Missions International traveled to a Muslim town in
During the time there the TMI people were cordial, friendly and the towns people enjoyed having them there. Building the outhouse was such a joy for the mayor of the city that when it was completed, he wanted to have a dedication ceremony. Painting the outside blue was the final step in the project so the dedication occurred after that.
The Mayor invited all the people from that city, plus dignitaries from their regional government and surrounding cities. He had the Teen Missions students and adults sitting in front of the huge audience for they were being honored for serving their city by doing this project. Speeches were made, refreshments were served and Teen Missions was requested to return to the city the following summer.
Here in this Muslim city, Christian teens impacted people of other world religions by serving them. They won the right to be heard (sharing their faith) by serving. These students did exactly as Jesus did for the He came to earth to serve by giving up His life as a ransom for each of our sinful lives (Mark 10:45). His death and resurrection is a free gift (if we accept it) for forgiveness and eternal life.
Why do people wear glasses or contacts? What does blurry vision do to a person?
A) What is your definition of vision?
The definition of vision – What God has revealed and promised about the future. Vision is a picture of the future that produces passion, of what could and should be. You sense from God or see a need and want to do something about it (Hebrews 11:1). These visions must come from God. Vision is born out of revelation from God. Remember – God’s promises are impossible to achieve apart from Him and they are absolute. Resist putting in how you would do it and control it where God has promised a miracle. “Spiritual leaders need to bear witness to what God has said. The Holy Spirit will take the truth shared by the leader and confirm it in the hearts of the people.” – Henry Blackaby
Any vision worth pursuing will demand sacrifice and risk. You will be called upon to give up the actual good for the potential best (Hebrews 12:1). You will find it necessary to leave what is comfortable and familiar to embrace that which is uncomfortable and unfamiliar…and you are investing so much of yourself in ways that may not work out.” (p.125, Visioneering, Andy Stanley)
Joshua 3:14-17 -
“A person who has a dream knows what he is willing to give up in order to go up.” John Maxwell
B) Shortsightedness
1) Esau – Failed to see the big picture – (Genesis 25:29-34)
a) What did Esau give up for a meal?
Birthright
b) How did Esau live philosophically?
Lived for the present, depending completely on his own strength and resources.
c) How do we act like Esau?
Give in to one moment of immoral pleasure, poor use of resources, spontaneous (impulsive), wrong view of God (He’ll bail me out), rely on human resources vs. God supplying, needs-driven leadership.
d) When you want something, do you save money or spend money right away and get a product or item that is not the quality of the item available if you have waited to save more money?
2) James and John – (Luke
a) What did the “sons of thunder” want to have done?
Destroy the village.
b) Why did the village not receive Him? (v. 53)
It wasn’t the time, and Jesus was headed for
c) Why not deal severely with those who oppose God?
God is working behind the scenes, possibly and we need “bleppo” eyes.
d) What is one of the big problems of being human?
We don’t always see what God is doing (can’t see the back side of the tapestry or design).
e) As Paul Harvey would say, “The rest of the story.” (Acts 8:14-17) – Gospel
was spreading like wild fire outside of
f) How often are we heart driven (God driven) versus needs/what we see driven?
Jesus conducted His ministry based on what He saw the Father doing (Mark 1:23-39; Luke 19:10; John 5:17,19-20). We sometimes focus on the symptoms, not the causes. Also relying just on the resources (or seeing only the tangible resources) can enslave you because you throw out faith.
g) What role does faith play in vision?
If the vision is God-birthed and directed, then faith is the necessary ingredient to pursue that vision.
C) Nehemiah’s Vision
1) 1:1-3 - Nehemiah hears of the need. Bob Bland, founder and Director of Teen Missions International – he gets vision when he sees a need and senses the Lord wants him to meet that need.
2) 1:4-11 - He prays and takes ownership of the situation. This is a key for spiritual leaders, having time to listen to God. Prayer gives us the God perspective. Time listening to God is well spent for we let God work on our hearts, while we are quiet before Him. As we communicate with God, the burden He pla
a) Prayer internalizes the burden, deepening our ownership of a need.
b) Prayer insists we quiet our hearts and wait, slowing down to receive from God
– will help us determine whether this burden/vision is from God.
c) Prayer infuses the vision, enabling us to see what God wants to do.
d) Prayer initiates the vision’s fulfillment, acting as a catalyst for us to act.
e) Prayer gives direction because we are listening to God and being prepared.
f) Prayer allows God to go before us, preparing the way, not us knocking down
closed doors.
“There are always more questions than answers when God births a vision in our hearts. There are always obstacles. These are always a lack of resources. A man or woman with a vision usually feels alone. Even isolated. Often there is little to go on other than gut-level, unquenchable, insatiable desire. And hopefully a sense of destiny: a feeling that this is what you were made for, an assurance that has called you out into uncharted waters with a divine purpose in mind. If any of that rings true for you, you may be on the brink of something divine.” Andy Stanley – (page 42. Visioneering)
3) 2:1-8
a) Note how Nehemiah acted and shared his burden with King Artaxerxes.
b) Nehemiah laid it out for the King and God took over.
Bert Nanus claims, “There is no more powerful engine driving an organization toward excellence and long-range success than an attractive, worthwhile, and achievable vision of the future, widely shared.” (page 73, Spiritual Leadership).
“Spiritual leaders don’t sell vision; they share what God has revealed to them and trust that the Holy Spirit will confirm that same vision in the hearts of their people.” Henry Blackaby
If God is in it, you don’t need to sell the vision; God is opening doors ahead of you.
c) How had God prepared King Artaxerxes’ heart?
His “yes” answer was followed by what could he do to help.
d) God is using your circumstances to position and prepare you (and may very
well be executing His plan) to accomplish His vision for your life. ‘Blepo’ –
Mark 13:2 – Look for God behind the scenes.
e) Nehemiah was faithful to do what he could while trusting God to do what he
couldn’t.
f) What God originates, he orchestrates (2:8, 14-18) (Luke
g) Nehemiah’s faith showed brightly (2:4-8) – we must constantly trust God that
He is leading us and orchestrating what is going on.
4) 2:12-13 – Investigate before you initiate. A vision does not necessarily require immediate action. It probably requires some in-depth investigation. Best not to go public right away. (Luke
5) 2:17-18
a.. Every compelling vision includes four components:
The problem
The solution
The reason something must be done
The reason something must be done now
b. Communicate your vision as a solution to a problem that must be addressed
immediately (page 86, Visioneering).
Ask questions like, “What difference will it make? Why should I attempt
this?”
Cast vision at the right time to the right people, “If God has birthed a vision in you, he is in the process of developing a similar vision in the hearts of others around you. When the time comes to share your vision, it will ring true in the souls of those he has been preparing.” (page 90, Visioneering)
Why is a baby born at nine months from the time he/she is conceived?
6)
“If you are pursuing a vision of any magnitude, you will be criticized. Perhaps your vision reminds someone of what they are not. But at the same time it reminds them of what they could and should be. And the only thing they know to do is criticize.” (p. 145, Visioneering)
Criticism often is due to the simple fact that you do not have all the answers or even where you actually are in the process. You have no idea other than knowing what God has laid on your heart, you must do or you are not being obedient. Any vision that God has sovereignly ordained will have many more questions and “I don’t knows” than answers. Your vision can easily be destroyed, wiped out by discouragement or criticism at this point. Unfortunately that is where many visions have ended up.
a) Don’t expect others to take greater risks or sacrifices than you have.
b) You will get criticism, negative feedback. How did Nehemiah respond?
(1) React with prayer (4:3-5)
Nehemiah had no mercy for his enemies. When you pray, criticism is quickly put in its place.
(2) React with remembrance (
Remember from the Growth Plan, Part 1.
“The obstacles of the present can easily overwhelm your commitment to what could and should be in the future. As long as you respond to criticism by evaluating your potential, you will be tempted to give up. But when you respond by remembering who it is who has called you, when you ‘remember the Lord who is great and awesome’, it is a different story.” (p. 153, Visioneering)
(3) Look at criticism as helping your plan – maybe there needs to be a change. Nehemiah revised his plan (4:9,16-18)
There is the probability that some of the criticism is valid. Look at the criticism and take the truth out of it. If we are not willing to go to the person we have an issue with, most of the time that results in complaining and grumbling. God does not tolerate such behavior. (Ephesians 4:29-31; Philippians 2:14-15) We must do things the biblical way. (Matthew 5:23-24) Speak directly to the one you have issues with; otherwise, keep your mouth shut, plain and simple.
(4) Don’t confuse your plans with God’s vision. A vision is what could
and should be. A plan is a guess as to the best way to accomplish the
vision.
Recast the vision on a consistent basis (every several weeks) and where you need to make changes on your plan, do so. Nehemiah had to (
7) Chapter 5
a) What was the condition of many of the people? (verses 2-5)
Getting desperate; worried about the future.
b) How had the nobles and officials violated the law? (verses 5-6)
They were creating slavery.
c) Where was the unity needed for the vision?
Nehemiah had to get the people to focus on the vision, and get rid of problems like the slavery issue.
d) How did Nehemiah respond to restore unity? (v 6-13)
Dealt directly with the conflict, laid out the problem and resolved it Biblically.
e) How else did Nehemiah drive home unity and his role in the vision?
(v 14-19) What attitude did he have?
He was not important, but would be treated the same as everyone else.
f) How did he not compromise his convictions with the vision? Don’t take short
cuts with right and wrong to reach the vision. It is called moral authority – desire to please God rather than men.
8) 6:1-16 – Don’t get distracted.
a) What distractions did Nehemiah face?
Several leaders were stirring up trouble. They wanted to get rid of Nehemiah and scare the people.
b) The wall was completed in 52 days. There is divine potential in all you
envision to do for He orchestrates what He starts or originates.
c) The end of a God-ordained vision is God (Chapter 8).
d) Maintaining a God vision involves having bold leadership and quality
character.
The Top Leadership Principle of Jesus (Let Your Purpose Prioritize Your Life) illustrates we all have purpose as believers in Christ. Using the questions from Chapter 8, A, B, & C., we can begin to discover why we were created by God, and what role each of us plays in the Body of Christ.
Hebrews 12:1-3 – Weights – These are good things in our lives, but not the best for us. Using the analogy of a runner in a race, during practice the ancient runners had small sand bags for their wrists, waist and ankles to develop strength, endurance and stamina. At race time, though, all extra weight was taken off so that the runner would persevere and not get exhausted during the race. So we need to lay aside good things and pursue the best as we run the race our Coach (Jesus) marks out for us.
A TOP LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE OF JESUS
Let Your Purpose Prioritize Your Life
a. Jesus - Luke 19:10
Luke 5:30-32
b. Prayer - Zeal of Paul - Acts 20:24 - gospel of God=s grace. FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS (AND GIVE THAT AWAY)
c. FOCUS!!! 1. Moth Illustration - Recent studies of US highways have shown a surprisingly high incidence of roadside collisions in which drivers collide with cars parked legally on the side of the road. Most drivers were not under the influence of alcohol or medication and most collisions occur during favorable weather conditions. As safety experts studied these stats and determined to account for them, they came up with a fascinating explanation - the moth effect. Just as a moth is drawn to a flame, so a driver tends to steer his car involuntarily where is he focusing his attention. Thus if his eyes lock on to a vehicle parked by the side of the road rather than on the road in front of him, he may collide with that car. (Just Like Jesus, p 137. Max Lucado)
2. Hebrews 12:1-3 (Weights - underwater synchronized swimmer)
3. Success is...Knowing your purpose in life, Growing to your maximum potential,
Sowing seeds to benefit others. (The Success Journey - Maxwell)
d. Lion tamer with chair illustration - Chair tames the lion better than anything in
the cage with it. The trainer holds the stool with its legs extended toward the lion’s face and the lion tries to focus on all four legs at once. It paralyzes him. Divided focus always works against you. (Satan will keep you busy if he can’t get you to be naughty.)
e Because Jesus developed priorities based on his purpose, He stayed focused and
was willing to pay the price for He knew what He was to do. Your passions will consumes you, your thoughts and time. You will keep on going like The Energizer Bunny. God has put a passion in all of us. Passion is power. Know your passion, spiritual gifts, abilities and personality.
f. Focusing 1 hour/day for 5 years will make you an expert in what you are spending your time. Focus on your strengths, the way God has created you. (Me - gift of mercy)
g. Jesus never forgot his purpose - Luke
h. The Lighthouse - A lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of
coastline received oil once a month to keep his light burning. Not being far from a village, he had frequent guests. One night a woman needed oil to keep her family warm. Another night a father needed oil for his lamp. Then another needed oil to lubricate a wheel. All the requests seemed legitimate, so the lighthouse keeper tried to meet them all. Toward the end of the month, however, he ran out of oil and his lighthouse went dark, causing several ships to crash on the coastline. The man was reproved by his supervisors, “You were given the oil for one reason,” they said, “to keep the light burning.” (p. 97, Just Like Jesus - Max Lucado)
Story of Mike Huckabee
Wise leaders recognize that life is far too complex to comprehend apart from God’s revelation and guidance.
“A Leader is a man who has the ability to get other people to do what they don’t want to do and like it” - Harry Truman
