The Vision precedes the call. The call is authenticated by burden. The burden triggers the mission.

God is the first & truest visionary. Before the first word of creation was spoken forth, the vision of eternity was framed in God – By God – For God. It is the heavenly vision; conceived in Alpha, culminating in Omega.

The Heavenly Father is the Visioneer; The Son is the Testator; The Holy Spirit is the Executor. It is a vision of a heavenly family within a kingdom framework, bonded together in love and holy communion, at the head of all creation, in the advent of perfect eternal worship of God.

Saul ran his mission more zealously than most men! Gal 1:13 Yet he ran with the wrong vision! His blindness in his encounter with the testator Jesus on Damascus Road was no coincidence. He (& by extension you & i) needed to understand that any race we run outside the scope of the heavenly vision is futility!

Once Paul came to the truth and was established therein, he declared with the utmost confidence before Agrippa & Festus “I did not betray the Heavenly Vision“. Paul was called to give a defence of his mission. Ahimaaz was called was called to give an account of his race. 2 Sam18:17-33 You and I shall also stand to give account of the vision with which we have run the race.

God has one over-riding vision for all things in Christ, He gladly invites us to partner with him in the ‘unveiling of it’ though we have been given the free-will make our own choice:

  • Will you neglect the invitation and run with your/another vision?
  • Will you embrace the vision but pervert and betray it?
  • Will you embrace it and receive the grace He richly supplies to work in and through you to advance the vision in your generation?
"Even zeal is no good without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps misses the mark". Prov 19:2 BSB

No disciple should desire to go to heaven empty handed – with no report – with no meaningful contribution to the strand of the heavenly vision that God has lovingly bequeathed to him/her to co-labour in with Him.

One question asked in our last discipleship class was:
“How can i ensure that the vision i have received & am running with aligns with God’s heavenly vision?“
“How can i discern that my church ich i serve has not deviated from God’s heavenly vision?“
Here are some helpful things to evaluate if the vision you are running with is genuinely from God: –

9 Helpful guideposts to authenticating the Heavenly Vision:

  • It is of Heavenly Origin.
    – It is birth by the Holy Spirit of God in your Spirit man through revelation.
    – Being of heavenly origin it will agree with the fruits of James 3:17
    – It will not be worldly neither adopt worldliness in its semblance. for it is a Holy call.
  • It is Spiritual in nature yet Practical.
    – Its root/fruit cannot be earthly, sensual, nor demonic. James 3:15
    – Though spiritual in origin yet ‘demonstrable’ through the grace of God.
  • It is Anchored in the Word
    – It must be founded in the word and neither contradict it, nor pervert it. Luke 24:27
    – It must not be of private interpretation 2 Peter 1:20
    – It can only build upon the foundation which Christ has laid, 1 Cor 3:10
  • It Exalts Jesus, and Jesus alone.
    – It will in no way equate you with Jesus Matt 24:5
    – The spotlight will continue to be on Christ and not the worship of man or Jesus+ Col 2:8-9
  • It is Interfaceable (like a body part):
    – It cannot be wholly independent! it must interface and overlap in different areas in the church
    and with brethren in the body of Christ. (No Lone ranging) 1 Cor 12:20-21 Eph 4:15-16
    – It must find expression through one of the offices/gifts given to build up the body. 1 Cor 12:4-11
  • It is about Reconciliation
    – Its central message must be about reconciling men to God through Christ 2 Co 5:18
  • It must exceed your capacity/ability
    – It must require the help/grace of God to bring it to fruition.
    – Anything you can achieve in your ability will not glorify God exclusively. 1 Cor 15:10
  • It must be Transferable
    – If it makes you so special as to be indispensable, it is not of God! flee from it! Psalm 8:4
    – It must be capable of being transferred as a baton unto the next generation. 2 Tim 2:2
  • It is Non-Denominational!
    – Whilst the vision may be served through a denomination, it must not serve the denomination!
    – Ultimately every denominational mandate leads to bewitchment of men & becomes anti-christ!
    – The heavenly vision transcends men’s denominational construct! 1 Cor 3:3-5

May The Lord Encounter us for re-alignment in any way we err. Amen.

Recommended Bible Study
– Acts 26
– 2 Samuel 18:9-33