Did you miss Part 3? Read it HERE!
By Chris Hankins || Posted September 25, 2018
God-sized visions usually do not drop from the sky. They take time and effort to discover. But how to do this is often a major obstacle for leaders. We should never forget that the goal is to discover God’s vision instead of creating our own.
There 6 steps to discovering the God-sized vision He has for your church, ministry, or organization.
1) Pray and Fast
Starting with prayer and fasting can almost seem like a formality. The temptation is to skip over these and jump right into action. But in this case prayer and fasting are the action. If you are seeking God’s vision, you must must spend time asking Him what the vision is. You can not microwave a vision from God. Spending multiple days in prayer and fasting can give you the eyes and ears you need to see and hear God’s vision clearly.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
James 1:5
2) Explore your Unique Passion
If you could see God do anything through your church, what would it be? What is a problem in the world that you feel like God has given you a passion to do something about?
Bill Hybels calls it your “Holy Discontent.” I still remember how I felt when I discovered that 88% of the 1 million people in the county I live in did not attend an evangelical church. It felt like a kick in the gut! I could not go on living without trying to make a difference in that number!
3) Talk It Out
You cannot do this alone. God puts other believers, who have the Holy Spirit, in your life to help you discover His vision. As a verbal processor, I have found that sharing this journey with others is invaluable for gaining clarity. If you are part of a leadership team, take one or two days to get away and process together. Many times you will experience a collective peace and excitement as God begins to unfold his plans.
4) Write It Out
Put pen to paper until what God has put in your heart matches what is on the paper.
Writing can be a wonderful means of discovery. I love to journal and have a whole shelf in my bedroom lined with journals that are filled with my daily meditations with God. Too many leaders, however, wait until they have a perfect vision in the head before they write it down.
This is backwards.
Do not wait.
Start writing and enjoy the process of discovering what God is calling you to do. Write down multiple versions of what your vision could be and ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you in the process. Let’s follow the example of Habakkuk:
“The LORD answered me: Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it”
Habakkuk 2:2 (HCSB)
In Part 5, I will lay out a step by step guide for how to write out a God-sized vision!
5) Test It Biblically
Ask yourself, “If the vision were fulfilled would the mission of Jesus be accomplished?”
I believe that God only gives visions to his people that help accomplish the mission he has already given us:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28:18-20a
If the vision for your church, ministry or organization does not help advance the mission of Jesus, I suggest that you go back to the drawing board.
6) Pray Again
Before you begin sharing your vision with the world, go to God in prayer one last time.
Do you have peace that this vision is from God?
Are you confident that this is the direction God wants you to go?
You must have peace. You must be confident. Pray to God for these and do not share your vision publicly until you have them.
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