Vision

[0:00] Vision, vision, vision. Yes. When you say vision, some of you, I'm sure your eyes are looking at,! Yes.

[0:31] Deep understanding. Like Peter's own. Amazing. It was so specific. And then after that, a voice followed. Go to a street called street. How direct can you be?

[0:43] A street called street. And indeed, there was a street called street. It's beautiful. But that's not the vision we're talking about today. It's the other vision of having to see ahead.

[0:56] Have an image or an idea of something ahead of it, ahead of time. God has a vision. God has a plan for humanity, for the saints, for the church, particularly our church, and also for your life as an individual.

[1:11] One of God's vision is for you to be saved. And by God's grace, I believe all of us are saved. And if you're not saved, it is God's desire that today you will be saved as you've entered into his house.

[1:23] In his salvation plan, God desires to restore the covenant relationship he once had with Adam and Eve. It's a relationship that is supposed to be eternal.

[1:34] But most of us would know that that relationship was broken because of sin. It's God's vision to see mankind come back to him. It's also God's vision that salvation will come through Jesus Christ alone.

[1:48] That's how we made it. He planned it. He's programmed it. He's purposed it. That's how he's seen it. And that's how we know to have salvation that will come through Jesus Christ.

[2:00] There's no other way to come to God but through Christ. Christ said it himself. And many others over time have tried to find alternative ways. Sometimes people say, I don't even need any other thing.

[2:12] It's me. Now, self is the center in our generation. People say, you don't need anything external. Everything is in you. All of it is a lie. When they lie on their beds, they know that there's nothing in there.

[2:24] It's empty. Because they don't have the life of God. They don't have communion with God. They don't have fellowship with God. And really, God is the source of life. So if you don't have that, I don't know how you think that within yourself there's salvation.

[2:37] There's nothing good in man. Only Christ makes us good. In today's reading, it said, why do you call me good? Even Christ had to challenge them. You call me good? Do you see more than that?

[2:48] Because you've been rejecting my assignments in your life. You Pharisees, you've been accusing me. I have a devil. I'm not the son of God. And now you call me good. He said, there's nobody good but God.

[3:00] So if you call me good, then you should acknowledge that I'm God. But they refuse. So then, that's why I said, why do you call me good? There's no one good but God. So if you call me good, then you must have known that you have seen something different in my life.

[3:14] And in what I'm doing. So it was, God made it to be only through Christ that will be saved. He made it such that it's only the Holy Spirit who can convict you unto salvation. This is all part of God's plan.

[3:27] This is God's plan. This is the bit that says, eyes have not seen, ears have not heard. Some of us, you think it's your prosperity. No. Because I don't know which prosperity you're talking about that eyes have not seen, ears have not heard.

[3:38] If Solomon has lived, then there's no riches that we are talking about that hasn't existed before. So your riches is nice, but eyes have seen, it's been, it's existed before. Your five bedroom house, eyes have seen, it exists already.

[3:53] But it's talking about God's eternal plan for salvation. It couldn't have entered any man's head or heart that this is how God will save us. That it pleased the Lord that it doesn't take the person next to you.

[4:07] Your salvation is not in somebody's hands. Yeah, we have the privilege of preaching the word, but it's the only the Holy Spirit that can convict you unto salvation. It's in God's plan that we'll be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

[4:21] There's no other way. You have to come to him by grace. It's just the grace of God. But you have to receive that seed, the seed that the Holy Spirit puts in you as he convicts you of faith, the seed of faith to believe in Jesus Christ.

[4:37] And it's also in God's plan and in his vision that salvation will be eternal. It's his desire. It's his plan. That's how he planned it. Until you reject Christ, your salvation is eternal.

[4:50] You are assured that you are saved. You are only saved by faith in Jesus Christ. And you only lose your salvation when you remove your faith in the finished work of Christ because nothing else can save us.

[5:06] So this is God's salvation plan package. This is what God planned before time. This is how he will rescue man. So you can see that it has worked beautifully for you.

[5:19] I mean, it's changed your life. It has transformed you. Some of us, we are coming from all walks of life. And this vision God had that after the fall, that this will be, he has prepared this before time.

[5:34] But when the fall comes, this is what is going to be executed and man will be brought back into fellowship with him. Amazing. And in this plan, you are in it. In this vision, God had you in it.

[5:47] And this is not, this is just the beginning. This is the door opener. There are many other things that is purpose for your life. So if you have found Christ or God has found you, rather, or he's brought you in, then you must know that there's more that he has to do for your life.

[6:07] Never come to a place of despair where you think God is done with you in spite of where you find yourself. If he didn't have to consult you or check your record before he saved you, then don't ever give up on God.

[6:22] Vision is a powerful thing. It transforms lives. Men have done amazing things even without God. But it never surprises God because in Genesis chapter 1 verse 26, the Bible says, then God said, let us make man in our image according to our likeness.

[6:43] Let us have them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

[6:55] Verse 27. Then God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he created him. Male and female, he created them.

[7:06] Verse 28. Then God blessed them and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply. Fulfill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over every living thing that moves on the earth.

[7:25] He said, then God blessed them and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

[7:42] When God said this, every invention we see today is in this. It's here. When you see amazing things flying in the air, it said, have dominion.

[7:55] over the birds of the air. When you see tankers, you wonder how much, how is it possible that such heavy metal can still stay afloat on water?

[8:08] It's in there. It's in the blessing of man. God just blessed us and he said he created it. God is the creator. He's the originator and he said he made us in his image.

[8:19] So all the things you see that you find absolutely amazing and they are not Christians. This is what God puts in man from the beginning. So you don't have to be a Christian to come up with inventions.

[8:32] This is part of the mandate for man. It's man's mandate. It says, subdue it, increase, and multiply.

[8:44] Nothing stops us. It's almost like when we become Christians, we've left it to the world to invent things so that we can use. that's not it. If you don't have God and they can still come up with these things, how much more those of us who have a relationship with him.

[8:59] For us, we are even more heightened now. It's not like, okay, now I'm going to look what next am I going to invent. Just be ready to excel in whatever you find yourself.

[9:13] And no limits. God didn't put limits on us. He said he made us in his image. In his image. If God is going, look at creation.

[9:23] Amazing. We are still discovering more about God's creation thousands of years down the line. We're still discovering God's creation. We haven't finished discovering his creation.

[9:35] All these scientific whatever, inventions and whatever, all these scientific discoveries, God already knew they were there. He put them there. And it's not like he was telling, let me put more gold here, let me do it.

[9:47] It came with ease. He just spoke it. He just spoke it. And so really, if you can take just a little bit of time and not rush, not rush to look spiritual, but actually understand who God has made us to be.

[10:04] Just one as a human being and even more so as a believer. Yeah, so as I said, I've lived a very limited life. I looked, I look at church, I'm like, God, I feel like I have to start again because I've lived a very limited life.

[10:19] I said, how? How, how, how, how have I, I haven't seen much. If truly, this is what God said about man, there's so much. Don't limit God.

[10:30] Don't limit God because of your circumstance. See yourself in Scripture. See yourself in Scripture in everything. If it's worth doing, I must well do well in it.

[10:44] That's my policy. If it's worth, if it's going to take my time, then it must be good. If it's worth going to work, then I must excel there. If it's worth studying, then I must excel in it.

[10:57] Because that's, that's my life. I'm spending my life in investing in that. I must do well. But vision is powerful. This is God's vision for man.

[11:09] He said, we're going to, we're going to make man. And we're going to make man to be in our image. And this is what man is going to be able to do. He saw it. No invention surprises God.

[11:19] He's actually waiting for more to come out. Because he's already putting us, it's part of our mandate, being put here on earth. Very early on, in Genesis chapter 11, verse 1 to 9, he said, now the whole earth had one language and one speech.

[11:37] And it came to pass as they journeyed from the east that they found a plain in the land of Shinar. And they dwelt there. And they said to one another, come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.

[11:54] They had bricks for stone. They said, come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower whose top is in the heavens. Let us make a name for ourselves lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.

[12:11] But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, indeed, the people are one.

[12:23] And they will have, and they all have one language. And this is what they begin to do now. Nothing that they purpose to do will be withheld from them.

[12:35] Come, let us go down and there confuse their language that they may not understand one another's speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth and they ceased building the city.

[12:52] Therefore, the name of the, is called Babel because the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And the Lord has scattered them. this is very early on.

[13:04] I mean, it doesn't make sense. How could they have built a tower that meets the heavens? It doesn't make sense. They didn't have the machinery.

[13:15] You know, I'm just thinking about scaffolding. What were they doing with scaffolding? Who was on top of who to then build all the way to hit the heavens?

[13:25] But it was already in man. It was already in man. Skyscripts is already in the Bible. It's in Genesis chapter 11. It's not even Exodus.

[13:36] It's in Genesis. It's not in Genesis chapter 30. Skyscripts are being described in Genesis 11. That's early on. that's why you can't you go to Dubai and say, hey, ah, oh, have you not read your Bible?

[13:55] Have you not read your Bible? You're going to build the highest. I'm like, what do they mean by this is the highest whatever in the, I mean, we've gone back. We've gone backward because these ones they said, and this one is being affirmed by God himself because God came down to come and inspect.

[14:14] Yes. God came down and went to inspect and said, let's just go down. And when they, when he inspected, indeed, the people had built it.

[14:26] God didn't scatter them because he didn't expect them to build, but it was the intention they said they would make a name for themselves. That is why God said, this is no good.

[14:41] It wasn't Christ-centered. It wasn't God-centered. It was a name for themselves. And so God said, this is no good. And so God gave us Swahili, Yoruba, French, all of this, Spanish, German, all of it came from this incident.

[15:07] And so, when people say that we will all have the same, we will all be the same, it's never true. It was God who brought the division. It's only in Christ there's oneness.

[15:20] Outside Christ, I bet you, by the time they say there was one religion, it's the Antichrist. because God scattered us. And that's why in Christ, Jesus says, the Lord has made it such that there's neither Greek nor Jew, male nor female.

[15:39] In Christ, it's only in Christ we have that oneness and that unity. That is the beauty. That is why Jesus prayed for his disciples that they may be one. Just as he is one with the Father.

[15:52] It is a statement that what is not possible out there is only possible in Christ. So, Christians, we must fight for our unity. We must defend our unity because it's a statement to the world of who Christ is and what the world can never achieve.

[16:10] One net. It's not possible. After Genesis 11, it wasn't possible for all the world to come together as one. It's not possible. But our main emphasis is the fact that they were able to build at that time.

[16:21] They had a certain vision. This was a vision they had outside God. They had it and they did it because of the initial mandates God gave us. So, people of God, I really want to encourage you that don't place limits on yourself because even if you're not a Christian, the mandate is ours.

[16:42] It's just for human beings. And you have seen, now you talk about this person, you talk about Google, every day you go, now you've gone to AI, you go to GTP, you're typing. All these people's brains, people's, I mean, they are just being human.

[16:55] They are not supernatural. They are just human. They are just working on what God gave us in Genesis chapter 1. They are just human. Now, you can be supernatural.

[17:11] The earlier you start changing your mindset, don't let your background limit you. The things your parents have told you, the things your aunties have told you, some of you, you've been told nothing good will come out of you.

[17:27] And because of past mistakes, you have convinced yourself that it's true. Oh, discover yourself in Scripture. Even just today, if you can just meditate on Genesis chapter 1, verse 26 to 28, it has the power to transform your life.

[17:42] From day and, it will be like day and night. It's not possible for people who knew you before to reconcile who you have become. If you can only, even just those two verses, focus on them. It has power to change your life.

[17:55] Yeah, let the Lord open your eyes. God is the only one who truly has the master plan of your life. He has a blueprint for your life.

[18:07] That is why when they said that they would do this with our outside of God, God said, this is not good for man. It's not good for mankind. For people to, it's like, to pursue to the highest level outside God.

[18:21] It wasn't good for man. Because corruption comes in. And when corruption comes in, the effect it has on man. When people want to really enjoy themselves, you can see hedonism.

[18:34] It's like, you can see nonsense distraction of self. When people really want to go high, you can imagine what they have to do to go really high. It's going to go to distraction of oneself.

[18:47] Going high without God is very costly. So God knows that. God has a plan for our church. He has a plan for our church right from the beginning.

[19:01] This isn't a Christian cliche. You have to believe it. You have to be convinced about it. And you have to have an expectation of seeing the fulfillment of God's plan.

[19:11] Because I bet you, you can't have a plan better than God. It doesn't matter how high your aspirations are. You cannot have a plan. You can't sit down and think and imagine and meditate and conceptualize and come up with a plan that is better than the plan God has for your life.

[19:30] Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 5 we know he said before I formed you I knew you and ordained you as a prophet. Galatians chapter 1 verse 15 said it pleased the Lord who separated me in my mother's womb.

[19:44] So God is in the business. He thinks about these things. He knows them way before even you step into this world. The plan of God is his to put together and it is your responsibility is my responsibility to seek out for God's plan for our lives.

[20:06] And when you get that plan that is what gives you a vision. That is what gives you a vision. That now I know what I'm aiming for.

[20:17] I know where I'm going. I know where my end will be. Habakkuk chapter 2. And so Habakkuk chapter 2 brings us to a place where from chapter 1 Habakkuk goes to the Lord he said the burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw.

[20:42] Habakkuk approaches the Lord and says God there's too much evil going on all of this and God said yes I have planned to use the Babylonians and the Chaldeans all the Chaldeans the same people to come and execute my punishment on Judah.

[21:02] And God Habakkuk then says God that's not right. The Babylonians they are worse than us. Yes we have missed you we have like missed the mark we have gone astray.

[21:15] So if you're punishing us you're punishing us why are you going to use even worse people to come and use to punish us. It doesn't make sense. You know the way you are nice in church like this and God is using an unbeliever at work to punish you it's not nice.

[21:31] You never know what God is going to use. You can pray as much until he executes his purpose for that person being your life it will shock you how God is using like a proper unbeliever to chastise you.

[21:47] some of you that you are praying fasting about they are God's implant they are God that God that planted them there to clean you up the things your mother said you won't listen you came to church the pastor preached you won't listen your departmental leader said it you won't listen your Christian friends have told you you won't listen he will use the heathen to deal with you.

[22:11] Oh yes because it looks like that's the one you hear. God uses all kinds of things to help his children and sometimes the help you need is chastisement yes because you have a father a heavenly father it's one of his key jobs is to chastise to straighten you for greater things.

[22:34] So Habakkuk is saying that God this is not right this is not fair how can you use and God said oh don't worry I have a plan I have a vision so that was what brings us to chapter 2 it said and so Habakkuk now goes back to God after God responds to him and said oh okay I will stand on my watch and set myself on the ramparts and watch to see what he will say to me and what I will answer when I am corrected then the Lord answered me and said write the vision and make it plain on tablets that he may run who reads it for the vision is yet for an appointed time but in the end it will speak and it will not lie though it tarries wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry behold the proud his soul is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith amen and so

[23:44] God is about to unveil a vision of how he's also going to deal with the childians or the Babylonians to Habakkuk Habakkuk has come to him with a complaint and so there is a certain transaction that needs to happen between God and Habakkuk for that unveiling to happen so Habakkuk makes a commitment just as he made the commitment to go to God to complain about what was going on in Judah and God said no I have a solution the Babylonians are coming and then he finds out that God this your solution is not righteous it's no good you can't use evil people to punish halfway evil people it can be we are bad but we are not that bad and then God said wait now we have to have another transaction communication for you to understand my whole plan my whole vision so he said I will just as at the beginning he approached God again he had to approach God for you to get a godly vision you must make a personal commitment and take responsibility of getting to know

[24:50] God regarding his vision for your life you must take personal responsibility we are in a generation where everybody wants a leader a pastor to counsel them on everything they need to do it's a shock I'm surprised how we got here a church that has you have so much teaching you don't read your bible to say ah I have received insight regarding the smarter no everything somebody has to tell you doesn't have to be like that you have access to God God speaks to all his children all of us so Habakkuk made his own commitment he said I will he made a decision he made a personal commitment and what would he do he said I will stand my watch and set myself the responsibility was his he will be the one paying the price you want your pastor to go on waiting and come and tell you your future your pastor should pray so that when he comes he can see this is the person you marry this is how your children will be that's how we like it you want direction revelations when there's a move you can't wait to be touched just in case when you're touched maybe there will be a word for you we love it but he said

[26:18] I will stand on my watch I will set myself on a rampart a required separation Mark chapter 1 verse 35 Jesus went out to solitary places to pray he will separate himself because he needed to hear from God had communion with him so there required a standing required a setting the watch man watched in the dark seasons and in the dark time so night time would be the time that the watch man would have to be alert and be awake and the job of the watch man was to raise an alarm in case there's enemy attack and the bible encourages christians actually to be watchful to be watchful it is the christian's duty to be watchful watchful in different things he said watch and pray because it helps you not to fall into temptation so when it comes to temptation there's a way you need to conduct he said be watchful but don't only watch be prayerful you would avoid temptation you would avoid temptation

[27:28] Matthew chapter 24 verse 32 said watch for you do not know the day which the lord will come there's another kind of watch for your own self that watch because the lord is going to come like a thief in the night so be watchful meaning that you have to order your life in a certain way in expectation that he can come at any time that's a certain kind of being watchful revelation chapter 16 verse 15 it said behold I'm coming like a thief blessed is the one who remains awake and clothed 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 8 NLT stay alert watch out for your great enemy the devil he prowls around like a roaring lion seeking for someone to devour he said stay alert and watch out another watch is the devices of the enemy the enemy and his games and his trickery he said watch that one too so watch in prayer don't fall into temptation watch for the day of the

[28:31] Lord watch that you are awake and you are not found naked but also watch your enemy watch out for your enemy there's a certain level of alertness that the Lord needs for us to have I said earlier on that the duty of the watchman is so that when an enemy is coming they can alert the city that there's an attack on its way so all these watches are important to make sure that you navigate safely as you walk in your Christian life also he said that he will set himself on the rampart that is a location on the top of the city so the watchman will usually stand at the city wall they have posts on the city wall so that it gives you height to see well but also it's a separation Revelation chapter 4 verse 1 he said I come up hither there's no way you can be watching down in the city in your bedroom whatever so if somebody is going to be a watchman he needs to climb up the city wall and set himself on one of those posts and that's not the place where people are having parties that's not the place you have in your family meetings and gatherings it's usually one man per posts you have the area you're looking at somebody's looking westward somebody's looking eastward northward southward that's how and so it's usually a lonely thing so it's a time of separation

[29:59] I mean this is what it means for you to say that write the vision this is the positioning that Habakkuk knew that he had to take before God will respond to him to show him so he stood up and go on his watch as Christians you should have times where all noises shut you shut noise around you in order to be able to perceive what God is doing in your life what God wants to speak to you what direction he's taking you give you a certain vision a certain image of where he's taking you too much noise in our generation too much noise everywhere you pass there's noise sometimes it could even be good information good stuff but if God is talking you won't hear we need to have times of separation it's good to listen to messages it's necessary to listen to messages it's good to listen to songs it's necessary to listen to songs it's good to continually feed yourself oh but boy there are things that

[31:13] God must tell you specifically how is he going to do it there's constant noise we're a generation that cannot remain silent there's no silence around us he said come up here and I'll show you things that must take place after this there is a certain separation that needs to take place that's when he's going to show you things that don't exist yet they are yet to come a lot of things you're receiving they already exist where does the freshness come from if we can't make space for God he was happy to wait on God the prophet Elijah goes to see God's face to hear God's voice and there are all manner of natural events happening and none of it had God in it until a still small voice still small voice he had separated himself because if you don't separate yourself you cannot hear the still small voice and for all of us it's within us the Holy

[32:23] Spirit as far as I've looked through scripture God doesn't shout he's no rude yeah as long as I've seen God is not making banging shouting this even Christ said I stand at the door and knock wow if yeah he's not badging in he's not he's oh our Jesus gentle Jesus become loud so sweet so sweet he said if anyone hears me wow and this is speaking to a church the church so behold I stand at the door and knock if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come to him and dine with him so it's possible that Jesus can be knocking and you don't hear that's what he said if if if he didn't say when he said if so there's a possibility that you won't hear why because they are inside doing their own thing they said today is dancing they are dancing

[33:32] Jesus said please can I can he said no we are dancing stand outside he was happy to wait on God because in Proverbs chapter 16 verse 25 he said there's a way that seems right but the end thereof is distraction and so yeah it looked right but it wasn't God John chapter 5 verse 30 he said I can't of myself do nothing this is Jesus speaking he only does what he sees the father do in Exodus chapter 13 verse 21 and 22 it says and the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light so as to go by day and night next verse please verse 22 he did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people numbers chapter 9 please verse 15 it said now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up the cloud covered the tabernacle the tent of the testimony from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the presence of fire so it was always the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle after that the children of

[35:03] Israel would journey and in the place where the cloud settled there the children of Israel would pitch their tent at the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey and at the command of the Lord they would camp as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped even with the cloud continued long many days above the tabernacle the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey so it was when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days according to the command of the Lord they would remain encamped and according to the command of the Lord they would journey so it was when the cloud remained only from evening until morning when the cloud was taken up in the morning then they would journey whether by day or night whenever the cloud was taken up they would journey whether it was two days look at this time wasn't there no we're not dealing with time here we're dealing with

[36:05] God here he said whether it was two days one month or one year that's why you were thinking how did it take 40 years for them to journey for a 40 day this is what it was this is it sometimes it took two days sometimes it was one month sometimes the whole year staying at one place they don't know why but they guess that the cloud has not moved that's what it means by God ordering your steps he has not moved!

[36:32] if he doesn't move we we are only going because you are going you are only moving because we are moving God is on the move when he settles we settle when he moves we move that is how the Christian's life should be nobody is in a rush God is never behind God is never ahead you cannot be behind you cannot be ahead you just have to be on time with him in step with him that's how you walk with God they did not journey until the Lord moved when God speaks most often you see pictures you see images of what God is saying he said I will watch to see so he is saying but it is in pictures in creation he spoke and we saw so when

[37:39] God is speaking be ready to see you must be open to see if God is speaking when God is speaking so sometimes you're praying about a thing and you begin to see images God is speaking God is speaking if you truly prayed about it God is speaking open your spirit man up let's not be people who don't know how to walk with God who don't know how to receive from God don't know only the letter know the ways of God you must know the ways of God there's a way God conducts things don't only quote scripture know to have a revelation of how God does things and so he said I will stand and I will watch to see what he will say and what I will answer when

[38:39] I am corrected he made room for God just in case when God spoke to Abraham in Genesis chapter 15 he had given him a promise that he will bless him and his descendants and then he took him out said let me just show you what I'm talking about he took him out to see and the Lord brought him outside and said now look towards heaven count the stars count the stars if you are able to number them and he said so shall your descendants be look when it's different with that you can never forget it will be imprinted in your heart nothing can take that vision away from you you must believe God to see beyond what you have heard what you hear you must see you must see it with the eye of your spirit man that is what gets implanted imprinted in your spirit no devil can steal that from you people of

[39:44] God there's a way to walk with God you cannot be a chippery you cannot be subject to anybody's declaration anything anybody says something must your circumstance more than what people think about you you must see a vision the Lord has given you about your life you must see you must take time to go figure out what God is saying about you it is your responsibility God is too interested in your life he hasn't saved you just to leave it just like anything I don't believe it the blood is too precious for it to be wasted there's more to your salvation don't enter church and just sit down that I've made it I've arrived my sins are forgiven it's okay there's more in Christ and the ones that I don't understand is those who are playing around with the devil with petty sins you're wasting time you're wasting precious time you don't understand the cost of these things you should value your life so much and what

[41:02] God has to do in your life so much that you cannot tolerate petty sins that has been my conviction from my youth this is not worth what God is doing in my life it's not worth it this compromise is not worth it you take time and you examine it for what it is compare it to what God is doing what God has shown you you will know what choice to make but if you don't have it you are cheap prey for anything and anybody Jeremiah chapter 33 verse 3 God answered them he said call on me and I will answer you the prophet took a stand and God answered him verse 2 he said the Lord answered me he said and I will show you verse 33 and

[42:07] I'll show you great and mighty things which you do not know nobody knows as we stand here as we are all seated here nobody knows what the next five years next ten years really what God is going to do in your life we just know it will be great things it will be things we will testify of we just know that it will glorify God for but we don't know the details but he knows every detail every detail every detail he said he will show you you have to make time make time find time borrow time look for time do whatever it takes to settle with God these serious matters a lot of people will come to church in and now in and now in and now and don't really come into full realization and manifestation of

[43:17] God's actual plan and vision for their lives it happens to so many Christians because of the discipline of stand upon my watch set myself upon the rampart to see what he would say just dab it dab it dab it is what determine right vision right the vision a lot of Christians it's that bit we don't want to do it but it has the key to your destiny it has the key to your destiny so the Lord answered me and said right the vision vision is powerful I said earlier on it's powerful it has the ability to generate focus when you see a man with a vision they strive differently when you see a person without vision you know how they live their lives every wind they can be blown by every wind vision gives structure to your life structure it gives stability it informs your attitude and your actions it helps you to make the right decisions it helps you to save time it helps you to put value on the important things you major on the majors and minor on the minors it's important but vision will give you that it will align you it will focus you it will bring order in your life when you look at the creation order

[45:00] God knew that at the end man will come a man will need all these things so he knew where he had to start vision there was clarity of purpose so he had to make sure the light comes first even the trees came before the animals look at wisdom how much more man so by the time man came man couldn't help but I appreciate how God created vision will generate momentum wisdom because he said write the vision some of you don't like writing there's not only writing on paper there are times you need to sit down you have different ways of writing today you type you do things but when God put things in your heart it has to be put down somewhere some of it has to be converted to a prayer point that you pray about some of it needs to be put somewhere so that you can read it consistently remind!

[46:01] is that right the vision the vision is not just so okay okay okay it has shocked me the number of times I woke up and there was a fantastic idea in my head but I moved on to do other things and maybe two days later I said I remember there's some amazing idea I'm trying to recollect it all I remember it was amazing I can't I'm trying I'm even praying I didn't use wisdom I didn't apply it it's written write it down write it down when God gives you insight write it down you don't know the day he would perform it but it is written did Jesus not quote a lot of it is written you can imagine if it wasn't written you will have this but because it's written you can quote it you can declare it because it is written write some things down there has to be a certain kind of notebook no pad ipad whatever there's a page that when they go you see the oracles of your life the things date and time

[47:11] God said this date and time God said that a lot of great people who have done exploits with God they have those they have those they have those moments you can't just float in life and arrive at greatness it does not happen it doesn't matter how much you are praying in tongues your tongues will produce a certain message a certain vision a certain knowledge a certain understanding write them down he said make it plain on tablets there are tablets of notebooks there are tablets of electronic devices and there are tablets of hearts tablets of hearts write it down and make it plain how complicated you are doesn't mean that it's God when you are saying something it has to be so complicated so that it can be like yes step aside it doesn't mean anything we just mean that wow wow will you yield fruits we don't know oh you're wow there's no fruits step aside like no because it makes you think like makes you look powerful whatever we are not we are not afraid we are not afraid think about what actually brings forth fruits write the vision and make it plain on tablets why because the vision is supposed to produce a certain momentum it's supposed to propel you onto something so that he may run who reads it that's why it has to be plain he may run the vision is supposed to cause you to do something you are not going anywhere if you are static and so if you have a vision it's supposed to turn something into a certain action faith without action is dead 1st

[49:14] Corinthians chapter 9 verse 24 do you not know that those who run in a race all run but one receives the prize run in such a way that you may obtain it and everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things now they do not obtain a perishable crown they do obtain a perishable crown but we for an imperishable crown therefore I run fast not with uncertainty thus I fight thus I fight not as one who beats the air but I discipline my body and bring it under subjection lest when I have preached to others I myself should become disqualified the vision should bring momentum it said so that he who reads it will run and when you are running you are running to obtain and therefore it requires certain levels of discipline in order for you not to be disqualified and so for those of us who are fighting to

[50:25] God's vision for our lives and are ready to run have this at the back of your mind that in running you require discipline in order for you to obtain so people go all the way I want to do missions I want to do ministry you're doing it I want to do that but forget bringing yourself under subjection and that's how a lot of people in spite of the vision they go in spite of running don't obtain the prize because you have tolerated things that you should not tolerate recently we're reading math he said if your arm caught you cut it yeah he said be that brutal be that intolerant all the sins you are tolerating it is stealing your life and your destiny it's as simple as that it doesn't matter how you embellish it God understands of course he understands you're not the first person he's seen and you also know the first person who missed out on destiny it doesn't matter yeah it doesn't matter you're not the first person who missed out on destiny so he understands he understands that you missed out on destiny replacement is strötting on the side it doesn't matter

[51:36] If it didn't matter to you, it didn't matter to God either. You're telling God you understand. He's telling you to understand that I can't work with such things. How do you expect him to work with something?

[51:48] He's a holy God. He's cleaned you up. Every day you're coming back with debt. He said, don't step aside. Don't come inside. It's okay. I love you dearly, but don't bring your debt here. It's okay. You haven't lost your salvation, but what we plan to do, we have to find a different plan, isn't it?

[52:01] It ain't going to work. Because you don't get it. You don't get it. And you've decided not to get it. After all the preaching, you've decided you won't get it. That's why you're the sinner. You continue sinning. Okay, no worries. You are being rude now.

[52:12] You're being rude. You're being rude. They want God to consistently tolerate you. Every time you come back, it's all your father. Meanwhile, you know that you're going back.

[52:23] Don't be deceived. God is not mocked. It's also in the Bible. Yeah, it's also in the Bible. You think you'd forget about that one. That is in the Bible.

[52:34] Vision has processes. There was an appointed time for it to come to pass. The Bible says that, But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

[52:56] There's a time to it. God had planned this in eternity. And the plan was activated right after Adam and Eve sinned.

[53:08] But there had to come. But there had to come a fullness of time. There had to come. At a certain time. So every vision would have its processes and will have its appointed time.

[53:19] But be assured that, in the end, it will speak. If it's truly a vision from God. He just said, wait for it. Wait for it. Because in Hebrews chapter 2, we have to run with perseverance.

[53:34] Run with perseverance. Meaning that the journey can be long. Don't give up and don't give in. If God said it, it will come to pass. Faithful is he who has called you.

[53:45] And he also will do it. We are confident of this very thing. That he who has begun a good work, he will perform it until the day of Christ. We are confident on who we have committed it to.

[53:56] He will do it. He will do it. How do you wait? Waiting is a big problem for the Christian today. It's very challenging.

[54:08] We don't like it. It's like, God, why are you shaming my testimony? And he said, God, look at the time. Look at the day. Look at the month. Look at the week. And he said, end?

[54:21] End? Yeah, end? It's not in my timing yet. But you know what? God has a way of keeping us. He has a way of keeping us.

[54:32] That's why that portion ends with, they just shall live by faith. By his faith. That's the workings of vision that God gives. You stood. You set yourself.

[54:44] And you received. Now, you have to work with him. Work with him. It will come to pass. Indeed, it came to pass. The Babylonians, they were overcome.

[54:55] They were overcome. They were completely destroyed. We all hear Nebuchadnezzar himself became like an animal. All these things. We see in other parts of scripture.

[55:06] The fulfillment of God's vision. It showed him. And it came to pass. But it wasn't at the time that Habakkuk wasn't demanding. It wasn't at that time. And so people, say yourself.

[55:20] Walk with God by faith. The just shall live by his faith. By his faith. Yes, the just shall live by faith.

[55:32] The New Testament. But this bit when it comes to vision. It's making it very personal. To the individual. When it comes to vision.

[55:44] It's your faith. Your faith. When it comes to what becomes of your life. It's your faith. Yours. You can't rely on anybody. No borrowed faith.

[55:55] You have a measure of faith. Grow it. Water it with the word. Faith comes by hearing it. By hearing the word of God. Work on it.

[56:06] Develop it. Build it. Turn it to strong faith. And you will see. Indeed.

[56:18] The salvation of the Lord. Faith must be in God. Not in yourself. I've said it many times. Not in your prayers. Not in the things you can do.

[56:29] Amen. Those are graces God has given us. And we thank him for that. But your faith must always be in God. The fact that you've prayed for a very long time.

[56:40] And forgot to put your faith in God. And thought that because I have prayed I'll get it. You missed it. You missed it. Because at that point you've put your faith in your ability.

[56:51] That you can pray. To shock you. And so. When it comes to visions given by God. There's a way you receive it.

[57:02] And there's a way you work with it. And. The summary of it is. Work with God in faith. He has said it.

[57:14] And he will do it. But make time. To find out. What God is saying. And open your hearts. To see.

[57:24] What he's saying. It is the keys. To your destiny. In Jesus name. Amen. Hallelujah. We give God thanks.