*As we move towards the New Year, this should encourage all of us to be asking the Holy Spirit for fresh dreams, visions, and goals for our lives!
“Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?”
Genesis 17:17
When was the last time you gasped or even laughed at what you felt God was calling you to do? If our vision does not make us laugh to ourselves and wonder if we heard God correctly, it probably isn’t a God vision. When God gives someone a vision, dream, or calls someone to do something, the first response should be, “Are you sure about this, God?”
I think one of the biggest things that limits our growth as Christians is having a small vision or even no vision at all for our lives. Abraham became the “Friend of God” and the “Father of Faith” because of the process of receiving a vision from God and then spending years working towards it. It was what guided him and kept him focused throughout his life.
Any vision, dream, idea, or big goal that I can accomplish myself is probably not a God-vision. That does not make it bad but it might just be the second best to what God wants for me. God will never force a big vision or dream onto us. We can live a comfortable life and just focus on being happy.
The fact that we still read Abraham’s story and it is held up throughout Scripture as our example should tell us something important. The writer of Hebrews said, “And without faith, it is impossible to please God. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” (Hebrews 11: 6)
Have you ever laughed or gasped at what you felt God was telling you to do? Do you have a dream or vision for your life that is so big that it scares you?
Annie and I are serving the Lord in the US, India, Africa, and South America. We are training leaders, helping plant churches and investing heavily in the next generation. Would you join our team? Together, we can make such a difference! Just click here to get involved. Thanks so much!
