Abraham was a such champion. He is the “father of faith” because he received and responded to God’s vision for his life.
”And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are -- northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever."
Genesis 13:14,15NKJV
The Lord had a destiny and future for Abraham, but before Abraham could enter into it, he had to see it. The Lord was literally telling Abraham:
• Whatever you can see you can possess!
• Whatever you can see you can be!
• What you can see you can achieve!
God was instructing Abraham in the principle of vision. This same principle of vision that worked for Abraham will work for you.
In fact, the evening that Abraham received the vision concerning bearing children was the moment that his faith was released to agree with God. When he saw, he believed. It wasn’t physical sight, but spiritual sight that enabled him to believe.
“Then He (the Lord) brought him (Abraham) outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them. ‘ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” (Genesis 15:5,6; words in parentheses author’s)
The Lord told Abraham, “If you can see My promise, you can have it!” Your vision controls your life, so for God to be able to control your life, He must first impart vision to you.
Your life can change. Everything about you and your natural circumstances can change. In fact, God wants you to have everything He promised you. He wants to meet all your needs and do great things for you. He wants to change the world through you. But God is limited by the vision of His people. Your vision is what God builds for you.
Proverbs 13: 12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” When desire or vision comes to a person, it has within itself the power to bring to the vision to pass. God’s vision for your life will change you, motivate you, equip you and empower you to see that desire fulfilled. But if you’ve lost your dream, if your vision is gone, then you are heart sick. When hope (or vision) walks out, depression walks in.
If you have never discovered God’s dream and vision for your life, I pray that you are stirred to seek Him and follow the steps in the next chapters while the Holy Spirit writes His vision on your heart.
If you have once receive God’s vision for your life, but, through the struggles of life, you lost or gave up on your dream, I pray for you to grasp the vision anew and walk in what God has for you.
Just as the blind man said to Jesus, “Open my eyes that I may see,” so may God open your eyes to see His glorious will and purpose for your life!