God will give you a vision of what He wants you to do on the earth. If you don’t know your vision yet, ask God to reveal it to you and He will. He will likely reveal it as a picture in your mind of an outcome He desires or a feeling in your heart of something that you’re supposed to do or a path you’re supposed to take. Sometimes, it may be pursuing something you already enjoy doing (music, art, sports, youth ministry, speaking, etc.). Often the mind picture and heart feeling will confirm one another. God does not often identify each and every step it takes to get there, but will give you important promptings and opportunities that will, if obeyed, lead to where He wants you to go and what He wants you to do.
Once you begin to see the vision, no matter how complete or incomplete, write down where you see the vision taking you in 20 years, 10 years, 5 years, 3 years, and 1 year. Then, plan for it to happen. You must keep the belief alive in your heart and mind no matter what setbacks, catastrophes, or other obstacles present themselves over the years of pursuing the vision. These things will come, many times from satan, however God will direct you in such a way that they will be used to strengthen you and make your victories sweet along the way while giving greater glory to God because of the adversity that was endured.
In prayer, set goals that you'll pursue in reaching the vision. Your goals are actions that you'll take with an end date in mind (one-year, five-years, etc.) to fulfill a part of your vision. Usually, people set goals to identify what they want to accomplish by the date certain, which also entail what they expect the situation to present for them. For example, a goal could be to write 1,000 radio stations within the next year with the result of speaking on 10 new stations. So a goal has two aspects, what you can do and what others have to help you do. Your part helps influence the outcome that you cannot control: actually being able to speak on 10 new stations.
As a Christian we should expect that our vision and goals are greater than what we alone can accomplish. First, we need almighty God, for whom all things are possible, to make a way and provide opportunities for us to achieve them. Secondly, we need other people (Christians and unbelievers) to help us along the way because God always makes the pathway to accomplishment through other people. Another significant point to remember is that during the course of our life journey to fulfill the vision, we will engage other jobs and sometimes work without pay.
Some work will not seem to be along the path to our vision and we will wonder why we’re doing it or why we’re in a position that we have to do it. Of course, you need to be careful of letting others (unbelievers and Christians) beguile you into doing things outside of God’s will for your life, whether it be a particular job at a given time or engaging in an unholy process to achieve success.
Yet, you must be mindful that most CEO’s, business owners, pastors, and other leaders originally worked in the rank and file, on the assembly line, or in the lower bowels of a business / ministry long before they were selected or grabbed the horns of leadership, position, or prominence. In the early days, many did not know that these jobs would lead to having a much greater position, authority, and ability to serve other people in the business / ministry for which God equipped them. They simply remained faithful to the organizations through which they served by faithfully completing assignments they were given and helping the organizations better serve their clientele.
Finally, the road to pursuing your vision will be less rocky when you keep an eye on your budget several months in advance, so it can quickly let you know how much disposable income you'll have available to spend in pursuit of your goals and how much you need from other people. Budgeting will help you control your urge to spend money you don't have on things you don't need and will help you trust that God will provide through other people what you are not able to obtain without going in debt. When you allow your budget to help you stay out of debt as God has directed in the bible, you will see your bill entries eliminated and your disposable income grow and other people miraculously come to your aid to help fund portions of the vision that you cannot fund.
As you go about fulfilling your God-given vision, count the cost before making purchases, so unnecessary purchases don't negatively affect your plans. Employing such wisdom moves God's hand and people’s hearts to help you achieve the vision. Over time, you’ll see your goals achieved and God’s heart pleased as you continue in the work He gave you and it will increase the resources you have available to care for your family and help other people.
Please email me with any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!
Proverbs 3:5-6, 6:6-11, 16:9, 29:18, Luke 14:28-32, James 4:1-3
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You can find books authored by Randy and Karen Parlor at www.Amazon.com.
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