Vision: Spiritual Leadership Calls for Spiritual Renewal
“You cannot stay where you are and go with God. You cannot continue doing things your way and accomplish God's purpose in His ways. Your thinking cannot come close to God's thoughts. For you to do the will of God, you must adjust your life to Him, His purposes, and His ways.”
-Henry Blackaby
I appreciate this statement from Henry Blackaby on spiritual leadership for many reasons, but the primary reason is that it is a defining statement for a spiritual leader. Spiritual leaders cannot stay where they are and assume that it means following God. To aspire to be a spiritual leader we must come to terms with the truth that our lives are not our own, and we must do God’s things in God’s way. We cannot expect God to adjust to us; we are clearly to adjust our lives to Him.
And that brings us today to the subject of a spiritual leader’s vision. Let’s begin with this working definition.
Vision is an objective destination formed by inspiration, imagination, investigation and intentionality. Vision is resourced through the Word of God, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and the mind of Christ, along with God’s wisdom, guidance and provision. Vision becomes clearer as we walk in the Spirit to discern His will. Therefore, vision involves seeking, learning, waiting, watching, moving, advancing, and evolving until it reaches actuality and renewal.
How do we get that vision? Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to explore vision with a young pastor of a church plant, a middle-aged pastor of an established church exploding with young families, and a group of lay leaders in a rural church whose pastor stepped into heaven after a battle with cancer. Each is asking the same question. What is God’s vision for the church, and how do we find it?
What about you? Are you in a search for vision for your life? your business? your family? your church? your future?
We struggle with the question because we struggle with the word “vision.” We think of it as a dream, illusion, daydream, and fantasy. So, you can see the challenge of identifying a vision from God when you think of vision in terms of dreams and illusions. Am I going to get a vision by going to sleep, having a dream and then waking up with my marching orders?
For some well-meaning people, their idea of vision takes on imitation without adaptation. Some leaders skip the task of seeking the heart and mind of God for their vision and simply imitate what other visionary leaders are doing without taking the time to adapt the principles to their own community, culture and people. From programs to websites to messages and methods - everything is a copy of someone else’s vision.
Spiritual leaders make a difference and making a difference means getting a vision from God then going all in on that vision. And that brings us back to the question: How do we get a vision from God?
There are several answers to the question and over the next few weeks we will explore some of those answers. The first answer is that vision comes from journeying with God. It doesn’t come from a dream; those can easily turn into nightmares. It doesn’t come from imitating someone else’s vision. Vision comes from the day to day journey with God, and the guidance we receive from the Holy Spirit. We must draw near to God.
Drawing near to God is the avenue to spiritual renewal. It is the day by day, moment by moment surrender of ourselves to the guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The secret to imagination and inspiration which lead to vision is to walk daily in spiritual renewal. Listen to the words of Romans 12:1 - 2, “Therefore I urge you, brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Notice that phrase again, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Spiritual leaders are spiritually renewed. They have taken the time to be with God, to hear from God, to pray to God and to read His Word.
Note the resources a spiritual leader has available to them - The Word of God, prayer, the mind of Christ, the filling of the Holy Spirit, God’s wisdom and guidance. All of these are essentials for a spiritual leader to pack for his journey. They are not only tools for us to communicate with God, but for God to communicate with us.
Before I close today, I want to share with you something that helps me on a daily basis. There is nothing magical about this; it simply works for me as I draw near to God. Think about the word, REST.
Relax.
It reminds me to not rush around anxiously trying to make something happen. Instead I slow down, wait, breathe, listen and think, consider, cast my cares, ease up, forbear, let go, be quiet. In short, it helps me to renew my mind.
Enjoy.
It reminds me to smile, laugh, have fun, be happy, delight, be cheerful and live abundantly. I try not to criticize, complain or be negative.
Surrender.
It reminds me to seek God, seek others, die to myself, decrease, yield, turn over, release, relinquish, abdicate, transfer, resign, abandon, and not to seek anything that elevates me.
Trust.
It reminds me to not worry or be anxious or even to manipulate. Instead it reminds me to exercise faith, to have confidence, to rely on, to be hopeful and optimistic, look forward cheerfully, wait on God, and to claim His authority.
So welcome to the journey of getting a vision from God. Start today by taking some REST. Renew your minds. Find yourself relying on the resources God has given you.. His Word, Prayer, His Spirit and His Mind.
Another way we discover God’s vision for your life is to know just who we are and how God has made us. That is where we will pick up next time.