As a new year begins to rise on the horizon, many start to create resolutions and promises to keep. The reality is that some follow through while others do not. The Proverbs declare “many are the plans in the person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s that prevails”. While entering the new year we should recalibrate our vision then, so that we can walk in the prevailing plans of the Lord. 

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The vision of faith is the one that taps into God’s vision so we can create plans for our life. 

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In the conversion of Paul we have an interesting occurrence.(Acts 9:1-9) When the Lord appeared, Paul was blinded by the light and commanded to go down into Damascus where he would receive his vision back from Ananais. This leads me to understand that for us to receive the vision of God, we must be blinded in our vision! Paul had a personal vision, like many of us have, and it is not until we allow God to blind that vision that we have the opportunity to walk in His. When God blinds your vision He commands you to obey Him, and only then do you receive a vision of faith. It is in this place we learn to walk by faith in His plan and not by sight in our own. One receives the vision of faith after obeying the command of God because that is where the vision of faith is produced.

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For us to receive the vision of God, we must be blinded in our vision.

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A portion of the book of Hebrews can help us understand more about a vision of faith. In Hebrews 11 the Word says Abraham lived in tents as a foreigner in the land of promise, “because he looked forward to the city with foundations whose builder and architect is God”. We have two insights here for us! The first is that a vision of faith focuses on eternal things. And secondly, a vision of faith governs itself by the Word of God. 

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Many people in Abraham’s position would have been happy living in the promised land. However when we look at it through a lens of faith, that was a mere physical reality. A vision of faith looks for the eternal things that God is building. The Word reveals the city Abraham waited for was not just the nation of Israel, but one with Christ as a cornerstone. (1 Peter 2:6) This means that when we assimilate a vision of faith, we prioritize the reality of Christ being revealed more than the reality of material success. For this same reason Abraham was able to live as a foreigner and wait for the physical completion of God’s vision in his descendants. The vision of faith governs itself in the timing of God, and can persevere because it knows that God’s plans are eternal. He did not rush because he allowed the Word of God and all that it entails to govern him and his outlook.

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When we assimilate a vision of faith, we prioritize the reality of Christ being revealed more than the reality of material success.

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A great way of completing a thorough and well-rounded study of a vision of faith is to look at Peter in the Gospel of Matthew. He famously walked on water with Jesus but was rebuked for having little faith and falling into the raging waters. The reason Peter lost faith and could not keep walking was because the focus of his vision shifted from Jesus to the chaos of the storm around him. If we are to walk in the vision of faith, we must keep it on the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). A vision of faith does not focus on obstacles or the distractions around us because it inhibits our ability to continue walking at the command of God. In our pursuit of obeying the command of God, and walking in the plan of God’s vision, we must put our focus on Christ, the Word.

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I pray that entering this new year, these principles will allow you to walk in the plans that prevail, which are the plans of our Lord. May this grace edify us in the mighty name of Jesus.