Friday, December 19, 2014
Building People of Substance for Works of Power
Catch the vision, Friend!
Earlier this month, we had the privilege of having Mrs. Pat Harrison speak at services dedicating our new church facility. Mrs. Harrison is the Co-founder and current President of our parent organization, Faith Christian Fellowship, International. She has been a great encouragement to us throughout the process of finding and obtaining our new ministry headquarters. We had a wonderful time as a church family celebrating God’s provision. In the Saturday morning service, Mrs. Harrison shared some thoughts on “The Power of the Vision” that I thought were worth passing on to you:
1. Vision gives us stability. The Word that God speaks to us is the particular guiding principle for our ministry. It provides us with a rudder in every storm. In tough times, keeping our eyes on the vision brings peace and joy. Mrs. Harrison said, “Too often our distractions rule us.” It is too common and too easy to get distracted from what God said to do. The most devious distractions are the good things that present themselves to us. It is a hard lesson, but we have to learn that not every door that opens is opened by God. We evaluate opportunities based on the vision, not the opportunity. Follow God. Follow the vision.
2. Vision expands as we follow it carefully. God never shows us everything up front. If He did, we would either panic and quit, or get lifted up in pride. There is ongoing revelation of the implications and ramifications of the vision He gives us. Though we experience victories and accomplishments along the way, we never arrive. .Don’t stop!
3. Vision speaks. Habakkuk 2:3 says so: It is alive – it brings life and infuses life to us. Words that God speaks are life (John 6:63). The one who receives the vision draws life from that Word, and so do those who run along with him. Strength, endurance, and purpose flow to us from the Lord through the living channel of vision. We, the local church, are an organism infused with the life of God through running with the vision He has given.
4. Vision is the redemptive revelation of God. Paul’s first question on the Damascus road was, “Who are You, Lord.” That being answered, he then asked, “What do You want me to do?” Those are the two crucial qualities of the vision God gives. It reveals something about who He is, and it tells us what we are assigned to do about it.
5. Vision gives us our identity. We all have a general identity in Christ, things that characterize us all as believers. We have specific identity as a church Body because we have a specific assignment and part in the overall redemptive purposes of God, As individuals, we derive a measure of our life purpose from our role in the vision God has given the ministry to which we are attached.
Thank God for a heavenly vision! It moves us to action that brings blessing to us and to those we touch.
"Scripture Reading: If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. (Pro 29:18 MSG)
Somebody Said: "A vision never leaves things the way they are. It leads us to change things for the better” Pat Harrison 12/6/14
I am convinced that a vision from God is the number one prerequisite for taking on a pastorate, or any other ministry for that matter. It is the life of God through which He breathes into a ministry. Without it, all we have are man’s ideas. We are condemned to living with the fruit of our best human efforts. With it we can ride on the breath of God to fruitfulness unimagined.
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To view Mrs. Harrison’s messages at Faith Christian Fellowship of Tucson’s dedication celebration, visit our website at
pastorvirgil.com 