VISION: SEEING BEYOND THE PRESENT

Pastoral Messages by Matriarch Elnette Edwards

Dear family,

Vision is the ability to see beyond current circumstances to what God intends. It’s spiritual sight that perceives possibilities others miss, that recognizes potential others overlook, and that believes for breakthrough others consider impossible. Without vision, Proverbs tells us, people perish. Vision is essential for purposeful, powerful living.

When God gives vision, He’s inviting us to partner with Him in bringing something from the spiritual realm into the natural realm. He shows us the end from the beginning, not so we can sit back and wait, but so we can actively participate in birthing what He’s shown us. Vision requires both seeing and doing.

I remember when God gave me vision for our ministry—I saw clearly what He intended to build. But the vision didn’t look anything like our current reality. We were small, struggling, limited in resources. Many people would have dismissed the vision as unrealistic. But I learned that God-given vision is rarely limited by present circumstances. He shows us the destination, then leads us on the journey to get there.

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THOSE WHO DO NOT SEE HIM

Vision also requires patience. There’s always a gap between when God shows us something and when we see it manifest. Abraham received the promise of a son but waited twenty-five years for Isaac. Joseph had dreams of leadership but spent years in slavery and prison before they came to pass. Moses saw the promised land but wandered forty years before entering it. The gap between vision and fulfillment tests our faith and develops our character.

I’ve also learned that vision must be guarded. Not everyone will understand what God has shown you. Some will dismiss it as unrealistic. Others will try to talk you out of it. Some will even attack it. You must protect your vision by keeping it before you, speaking it regularly, and surrounding yourself with people who believe in it.

Vision also requires action. You can see clearly what God intends, but if you don’t take steps toward it, the vision dies. Faith without works is dead, and vision without action is just wishful thinking. Every big vision is fulfilled through small, daily steps of obedience. You don’t have to see the whole staircase—just take the next step.

I’ve watched people lose vision over time. The cares of life, disappointments, delays, and opposition cause them to stop believing for what God showed them. But we must hold fast to vision, keeping it fresh, keeping it clear, keeping it alive in our hearts. Write it down. Pray over it. Declare it. Do whatever necessary to keep the vision vivid.

But here’s what’s important: make sure your vision is from God, not just your own ambition. God-given vision aligns with Scripture, is confirmed by godly counsel, produces peace, and brings glory to God, not yourself. Personal ambition disguised as spiritual vision will eventually crumble, but God-given vision will stand regardless of opposition.

Vision also attracts others. When you carry clear vision from God, people are drawn to it. They want to be part of something significant, something that matters. Your vision becomes their vision, and together you accomplish what none could alone.

What vision has God given you? What has He shown you that hasn’t yet manifested? Don’t let present circumstances discourage you. Don’t let delays cause you to doubt. Don’t let opposition cause you to quit. Hold fast to the vision. Take the next step. Believe that what God has shown you, He will bring to pass. Your faithfulness to the vision positions you to see its fulfillment.

Walking toward the vision,

 Matriarch Elnette Edwards