No Vision, No Life

Heaven responds to prayers. The responses can be different. It can be a ‘no’, maybe if that provision isn’t good for our life. A ‘no’ can also mean wait. Simeon and Anna the Prophetess prayed for 4000 years to see the fulfilment of God’s promise to the nation of Israel and finally they saw the Messiah when Joseph and Mary brought him to the temple. Sometimes the answer can be ‘yes’. 

When heaven opens, it opens up our heart, eyes, mind, and understanding. God will give us visions when heaven opens. Visions come directly from God. He is the source of visions. No man can give you visions. 

When heaven is closed, you will not get any vision. 
1 Samuel 3:1 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
When a young boy, Samuel was ministering to God in the temple, under Eli, there was a time when there weren’t many visions. It was a time of spiritual downfall. 

Even today, there are many churches; some big, some small; some new and some very old! God doesn’t look at the age or size of the church, He looks at whether that church is really His bride. Jesus is the ancient of days, fairer than ten thousands. A handsome groom like this doesn’t come for a bride that is old and dull. He comes for a lovely and lively bride. 

Many churches have lost their vision today, they have resorted to traditions and old stories. They have become religious and deviated from the Word of God. Having a system and organised order is good, but if there is no Spirit, there is no life. Today, there is Christian religion and there is the Christian lifestyle or ‘Way’. Do you walk in the ‘Way’ or are you just a part of the religion?

During the time of Eli, there were no visions because heaven was closed above the people. The Israelites were living away from God and His Word and Spirit. Sacrifices were given to God but Eli’s sons would take the best of the offerings and eat them during the service. They would misbehave with women inside the temple. 

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish. 
Every church must wake up. Without a vision, a church will die. Having a vision is important. The Holy Spirit is able to revive every church and bring them back to the Word of God with a vision. We must pray that God will break all traditions that churches follow which go against the Word of God and bring them back to the foundations of the Truth. 

Ezekiel was asked to prophesy over dead bones and when the wind blew, they came back to life. God can bring back dead churches to life and rise up in the Spirit.
Charles Swindoll, in his book “Make your Dreams Come True”, wrote, “Vision is essential for survival. It is spawned by faith, sustained by hope, sparked by imagination and strengthened by enthusiasm. It is greater than sight, deeper than a dream and broader than an idea. Vision encompasses vast thoughts outside the realm of the predictable, the safe and the expected. No wonder we perish without it.”

Jesus planted His church with a huge vision. He spent 33 years on earth and also gave up His life for it. The people who followed Him were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and this vision reached millions of people across the globe, to this generation. 
In Acts 1.8, Jesus told them to go all over the world and be a powerful witness when the power of the Holy Spirit came upon them. This was Jesus’ vision. Among the 12 disciples, Judas died. Once Matthias was added to them, we see that all the disciples, except John, were martyred! His vision was powerful. They all stood for this vision. They gave their lives for the vision. 

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 
God wants everyone to be saved. The devil is a thief, he comes to confuse people in this world. He has convinced people to highly value the most unimportant things, but give absolutely no value to the most valuable things like salvation which is the most valuable. People major on the minor, and minor on the major. They give their lives and energy for unimportant worldly things and don’t even look twice at salvation which gives them eternal life! 

The devil has confused our vision and created a system where we give up our life for things that have no life. We don’t know how to value the priceless, the precious and imperishable blood of Jesus that gave us salvation. 
Revelation 3.18 says “  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”
It’s time to fix our vision! We all need a vision from God.