VF: 14 The Realization of Visionary Faith 

Chapter 14

The Realization of Visionary Faith

Planning your future

Overall Objective

Provide a process for envisioning, planning, and realizing our desires to make the most of our lives for God.

Table of Topics

A) The Importance of Planning

B) Statements of Your Faith

C) Segmentation of Your Roles

D) Setting of Your Goals for Your Roles

E) Strategies to Accomplish Your Goals

F) Schedule Your Strategies

F.1) Record Priority Habits

F.2) Record Priority Goals

F.3) Create Your Calendar

G) Seek God Weekly

H) Stand by Your Noble Plans

Extras & Endnotes

A) The Importance of Planning

Throughout Visionary Faith we have been meditating on these words of Paul to the Thessalonians:

Because of the return of Christ, we always pray that God will think you have lived up to His commanding invitation to experience your special privilege and responsibility as a Christian.

We pray that through His power you will accomplish any passionate resolve to do good, and every action prompted your faith.

Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of you, and you will be honored along with Him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess 1:11-12)

As we have demonstrated in the previous chapters, the Apostle Paul is challenging these believers to pursue “any passionate resolve to do good, and every action prompted by your faith.” He is encouraging them to make a “resolve,” a decision, about what specifically they want to do for God. And then to pursue human plans to obey God’s biblical commands, which is a visionary faith.

It is easy to simply read of these things, put down this book and go on with life. But God wants you to stop and make some decisions. What are you going to do for God and how are you going to do it? Answering such questions will require the hard work of planning. In fact, the exercises offered in this chapter may require several weeks to complete, but the plans and convictions that will be produced by the process will be worth it.

We have already discussed Paul’s warning that Christians have a God-given responsibility over the outcome of their life. The Apostle wrote: “On the Judgment Day, the value of a person’s work for God will be revealed.” Which is why he said, “Everyone needs to be very careful how they build” (1 Cor 3:10, 13). In the same passage Paul described himself as a “wise master builder” (v. 10). Simply put, the Apostle is talking about planning. It is impossible to be a “wise master builder” or to carefully build anything, especially a life, without planning. The Apostle Paul was a planner (cf. 2 Cor 1:17) and so should we.

A primary reason people do not live up to their full God-given potential is a lack of planning. They never invest the work and thought needed to actually assess what God is expecting of them and plan their life to pursue and fulfill it. They believe making the most of their life is God’s responsibility. On the contrary, God says: “Be very careful how you live. Do not be a fool but a wise person who is making the most of every opportunity God gives them” (Eph 5:15-16). These things are our responsibility, not God’s. Your whole life is the biggest opportunity God gives you. What you do with the rest of your life is primarily up to you.

Again, who we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to Him. Let us plan and build wisely. Of course, God has final say in what occurs in our life, and all planning is subject to Him. But God gives us much more freedom and responsibility then many think to “Be very careful how you live . . . making the most of every opportunity” (Eph 5:15-16) including the opportunity of our life.

Some would object to long term planning by citing Christ who said, “Do not worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt 6:34). Note that Christ said we are not to “worry” about the future. He said nothing about planning our future.

We must plan. As noted above, the outcome of our life is largely dependent on what we decide and pursue. God has given us our life as an unshaped lump of clay. Because of God’s expectation for us to create something with our life, we must recognize our responsibility to plan. Great creations do not happen haphazardly and by chance. They are thought out carefully. So it is with your life. Which is why this chapter is devoted to some exercises to help you do this very thing.

This process is divided into the following seven steps:

1) Statements of Your Faith

2) Segmentation of Your Roles

3) Setting of Your Goals for Your Roles

4) Strategies to Accomplish Your Goals

5) Schedule Your Strategies

6) Seek God Weekly

7) Stand by Your Noble Plans

It is through such a process that we practically embrace our responsibility to take charge of our life and make it the most for God. This is how we “make the most of every opportunity” including our life (Eph 5:15). This is how we make the most of our eternity.

We must plan wisely, but we should also plan big. Any plan worthy of glorifying God will be a big plan. Considering our God-given position as children and servants of God, our purpose of glorifying God, and the power of God in us, we should be planning big things. The Apostle wrote the Ephesian church: “All glory to God, Who is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ask or imagine through the power at work within us” (Eph 3:20).

God wants us to think bigger than ourselves in order to envision and accomplish something that will glorify Him. As the Prophet said, “The noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands” (Isa 32:8). It does not glorify God to make ordinary plans for our life, but extraordinary ones. Along these lines, Dr. Malphurs writes:

In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus challenged a small band of itinerant, non-classically trained disciples to reach their world with the gospel. As you examine the scope of Jesus’s Great Commission from its first proclamation after the resurrection, through the book of Acts, and on to today, you quickly realize that he was a person of no small vision. He was the visionary of visionaries.

Consequently, visionary pastors should not hesitate to think big. Do not let current realities constrict your dreaming. Someone has said, “Make no small plans, for they have not the power to stir the souls of men.” ^[1]

B) Statements of Your Faith

We have already noted a perspective that is helpful to keep in mind: What we have and who we are is God’s gift to us. What we do and who we become is our gift to God. We will only live who we believe we are. Our identity will determine our vision, and what we pursue in this life. What we believe about being a son (or daughter) of God will determine what we do as a servant of God. It is what we believe God has given us and who He has made us that empowers us to serve God. It is our convictions on God’s doctrines and promises that enable us to consistently obey His commands.

Accordingly, the place we must begin is with our foundational beliefs about God, ourselves, and our life. We need to know who we are before we can pursue our purpose.

There are 5 areas in which we need to develop a statement of faith. What we believe about our: 1) Position, 2) Purpose, 3) Possessions, 4) Priorities, and 5) Problems. It is helpful to articulate our beliefs in these areas and have Scripture that relates to each one of them. “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Rom 10:17). What words of God enlighten, enforce, and encourage you in who you are in Christ and what you want to do for Him? These become what many have called our “life verses.” As Moses said of the words of Scripture: “They are not just idle words for you—they are your life” (Deut 32:47). And as Jesus quoted Moses: “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Matt 4:4). When the word of God strengthens our faith and encourages our hearts we are experiencing it as our “life” and what we “live on.”

Let’s revisit these different areas in which we need statements of faith. Our God-given position defines who we are. This is summed up in Scripture as being a son (or daughter) of God. As noted in chapter 1 this is the highest position a human can have. And the blessings of having God as our Father are immense and our faith in them is a foundation of how we will live. What statements communicate who God has made you? What statements describe what the Bible says about your relationship with God? What biblical doctrines and promises remind you of this?

Our God-given purpose defines what we are to do. It guides us in all the decisions we make, and the motives for which we do everything in our life. The Bible tells us that our overall purpose is to glorify and please God. What Scriptures remind us of this overall guideline for everything we decide and do? What does the Bible say about why God has us living on this Earth?

Our God-given possessions remind us of what we have to serve God with. What has God given us on this Earth? These include the virtues and gifts of the Spirit, our time, our money, and relationships. Here we are looking for Scriptures that remind us of these gifts from God.

Our God-given possessions indicate our God-given priorities. These are the responsibilities and roles that come from the gifts God has given us and we must be faithful with. What Scriptures remind us and encourage us in these God-given roles?

Finally, we need promises and God-given reminders regarding our unique problems with living for and serving God. What particularly difficult struggles do we have in believing God about our position, trusting God about our possessions, and obeying God in our purpose and priorities? Perhaps there are health problems, money problems, or spiritual struggles, all for which again we need biblical promises and instruction for our encouragement.

In Appendix A see an example of Statements of Faith. Then write your own somewhere you can keep them and pray over them regularly.

C) Segmentation of Roles

Based on our God-given responsibilities, we can recognize specific God-given roles such as being a son of God, a servant of God, a husband, father, and worker. These are the categories in which we need to see our life, so that we can plan how we will “make the most of every opportunity” (Eph 5:15).

D) Setting of Goals for Roles

This is perhaps the most important part of “making the most of every moment,” and therefore our life. This is where God gives us permission to use the imagination He gave us and to envision what we want to create with the life He has given us. He has decided our position, purpose, possessions, and resulting roles and responsibilities in our life. But what we do in those God-given roles is up to us. What we do to strengthen our relationship with God, to be a better servant of God, and what kind of spouse, parent, or worker we will be is up to us. We need to imagine what we want in these areas so that we are aiming high in them, instead of simply not aiming at all.

The Apostle put it this way:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. . . . Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air (1 Cor 9:24, 26).

And yet many people live “aimlessly” because they do not take the time to plan the aspects of their life that they have control of. Spend some time thinking about this. Don’t worry about the fact that your goals (and even roles) will change over time. What would you like God to help you do in the different roles of your life. Remember, do not settle for goals that you think you can do in your own strength. God wants you to exercise the faith you have and dream about what you could do with God’s help. They need to be goals that seem realistic to you, but also challenging and needing God’s help and intervention to accomplish.

Even if you work 40-60 hours a week in your occupation and the tasks there are dictated for you, you can still develop some God-glorifying goals for this time (cf. Col 3:23-24).

As you think about different strategies to accomplish your goals for each role, assign a frequency or a due date to them.

E) Strategies for Accomplishing Goals

Now think about the steps, habits, and tasks you can do in pursuit of your goals. What investments of time, money, talents, work, etc. will be needed to “make the most” of pursuing the goals you have for your God-given roles, all for His glory.

In developing your strategies, determine a needed frequency for habits and a desired due date for goals.

See Appendix B for examples of the previous three activities: Segmentation of Roles, Setting Goals for Roles, Strategies for Accomplishing Goals. Then write your own conclusions on these steps somewhere you can keep them and pray over them regularly.

F) Schedule Your Strategies

Here is where the whole process of “making the most of every opportunity” starts becoming a reality. This is where you put the plans for your life in place. Even if you work 40-60 hours a week in your occupation and the tasks there are dictated for you, you still normally have 5 evenings and 2 whole days each week that is yours to create with and make the most of.

As we schedule our life, we should remember that God separated human time into God-ordained segments, and even He scheduled His initial creative work in the form of a day and a week. We read, for example: “God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day” (Gen 1:5). It is interesting to note that when God created the Universe in a week, He focused on one thing each day. Accordingly, based on the freedom our schedule gives us, we might consider the same strategy as we schedule our life. Perhaps we can even give a theme to each day of the week that helps us accomplish one of our goals.

We noted above that God did His creation work in one week, or 6 days. He then divided the weeks by commanding and practicing a 7^th day of worship, rest, reflection, and relaxation. A week is a very important time element in God’s creation and our life as well. And what we do for recreation to renew us spiritually, emotionally, and physically is especially important.

In addition, when God created the Universe, He said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years” (Gen 1:14). Accordingly, sunrise and sunset mark off a day. The phases of the moon mark off a month. And the courses of both mark off generally 3 month seasons and a year. Accordingly, it seems God would have us think of our own time within these created segments and schedule our life according to them.

F.1) Record Priority Habits

To complete the scheduling task first review the Strategies you determined as illustrated in Appendix B. Note any consistent habits you determined were necessary with their needed frequency. Record these in preparation for developing your schedule. See example in Appendix C.

F.2) Record Priority Goals

Next, review again the Strategies you determined as illustrated in Appendix B. Determine specific tasks and goals you need to accomplish and note the due time that you assigned. Use the worksheet in Appendix D.

F.3) Create Your Calendar

Now you are ready to schedule your life in 3 basic segments: Annually, Monthly, and Weekly.

First, transfer the weekly and monthly Priority Habits that you determined based on the example in Appendix C to a calendar. Secondly, transfer any goals determined in the worksheet in Appendix D to a calendar as well.

G) Seek the Lord Weekly

The weekend or two you might spend planning how to make the most of your life can be an exhilarating experience. But that fire will surely die out if it is not stoked on a regular basis. It is recommended that once a week you spend some time with God praying and thinking about your position, purpose, possessions, priorities, and problems. This is the time to get refueled and encouraged by your “life verses” on these matters and recommit to pursuing God’s glory and your dreams for your roles and goals. It may also be a time to evaluate your goals, strategies, and schedule. In particular, planning the week ahead would be especially important.

A weekly time will help you maintain your plan for making the most of your life. But there should be periodic, maybe quarterly times to review your plan in more detail. And again, these weekly and quarterly times with God need to be scheduled.

There are certain questions you can address and items to pray about in order to make the most of your Weekly Time With God. See Appendix E for suggestions.

H) Stand by Your Noble Plans

God said through the Prophet Isaiah: “The noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands” (32:8). God thinks “a noble man makes noble plans.” The Hebrew means generous, or even “large-hearted” plans. ^[2] This is what He is expecting of us. Make plans, and make them noble ones, worthy of glorifying Him. But it is not enough to plan.

“By noble deeds he stands.” The Hebrew word means literally to “arise,” as in standing up, but has many varied connotations. It can mean to ascend to, or be established in, a position, accomplish a task or goal, particularly to fulfill a promise. Likewise it refers to commitment and persistence. God is saying that a noble, “large-hearted” man rises to nobility, and makes it a reality by his persistent “deeds” in pursuit of his noble, “large-hearted” plans.

What we read in James regarding the life of faith that Abraham lives, is certainly true of visionary faith: “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did” (Jms 2:22). Trust and seek God for the diligence and strength to be faithful to do the “noble deeds” necessary to fulfill your “noble plans” for your God, family, occupation, and friends.

Extras & Endnotes

A Devotion to Dad

Our Father in Heaven, help us to “make the most of every opportunity” (Eph 5:15) in our life by carefully planning our life and diligently carrying out our plans as you grant us the strength and opportunities to do so. We thank you that a fruit of the Spirit is “self-discipline” (2 Tim 1:7) for this we will need for sure.

Publications & Particulars

1. Aubrey Malphurs, Advanced Strategic Planning (Baker, 2005), 155-156. ↑

2. Regarding the word “noble” in Isaiah 32:8, Barnes notes:

   This seems also to have the force of a proverbial expression. The word ‘liberal’ means generous, noble, large-hearted, benevolent; a man of large views and of public spirit; a man above covetousness, avarice, and self-seeking; a man who is willing to devote himself to the welfare of his country, and to the interests of his fellow-men. (Notes on the Old Testament; online at http://www.ccel.org) ↑