Remember this statement. It will define how you look at vision throughout your life. Fear not only kills vision, but also limits how we define vision, how we capture vision and how we implement vision. Fear is the enemy of vision; it will paralyze and neutralize the great accomplishments that lie in store for those willing to follow God’s vision.
Be honest. You are afraid or at least apprehensive of what could actually happen if you followed God’s vision for your life. You will have to make some changes that will literally pull you out of your comfort zone. Most people are afraid that those changes will involve two areas of their life that define who they are; their occupation and finances. Our occupation defines our identity to those we know and our finances define what we have or do not have. Most likely it will alter your patterns of thinking and doing. Down deep you know that there is something big that you could accomplish if you could get over this nagging fear or failure. An important thought to remember is that while fear and danger may co-exist in a situation they are not one in the same. Fear does not necessarily mean that there is danger; it means that there is some one or situation that is keeping you from moving forward.
Fear is one of the most powerful forces seen and unseen that face mankind today. This force will kill dreams and vision quicker than any negative comment or discouraging relative. As with risk, the element that fuels fear is that there is a high probability for change. People hate change. It is frightening and it is the single greatest fear that we face because it confronts us with the unknown. God’s vision for you will never be achieved if we live a life of fear, always afraid of what is around the next corner. Change is good, change is natural and change is an element of life that you attempt to control but many times you can’t. When you change yourself or you change a situation that moves you to attain God’s vision for you, your church, or business it is very good. Do not change for the sake of changing or to keep up, because if you do, you are allowing someone else to dream for you and you will become frustrated.
If God has promised to be with us wherever we go in life, why are we terrified and discouraged? I believe that there is one succinct answer to that question. We try to control our lives instead of letting God control our lives. We fear because we have not let God be God and we try to control our lives with our all knowing intelligence and smarts.
It is God that has put within you the need to fulfill your dream, His vision for your life. It is God who gives us the love we need to overcome our fear, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”[i] The perfect love in this verse is speaking about the one who loves perfectly, Jesus Christ. When we experience the love of Christ that is perfect, has no strings attached, and is open to all, we can live a fearless life. His love is experiential. Fear has to do with torment and punishment. When someone is afraid to move forward, it eats away at them. They argue with themselves as to why they can’t take that first step or why they are such cowards. The perfect love of Christ drives out that spirit of punishment. We are no longer to be afraid of any judgment or the fear of being condemned. If you have been suffering spiritually from the ravages of fear in your walk with the Lord, I invite you to do something about it. Right now, right here in this Blog. Pray and ask God to give you the courage you need to face the fears you have that are stopping you from living His vision for your life.
[i] 1 John 4:18 (NIV)