The Heavenly Vision

By Author: Adeolu Oluade
Total Articles: 23
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"Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:" In every generation,there have been people who have caught and pursued differents kinds of visions; and some of these people have been celebrated in various history books. But there is a type of vision that brings glory to God,and salvation to mankind-'the heavenly vision'. It is a divine package that delivers the complete solution to any human problem. It is the summation of all that God has called mankind to be,to do,and to have. It involves God's use of human agents for it to be fulfilled. It is bigger than anyone, and it is multifaceted in nature.It is God's will that no one is 'disobedient unto the heavenly vision'. To understand how any one can be 'obedient unto the heavenly vision',we shall examine the book of Nehemiah in the Bible. Nehemiah 1:1(King James Version)
"The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace," Nehemiah is an example of a person that was 'obedient unto the heavenly vision'. The heavenly vision on this occasion was ...
... the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. He became 'burdened' with the the heavenly vision; and this 'burden' led him into earnest and fervent prayer unto God 'the vision giver' (Neh. 1 : 4-11). Thereafter he sought to fulfill the vision by using the opportunities available to him to access the resources needed (Neh. 2 : 1-8). Nehemiah 2:16-18(King James Version)
"And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work"
"Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach."
"Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work." Nehemiah displayed leadership skills to mobilise and motivate others to catch the heavenly vision and use their different gifts and talents to pursue it . Nehemiah 2:10,19(King James Version)
"When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel."
"But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?" There are people who seek to destroy the heavenly vision by diverting,weakening,deceiving,and frustrating those who are trying to fulfill the heavenly vision. Nehemiah 2:20(King James Version)
"Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem." Such people are handled with the meekness of wisdom (James 3:13); instead of descending to fight them at their own level of ungodliness. Romans 15:4(King James Version)
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." To become a lover of God and his work like Nehemiah everyone has to become a covenant child of God. This is possible by entering into a covenant relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. To do this,one has to repent of one's sins and believe in Jesus Christ as one's personal Lord and Saviour (Acts 2:38). If one is favoured by God to be the first person to catch the vision,one (the visionary) needs a network of other people especially other covenant children of God to fulfill it. For the heavenly vision to be fulfilled,'the visionary' also needs to fully depend on God the vision giver. And if one is favoured by God to support 'the visionary',one should make one's contribution 'as unto the Lord'. When confronting enemies of the vision,one should remember not 'to wrestle against flesh and blood (Eph 6:12)' or 'to fight with carnal weapons' (2 Cor. 10:3-6). Nehemiah 6:15-16(King James Version)
"So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days."
"And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God." The fulfillment of the heavenly vision brings shame to its enemies; joy to the network of its supporters;and glory to God its giver. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
British-born Nigerian christian writer living and working in London,UK with website:www.firstloveministries.org.uk