Phase 4: The Principle of Possessing the Passion of Your Vision
a. You cannot be successful without passion.
b. Passionate people have discovered something more important than life itself.
c. Vision is the precedent for passion.
d. A vision will always be tested by tribulation.
e. Faithfulness to vision is one of the marks of its legitimacy.
f. Passion means that no matter how tough things are, what you believe is bigger than what you see.
g. A person of passion is always eager to fulfill his vision.
h. Passion keeps you focused on your vision.
Constitutional Scripture: Luke 14:27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be My disciple.
Constitutional Scripture: Matthew 16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Constitutional Scripture: Nehemiah 4:6 So we built the wall and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Focus Point: Suffering for Christ sake
Constitutional Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:22-28 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23) Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24) From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25) Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26) in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27) in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness— 28) besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
Focus point: Faithful to your vision is one of the marks to its legitimacy.
Paul Recounts His Conversion:
Constitutional Scripture: Acts 26:15-18 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16) But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17) I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, 18) to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
Paul Made This Statement:
Constitutional Scripture: Acts 26:19 Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
Paul Knew His Purpose:
Constitutional Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:7 For which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle; I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying; a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Vision is the Source of Passion:
Please note: As you fulfill your vision, there will be resistance. The only way to overcome that resistance is to have passion for your vision. When you are truly passionate about your dream, you can stand strong when trouble comes. Remember, persistence will keep you moving forward, yet you need passion to feed your persistence.
Please note: A person with passion is always eager to fulfill his vision.
Passion is Willing to Pay the Price:
Read: Acts 12:25-13:12 Barnabas and Saul appointed.
Acts 1:36-40 Division over John and Mark
Please note: When you capture your vision and stay with it, you will be rewarded.
You will have trials and tests while in the pursuit of your vision and dream.
Paul and Silas Imprisoned:
Constitutional Scripture: Acts 16:16-24 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17) This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18) And this she did for many days.But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. 19) But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. 20) And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; 21) and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” 22) Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23) And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24) Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Please note: Keep in mind, passion keeps you focused. When there is no vision, there is often fighting, gossiping, murmuring, backbiting and complaining. When churches are full of complaints, that is evidence that the vision has left them. Vision preoccupies people to the point that they have no time to gossip or get angry at the pastor or complain about the preaching. This same situation can be seen in marriages. I have seen this in my past relationships. The reason there are so many problems in marriages today is because couples have lost their joint vision. We must rediscover our passion of working together for a common purpose and vision and this is a process. In other words, it will take time.
b. Passionate people have discovered something more important than life itself.
c. Vision is the precedent for passion.
d. A vision will always be tested by tribulation.
e. Faithfulness to vision is one of the marks of its legitimacy.
f. Passion means that no matter how tough things are, what you believe is bigger than what you see.
g. A person of passion is always eager to fulfill his vision.
h. Passion keeps you focused on your vision.
Constitutional Scripture: Luke 14:27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be My disciple.
Constitutional Scripture: Matthew 16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Constitutional Scripture: Nehemiah 4:6 So we built the wall and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Focus Point: Suffering for Christ sake
Constitutional Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:22-28 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23) Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24) From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25) Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26) in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27) in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness— 28) besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
Focus point: Faithful to your vision is one of the marks to its legitimacy.
Paul Recounts His Conversion:
Constitutional Scripture: Acts 26:15-18 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16) But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17) I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, 18) to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
Paul Made This Statement:
Constitutional Scripture: Acts 26:19 Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
Paul Knew His Purpose:
Constitutional Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:7 For which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle; I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying; a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Vision is the Source of Passion:
Please note: As you fulfill your vision, there will be resistance. The only way to overcome that resistance is to have passion for your vision. When you are truly passionate about your dream, you can stand strong when trouble comes. Remember, persistence will keep you moving forward, yet you need passion to feed your persistence.
Please note: A person with passion is always eager to fulfill his vision.
Passion is Willing to Pay the Price:
Read: Acts 12:25-13:12 Barnabas and Saul appointed.
Acts 1:36-40 Division over John and Mark
Please note: When you capture your vision and stay with it, you will be rewarded.
You will have trials and tests while in the pursuit of your vision and dream.
Paul and Silas Imprisoned:
Constitutional Scripture: Acts 16:16-24 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17) This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18) And this she did for many days.But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. 19) But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. 20) And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; 21) and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” 22) Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23) And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24) Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Please note: Keep in mind, passion keeps you focused. When there is no vision, there is often fighting, gossiping, murmuring, backbiting and complaining. When churches are full of complaints, that is evidence that the vision has left them. Vision preoccupies people to the point that they have no time to gossip or get angry at the pastor or complain about the preaching. This same situation can be seen in marriages. I have seen this in my past relationships. The reason there are so many problems in marriages today is because couples have lost their joint vision. We must rediscover our passion of working together for a common purpose and vision and this is a process. In other words, it will take time.
