“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18
In Numbers 13, Moses sent 12 men over into the promised land. The Bible says, “Then they came to the valley of Eshcol, and they cut down a branch of a cluster of grapes; they carried it between them on a pole. They also brought some pomegranates and figs.” God wanted the people to get a little taste of what He had planned for them, and they found fruit so big that it took two of them to carry it back!
The people of Israel were leaving Egypt (the failure zone) and headed to (the promised land) of Canaan. Canaan represents the land of victory. To experience victory in their lives, the people first needed a vision of where they were going. To you, it may be the place where you are healed, your family is restored, or your business propers.
You have to see it before you can get there. You need to get a picture or a photograph of where you are going. You have to know who you are and where your life is headed. What kind of vision do you have of yourself and your future? God knows that if you can see it, you can be it. If you can picture it, you can do it.
God told a man named Gideon to go down to the enemy’s camp and listen to what they were saying. He wanted him to understand that they were more afraid of him than he realized. God wanted Gideon to see himself as a mighty man of valor. You have to see yourself as a good mom or dad. Just because you never had a great parent doesn’t mean you can’t be one. You have to see your family as blessed and not cursed.
God wanted the men to bring back those grapes so that everyone could get a picture of the promised land in their minds. He also wants you to get a picture today. Picture yourself free from depression or addiction. Picture yourself happy, healthy, and thriving. You will never achieve beyond where you are until you clearly understand where God wants you to be. See yourself living a life of purpose for God. You will start to believe it when you can see it, and then change will happen.
Personally, it’s difficult sometimes to picture yourself where you want to be. Your vision gets cloudy with all that contradicts your desire for your future, especially when God is not in the picture. I have learned that if my picture includes him right in front of whatever I picture I cannot go wrong. I will see him before anything else and know that I must put him first before all things. Have learned this the hard way!