A leader’s vision is critical to success. If you can see the invisible, you can accomplish the impossible.

Ephesians 3:20–21 NLT
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Jesus gave us one of the most powerful Scriptures about vision in this verse.

John 4:35 NKJV
“Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

See Things as They Shall Be

He was teaching his disciples, “Don’t see things as they are; see things as they will be!” If you keep seeing things the way they are, if you don’t change your vision, you will keep getting the same results. You must see the end result by faith before you can achieve it.

The disciples were ignorant and unlearned men who appeared to lack potential. But Jesus had a vision for those men’s futures that others couldn’t see. He could see Peter as a mighty apostle preaching on the day of Pentecost when 3,000 men came to Christ. He could see Matthew and John writing the Gospel accounts. He had ultimate vision.

Some realtors use vision to help you see a wonderful future in a dumpy, rundown house. They paint a word picture: “If you paint this wall here and redesign there, this place would be beautiful!” Realtors like that are the most successful because they give you a vision of what could be rather than what is. Paul wrote about this same subject to the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

If you see things from God’s point of view and begin to speak and act on it, you can accomplish the impossible. True faith sees the invisible becoming real.

What can you see in your life that is invisible? A better marriage? A better business? A greater ministry? A greater income? That vision is eternity working within you to achieve the impossible!

Getting into Focus

What would you think of a photographer who started snapping pictures without bothering to focus the camera first? Maybe one photo would turn out, but only by chance. It’s much more productive for a photographer to sharply focus on the very best shot and then snap the picture. Likewise, your vision as a pacesetting leader must come into focus.

What does vision mean? We are not talking about a vision as a function of the spiritual gifts, though I believe in supernatural visions and revelations. What I mean by vision is a comprehensive sense of where you are now and where you are going, the big picture of your future. Vision is your heart concept of where you are headed in your ministry, your business, your family, your life.

Vision sets you apart

Vision is the motivating force of a church, a business, a life. Vision sets apart real achievers from those who “also ran.” Vision is essential to pacesetting leadership. I’m captivated by the realization that fruitfulness, effectiveness, and growth are largely the result of vision, not resources. Vision is being able to see the right things, to see what others don’t see—to see the apple tree, the apple orchard, and the apple pie factory, all in one little seed.

Proverbs 29:18a KJV
Where there is no vision, the people perish….

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