Seeing is believing

Provision follows vision. In order for the promises of God to come to pass in our lives, it is important that we believe them. To believe is to have an inner conviction (vision). There are 3 instances when God helped humans to believe by giving them an opportunity to preview the promises. The first involved Abraham. In Genesis 15:5-6, “He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness”. Genesis 15:5-6. Note the relationship between Abraham looking at the stars and his subsequent belief in God. The seeing preceded the believing.

The second occasion involved Moses. “Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying, Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers' tribes, everyone a leader among them." Numbers 13:1-2. The last example was described in Joshua 2:1. ”Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho " Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho " So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there".

While the Lord may have promised you certain things, have you prepared to receive such promises by spying them out? Can you see them within you? Preview precedes preoccupation. You must see to acquire. While the promises of God are yea and amen in Christ Jesus, they need to be yea and amen in us (inner vision) before they come to pass in our lives. If you can’t see the mark, you can’t press towards it. (J. Mason). You pray until you see; your vision then leads to provision. The Lord Jesus taught the same principle in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you”. The sequence is pray, believe, and then receive.

What you see inside is what you get outside. You cannot receive from God without faith. What is faith? Faith is an internal photocopy (substance) of things you will see physically at a later date, the evidence (inner vision) of things not yet seen in the physical. Hebrews 11:1. You must take possession inside before you take possession outside because things which are seen are made of things which are not seen. Hebrews 11:3. In Colossians 1:17, we learn that the whole creation holds together in nature because the hold together first IN CHRIST. The cosmos will disintegrate if Christ lets go on the inside of Him. Therefore, your future should be a present reality within you.

How do we receive the vision for our lives? By waiting on God. Waiting precedes vision. The Bible is a vision generator. God, through His Spirit within is a vision manufacturer. Vision comes not by discussing with men but by discussing with God. If it comes from Him, He will bring it to pass. He gave Abraham vision in Genesis 13:14-17, “After Lot separated from him, GOD said to Abram, "Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I'll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I'm giving it all to you."

Vision requires maintenance. There is no cruise control for it. No auto pilot. Vision dissipates over time. Circumstances often discourage vision. Learn to maintain your focus by a. writing the vision b. confess it over and over. This is equivalent to walking the land. c. Praise/worship. 2 Chronicles 20:15-19, “He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!” Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the LORD. Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout”

Your life is only as successful as the worship it generates. The battles of life are not mine to fight, the Lord fights for me. He is my Fighter, Warrior, General and Knock-Out Puncher. I have no way of paying Him but to praise Him. Praise brings you to God’s presence (you enter His gates with thanksgiving) and brings God’s presence to you (He inhabits the praise of His people).

My prayer is that you will learn to develop a God-given vision in every area of your life. The inner vision is what makes the Word of God flesh in us and activated the promise.

The Gate Opener

What’s in a gate? The dictionary definition of a gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls. Gates may prevent or control entry or exit.

Biblical Significance of a Gate
A gate is a control center of a city in Bible days. Important decisions are taken at the gates of cities. They sometimes function as courts of justice. Citizens can sell or buy land there. General proclamations are made at the gates; the council running the city meets there and conferences are held there too. Public condemnation of people is made there. When the enemy wants to attack a city, the area of concentration is the gate; that is why experienced officers are placed there. Idolatrous people perform their rites there.

John 10:1-3
"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.


Life is controlled by a gate.
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Heaven has gates.
Genesis 28:17 He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven“.
Revelation 21:25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

Hell has gates
Matthew 16:18 “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it”.


The enemy (Satan) has a gate
Genesis 22:16-17
“And said, I have sworn by Myself, says the Lord, that since you have done this and have not withheld [from Me] or begrudged [giving Me] your son, your only son, In blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed will possess the gate of His enemies”.

Genesis 24:60
And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, "Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies”.

The gate of the enemy is its control center and whosoever controls the gate controls the city. The gate of the enemy is our possession.

Our God is a great controller. He can break or strengthen gates.

Psalm 107:15-16
“Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men,
for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron”.

Psalm 147:12-13
“Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion, for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you”.

Gate Opener
While gates are generally speaking, physical or spiritual barriers, thank God there is a gate opener.

Psalm 100:4
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!”

There is a gate that leads the presence of God and praise is the gate opener.

Psalm 24:7-10
“Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory”.

Psalm 118:19-21
“Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter. I will praise you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation”.

Praise opens the gate into God’s presence. It can also bring Him to wherever you are as experienced by Paul and Silas. Your heart-felt praise will open the gates of brass and tear apart your bars of iron. You will take possession of the gates of your enemy. Make a commitment that His praises shall be in your mouth continually.