PREACHING OF 09 March 2025:

Pastor Antonio Russo

WALKING TOWARDS VISION PART 2

Last Sunday, we introduced the theme "Walking Towards the Vision," and today we will continue discussing it because vision is a fundamental concept in the life of a believer. To connect with what we said last time, we will begin with a brief recap to clarify our in-depth study. We started by stating that there are two types of vision: one concerns the Church, as expressed in Matthew 28:18-20, which calls us to preach the Gospel and make disciples of all nations; the other is personal and is imparted by the Holy Spirit. Personal vision supports the Church’s vision, allowing us to see our lives from God’s perspective and transforming them because without it, we remain stagnant, whereas with it, we find motivation to overcome difficulties. The book of Proverbs states that without vision, people become unrestrained, whereas God's vision brings clarity and strength in difficult times. In Genesis 12:2-3, God revealed His plan to Abraham: "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." We are included in the blessing that God promised to Abraham, and we have the responsibility to pass it on so that every family on earth may benefit from it. Man was created in the image and likeness of God, as it is written: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." This concept includes both man and woman, for "God created them male and female." When God created man, He saw Himself in him.

Ephesians 2:10; 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We are His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared for us not as a result of our own abilities, but as His gift. If we do not recognize them, we cannot fulfill them, which is why the Holy Spirit, through prayer, desires to reveal them to us. If we are sick, He wants us to see our healing; and if we are suffering in our souls, we must understand that Jesus has also paid for our inner deliverance, for He took upon Himself our infirmities and diseases. If we do not see these things in our lives, we cannot live them, but God desires to reveal them clearly to us. He is not against us; He is not a harsh judge, but a loving Father. He desires to restore families and broken lives. Many of us have gone through difficult situations, but God has worked wonderfully, and today we are living testimonies of His grace. What we have received is not just for us but to be shared with others. The Gospel, which is the Good News, reminds us that while the world spreads fear by speaking of wars and disasters, God has thoughts of peace for us. The first vision we must have is the reality of how God sees us. So let us ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it to us, for we must clearly understand His vision for our lives and for those around us. Vision is God’s thought revealed to the mind of man so that we may fulfill it, because He has a plan for us. What kind of image do we have of God? We must see Him as a Father with open arms, ready to welcome us. The vision that God wants to give us is His revealed thought to the mind of man so that we may carry it out. He is not trying to destroy us or send us diseases, but rather to heal, restore, and set us free because this is our wonderful Father, our way and our guide. Knowing where we must go allows us to reach our divine purpose. In fact, vision has inspired many leaders to overcome adversity, for it provides determination and guidance toward its fulfillment. Vision is having a clear image of what God wants to do, what He wants us to do, and who He wants us to be. Vision is sustained by faith because God shows us the good He wants to accomplish through our lives, but we need faith to live it. To sustain the vision, the believer enters the spiritual plan, receiving God’s creative idea and bringing it into the natural realm. With the help of the Holy Spirit our ally who upholds God’s vision in our lives we can fulfill it and live it. This is why a renewal of the mind is necessary because only a renewed mind receives God’s vision and sees things as He intends to accomplish them. We have gone through difficult moments, such as broken relationships and struggles with authorities and parents, living according to a natural and carnal vision. But God wants us to know Him through His Word, so that He may work in us and through us, renewing our minds. Religion has taught us that there were two classes of people: the clergy and the believers. But God wants to use each one of us. We are kings and priests, created by God according to His will and purpose, with a potential that we can fulfill, because He wants to work in us and through us. He gives us a word for those in need of hope, for those who are depressed, sick, or afflicted. We must bring hope to people, for in Jesus there is hope. We cannot preach unbelief; we must proclaim God’s Word and what He is doing. God dwells in us, and we must learn to listen to His voice, for His Word remains forever. We must believe in it and preach it not relying solely on personal experiences. Doubt is a weapon that the devil uses to weaken faith, but God’s power manifests where there is faith. When we believe in Him and stand firm on His promise, His hand moves.

Proverbs 10:24; 24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

We have been justified through the work of the Cross, and when we receive God’s word and vision, our desires become holy. We must submit unconditionally to God, believing that, regardless of age or gender, He has chosen to use us because He wants to work through our lives. When we expect a miracle, we must stand firm in faith, knowing that God is faithful to His promises and that our need is already in His hands. Faith allows us to bring into reality what God has declared for our lives. God entrusts us with something to accomplish, and He wants us to understand that the greatness and depth of it are not outside of us, but within us, and we can fulfill it. He gives us according to what we believe in our hearts. In fact, the greatest miracle in a person’s life is salvation, which comes by believing in the heart and confessing with the mouth that Jesus is Lord of our lives.

Romans 10:9; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Many Christians wonder if they can have assurance of salvation the answer is in the Bible. Scripture states: "Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame," and this principle applies not only to salvation but to every aspect of our lives. We believe with our hearts and declare with our mouths how God can work in us, while the devil tries to make us believe that we are failures. But God invites us to believe that He can work in us and renew our minds. He has given us talents, and each of us has at least one; if we use it, it will multiply. Abraham received the promise of a son at the age of 75, and his faith had to align with that promise from God. Meanwhile, Sarah, barren and advanced in age, seemed incapable of conceiving, but God gave instructions that surpassed her natural limitations. God told him to look at the vision and lift his eyes to the stars, for so would his offspring be, and to observe the sand, because if he could count its grains, so would his descendants be. We often blame external factors, but Abraham had to strengthen himself in faith every day, despite the difficulties.

Romans 4:17; 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Abraham made mistakes, such as when he went down to Egypt because of the famine and, by deceiving Pharaoh, declared that Sarah was his sister. However, he always returned to God, who protected him and reaffirmed His promise to make him the father of a multitude. Additionally, when leaving Egypt, he took Hagar, Sarah’s servant, with him after following his wife's suggestion. Since Sarah was unable to have children, she proposed that he have offspring through Hagar. However, this was not God’s perfect plan, because the promise was for a son born from Abraham and Sarah. He hoped against all hope for the fulfillment of the promise (Romans 4:20–21). He did not doubt; he built up his faith, spoke words of faith to himself, and held on to the vision. Abraham nurtured his faith by contemplating the stars and the sand, strengthening himself in the promise, convinced that God, having given it, also had the power to fulfill it. God has the power to fulfill what He promises, but He requires our faith, for the righteous shall live by faith. Even after Ishmael was born, God clarified that the promise would be fulfilled through Isaac, through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. Abraham firmly believed in His word. Within every believer resides a supernatural potential, and we are called to believe that each person can become a disciple. A disciple is one who receives teachings from the Master and cares for others, manifesting the vision that God has established. Even though the term “leader” may seem overwhelming, we understand that a disciple is a servant, and a servant is also a leader, because God has placed potential within him. Jesus gave a clear mandate to His followers, as we read in the Gospel of Matthew:

Matthew 28:18–20; 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

We must understand that God’s vision is for each of His children to become a disciple, called to make other disciples. Therefore, our goal is to glorify God in our lives, not just with words but through the fruits we produce.

John 15:8; 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Bearing fruit does not mean producing something material, but forming disciples who, called by God, manifest His power within them, allowing themselves to be used as instruments at His service. We need to renew our minds, because too often we see the Church as a physical place, forgetting that we are the Church. One obstacle to fruitfulness is low self esteem, which makes us feel incapable. However, bearing fruit is the natural consequence of who we are in Christ; if we see ourselves as limited, we block the potential that God has placed within us. The parable of the talents illustrates this reality: the servants who received five or two talents made them grow, while the one who received only one hid it out of fear, feeling unworthy and thus making useless what God had given him. This means that we must take responsibility for making good use of the gifts we have received whether talents, resources, or abilities without being afraid to take risks and making them available for the common good. We must develop a healthy concept of ourselves: our success or failure is not determined by circumstances, but by what we believe.

John 16:33; 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

This teaches us that negative events do not determine our destiny what truly matters is our faith, in agreement with God’s Word. The concept of self-image is the sum of the confessions and thoughts we have spoken to ourselves, as well as the images and feelings that shape who we are.

Proverbs 23:7; 7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: ...

Having a good self-image a healthy self-concept is very important in our relationship with God and in our relationship with others. There are three essential components of a good self-concept:

The first essential component is the sense of belonging.

This component gives us the awareness of being loved and accepted for who we are, without having to prove anything. From birth, children need to feel love and presence in order to develop their identity. A mother, while nursing, establishes a deep connection with her child by looking into their eyes. This sense of belonging is also essential in our relationship with God.

The second component is the sense of dignity and worth.

This means having the inner feeling of matter, of being very important and having value. We are not just a number or an identification code, because our Father knows us by name, He even knows the number of hairs on our head, and, moreover, at every moment, He takes care of us. This value was given to us at a great price, as the book of Revelation says:

Revelation 5:9; 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

We have been redeemed not with gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, because our value is not in corruptible things, but in the immaculate blood of the Lamb, which has restored the dignity taken away by sin. You see, we are important in God’s eyes, not because we are perfect, but because we are His children, bought with the blood of Jesus.

The third component is the sense of competence.

This is the inner belief that helps us understand we can handle anything that is asked of us. Even if others may have more talent, over time we can reach our goals because we have been empowered.

Philippians 4:13; 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

This means that, with God’s strength, we can face any situation, even those that seem impossible. Thus, the concept of self-image, formed by our thoughts, images, and feelings, determines who we are, as stated in the book of Proverbs: “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”