Origins of Faith Series: the origins of Vision
Preached by Apostle Aje Pelser, Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town

Let’s reflect on instances in the Bible that will help restore your spiritual vision.

Genesis 1:4, “And God saw the light… that it was good”
Part of Speech: verb
Vision is not a static experience, it requires action!

Inward, centripetal vision and Personal reflection
“saw” H7200 râ’âh BDB Definition:
• to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
• to have vision
• to regard, look after, see after, learn about,
• observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out
• to give attention to,
• to discern, distinguish
• to gaze at

Outward Centrifugal interpersonal Vision
• to appear, present oneself
• to be seen, to be visible
• to cause to see, show
• to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at
• to be caused to see, be shown
• to be exhibited to
• to look at each other, face

God spoke to Abraham in a vision.
Gen_15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

Visions bring vindication as in the case of Jacob’s wages.
Gen 31:7 Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me.
Gen 31:11 Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’
Gen 31:12 And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.
Gen 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”

Joseph’s Dreams changed his life.
Gen_37:5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.
Gen_37:6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:
Gen_37:9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”
Gen_37:10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”
Your immediate circle of influence might not receive your dream or vision initially, but you need to declare it anyway! Don’t be scared of announcing your dreams, as the Spirit leads.

Sometimes God will tell you to keep It in your heart as with Mary:
Luk 2:19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Sometimes God will tell you to write the vision down and make it plain first on tablets:
Hab 2:2 Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.
Hab 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.

Interpretation of Dreams comes from God
Gen_40:8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

Gen 41:1 Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream
Gen 41:15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”
Gen 41:16 So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

Clues to interpret dreams:
Gen 41:32 And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
I have had some repeated dreams where I am in familiar places. The resort that God showed me, where all our buildings are completed, near the ocean, with state of the art facilities and studios, we were about to record something.

At first, he thought he was being punished because of his visions and later he explained God’s purpose in his life to his brothers. When you live out the vision God has given for your life, you gain perspective which preserves the faith of your entire sphere of influence.
Gen 45:4 And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
Gen 45:5 But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.
Gen 45:6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvesting.
Gen 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Gen 45:8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Become faithful to share the vision God has given, for you and your family, for your local church and ministry, and further afield in your commission to go and command to love!
Jer_23:28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.

“We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,”
Ode BY ARTHUR O’SHAUGHNESSY