Whenever we talk about vision, three things often come to mind: (1) the physical sight, (2) the spiritual sight, and (3) the vision of the heart. Out of these three, the vision of the heart is the primary target of the devil because it is a spiritual force that makes humans unstoppable, and it determines everything about one’s life. That is why the Bible says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Myles Munroe once said “the greatest gift God ever gave man is not the gift of sight but the gift of vision. Sight is a function of the eyes, but vision is a function of the heart”. In addition, Bishop David Oyedepo also says, “vision is the unfolding of divine plan and purpose as it relates to you. This is a vital secret, which, once contacted, will set an individual up for a life of perpetual impact.”
Vision is so vital to the extent that the Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18). The word perish does not mean physical death, but the death of purpose and loss of direction which may eventually result in shame and reproach. Whether you believe it or not, anyone without a sense of mission has no place in destiny. Such a person will become a wanderer in the market square of life. Therefore, I should always ask myself if I have a sense of mission.
Certainly, a sense of mission comes from understanding one’s purpose and walking in its reality. Failure to understand one’s mission on earth can bring the destruction of purpose. That is why the Bible says, “A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead” (Proverbs 21:16). This is the main reason Martin Luther King once said, “If a man has no purpose for living, he is not fit to live.” For this reason, the devil fights hard to impair people’s vision so that they have no sense of mission. He understands that when a man’s vision is impaired, destruction is imminent, and God’s purpose for his life is likely to be thwarted.
Beloved, I am not a motivational speaker, but by the Spirit of the Lord, I can tell you that how far you go in life heavily depends on your vision. There are territories and nations you cannot possess until your vision is clear. Remember, the Lord told Abraham, I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession (Genesis 13:15).
Abraham’s possession of the promised land hinged on his ability to see. The more he was able to see, the more he could possess. Therefore, one of the ways the devil places an embargo on people is by blindfolding their visions.
Let’s take a clue from physical sight. When a man’s physical sight is impaired, his physical movement becomes restricted. There are places he won’t be able to go and things he won’t be able to do. Therefore, the attack on his physical sight has greatly restricted his destiny. A young man who suffered such a similar attack in the Bible is called Samson. Samson was an anointed Nazarite from the womb. He inflicted so many attacks on the Philistines until he was entrapped by Delilah, who cut off his hair and rendered him powerless. But a careful study of the Bible clarifies that cutting off his hair wasn’t a more terrible attack on his destiny like plucking out his eyes. The Bible records that “the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven” (Judges 16:22). Afterward, he prayed to God to be strengthened. As a result, he was able to kill many more when he died than while he lived (Judges 16:30). The sad thing was he couldn’t leave the camp of the Philistines because they gouged out his eyes.
The enemy’s first target is always the spiritual strength and, afterward, the vision. The enemy attacks one’s spiritual strength to gain control and, afterward, gouge out the sight and cause other harmful damages. I am not referring to physical sight but that of the heart, called vision. When vision is affected, a sense of mission is impaired, and destiny stays on the verge of destruction. For instance, when a minister’s vision is under attack, such a minister becomes a comedian on the pulpit, the same way Samson was called to entertain the Philistines after his eyes were gouged out. Such a minister might have been wreaking havoc on the kingdom of darkness. Still, the moment the kingdom of darkness overpowers and attacks his vision, a sense of mission to continually destroy the works of darkness becomes a thing of the past, but he will take delight in entertaining his members. His words no longer carry the power to pierce the souls and spirits of men to bring them to repentance.
Furthermore, when vision is under attack, living for the moment becomes a priority, and what matters to the fulfillment of destiny becomes irrelevant. Many whose visions are already impaired delight in taking shortcuts. Such people have no regard for due process, designed by God to build their capacity. They focus more on getting results without knowing that it is better to focus on the process because the results will be great once the process is good.
The question is, “what is vision”? Vision can be defined in many ways, but in this context, vision is the ability to perceive or see God’s plan and purpose and the ability to pursue them. It’s a function of your heart, not of your brain; that is why we call it the vision of the heart.
You cannot have this vision until your heart is given to God. For that reason, the Bible tells us, “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways” (Proverbs 23:26). Until your heart is laid at the altar, that is, given to God completely, the eyes of your understanding which will enable you to prove the will of God will not be opened. This corroborates with what is written in Romans 12:1-2.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
Romans 12:1-2
Your heart is the control room of God’s vision and where life issues flow. Until it is given to God, you cannot conceive God’s inspired visions. That is why the Bible says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
The devil is contending for your heart, so also the Lord. Who you yield to determines who has it. Yielding to the Lord requires absolute submission to His Word and following His path. When you allow His Word to have a free course in your life and live by it, you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Then, your vision will center on God’s will and plan for your life.
On the contrary, yielding to the devil becomes obvious when you set your heart on the things of this world. That is the reason the Bible says, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). As believers, our focus should not be on these things but on God. When we center our hearts on God and begin to do His will, all the things others are running after will begin to run after us. Jesus confirms this by saying, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
The devil is roaming about blindfolding the minds of believers by tempting them with the things of this world. Anyone who falls to this temptation will have his mind blindfolded and his vision impaired. The devil attempted blindfolding the vision of Jesus by taking Him to a high mountain and showing Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor with a promise to hand them over to Jesus if Jesus could only bow down and worship him (Matthew 4:8). If Jesus had fallen to this temptation, His mission on earth would have been aborted.
Many people started well, but once they allowed the love of money and the desire for undue exposure to engulf their hearts, the devil stepped in and changed their focus. Beloved, don’t be deceived; this is one of the strategies the devil has been using to impair the visions of God’s children. You must stand up and say no to the gimmicks of the devil. You must be firm to repudiate the love of this world. I can assure you that if the devil becomes unsuccessful in impairing your vision by corrupting your heart with the love of this world, your future is bright.
In conclusion, the vision of the heart is a powerful force and a threat to the kingdom of darkness. When God’s plan and purpose drive your vision, you will become a candidate of impact and exploits. However, the brightness of your vision hinges on whom you yield your heart to (God or the devil). Yielding one’s heart to God requires submitting to God, living according to His Word, and repudiating the things of this world. Yielding to the devil becomes obvious when the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life engulf one’s heart. You must strive to surrender your heart to God so that your desires will confirm to His and your vision will center on His plan and purpose for your life. This will enable you to live a life of impact.
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