I will climb up into my watchtower now and wait to see what the LORD will say to me and how he will answer my complaint. Then the LORD said to me, “Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. (Habakkuk 2:1-3)

 

How does one go about receiving a vision from God? For some people, vision comes in the form of a dream while sleeping. For some, it comes while praying in the Spirit. For others, vision arrives while reading a book or watching a movie. God can send a vision to a person pretty much anywhere, anytime. And while we may be under the impression that we have to approach the Lord in a particular way in order to be “eligible” for a vision, he can even send a vision to a person who’s gone to him complaining and protesting. That’s what happened to the prophet Habakkuk.

Habakkuk lived during a time when the nation of Israel was living in exile in Babylon. The first chapter of the book of Habakkuk records the prophet’s frustration that God didn’t seem to be doing anything to rescue the Jews or to control the Babylonians. And Habakkuk wasn’t timid in his complaint. He passionately engaged God, asking the Lord to tell him why he was seemingly sitting on the sidelines while so much sin and suffering was going on.

When Habakkuk was done questioning the Lord, he said, “I will climb up into my watchtower now and wait to see what the LORD will say to me and how he will answer my complaint” (v. 1). The first key to catching a vision from God is expectation. Habakkuk fully expected to hear from the Lord. The way he saw it, he had asked him for some answers, and he believed God would meet him. Now Habakkuk didn’t climb up into his watchtower for five or ten minutes; the scripture says he had every intention of waiting on the Lord until he got an answer. That’s the second key to catching a vision: Decide you will wait until God speaks. Don’t give up!

After God speaks, what should we do next? God instructed Habakkuk to write the answer he received in large, clear letters on a tablet so that a runner could read it and tell everyone else (v. 2). When we receive a vision from God, it’s important that we write it down clearly and in detail. This is a good idea so we can share the vision with others who are affected by it, but it is also necessary simply because we’re human and we forget things. One of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal in moments of doubt, despair or forgetfulness is a clear and detailed description of where you are going. A vision from God is a roadmap to your future and a strategy for your prosperity. When you find yourself in a valley or feeling as though you’re not getting anywhere, you need a vision from the Lord written in large, clear letters on a tablet so you can remind yourself of where you are going. So make sure to write the vision and make it plain!

Activity:

Casting a vision for your financial future can spring forth out of a number of different places. Sometimes God sends us a vision – unsolicited – through a dream, a great idea or through conversation with a friend. Sometimes we go after God for it, much like in the Bible when sick or oppressed people when after Jesus for healing. Whenever someone approached him in this manner, Jesus would ask the question, “What Do You Want?” Jesus understood the power of “buy in” – the power in our ability to fix our faith and our will on the promises of God. God also seeks to fulfill the desires of our heart when we follow after him. He is interested in what we want to see in our future. With this in mind, let’s go after God for a vision today! Spend 15 minutes in a quiet place of prayer creating a wish list to answer the question “What Do You Want?” Here is a template you can use. While creating your list, be creative, detailed and bold. What would you want if there were no limits on your world or your resources? We’re answering this question primarily around what you want to see in your finances, but invariably this question will take you outside the bounds of your financial zone and into areas of purpose, passion and calling. That’s okay! Remember, the key to prosperity in all areas of life is to connect with our purpose and to walk out the vision God gives us. So dream big! What do you want?

Discussion:

Spend a few minutes today discussing the What Do You Want (“WDYW”) worksheet you completed earlier today. If you are a part of a couple, discuss how your individual WDYW worksheets line up with one another. How do they complement one another? Does your vision become more detailed and colorful as you discuss?

Prayer Points:

Completing the WDYW worksheet is only a part of receiving a vision for your life. It gets you open and ready to receive! During your prayer time today, ask the Lord to give you a vision for your financial world. If there were parts of your WDYW worksheet that jumped out at you immediately as truth, pray into those items in faith and ask God to give you clarity and strategy around them. If there were parts that were unclear, seemingly unrelated or contradictory, ask God to resolve those issues for you, bringing clarity, unity and detail. Lastly, dedicate yourself to God and to the purpose and the plan the Lord has for you. Ask him to continue to reveal the path for you so that you may boldly move forward into the calling he has for you!