The Work of God At The End-Time # 11

[sorry for the shortness of this this morning. I'm way behind schedule!]

The Importance of Vision (continued)

4. A Strong Prayer Life

Again, vision made Simeon a man of prayer. It made Anna a woman of prayer, one who continued in fastings and supplications day and night. It was vision that did it. We must have a motive to maintain our prayer life, otherwise it becomes mechanical, something done, something that is an obligation, something that we are afraid not to do. Prayer is maintained in strength by vision.

5. Accountability

And altogether Simeon was an accountable factor because of vision. How needed it is for everyone of the Lord's people to be an accountable factor. We speak of "live wires," really life points that count in the midst of all that is dark and drab and heavy and murky, or all that could turn us in on ourselves and keep us circling around with questions. We need to be factors that count in the things of God, and that is only produced by vision. Well, what will make us positive in function and influence? for that is what we need to be. What will save us from drift and diversion and from snares? What will take mere nominalism and ordinariness and tentativeness and contentedness our of us? What will make us choose the best and not be satisfied with the good and argue that there is no harm it it? What will deliver us from all that sort of thing? Nothing but vision. The possession of true vision will save us. You will never be merely nominal if you have Divinely-given vision, you will be vital.

It is that which explains Paul, for if ever there was a vital man, an accountable man, a man of destiny, it was Paul; and do you remember that Paul always places himself alongside of all saints and never for a moment regards himself as above them in any way. He is always speaking about "we, we, we," meaning himself and the other believers. What made him the vital, accountable man he was, able to say, " I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19)? He had vision!

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 12)