The Difference Between Vision and Faith
If you ask anyone, 'what are the qualities of a great leader?' On the list of responses, you almost certainly will get VISION as an essential to effectiveness. Certainly, this is true. Leaders help to define the future for us. They see the possibilities of what can be. Then they paint the picture of this preferred future to us.
When we see the vision - we are compelled to act differently, to get involved, and or to sacrifice to see the realization of whatever was portrayed to us by this visionary leader.
Spiritual leadership offers an additional component to this process of seeing the future. It involves the quality of FAITH. So what's the difference between VISION and FAITH?
Vision is based on what we can see or imagine the future to be.
Faith is based, not on sight, nor on imagination. Faith is based on hearing. It starts with an ability to discern the 'word' of the Lord.
A visionary leader is powerful. But a visionary leader acting in FAITH is even more unstoppable. Why?
Vision is based on what we can imagine possible based on our own thoughts and capacities. Faith is based on what God has promised to do. It is based on what God has imagined is possible and what his power alone can accomplish.
Leading out of faith requires a few things:
DISCERNMENT - I have to get alone and tune in to the voice of God to hear what he has to say about that which he has given me charge to lead. This is why we fast and pray, during certain seasons of the year, because we want to clear out the clutter and the noise so that we can hear better.
AGREEMENT - When we hear from God, we have to say YES. Our will aligns with his will as we say YES to what he has promised.
VISION - This is where the visionary process begins for a spiritual leader. Now we begin to imagine how the world will be different when God uses us to do what he promised to do.
DECLARATION - Once we hear it and see it, we need to speak it in faith.
ACTION - As we speak it, we lead the way in helping others to step out and act in persistent faith until the word God has give us has now become a fully expressed reality.
Faith is so much more powerful than vision, because faith taps into what God can do. It inspires vision, but it is not based on my ideas or my inspiration. Faith is based on a specific word from a personal and powerful God.