This digest is based on the ninth message given by Brother Titus Chu in this series. We hope that it can help bring you into the riches that we and others have enjoyed.
If you have not yet watched it, we recommend that you do so before getting into the digest. This will help you better appreciate each section. You can also follow along with the outline and read the associated verses.
Visions & The Will of God
Visions are not necessarily miraculous, but must be related to the will of God. The center of any vision is the revealing of Christ, the unveiling of the truth, and the bringing forth an existence of a living in oneness with the Lord. All of these become realities in revelation after revelation. No vision is of itself, and both visions and revelations are for bringing us to Christ.
Every Christian’s Revelation
When you got saved, wasn’t Christ the first revelation that you received? Isn’t this the same with all Christians? You had a revelation, you saw that you were a sinner and eventually you received Christ – you took in Christ, you received Christ as your Savior, you began to be a person of Christ, and even a person with Christ as the life abiding in you. You were no longer just a man anymore. You became a God-man, a Christian.
If you have this clear view, you’ll be saved from many unnecessary things. People easily get caught with miracles and marvelous things that happen. Brothers, no. The Lord will only ask one question: will this bring you to Christ?
Four Ways to Respond to Visions
Every Christian has a vision and revelation from God, and should even have many visions and revelations. Yet how we respond to these visions fully directs our walk with the Lord. To illustrate these responses, brother Titus shared several hypothetical scenarios which describe four ways we may respond to a vision and revelation from the Lord.
Response 1: I See, But I Don’t Do
When I was young, I saw a picture of Europe. I was very attracted by the culture of Athens, by the military and the bureaucracy built up by the Romans. Eventually, I became very attracted by the wise operation of the British and the romantic life of Paris. These are all parts of the rich human culture there. I see it, so I can say, I know Europe, I understand Europe. Have I ever been there? No, I have never been to Europe, but I understand it.
This is like most Christians. They can say, “I see Christ. I see the marvelousness of Christ. I see how Christ is everything,” but they never pay a price to have the reality… After the meeting I go home and sleep. The vision never affects my life.
Response 2: I Am In It, But I Don’t See
I live in Paris – but I live in the Chinatown in Paris. I have lived in France for many years now but I don’t speak French because the post office and the grocery store speak Chinese or English. I’m in the riches of Europe, but I’m never able to obtain the fullness of all the riches. I eat French bread, and famous French food but I don’t understand the culture or what makes them marvelous. That means, I have something of Christ, I make the meetings, I read the Bible, I sing hymns, I enjoy the Lord, but I’m never able to come out of what I’m in and come into what God desires me to be in. I’m limited, I’m confined. I’m content and happy with the little I already have.
Response 3: I See the Vision and I Pay a Price for It
I see a vision of Europe and I pay a price to go to Europe. Because I have a vision, I know to go to London first, then to Paris, then to Rome, and then to Athens…I have a picture, so when I go it’s very easy. Oh, this is London. Oh, this is Paris. Because I see the picture, I pay a price for what I see.
What does this look like for Christians? I see Christ with His unsearchable riches and then I jump into them, I pursue these riches. You want to talk about redemption? Oh, marvelous, I’m in that. Salvation? Oh marvelous, my whole life is in that. The bountiful rich supply of the Spirit? I’m in that daily! The Word of God which makes you wise and which gives you life? Oh I’m in that…Brothers, you see, not only do I have a vision, but I’m really in this vision. The vision has become my reality and my substance, and therefore I can grow and develop well.
Example: The Apostle Paul
The Lord just appeared to Paul and spoke to him, “Why do you persecute Me?” And he asked, “Who are You Lord and what do You want me to do?” This is one kind of vision. After seeing this vision, Paul was very zealous for the Lord in preaching the gospel, in studying the truth, and in pursuing the Lord. At the end of his life, despite a life of hardships and even near-death events, he was able to testify to King Agrippa, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” He saw a clear vision from the Lord, and spent His whole life to be in it.
Response 4: I Never Saw the Vision, But I Live in the Reality of It and Eventually I Put It Together
I never saw a vision, but I have been in London for many years. I was in Paris for some time. I was in Rome, I was in Athens. I have traveled to these cities and I understand their culture. Eventually, although I never saw the vision, the vision becomes a part of me. I didn’t see a picture, but the picture becomes my being. If you talk about Europe, I know it so well because I invested myself there; I lived in those places.
As a Christian, the fourth kind is, “I’m not really that excited, but I love the Lord. I want to love the Lord. I want to love the riches of the Lord. I want to enjoy the riches of the Lord. I want to abide in the riches of the Lord. I want the riches of Christ, the sweetness of Christ, the omnipresence of Christ, and the odor of Christ. Christ Himself has become my everything. I tell the Lord, ‘Lord without You, I cannot even live! I cannot live properly, healthily. I must have You, Your presence, Your word, Your leading, Your operation, and even have You with me all the time.’” Eventually, I have a very clear vision. Because I abide in the riches, eventually the riches, like puzzle pieces coming together, produce a beautiful picture.
Example: The Apostle John
For John, it’s not a matter of how much I see. It’s a matter of how much I love Him. I love Jesus. I will not depart from Jesus. I will be with Jesus. I will care for Jesus’ well being. I will care for Jesus’ needs. I’ll care for whatever Jesus has. I am with Jesus. I’m a lover of Jesus. I can be used as the apostle, but I love Jesus. I can be put aside just to care for the mother of Jesus, but I’m of Jesus.
You know, loving Jesus became everything to John. “I love Jesus. I give myself to Jesus. I’m for Jesus. I’m following Jesus…I don’t know that much, but I just know: I love Jesus! I love, give my life, and give my person to Jesus!”
Isn’t John a person of revelation? But revelation didn’t come from a vision. Revelation came from loving Christ. I just love the Lord. Because of this, I become a person of visions. I do have something. I do see something, but for some reason, I don’t stress on that. I stress that I must have Jesus every day.
At the end of it all, do you know who got the highest vision? Do you know who was the biggest prophet? John. John saw the vision of seven local churches. John saw the vision of Jesus walk among the seven local churches. Then John saw, and testified about, the ages: “I saw these four horses.” He testified about the ages. He spoke about the overcomers. He spoke about the wedding feast. Eventually, he said, “I saw the New Jerusalem!” What a man of vision!
Simply Loving
We may not have a clear vision like Paul, or hazy visions that eventually led to something clear like Peter, but can we be like John and just tell the Lord, “I love You”? Like the chorus of this hymn says, “loving as the moments fly, loving as the days go by, loving Him whate’er befall, loving Jesus, that is all.” As you sing this song, come to the Lord with a pure and simple heart, and tell Him, “No matter what happens, Lord I just want to love You.”
- Simply loving everyday;
Loving through a stormy way,
Even when my faith is small,
Loving Jesus, that is all.
Loving as the moments fly,
Loving as the days go by,
Loving Him whate’er befall,
Loving Jesus, that is all. - Brightly doth His Spirit shine
Into this poor heart of mine;
While He leads I cannot fall,
Loving Jesus, that is all. - Singing if my way be clear,
Praying if the path be drear;
If in danger, for Him call,
Loving Jesus, that is all. - Loving Him while life shall last,
Loving Him till earth is past,
Till His gracious advent call,
Loving Jesus, that is all.
Parting Words
No matter where we are in our Christian walk, may these words be our prayer:
