Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Thursday, June 4, 2020

"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."¹

Faith is seeing what God wants us to do. Visualizing this adds wings to our faith. It is picturing in our mind's eye what we believe God wants us to do. Besides helping us to achieve what seems an impossible thing for us to do, and to help in the healing process, it can also help in the following ways:

Imaging can help achieve goals.

When I first went to the city where I started the work of ACTS International, I was with another organization and was told by a key church leader (who happened to be a member of our board of directors and who had considerable control) that I'd better realize right from the start that I wouldn't be able to do anything in this city because there wasn't enough money here.

Amazing! This was the exact image this leader had in his mind—and undoubtedly that influenced other board members, and was why that organization had very little income even though they had been in operation for twenty years. I ended up moving out of this organization to commence the work of ACTS.

I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I never believed God called anyone to do anything that couldn't be done! At the time, I'd never heard of the term "imaging," but I began to formulate and write down specific goals, then see them as achieved. And then, with God's help and guidance, I went to work to make it happen.

From a standpoint where there was an image or vision of not being able to do anything, a new image not only reached out across South Australia (where we began), but to all Australia, then to New Zealand, and then to North America. And now, via e-mail and the Internet, it is reaching out around the world.

The way we see and image what we want to see achieved makes all the difference in the world. In many ways what we see is what we get.

Imaging can change your life. And, as already noted, it adds wings to your faith!

Regardless of your present circumstances, feelings or background, you, too, can change your life. You can do this by changing your self-image and by imaging what you want to become and do with your life.

That is the way most people achieve their goals. It's the way we've built ACTS International. It was how I built my own home. It's how I improved my education and do the work I do. I'm sure this is the way President John Kennedy achieved the goal of putting man on the moon in the 1960s. You can just imagine him looking up at the moon hundreds of times and "seeing" an American there long before it happened. Had he not visualized it in his mind, I doubt that it ever would have happened.

Don't misunderstand me, there's no magic in imaging, but it helps keep you working towards and focused on your goals. In reality, achieving worthwhile goals never comes easy. Besides, it's one thing to dream dreams, but quite another to fulfill them. To do so, it takes God's help plus, on our part, relentless effort, persistence, dedication, training, discipline, determination, patience, endurance, stick-to-itiveness, time, hard work, and faith.

The most important thing of all is to be certain that our goals are not only worthwhile, but also in harmony with God's will. And then, with the added dimension of imaging, the dynamic of faith, and the power of prayer, we can be assured of achieving them. Remember, too, that another definition of faith is visualizing what God wants you to do. Among other things, God wants all of us to be made whole, to find fulfillment, to reach our potential, and to achieve something worthwhile with our lives.

So ask God today to give you an image of what He wants you to become and do. Begin to create that image in your mind right now. See it clearly. Write it down, and formulate a plan to fulfill it. Bring it to God every day, asking for His help to fulfill that which He wants you to become and do. As long as you are committed to God's goal and purpose for your life, you can be assured that He will help you to fulfill it.

Remember: "Faith is visualizing what God wants you to do!"

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You that You have a plan and purpose for my life. Help me to know what that is, to hold it as a picture in my mind, and bring it to You every day for Your help, direction, guidance, and provision. Show me how to fulfill this plan, and give me the courage and determination to never give up until Your goal and purpose for my life is fulfilled. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV).

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