A. The ways of God - Each of us can expect that God's major dealing with us will be in harmony with His basic ways.  He wants us to know these ways so we can properly respond to the events He brings into our lives.

I. Birth of a vision - Each one of us has special purposes for being here.  God wants to reveal them to us.

              Illustrations
1. Abraham - Had a vision of being the father of a great nation
2. Joseph - had a vision that he would be a great leader and that many would bow down to him.
3. Moses - had a vision of leading his people out of the bondage of Egypt.
4. The Disciples - of Jesus Christ had a vision of establishing and being an important part of the Kingdom of God.
5. A Grain of Wheat - has a vision of reproducing itself and many more grains of wheat.

II. Death of the Vision - The expectations God gives are powerful motivations to continue during discouragement.
             
1. Sarah - was barren and became too old to have children
2. Joseph's Brothers - sold him to some merchants and he became a slave.  Later he was falsely accused and condemned to spend his years in prison.
3. Pharaoh - as well as his own people drove Moses out of Egypt after him first attempt to relieve their bondage.
4. Jesus was killed by the very ones He came to save, and the disciples saw Him buried in a tomb.
5. The Grain

III. Supernatural Fulfillment of the original Vision
1. God - gave Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age who became the father of a great nation.
2. God - allowed Joseph to interpret the dreams of the butler and the baker and later the king, whereupon, he was made a ruler in the land.
3. God - gave Moses signs and wonders to convince Pharaoh and his people that God was speaking through him to lead the nation to Canaan.
4. God raised Jesus from the dead, and great miracles were performed by the disciples until the Gospel had spread through all the world.
5. A Harvest - springs up out of the very process of "death" in the ground.

B. The need for the Death of a Vision - God said of His own people, "Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, it is a people that do err in their heart, and have not know my ways."  Psalm 95:10

When we begin to understand His ways, we see the great value in going through the Death of a vision.

I. Faith - Birth of a Vision - "Visualizing what God intends to do in my life."

II. Hope - Death of a Vision - "Anticipating and expecting God to work out His revealed will in my life even when it doesn't seem possible."
1. God's "Building Program" during the death of a vision:
· Since God is far more concern with our becoming like Jesus Christ in character than He is with our doing good works to further His kingdom, He needs this time of "waiting" to accomplish character building.
· The "vision" provides the motivation not to become discouraged.  This time of "death" and character building prepares us for a greater ministry when He does fulfill the vision.
· Notice the qualities that are sure to be developed during this time: Patience, in waiting God's time; Faith, in knowing what He will do; Meekness, in yielding personal right; Self-control, in not running ahead of God, and many others.

2. Satan's "Building program" during the Death of a vision:
· Satan's purpose is to destroy God's work in our lives and also as much of the potential for achieving God's work as he can.  To do this during this time he comes as an "angel of light" to deceive as many as possible.  II Corinthians 11:14
· He prompts us to try in our own energy and wisdom to fulfill the original vision.   
· He doesn't want us to learn God's qualities, and whenever we follow his leading, conflict results.
· A classic example is Abraham trying to fulfill God's promise of a great nation by having a son by Hagar.  Conflict has resulted ever since between their descendants