Notes from 3/6/09's CrossFire! The Art of Pursuit: Steps to Define Your Vision

Hey Everyone! Here are the notes from this past Friday's CrossFire! We had an awesome session with Pastor Joy and her husband, Cornell Fields, about how to reach our Vision! Read over the notes and leave your comments about the steps to achieve your vision. What are some obstacles you come across when trying to achieve your vision??? And be sure to write out your vision and bring it with you to this weeks session so we can all come in agreement with you in prayer!

The Art of Pursuit
Steps to Define Your Vision

Why do we have goals?
• For Self Discovery
• To reach happiness
• To develop healthy relationships
• To establish careers
• To develop talents


There are three different types of people when it comes to achieving goals
Some people are:
• Pilots-their goals are very clear and they are able to execute them with ease
• Servants of own motivation-sometimes they are pilots but sometimes if they are not clear about their goals, they can get stuck in a rut
• Sheep-they wander aimlessly until someone pulls them in a direction and says “you should do this”

What are some goals that you want to be a reality in your life?

We all pretty much had the same ideas…we are looking for success in our finances, careers, and in relationships

How do you complete your goals now?
• Write them down
• Save and attack
• Network
• Stay focused on the task
• Diligence
• Staying positive
• Saying things out loud to others (I have to follow through)
• Strategize
• Having a Support System/Accountability
• Being around like minded people

Picture a trianlge with four levels
At the top is The Word
The Second level is God's Will and Design for us
Next is God's Plan
And finally is our Purpose

Without each level, our purpose is unable to become fulfilled.
It all starts with The Word-We must always be mindful of God's Word!
Proverbs 29:18- Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
but blessed is he who keeps the law.

Why do people perish where there is no vision?
• Confusion
• Lack of Direction
• Lack of Identity
• Feeling of hopelessness
“When Purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable”-Dr. Myles Monroe

***Vision is prophetic insight into the end of a thing***
• Purpose is what I am here to achieve
• Vision is having an idea of what the end result will look like

10 Steps to Get to Your Vision
1. Develop a desire to connect with emotions: fear and desire motivate us to make choices
2. Develop realistic goals: have a 1, 2, 3 year goal plan that will help you to reach your ultimate goal. Don’t do too much too fast because you will become frustrated and quit.
3. Write it down: begin a plan for yourself. Write the vision, make it plain
4. Make a list of the benefits: Why do you want to achieve your goal??? “A man can endure a “what” if he has a big enough “why”
5. Find out where you are now, and take an assessment. What needs to be done first…
6. Set deadlines that you’ll stick to and have multiple deadlines (in one year I will have this finished. In 5 years I will have this finished….)
7. Make a list of obstacles: if there are no obstacles, then there is no real vision. Is there anything you need to change or develop? What part of the process will determine speed in terms of achieving your goal?
8. Identify additional information you’ll need
9. Make a list of people whose cooperation you will need, or help you’ll require: Tune into station WIIFM (What’s In It For Me- be mindful that sometimes we have to be willing to lend a hand to those who have opened doors for us)
10. Make a plan that includes all the steps above:
• Proverbs 20:18-Make plans by seeking advice;
if you wage war, obtain guidance.
• Proverbs 19:21-Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
• Proverbs 20:5-The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters,
but a man of understanding draws them out.


***Can you hear God telling you to move?? Allow God to speak to you however he wants!***

***Bring your written out vision plans this Friday so we can pray over them!!!!***

Why Stay in the Burning Building?

Imagine that you live on the 6th floor of an apartment building. You are sitting on your couch, feeling very comfortable and relaxed. While watching the television, you become startled by the sound of the fire alarm going off in your building. “Beeeeeep…..beeeeeep….beeeeeep,” you hear continuously. Upon hearing this, what would be your first reaction?
Do you scramble around for your keys, cell phone, wallet, photographs, and other items that seem ‘necessary’ for your survival? Do you wait in your apartment, hoping that someone just pulled the alarm and believe that it is not necessary to depart? Do you immediately run down the fire escape in efforts to flee from the burning building?

The most logical answer would be to immediately run down the fire escape to flee from the burning building. It is obvious that the building constructor designed this fire escape to help those in danger find a way out. After all, we do not want our bodies to become a product of scars, burns, or even death. So, with knowing the corrective action that we should take, why so we still stay in the burning building?

Input anybody?

Because God is such a mighty God and because He created all of us, He knows our every thought. Because He is our Creator and our building constructor, He knows us inside and out. He knows the very thought that you and I are thinking at this moment. Not only is He a creator of all beings but He is also a protector. Meaning, that He designed us to always be kept from harm and protected from the dangers that may come about in life. God designed His children with a fire escape, our love for Him, that would allow us to depart from sin and disobedience. With this is mind, we must listen when God tells us to move or we will let that burning building (sin) consume us. We know from His word that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) so it is crucial to obey His word and to glorify Him at all times.

It is important that we do not become too comfortable in our relationship with God. When you sit on your couch, or your relationship with Christ, you become comfortable and content with being lazy in your walk as a Christian. All of us must keep the fire for Christ burning inside so that our fleshly desires are consumed. When these desires are consumed, we can see the fire escape so much clearer when faced with sin. God will clear the smoke, if we trust Him with our lives. God is the only person who can help us prepare for when the devil attacks. The devil is sneaky and will attack you sometimes when you least expect it so it is always important to stay in your word, keep your prayer closet and continue to develop a relationship with Christ that glorifies our Heavenly Father.

Know that the only necessity that you need to survive is to be saved by God. God provides us with everything that we need to spiritually survive so that we shall not perish but have everlasting life. It is so crucial to refrain from becoming consumed by items and worldly things that we find more pleasurable than our relationship with Christ. John 6:57 says, “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” We do not need other things, the only necessity we need is Jesus.

Listen to what God tells you. It is important that you do not ignore the word of God or mistake it for something that it is not. God speaks to us so that we can do the things that He has called for us to do. By listening to Him, we are able to walk in the pathways that He created just for us to walk in. Just as He led His people out of the bondage of Egypt, He will lead you down the fire escape and out the bondage of sin.
“Every word of God is pure; He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.” (Proverbs 30:5). If you believe that He is a shield, then you can believe He will shield you from sin. He is our fire escape and He will not allow the devil to burn those who believe in Him.

When the enemy tries to attack, flee! You do not need to debate with sin. When you feel that heat by your toe, it means that it is time to run. God will lead you in the right direction and you will not have to deal with eternal scars, wounds, or death.

The bible says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the LORD. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'" (Jeremiah 29:11)

Next time, will you stay in the burning building?

Please pray for...

Hey Saint Fam,

It's Stace including a blog called "Please pray for...."

We all are in different seasons in our walk with God. Currently, my season is researching/clarity, learning to just STAND and BE still as well as the renewal of my spirit.

I keep a daily journal of prayers/thank you letters to God. I look back and become truly amazed at my prayers to God for others as well as for myself. I was led to this scripture from the Book of James, Chapter 5 Verses 13-18, which reads:

Is there any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

This blog can be scriptures, quotes, words of encouragement, or whatever comes into your spirit.

Please just run with it but always run to the Lord!!

Love and Blessings,

Tasha T.S.

The Soapbox Section... Tell em why you happy!!!

What up saints... We're reintroducing 'The SoapBox Section... Tell em why you happy' for 2009.

This section is for people who want to make a joyful noise and give the Lord His due praise... What sparked this blog in 08 was the desire to share our testimonies with one another.

Feel free to add your comments... and check out some of the previous testimonies declaring the goodness of the Lord.

Let the Lord use you and make sure you get on your SOAPBOX and TELL EM WHY YOU HAPPY
SON... TELL EM WHY YOU HAPPY!!!

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! - Psalm 100:1