How do we know the direction our churches should go in the future? How do we make sure it aligns with who we are in Christ and doing God’s will? Vision and goals guided by the Holy Spirit will take us where we should go. … “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” (Rom. 8:26-27)
Five Reasons We Need Our Vision and Goals to be Guided by the Holy Spirit
When it comes to life in Christ, who better to guide us in determining our vision and setting goals than the One who points us to Jesus?
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (Jn. 14:26)
When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he will testify about me. (Jn. 15:26)
To help us stay in alignment with God’s will, as recorded in His Word, who better to show us the way than the Spirit of truth?
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (Jn. 14:16-17)
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. (Jn. 16:13-14)
…these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. (1 Cor. 2:10-12)
After we’ve developed a vision grounded in our life in Christ and in alignment with the Truth of God’s Word, who better to help us communicate that vision to others than the Spirit?
This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. (1 Cor. 2:13-14)
When it’s time to move into action to accomplish the goals it will take to reach our vision, who better to rely on than the Spirit who empowers and equips us to serve?
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit … All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Cor. 12:7-11)
If we find ourselves facing obstacles or resistance to our vision, who better to help us rise above doubts, discouragement, bad attitudes, and relational conflict than the Holy Spirit?
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. … But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Gal. 5:16-26)
For More: Resources about the Holy Spirit
All Posts about Vision Casting & Goal-Setting:
- Have a Vision that Expresses Your Purpose?
- Have a Vision That Clarifies Your Purpose?
- Have a Vision Challenging Enough to Reach Your Purpose?
- Who Sets the Vision?
- Behind the Great Commission
- Good Example of Mission & Vision
- No Specific Examples of Goals in the Great Commission?
- Christ-like Intent in Vision & Goal-Setting
- Christ-like Pursuit of Vision & Goals
- Christ as the Focus, Not the Vision & Goals
- Power to Grasp and Implement a New Vision for the Church
- Vision and Goals Born Out of Prayer
- Vision and Goals Grounded in the Gospel
- Vision and Goals Enveloped by Grace
- Vision and Goals Guided by the Holy Spirit
- Vision and Goals Pursued Through Spiritual Gifting
- Where Might God Want to Take Your Church?
- Vision Casting That Engages People
- Goal-Setting to Reach Our Vision
- Vision and Goals Protected by Spiritual Means
- Vision Problems Solved