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Valley of Vision

Aug 3, 2025    Ritchie Johnson

Valley of Vision: The road to accomplishing a vision is filled with peaks and valleys.


Ezra 4:21, 24

"So, now issue a decree to make these men stop [work,] that this city may not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me. ... 24 Then work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.


Valley of Vision: The accomplishing of a God-given vision requires risk, sacrifice, and courage.


Haggai 1:4, 9

"Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house [lies] desolate?" ... 9 "[You] look for much, but behold, [it comes] to little; when you bring [it] home, I blow it [away.] Why?" declares the LORD of hosts, "Because of My house which [lies] desolate, while each of you runs to his own house.


Valley of Vision: Real vision always involves real spiritual warfare.


Nehemiah 4:7-8

Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, [and] that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. 8 All of them conspired together to come [and] fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it.


Zechariah 3:1-2

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?"


Valley of Vision: The manner and completion of a vision won’t always match the expectation.


Ezra 3:10, 12-13

Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD according to the directions of King David of Israel…12 Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' [households,] the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.


Zechariah 4:10

"For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel--[these are] the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth."


Valley of Vision: Even the called don’t always get to see the completion.


Hebrews 11:39-40

And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.


Zechariah 4:6

Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts.