Hebrews 11:1 NKJV (1) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
You cannot live by faith without setting goals and objectives for your life.
Faith must have something to put substance to. These are the goals and objectives of our lives.
Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV (2) Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.
Habakkuk 2:2 GNB The LORD gave me this answer: “Write down clearly on tablets what I reveal to you, so that it can be read at a glance.
Vision – sight or dream (Hebrew) or big picture for your life. It can be something that you imagine based on the Word of God.
Philippians 3:13-14 NIV (13) Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
Paul is talking about expending effort.
Habakkuk called it being able to run but this indicates a consistent expenditure of effort.
Press – pursue with diligence
The high calling of God in our lives is all that represents God’s highest and best for our lives and is defined by the dreams in your heart.
Although His high calling is important, it is not very meaningful for us in setting goals for our lives, because it is not definitive enough for our everyday lives.
The closer that you get to that high calling, you experience the prize of the calling.
He said that he presses towards a goal – a meaningful objective towards that high calling.
We must break down the high calling into segments that makes it easier to establish meaningful goals.
Start with God’s highest and best and then with the Word of God, bring it down to a meaningful mark or goal that you can obtain.
Goal – a mark or objective on the way to God’s big picture for your life.
If you don’t set goals and objectives, you will have no mark to press toward and you will never arrive there.
Most of us don’t take the time to set the goals necessary for our lives.
It isn’t enough to become just goal oriented and not just any goal will do.
Scriptural Priorities in Goal Setting:
- Your personal relationship with God.
There is nothing that is more important than this relationship and the effort to maintain that relationship.
- Your marriage and raising your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord
Your relationship to your husband or wife is second only to your relationship with Him.
- Your Local Church (the supply you make in the Body of Christ)
Ephesians 4:16 TPT For his “body” has been formed in his image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.
- Your job or occupation.
- Your social and recreation life.
These priorities will help you establish the level of relationship with God that will make His ability available to accomplish the goals for your life.
Guidelines for Setting Effective Goals:
- Do not confuse the blessing or reward of obtainment with the goal.
The blessing or reward cannot be the goal.
You must set a mark that is on the way towards the blessing. The blessing or the prize is a reward for walking in the will of God.
Example: Prosperity is a blessing that God has provided for us in Redemption but it is not a goal or objective. The mark or the objective that will take you towards the blessing is tithing and/or giving.
- Be sure that all your goals are ultimately not about you but are to serve others.
Jesus said that to be great of all you must be slave of all.
Mark 10:43-44 NKJV Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. (44) And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
Measure the goal by the standard of service towards others.
- Count the cost of pressing towards your goal.
- You must know that your first investment in that goal is going to be your time towards obtaining the goal.
Example: Getting to know God better. In order for this to be accomplished, you must be willing to spend more time with God in order to get to know Him more.
- You must know that the second investment in the goal is going to be your effort in the time you have allocated towards that goal.
You must DO what you make time for in accomplishing your goal.
- Write down your vision and review it daily.
Writing it down makes it plain for you and helps give you the impetus towards obtaining the goal.