IMAGE-INATION VISUALIZE YOUR IMAGE

VISUALIZATION DEFINITION The formation of mental visual images.

IMAGINATION The act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality.

Genesis 1:26 26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” ESV

Abraham counted the things that are not as though they were Abraham counted the things that are not as though they were. God gave him a picture (image) of the future and his part in it.

Like the prophets…. They saw things before they happened Like the prophets…. They saw things before they happened. They didn’t get words as much as they got pictures.

Like John the Revelator….. He was describing what he saw, not what he thought. Revelation 1:1-2 2 (John) bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to all that he saw. ESV

What did John see? John saw a Lamb, a scroll, a beast, a throne, a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem.

George Frideric Handel His greatest operatic composition was Messiah. He refused to call himself it’s composer. He wrote down what he saw and heard in a vision of Heaven.

Athletes and visualization Visualization is big in sports. Baseball players spend time before the game visualizing themselves getting a hit or a home run. Golfers picture the perfect swing and their ball going in the hole.

What do you visualize about yourself. Accepted. Included. Capable What do you visualize about yourself? Accepted? Included? Capable? Gifted? Anointed? Beautiful? Indispensable? Winning? Predestined? Born again? Recreated?

Bad visuals or images Alienated, separated, alone, forgotten, unqualified, rejected, unacceptable, dumb, lost?

A visualization experiment on Basketball players Group 1: They physically took practice free throw shots during the day. Group 2: They only visualized making shots every day. Group 3: They physically took practice free throw shots during the day and before going to bed they visualized making perfect shots.

How does visualization work It works because of how our brains are wired. The neurons in our brain interpret images as real life. For example, when we envision ourselves running up a flight of stairs, the neurons in our brain receive an impulse that tells them to perform the movement.

Why image-ination is so important This then creates a new neural pathway that tells our bodies to act as we have just imagined. So when you visualize doing things, your body is creating pathways and memories of how to do that action even though you never actually performed the action.

Successful businessmen and women often attribute visualization to their success. It isn’t a substitute for hard work, perseverance, and surrounding themselves with good people. It just keeps the successful image in front of them that pushes them on where they want to go.

Imaginary has come to mean something that isn’t real. “I saw a ghost Imaginary has come to mean something that isn’t real. “I saw a ghost.” Or “Someone’s in my closet.” So we think of imaginary as make believe, pretend, fictional, illusory, dreaming, or made up.

IMAGINATION PRODUCES VISUALIZATION There are good images and bad images. Imagination doesn’t make anything happen, thank God….but it leads to a permanent imprint….something to move toward or move away from.

FANTASY VS. IMAGINATION Fantasizing is wishing….goes way beyond possibility and logic. Don’t expect your fantasies to come true.

Imagination is based on something, negative or positive.

IMAGE-INATION When we base our imagination on God’s word, God’s power is released in our lives. The images in your mind propel you toward your future, or they hold you back from you God- purposed destiny.

What is the image you have of yourself? Where did it come from?

You can change your self image, but it isn’t easy You can change your self image, but it isn’t easy. Image replacement is the key, not wishing things were different.

Think of the word of God as image building, which you must have in order to understand who you are in Christ.

THE ULTIMATE IMAGE The ultimate plan of salvation is that we all be conformed to the image of Christ. Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ESV

What is the image you have of yourself What is the image you have of yourself? Unattractive, inferior, worthless, undeserving, unimportant, useless, over the hill?

You are in touch with your feelings, but you are out of touch with the image God has of you.

Prodigal son had an image of himself…his father had another.

Remember the stars in the night that Abraham saw Remember the stars in the night that Abraham saw? God said, “Those are your descendants.” Now you get an image--You are one of those stars.