Have you ever watched someone passionately pursue a goal with complete confidence, only to realize later they were chasing the wrong thing entirely? They had all the motivation, all the determination, and all the goals in the world, but they were building someone else’s dream while calling it their own destiny.

One of the most popular concepts in planning and goal setting is the vision board—a visual representation of people’s dreams, goals, and aspirations. It’s designed to give a continual mental picture of what they desire for their future and serve as a reminder when motivation wanes.
This concept reveals two important truths: first, people are naturally capable of having personal dreams and visions, and second, having a physical reminder helps us work toward what we want to achieve, even when challenges arise.

But here’s the critical question every believer must answer: are your goals fueled by God’s heart or personal passion? This distinction will determine whether you’re building God’s kingdom or your own empire.

Not every vision or goal that enters your mind is from God. This is one of the most dangerous assumptions believers make today. Your mind is not exclusively God’s territory. While God does speak to us through our minds, He’s not the only one with access to our thoughts. As humans, we naturally develop our own goals, dreams, and ideas. The enemy can also plant thoughts and visions in our minds. Remember, temptation begins in the mind. So yes, it is entirely possible to have a dream or vision that isn’t from God, and it can be spiritually devastating to pursue it under the assumption that it is.

The danger of presumption and pursuing something without confirmation or clarity has destroyed more destinies than we can count. Never be so hasty that you begin chasing something under the premise of “God said” without first waiting for divine confirmation and clear direction. If God has truly spoken, He will confirm His word and provide clearer instructions, just as we see throughout Scripture.

Judges 6:36-37 
New King James Version
36 So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said

37 look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.”

God confirmed His word to Gideon not just once, but twice, so that he was sure and didn’t move on his own accord. God hasn’t changed. He is still able to confirm His word to you, so be patient and wait for that.

Waiting for confirmation and clarity is one way we can guard against being driven by our desires disguised as spiritual visions. Your mind is fully capable of producing its own ambitious goals and compelling dreams. While ambition and drive can be good qualities, you must honestly ask yourself: Are all the things you’re working toward fueled by God’s desires or your own? In the sum total of your dreams and goals, is the end goal to give glory to God? Are there things you’ve labeled “God said” that were actually born from your personal desires? Have you received clear confirmation from Him? And if they are truly from God, are you moving in sync with His perfect timing?

Another dangerous mistake people make is rushing into something because “God said,” while ignoring God’s appointed time. Look at King Saul’s costly error:

1 Samuel 13:11–14 
New King James Version
11 And Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash,

12 then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”

13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart…”

In this passage, Saul went on to act in the place of the priest to offer a sacrifice to God. The offering was a valid instruction, but it was to be carried out by Samuel. Out of impatience, Saul took it upon himself to act, and that decision ended his reign.
God can give you a word, but there is always a set time for its execution. Don’t go ahead of Him or His specific instructions.

Also, God speaks to you through your mind, but it doesn’t have to only stay there.

Habakkuk 2:2–3 
New King James Version
2 Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

A wise man once said, “The faintest ink is better than the sharpest memory.”
Write down the visions, goals, and instructions God has given you. Paste them on your wall. Make them into a vision board. Have a physical reminder so that every time you look upon it, you’re reminded of what God has said, and you’re able to run with it.

So, today, as we fast and pray, take time to prayerfully evaluate the decisions you’ve made. Have they truly been from God, or have you been following your own desires while claiming His endorsement? Take time to examine everything you plan to do in/with your life and ask Him for clear confirmation and clarity before moving forward.

Prayer Point
Lord, as I pray now, there is a course correction in my life. I am aligned with Your visions and goals for my life, and I run with Your timing. I do not act on what You haven’t instructed me to do. Amen.