Welcome to another week of Transformation Leadership Series (TLS). In today’s business environment, it is not surprising to hear that companies have spiritual guides, gurus, yoga masters (yogis) on payroll. Some even get staff to engage in transcendental meditation and other such techniques to improve productivity. This is what has accounted for the proliferation of spiritual centers within innovation centers like Silicon Valley. This phenomenon is not only limited to the business community.
The July 26, 2018 edition of the New York Times has an article titled, “The Billionaire Yogi Behind Modi’s Rise”. It shows the considerable influence a yogi has in the government and governance of India.
Why the interest in the supernatural by segments of the business and government sectors? My answer is quite simple really. It has to do with what we have been discussing these last two weeks on the TLS, namely “vision”.
Supernatural Sight
As per the etymology of the word vision, vision has to do with dreaming BIG, something seen in the imagination or in the supernatural. It also has to do with "presence, sight; view, look, appearance; dream, supernatural sight."
In discussing vision, no academic book I have come across looks at the fact that as per the etymology of the word, vision is supernatural sight—seeing the naturally un-seeable. Most books only consider the fact that vision has to do with “the big dream, the visionary concept, the ultimate consummation which one approaches but never really achieves. It is something presently out of reach; it is something to strive for, to move toward, or become”. Dreams are not of physical/natural origin—but rather super-natural origin.
Job 33:15 (AMPC) [One may hear God's voice] in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men while slumbering upon the bed,
Why is it important to note that vision is of supernatural origin?
In today’s world, many CEOs in the corporate world engage in yoga and other such arts. Is this just a fad? Absolutely not! These persons recognize the importance of the supernatural in leadership. For instance, when we consider the etymology of the word supernatural, we will understand better why the etymology of vision is supernatural sight.
Etymology Of “Supernatural”
supernatural (adj.)
early 15c. “of or given by God," from Medieval Latin supernaturalis "above or beyond nature, divine," from Latin super "above" (see super-) + natura "nature" (see nature (n.)). Originally with more of a religious sense, "of or given by God, divine; heavenly;”
The etymology of vision circa c1300, is “something seen in the imagination or in the supernatural,…dream, supernatural sight.” If vision is supernatural sight and supernatural means something “of or given by God i.e. the divine”, then true vision is a dream or sight which is of God and/or given by God. Thus, its ultimate aim is to fulfill a purpose of God on earth in transforming society positively, i.e. to improve society. Any vision which aims to steal, kill, destroy or under-develop society is also from a supernatural being but not from God.
Vision emanates from the supernatural. It therefore makes sense that it can only be sustained by the supernatural—hence all the yoga, transcendental meditation and spirit guides employed in the corporate and government world of today.
Sustenance Rooted in Source
The source material of a goat or terrestrial animal is the earth or soil and thus a goat can only be sustained from the soil. It cannot live in the ocean. In like manner, the fish has its foundation in the water bodies.
Genesis 1:20 (AMPC) And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly and swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly over the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.
Because it was the waters that brought forth the creatures that live in it, the fish cannot live on the earth. It survives and flourishes in its source material—the waters.
In like manner, because it’s the supernatural that brings forth vision, vision can only be sustained, flourish and be fulfilled in/by the supernatural. It is therefore not surprising that many CEOs and business executives turn to and rely on the supernatural to carry out their visions.
The challenge is that the supernatural has both the original God and counterfeit spirits. Without proper training, many lose their way in the supernatural realm. This might be an area where the body of Christ might not have fully succeeded in effectively equipping marketplace and government leaders to excel.
Many have a poor conceptualization of the call of God. Many feel such a call has to do with working within the religious sphere of influence alone. But scripture shows that believers are called to others spheres of influence too, not only to religion. Believers can be called to government, economy, media or communication, education etc. Examples in scripture include Joseph in Egypt, King David, Nehemiah, Esther etc.
We must equip believing leaders to excel in all spheres of society, tapping into the supernatural—understanding their spheres from a supernatural standpoint
