1. Introduction
Your dream is your future – it is what your life moves towards.
Personal Dreams: Cruise, new home, new job – these are about personal fulfilment.
God given Dream: This always about Kingdom of God advancing – destiny fulfilment.
Dreams can be lost, stolen and opportunities lost – life drifts.
2. Dream Killer #2 Delays
Delay = What you expected does not happen when you expect.
Prov.13:12 - Hope deferred makes the heart sick – but when desire comes it is tree of life.
When time passes and dream does not eventuate – feel life is ‘on hold’, ‘just a dreamer’.
May begin to think about life could have had if hadn’t listened to God – discouraged.
“Sick” = OT2470 = weak, grieved, in pain.
Delay can cause people to become:
(a) discouraged – lose the courage to stay the course (Num. 21:4).
(b) Impatient – irritated by delay, restless, resistant to delay.
e.g. Gen.16:1-12 “You shall call his name Ishmael … He shall be a wild man”
- Abraham became impatient – listened to poor counsel – produced Ishmael.
- His impatience hurt his marriage and produced two nations at war.
e.g. 1 Sam.13:5-8 “Then he waited 7 days according to the time set by Samuel but Samuel did not come”
- Saul became impatient, under pressure of conflict, people leaving and God delaying.
- His impatience cost him his leadership. Vs14.
Impatience = the inability to wait until God says we are ready.
1 Pet.5:6 “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time.”
· Due Time = NT2540 = Kauros = a set time, a time that God has appointed.
God has exactly the right timing for doors to open, promotion to come.
Keys: Faith and Patience
Heb.6:12 “Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises”.
· “Through” = NT1223 = Dia = whatever follows this is the method through which the promises of God come.
· Patience = NT3115 = constant steady confident endurance.
= ability to remain confident in Christ and continue on course.
· E.g. Pregnancy – period of change, preparation then pressure/pain to birth. We need time to change, grow, develop readiness, stretch.
· Patience = Not passive, waiting for something to happen.
e.g. Mt.1:12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence.
= persevering in believing, changing, doing what is necessary.
e.g. Heb.12:35-38 You have need of patience that after you have done the will of God you may receive promises.
· Exhortation in Heb. 6:12
(a) Don’t be slothful = sluggish, lazy, dull, illegitimate.
(b) Be follower = mimic or imitate men of faith.
· Why Dreams Delay:
(i) Demonic Resistance – easily overcome.
(ii) Divine Delay – must co-operate with process of change.
(iii) Failure to take action – must co-operate in fulfilment of dreams.
· There is no God given dream fulfilled without our participation.
· N.B. Doing nothing guarantees delay.
- Josh.1:3 – Joshua required to physically enter and possess the land.
- Mt.28:19-20 – Great Commission requires our participation.
· Don’t delay the dream by refusing to do your part. (Heb.2:1-3)
3. Dream Killer #3 Disappointment
· Disappointment What we expected does not happen.
Unpleasant or painful things happened that didn’t expect.
· People hold dream in heart for marriage, children, finances, career. When the unexpected happens can have painful setback, trauma e.g. child – drugs, accident, suicide.
What happens is inconsistent with dream – experience grief.
· E.g. Gen.11:27-32 - Terah never resolved disappointment and grief – settled down and did not pursue dream or vision.
· E.g. 1Sam.30:4-6 - David and followers experienced immense disappointment and grief.
Impact on David’s men was to lose dream and vision.
E.g. Luke 24 - Disciples on road to Emmaus – full of disappointment and grief.
· When experience grief/disappointment it is easy to entertain doubts.
(a) about God (b) about self (c) about dream
· Remedy: Resolution and Refocusing
· Heb.11:23-25 - God is faithful who promised.
(a) Acknowledge grief, disappointment – express openly to God.
Take time to resolve this grief.
· Lk.24 Jesus drew out the disciples to express their grief and lost hopes.
(b) Refocus on the faithfulness of God.
- Take time to meditate and remember the dream v32.
- Choose to rejoice in the Lord 1Pet.4:12-13
- Adjust personally
- Adjust your plan
- Adjust your expectations.