On the day of Pentecost Peter stepped forward to address the crowd and said "In the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike—and they will prophesy."
Let me ask you something. Are you seeing visions? Are you dreaming dreams? Let me ask this a little bit less forceful. Do you have a vision for your life? Is the vision you have for your life God given? Do you ever dream of doing something special, something that the Lord would have you do?
Let's take this a step further. Have in the past you had a vision for your life, a dream to do something special with or in your life? Has that vision, that dream been displaced by something else? Is there a hurdle standing in your way that is blocking you from fulfilling your dream or vision? If there is, congratulations, you're normal.
If I had to count all of the people that I've spoke with in my short 44 years here on this Earth that have told me they've had the vision to do this or that or that they dream of being able to do something but they know in their hearts that they never will the numbers would be to high for me to count. Christians are no exception, in fact I would have to say that I've heard this more from Christians than any other group of people that I've talked with. The truly said part is that a great number of these dreams and visions that people have shared with me were no doubt in some way brought forth via the Holy Spirit.
Why do so many people have these visions and dreams but yet fail to act on them or if they do they fail miserably at trying to achieve these visions and dreams? There are three main reasons. First is lack of planning and council. People try to do things on their own and don't seek wise council and plan far enough in advance to succeed.
Secondly people try to follow their own dream, their own vision, rather then the vision, the path that God has laid out for them. I can testify to this one. More then once I've received a vision from God for me to do something and I got a big head and I tried to do it in my own way, not God's way, and because I was doing it my way I failed miserably!
Finally, there is one underlying thing, or should I say being that works against all of us doing everything possible to make sure we fail. Satan. Jesus said in John
Simply put, the reason visions and dreams fail is that first we fail to plan, pray, and seek council. Add to that our selfish self fulfilling desires and the door is left wide open for the enemy to come in and steal, kill, and destroy our visions and dreams. Dare I ask that you've had visions and dreams that have been destroyed or put aside? If you're truthful the answer will be a resounding "Yes!"
Do your visions have to be gone? Do your dreams have to be dead? If you know Jesus the answer is a resounding "No!" God did not give you dreams and visions and not give you a way to achieve what He has shown you. If you're like me you've got something down inside you somewhere gnawing at you and you know in your heart that what is down there was placed there by God. For some of you it may be something small that you visit once in a while. For others, and this would include me, that gnawing is eating you up knowing that your not where God wants you and your not doing what wants you to do.
So where are you? Something little, something big, or are you somewhere in the middle? I know where I'm at. I know that God has called me to finish college with a degree in
Are you where God wants you to be? If your like me the answer is no. But how do we get back to where God wants us to be so we can once again pursue the visions and the dreams that God has given us? First, and most importantly, you need to do just what I did and acknowledge that you've failed God and seek God's forgiveness.
The next step is to seek God and ask him for new visions, new dreams. Ask God what it is He would have you to do. I'm not saying that you need to quit your job, pick up, and go straight to work for God. God very seldom calls anyone to do that. If you're the norm, which believe it or not would include me, you've got a family, or at least you've got some responsibilities. Remember God will never call you to abandon the responsibilities that you have taken upon yourself such as family or financial such as money you would owe on a car or your home. You've made a solemn commitment to people and God expects you to fulfill those commitments.
In 1 Chronicles 22 King David was building the
And finally, seek to work your way to your vision and your dream. Build slowly, seek wise council, and keep seeking God so that you will not be swayed one way or the other but rather you can you set your pace, run your race like Paul spoke of in Hebrews 12:1 & 2 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith."
I could go on and on here. I could even turn this blog into a book if I wanted to and the Lord would have it. But you get the picture. Don't let your visions and dreams be buried forever. Seek God, move forward, and see if God will not give you more joy and fulfillment in your life.
I'd love to hear from you about your visions and dreams. Drop me a line and let me hear what's on your heart.
Be Blessed!
