L. Dwight Turner
I think it is imperative that all Christians realize that fear is one of the tools Satan uses most often to keep dreams bottled up inside of us. How many times have you felt that God wanted you to take a certain action on his behalf but you failed to follow through because of fear? I know that in my own life, this sort of thing has happened more than I would like to admit. And if you get right down to the brass tacks of the matter, even if it happens one time – that is one time too often.
After much trial and error and fits of starting and stopping due to fear, I finally came to realize several things that were of immense help in overcoming these purpose-aborting fears. First, I came to understand and accept that having such fears is a fairly normal process. The problem comes in when the enemy takes these fears and magnifies them in the mind. The problems associated with following your God-given dream seem larger than they actually are. Once I realized this, just having the awareness that Satan was most likely magnifying the fear broke the spell. I came to understand that what I often thought was a mountain was in reality a mole hill.
Second, I came to the understanding that God would never plant a dream in my heart that he would not equip me to realize. You can trust this fact above all others: God wants you to succeed and will provide you with everything you need to realize your dream, if indeed it is a dream he planted within you. Just as the Lord built his church upon Peter, the Rock, and the gates of Hell itself could not prevail against it, so too will those dark forces be unable to prevail against your God-given dream.
One of the basic principles built into creation is that of “harmony.” All things, when they are in alignment with God’s will, work together in perfect harmonic rhythm. We can see this on a macrocosmic level when we look at galaxies, the solar system, and the natural world around us. The same principle operates on a microcosmic level as well. We see this aspect of God’s harmonics when we see how efficient our bodies work and on an even smaller level, how perfectly composed a single cell is. God is an amazing craftsman, creating all things in perfect balance. This is not some New Age airy-fairy principle, but instead, is a fundamental law with universal application.
How does this apply to our dreams? The answer is simple. When our dreams are in what I like to call “harmonic consonance” with God’s purpose and plan, we can trust that God will assist us in the process of bringing those dreams to fruition. Our “kingdom dreams” have their origins in God and he wants us to be successful in manifesting those kingdom dreams right here on the physical realm. God will not do the work for us. That is our part of the equation. But don’t be surprised if God arranges things in ways that you could have never expected. In fact, I have found that more often than not, God will arrange things in was better than I could have ever expected.
This doesn’t mean we won’t encounter resistance. We will. Chances are if your dreams are from God and are in harmonic consonance with his plans and purpose, you can count on trouble from the enemy camp. This, too, can be expected because Satan’s goals are the opposite of God’s plan and purpose. Still, we can take heart because the Master has achieved victory over the enemy and has placed within you the same power that raised Christ from the dead. With the Holy Spirit as your ally, you are on solid footing, indeed.
So step out in faith, my friend. Like Peter, step out of the boat and start walking. Just keep in mind to keep your eye on the Master and not on the waves. When you move forward in vibrant faith to pursue your dream, keep your focus on God and not on any problems that may arise. If you stay focused on God, you will find that solutions will manifest in unexpected ways. Keep your eyes of discernment open and be ready to act at the right time. Maybe in the past you hesitated and even halted because of your fears, both real and imagined. Those days are over. Jesus demonstrated through his life and his miracles that the rules of the game have changed. Trust that the Master means exactly what he says when he promises that you can and will do even greater things.
(c) L.D. Turner
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