Dream Thieves: Delay and Disappointment (6)

7 August 2011

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.