WATCHING OVER YOUR DREAMS

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

Dreams are formed from promises, prophesies, admiration, or status we envisage to obtain. The dictionary defines a dream or vision as a cherished aspiration, ambition or ideal.
People have dreams which have not yet come to pass, but God promises to grant us our dreams - for he gives us our hearts’ desires. Psalm 37:4 (NKJV) says; "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” 

How to Keep Focus of Your Dreams or Vision

• You have to plainly state your dreams and keep track of them. Habakkuk 2:2-3 (NLT) says; ‘And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.’ People will identify with and support you if they realise you are focused on your vision 
•  You should be specific. Know what you want to become, where you want to be and how to get there, and slowly, the dream will mould into shape. God told Abraham to identify the land he wanted, likewise you will receive what you see and believe is yours. God will do unto you according to your perception and measure of faith. Genesis 13:14-15(NKJV) “And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.” 
• Disconnect yourself from incompatible friends. That's how you will overcome and last. When you come to God, you become a new creature, the old is no more. Get identical friends who think, believe and do alike.
•  Know your weaknesses and work on them. Don’t just talk about them, be about them until you have eradicated them from your life
• Accept help from those who have achieved, overcome and experienced what you are going through 
• Be yourself everyone else is taken. Don’t compromise, don’t live under false pretense.
• Live within your means lest you eat up your future. Don't give in to pride 
• Learn from yours and other people’s mistakes and faults

Reasons Why Dreams Don't Come To Pass

• Not being consistent in prayer. Changing goal posts or prayer lines and never being sure or doubting what you envision. Many times situations bombard and you drift from your dreams. Don’t drift compromise or contradict. Be specific and above all, have faith. Matthew 9:29 (NIV) "According to your faith, will it be done to you."
• Refusing to obey the conviction of the Holy Spirit in his instructions to; give or pray. 1 Samuel 18:26(NLT) “…………Since you have rejected the Lord’s command, he has rejected you as king of Israel.”
• Prayerlessness. We have to keep mentioning your dreams to God. Pray your dream! Persistence and repetition will get you there. Isaiah 62:6-7(NLT) “O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. 7 Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work.”
• Backsliding & forsaking God. When you turn away from God, you lose everything including the progress made towards your dreams and prophesies, and when you turn back to Christ again, you go back to square one. When you became born again, God started afresh on you and made all things new. When you have a dream, don't dare backslide.
• Quarrelsomeness and Anger. Ask God to create in you a clean heart (Psalms 51:10). Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV) says; “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
• The motive behind your dreams. People are so intrigant; they do things with wrong motives specifically to trap others. James 4:3 (NIV) says; “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives….….”
• Deceitfulness. Many people operate in lies
• Pride. Proud people never speak the truth. Pride puffs up people. They brag and become boastful. Proverbs 16:5 (NIV) says; “The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.”
• Not having a spiritual home or local church. Having a spiritual home and father who speaks in your life is crucial to seeing your dream come to reality. Being a spiritual vagabond will not lead you anywhere.

Three Major Dream Destroyers You Must Guard Against

             i.        Desire for honour

            ii.        Adultery and fornication 

           iii.        Avarice