What are you fighting for?

"I have a dream..."

Those are all too famous words that we've heard played over and over. Martin Luther had a BIG dream. One He intended to fulfill. 

Was He born with that dream? 

Yes, indeed. 

Were you born with a dream? 

All of us were given A dream, a perfect plan, that only we can bring to pass. 

And all of our dreams were meant to impact the world around us, in the smallest and largest way. 

We are all unique in our passions, desires and talents. 

We were all meant to fill a niche, one that would bring unity, oneness, and strength to our family. 

That's how God sees it. 

But how do we see it? 

We see IT when we're children. 

We were born to dream BIG! 

But then life happens and our imagination goes right out the window. We forget the ideas that kept us up at night, huge ideas on how we might change the world. 

Then with the arrival of the weekend we might decide to hold some sort of fund-raiser, be it a lemonade stand or a small yard sale or even an attempt to sell some toys to our friends. We just knew we needed to begin funding our dreams right then!!

It just couldn't wait. 

Wait?

What happened?

I had BIG dreams, a BIG vision. 

But in my adult life, instead of going after it, I've been hiding from it. 

Why? 

Because it has brought me nothing more than opposition and discourse. It seems the second I feel I'm getting some where, there's a setback. 

My dream has turned into a nightmare. 

Sound familiar?

This dream must not be for me, right? 

WRONG!! 

It is very much for me. In fact, I am the only one who can carry out THiS particular vision. I am an original being with an original plan. It's not MY plan, it's God's plan. 

I always thought walking out God's divine plan for my life would be easy. At least easier than when I was living for myself. 

But what I have learned is quite the opposite. 

When you are living to carry out God's will, the divine plan is beyond human comprehension, it's reach exceeds the physical realm. It's meant to make waves in the spiritual realm. 

In the past few years as I have been striving to walk out the Lord's plan for my life, I have felt as if I am always swimming up river, always going against the grain, at times it feels as if I'm pushing my shoulder into an impenetrable wall. 

It's exhausting. 

The second I get a moment of peace, something else comes along to rock my boat. 

I have never been slandered so much in all my life. 

The funny thing is, this is the only time I haven't deserved it! 

When I was living for 

MY self, 

MY dreams, I was living rather selfishly and probably most comments or criticisms would have been accurate. 

But when you are living self-LESSly for God, criticisms tend to penetrate deeper. In fact, that's what they are meant to do. 

This divine plan is spiritual and can only be manifested in the physical realm, so obstacles and opposition are spiritual and will come against us in the physical realm through people and words. 

The enemy will try anything to knock us off course. 

It is our position to NOT get offended and remain in a place of forgiveness. 

The only thing that stands between 

you 

and God's destiny for your life is 

YOU. 

You have the power to stay on course or be distracted. 

You have the power to walk in love or 

get offended. 

You have the power to forgive or 

hold a grudge. 

You determine if your dream gets fulfilled or falls by the wayside. 

We have to remember that we "wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12

I was reminded of this while reading "Pearls of the King" by Lee Dominique. He says," Tests do not build character, it's how you respond to the test that builds character."

Charles Swindoll said it this way, "Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."

We must not view opposition as a negative force. We should understand that "Anything significant that will promote the message of Christ is going to encounter the resistance of Satan." -Dominque

Paul gloried in his tribulations. He knew that  "we, too, should glory in tribulations, knowing that

tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and 

character, hope. 

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God 

has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 NKJV)

We must not give up. 

We must look up. 

Victory is at hand. 

I'm going in for the fight. 

The final round. 

I will not quit. 

I will not give up. 

I don't know how long I'll have to fight, I just have to remember it's worth it! 

Instead of cowering down from afflictions I am going to learn to embrace them, for "they are a signpost for victory coming my way." - Pearls of the King 

May God's Will be done on this earth (through me and you) as it is in Heaven!