Dream Slayers

One might ask why anyone in a country as great and prosperous as the United States of America would need a dream. Do we not have opportunities to acquire just about anything that anybody could want? Some have said that dreams are for people who want to escape life’s harsh realities, preferring to live in a fantasy world. Perhaps, but I say we are all better off with a dream.
I would not like to imagine the United States, the world’s most influential country, functioning without dreams. If Congress were to stop dreaming, our country would be destined to remain in debt. If our legal system were to stop dreaming, legislating unrealistic, simplistic remedies for crime such as “three strikes and you are out” would be easier. If teachers were to stop dreaming, our children and youths would know only mediocrity. If churches were to stop dreaming, they would become no more than four-cornered buildings that have no impact or effect on the world. If fathers and mothers were to stop dreaming, they would likely become statistics of divorce, abuse, and other tragedies. Instead of nurturing children and raising them in a manner that pleases God, parents could prematurely push them out of their home, forcing children to fend for themselves without the parental guidance needed to become successful, responsible, productive citizens that improve our quality of life as a society. If individuals were to stop dreaming, the United States would become hopeless because dreams are the inspiration that take each of us from where we are today to where we are destined to be tomorrow. The fact is, challenges will surface in life, and these challenges threaten to alter, compromise, or completely destroy our dreams and visions.
As a pastor, I know this firsthand.
The number of consultations I have had with young people, parents, business owners, coaches, and pastors has steadily increased. In these sessions, I have encountered many issues, all different and yet somehow the same. I recognize all too well that unresolved issues produce frustration, hopelessness, and despair. I hear it in their voices, and I see it in their eyes. These experiences have compelled me to do something more than just empathize with people when they cry out for real solutions to their problems.
As I go before God in prayer with these issues, one thought repeatedly comes to mind: “If there is so much hopelessness in America, Lord, You must have the answer.” God certainly does have the answer. He has shown me that distractions often come in various forms to prevent us from fulfilling our dreams. We must be prepared to overcome these distractions. Think about it. Whose agenda is advanced and whose mission is accomplished when our dreams are not fulfilled? John 10:10 tells us only the one who spends every waking-moment trying to steal, kill, and destroy our dreams.
I have identified at least six things that can destroy our dreams, which I call dream slayers. The young man, Joseph, whose story I reference throughout this book, confronted all six of these dream slayers. Joseph had dreams that were quite disturbing to his family. As a result, he encountered a great deal of opposition. One of Joseph’s dreams foretold that he would rule over his siblings. For Joseph’s brothers, the thought of their father’s favorite son and younger brother ruling over them was too much to bear. As a result, Joseph’s brothers made it their mission to rid themselves of their brother, the dreamer. Over the years, threats to Joseph’s dream appeared in the following forms: the brethren, violence, the pit, slavery, lust, and prison. In spite of the opposition he faced, we will discover that the dreamer and the dream survived.
The dream slayers that Joseph faced during his time are still prevalent today. Thus, the purpose of this book is to empower you to pursue, preserve, and protect your dream no matter what opposition you may face in life. As I identify these dream slayers in the following chapters, I urge you to pay close attention to the solutions provided. These solutions will give you the endurance and encouragement you need to face any dream slayer and win!