Fulfilling the desire in our heart is not without opposition, persistence, sacrifice and hard work.
To achieve any dream, you must defeat the enemy of desire.
Dictionary.com defines the word desire as: "Aspiration, hunger, appetite, thirst. It implies an intense wish or craving (that endures time), for something that is at the moment beyond reach but may be attainable at some future time."
The enemy rocks us asleep with a spirit of complacency when we refuse to pursue what is in our heart. If you do not start acting on what you have planned, you risk the chance in becoming stale in action and dull in hearing the next instruction from God.
Dreams don't just happen.
They are the result of prayers, planning, creativity and hard work when everyone else is sleeping (or not looking.)
The parable of the talents is filled with leadership lessons:
"Now as they were listening to these things, He proceeded to tell a parable, because He was approaching Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to be brought to light and shown forth immediately.
12He therefore said, A certain nobleman went into a distant country to obtain for himself a kingdom and then to return.
13Calling ten of his [own] bond servants, he gave them ten minas [each equal to about one hundred days' wages or nearly twenty dollars] and said to them, Buy and sell with these [d]while I go and then return.
14But his citizens detested him and sent an embassy after him to say, We do not want this man to become ruler over us.
15When he returned after having received the kingdom, he ordered these bond servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know how much each one had made by [e]buying and selling.
16The first one came before him, and he said, Lord, your mina has made ten [additional] minas.
17And he said to him, Well done, excellent bond servant! Because you have been faithful and trustworthy in a very little [thing], you shall have authority over ten cities.
18The second one also came and said, Lord, your mina has made five more minas.
19And he said also to him, And you will take charge over five cities.
20Then another came and said, Lord, here is your mina, which I have kept laid up in a [f]handkerchief.
21For I was [constantly] afraid of you, because you are a stern (hard, severe) man; you pick up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.
22He said to the servant, I will judge and condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked slave! You knew [did you] that I was a stern (hard, severe) man, picking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow?
23Then why did you not put my money in a bank, so that on my return, I might have collected it with interest?
24And he said to the bystanders, Take the mina away from him and give it to him who has the ten minas.
25And they said to him, Lord, he has ten minas [already]!
26And [said Jesus,] I tell you that to everyone who gets and has will more be given, but from the man who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away." (Matt. 19)
Lesson #1: We all must learn how to buy and sell in life.
God demands an account of our stewardship. Accountability of how our investments (of time and money) are working out for us in relationships, work, life and school. He cannot determine if we are good stewards unless He examines the results of our buying (spending) and selling trends.
We all buy and sell, whether it is:
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Selling your talent, skills and qualifications to get a job
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Selling law and justice as an attorney
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Selling medicine and treatments that improve society and cure disease as a doctor OR
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Getting Christ into places where His Name has not been known as five fold ministry in the marketplace.
What has God entrusted you to buy and sell with while on the planet?
Are you a faithful or slothful steward over it?
Your gift MAKES room for you. You can carry out ALL God has called you to do.
Lesson #2: We all give out of what we receive.
The two faithful servants (employees) recognized that they were only able to multiply what they had already been given by the ruler. When delivering their report, they said, "YOUR MINA has made 10, 5 more."
Everything you have was given to you.
You cannot move into leadership and position in your organization until you increase what people have given you (in other words, enlarge the platform of knowledge, skills and responsibilities you have been entrusted with.)
Lesson #3: Promotion comes to those that work in excellence without supervision.
The ruler could not give oversight of cities in his new Kingdom to employees that could not work, increase and multiply outside his presence.
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Are you trustworthy to get the job done when no one is looking?
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When the office or department is left in your hands, are you are able to multiply and produce more than others left you with?
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Do you generate productivity, results and profitability where you are? HOW?
If you do not work well without supervision, then your company does not need you.
Today, you are better than what you are currently doing.
It's up to you to prove that to those that love and believe in you.
If you are continually failing to reach your potential or goal, you can become frustrated. Feelings of frustration, worthlessness, discouragement and invalidation creep in whenever you plans area thwarted or baffled in pursuit of a goal (or purpose.)
But King Solomon wrote: "Where there is no counsel, purposes are frustrated, but with many counselors they are accomplished."
Who is speaking into your life to help you champion the challenges you are facing?
In his book "Axiom" Bill Hybels finished chapter 5 with a powerful call:
"Leaders, don't ever apologize for the strength of feeling you have for the vision God has put into your life. Don't hide your feelings about it. God meant for you to feel as deeply about His vision for as you do about anything. I mean that! Anything. Paint your God-given vision for family, friends, colleagues and total strangers, if they will listen. Paint it as colorfully and passionately as you can! Just get it painted so that people's hearts are stirred enough to shout, "Count me in!"
Does your desire (and work ethic) kill or build inspiration in the lives of people?
