Text: John 12:27, Matthew 26:36-46, Hebrews 12:2

Recurrent Truth

• Dreamers always encounter challenges and the one who becomes rattled very much by this is the visionary. Therefore, by necessity the dreamer must learn how to manage themselves

Dreams in life—the key to achieving goals—usually meet challenges.

• Anyone who has dreams will testify of facing challenges before getting to the finishing line. By nature, a Vision is a powerful thing. It gives purpose, direction, and passion. But every God-given vision will be tested. Even Jesus—the perfect Son of God—faced immense challenges in executing His divine mission. He wasn’t confused about His assignment; He was burdened by its weight. There all forms of roadblocks to our dreams.

Harvesting is always full of challenges.

• If you are pursuing Kingdom Harvest, or your personal dreams, be assured that you will meet challenges. How you react to storms on your journey is an indicator of how you fair to the end. The biggest difficulty as you pursue your dreams is balancing your internal state as you navigate obstacles, roadblocks, stumbling blocks, detours and many other blocks that stand against you What does the power of the challenges do to you? Do they flog you down? Do they scare you until you run? Do they make you strong?

In today’s message we want to reflect on the challenges that are closest to the dreamers themselves. Therefore, what we want to deal with are ways we manage ourselves as we pursue our dream. These personal challenges affect dreamers including those that we deem successful, including Jesus Christ. We must understand that Jesus did not struggle with clarity of vision but with the cost of fulfilling it. His journey shows us how to stay faithful when vision meets resistance.

In this message, we explore three challenges Jesus faced in executing His vision and draw life-changing lessons for our journey.

1. Rejection and Resistance against your Dream (John 1:11; Luke 4:28-30)
   • There are times when those with dreams are rejected on the basis of their visions
   • Jesus was not well received despite the miracles he performed.
   • Apostle John wrote that Jesus ". . .  came to His own, but His own did not receive Him." (John 1:11)
   • Jesus was rejected by His hometown, religious leaders, and even family.
   • One form of rejection Jesus experienced was when they denied his credentials on the basis that they knew him very well. The Prophet has no honor in his home village. Mark 6: 4
   • Familiarity by onlookers is the key to rejection,
   • Rejection of your vision can cause many to doubt their identity and abandon their call. However, Jesus never let rejection from people derail His mission from the Father.
   • Rejection is what everyone faces at the beginning of the dream
   • Don’t measure your vision’s value by people’s acceptance. If Jesus faced rejection, so will you. Accept the fact that some people will not be excited with your dreams
2. Emotional and Spiritual Burden (Matthew 26:36-39)
   • Those who bear dreams, must be willing to carry their weight.
   • By nature, the dreams you carry, will challenge you spiritually, psychologically and emotionally.
   • When others reject it, you are affected emotionally too
   • For Jesus the burden was so heavy such that he said "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." (Matthew 26:38).
   • In Gethsemane, Jesus felt the crushing weight of His assignment. He prayed three times, asking if the cup could pass. Still, He yielded: "Not my will, but Yours be done."
   • Many times you may be the only one seeing things in a different way and therefore you must be prepared carry the burden without complaints.
   • Your dreams will exercise Your soul (Isaiah 53:3; 11-12)
   • Accept the fact that Vision will test your emotions; at times the burden will unbearable; but remember that surrender brings strength.
3. Loneliness and Betrayal (Matthew 26:40, Luke 22:47-48)
   • Sometimes the people closest to you won’t be around to support your dreams.
   • The reality is that those who pursue dreams, travel on a different road to the future; and many times they travel alone.
   • Loneliness is part of those who pursue great visions.
   • Many times Dreams create systems and structures through which they are fulfilled. During this processing time, visionaries tend to move against the grain.
   • Jesus felt alone in the midst of his apostles. They seemed not to share the burden of his dreams and asked: "Could you not watch with Me one hour?" (Matthew 26:40) Disciples slept in His greatest hour of need.
   • At times loved ones betray you. Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. Peter denied knowing Him.
   • Betrayal which by nature is intentional and premeditated, involves a breach of trust, often causing a deeper sense of hurt, anger, and vulnerability. Rejection is a lack of acceptance or interest leading to disappointment.
   • Betrayal is usually later in the relationship, it is intentional and sets more pain
   • How do you manage yourself when betrayed?
   • Accept the fact that not everyone will understand or stay. God often refines vision in solitude.

Conclusion:

Despite all challenges, Jesus executed his vision and fulfilled his Purpose

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus... who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross..." (Hebrews 12:2).. We should learn from Jesus. He did not have vision confusion but experienced the weight of the burden through obedience. Through rejection, sorrow, betrayal, and sacrifice, He pressed forward and fulfilled His purpose.