Dream Killers and Vision Stealers: What stops you from manifesting success and how to breakthrough.

Dream Killers and Vision Stealers
 What stops you from manifesting success and how to breakthrough.
 
© Dr. Samaria M Colbert 2021
 
The road to success is never a straight line. The road is full of ups, downs, hurts, pains, joys, and lessons. Working towards your goal is never easy but it is worth it. There is an old gospel song by Luther Barnes, entitled, “I am still holding on.” One lyric states, “there were many who started out with me, but now they’re all gone astray. But I am still holding on.” I don’t know what caused the writer to compose those lyrics, however they are true to life.
 
Everyone can shout and praise when they hear what God has instore for them. However, many won’t get to the promise God has called them to. This is why scripture says many are called, few are chosen. Many are called, but it is when you endure the process of preparation that qualifies the chosen.
 
We need to consider what stops individuals from operating in their God given purpose and seeing kingdom success.
 
1. You 
Self-doubt, self-sabotage, and an overall unhealthy view of yourself will stop you from manifesting success. You will never go beyond the view you have of yourself.
 
Philippians 4:13 New King James Version
13 I can do all things through [a]Christ who strengthens me.
If God says you can do all things and you are saying, “I can’t” you won’t.

2.Not letting go of the past.
Past failures, mistakes, dead relationships all stop us from manifesting success. Look at what Jesus said to those who wanted to follow Jesus while going backward.

Luke 9:59-62 New Living Translation
59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”
The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead![a] Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

It may sound harsh, and I am certainly not saying you can’t attend a funeral. The analogy of the scripture was suggesting you keep going back to a dead relationship. You’ll never move forward looking back. There are some people, some places, somethings you must leave in the past in order to move forward.

Philippians 3:13-14 New Living Translation
13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,[a] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

3.   Being double minded.

To be double minded means to not be fully committed to the goal. One minute you are full of zeal and determination the other minute your uncertain of what your supposed to do.
James 1:7-8 New King James Version7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

4.   Fear
Fear goes back to having an unhealthy view of yourself. Nonetheless, remember fear always wants to drive a wedge between what God wants for us to do. You don’t get brownie points, or sympathy success by being afraid. You get nothing. If you do nothing, you will get nothing. Being nice and scared doesn’t get you to the promises of God

Matthew 25:14-30 Living Bible
14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going into another country, who called together his servants and loaned them money to invest for him while he was gone.
15 “He gave $5,000 to one, $2,000 to another, and $1,000 to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities—and then left on his trip. 16 The man who received the $5,000 began immediately to buy and sell with it and soon earned another $5,000. 17 The man with $2,000 went right to work, too, and earned another $2,000.
18 “But the man who received the $1,000 dug a hole in the ground and hid the money for safekeeping.
19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to him to account for his money. 20 The man to whom he had entrusted the $5,000 brought him $10,000.
21 “His master praised him for good work. ‘You have been faithful in handling this small amount,’ he told him, ‘so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Begin the joyous tasks I have assigned to you.’
22 “Next came the man who had received the $2,000, with the report, ‘Sir, you gave me $2,000 to use, and I have doubled it.’
23 “‘Good work,’ his master said. ‘You are a good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over this small amount, so now I will give you much more.’
24-25 “Then the man with the $1,000 came and said, ‘Sir, I knew you were a hard man, and I was afraid you would rob me of what I earned,[a] so I hid your money in the earth and here it is!’
26 “But his master replied, ‘Wicked man! Lazy slave! Since you knew I would demand your profit, 27 you should at least have put my money into the bank so

I could have some interest. 28 Take the money from this man and give it to the man with the $10,000. 29 For the man who uses well what he is given shall be given more, and he shall have abundance. But from the man who is unfaithful, even what little responsibility he has shall be taken from him. 30 And throw the useless servant out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 Look at the principles in the text found in Matthew. Remember when you are faithful over a few things God will then increase you to many. Another translation reads, “you have been faithful over a few things I will make you ruler over cities.” When you produce and are faithful, you then are given more.
However, notice the excuse of the wicked servant. What made him wicked was that he was afraid, and he did nothing but hide. Many Christians are in this same state. They think because they are not committing overt sin, they are doing fine. If you are doing nothing, you are still considered wicked and lazy. You don’t get brownie points because you’re a good sinless Christian. Lazy fearful Christians don’t walk into success.

5. Failure to prepare.
Remember time, chance and opportunity happen to us all. It is the ones who are prepared that will walk into doors of opportunity. When doors open you don’t want to be somewhere in the wrong place trying to get prepared when you should have been prepared all along. Reference Matthew 25:1-12

Matthew 25:1-12 New Living Translation
25 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids[a] who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’
7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’
9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’
12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

6.   Not being planted in the right soil.
7.   Allowing persecution and affliction to discourage you then walk away from your vision.
8.   Worries of life that you allow to distract you.
9.   Deceitfulness of riches. You are easily lured away or distracted because you see some guru with a wad of money and fancy car, and you run to that. If you had stuck with the plan God gave you, you would have received that and much more. These are people who go from one business to the next chasing money, rather than being obedient to God. If you operate in purpose money will come.
10. The desire for things that don’t produce fruit.

Mark 4:13-20 New Living Translation
13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?
 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. 
15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. 
16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 
17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.
 18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 
19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
 20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

I don’t know about you, but I want to be a producer. We must be planted in the correct soil.

11. Having no faith or having faith with no concerted effort.
Remember having faith alone is not going to get you to success. You must do something.
Hebrews 11:6 New Living Translation
6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
James 2:26 New King James Version
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Hebrews 11:1 New King James Version
11 Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen.

12. Finally, you must watch who has your ear. Listening to wrong information will cause you to be stuck, and regress.

Galatians 3:1 New King James Version
3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you…
Bewitched means to entice, trick or lure in a deceptive way. Another translation reads, who beguiled you. Notice the question ask “who?” In the beginning this was the strategy of Lucifer. God asked Adam and Eve  Genesis 3:11 New King James Version
11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked?....

Remember deception comes through conversation. Watch who has influence and has your ear.

What should you do?

Take an inventory of where you went wrong. Notice I didn’t say who did you wrong. I didn’t say who didn’t help you. You must get away from that victim mentality that prevents you from taking responsibility for yourself. When you are working towards something God will send people to come alongside you. Nonetheless, no one is going to help you build from nothing. Take responsibility.
Determine to begin again.

Repent for allowing distractions to deter you. Ask God for clear instructions then write the vision down.
​
Habakkuk 2:2 New King James Version
The Just Live by Faith
2 Then the Lord answered me and said:
“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
Set SMART goals and determine to implement them

SMART goals
· Specific
·  Measurable (give yourself deadlines)
·  Attainable
·  Relevant
·  Time specific

Make 2022 your year of moving forward and no longer staying stuck.
© 2021 Dr. Samaria M Colbert