It is time to dream and to dream big. After all, we serve The Living God who showers His loving kindness on us. God’s favor is on you, He has clothed you in white, and causes you to be a beacon of light in this world.
Often at the start of a new year people will talk about making resolutions. Many have high hopes of losing weight, exercising, being better at something… To many these are dreams that are a far off, almost like wishing on a star. They don’t actually expect to reach these goals, but enjoy thinking that in a fairy tale world, they could be.
That is not the kind of God dreaming that I am talking about. Throughout the Bible, God has placed dreams and visions inside of people. To those people, the dreams were more than a fairy-tale, they were promises from God.
In Genesis 37, Joseph has a dream and his brothers hate him all the more for his dreams. They made a plot to kill him, threatening, “we shall see what will become of his dreams!”
There will always be people that do not like your dream and even people that plot to kill the dream. Some dream killers may even come from within yourself.
Some examples of dream killers that may lurk within are fear, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of success, insecurities, low self-esteem, our past, laziness, procrastination, and many other things.
No matter what dream killers may be present, dream anyway. Live your life in such a way that your life is always going after the dream. Despite the obstacles that stand in your way, may anyone that observes your life see and know that you are going after the dreams within you.
Joseph was thrown in a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and thrown into prison. Yet he lived his life in such a way that everyone around him could see he was going after something big.
With each obstacle he had a choice. He could get depressed, grumble, complain and give up; or he could stand up and behave as the man he saw himself to be in his dreams. He chose the higher route. He consistently worked with such a level of excellence and high character that no matter what dream killer came his way, he some how rose to the top. He became the overseer of Potiphar’s house, having authority over all that Potiphar had. The keeper of the prison put all the prisoners under Joseph’s authority and so trusted Joseph that he never investigated anything that was in Joseph’s hand.
Don’t give in to fear, be bold and side with God. Dream the God dreams and keep the God vision before your eyes. Even if you feel like you are standing alone, know that God is always with you.
Elisha’s servant came to him afraid, declaring how many were with the enemy. In 2 Kings 6:16-17, “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”
Ask the Lord to open your eyes so that you can see. God is with you, He will never leave you nor forsake you. God was with Joseph in the pit, during the false accusations and still with him in the prison. God was with Elisha and his servant. God is with you.
Don’t worry if you are lacking cheerleaders. You are in good company. Noah didn’t have a crowd cheering him on, Abraham didn’t have multitudes encouraging him that he would have a child and Joseph certainly didn’t have support and encouragement from his family and friends…
Be your own cheerleader, your own biggest supporter and speak out the dream. Psalm 107:2a “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,” This verse doesn’t say to hope so or even to think so. The redeemed of the Lord must say so. James chapter one compares our tongue to the rudder on a ship. As the rudder goes, so goes the stern of the boat causing the boat to turn. James is telling us that what the tongue speaks sets the course of where our life goes.
This is great news, because now we can start releasing faith as we speak out God’s Word over our dreams.
Here are a couple of things to keep you encouraged as you dream big.
1. Spend time in God’s presence. As you do, God will give you the plan for your life and place dreams within your heart.
2. Write out the vision. Habakkuk 2 tells us to write the vision, make it plain on tablets, so that he may run who reads it.
3. Have Grit! Have courage and tenacity to hold on and not quit, while keeping strength of character.
4. Praise God! Praise stops the enemy and brings the walls/obstacles down.
Be a dreamer, stay encouraged and dream big, because we serve a Big God!
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