Never Give Up on your DREAM!

Never Give Up on your DREAM!

(Gen 45:8 NIV) "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”

This week I am going to do something different. All week long I will share a different message and take a break from Proverbs.

Today I feel compelled to speak on Joseph as most of you all know I love teaching on him. Joseph was Jacob’s 11th son and he loved him more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age (Gen 37:3). Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors and his brothers hated him for it (v.4).

To make things worse, Joseph dreamed a dream that he would be above all his other brothers and even his parents. This dream would drive his life. Faith is about expressing confidence in God and His Word. Joseph expressed confidence in the dream when he told his brothers and his father about it. However, this caused Joseph’s brothers to hate him even more.

One day his brothers went out to feed the flock and did not take Joseph. His father later sent Joseph out to check on them (37:13). His brothers seized the opportunity to get rid of him. They threw him into a pit and then later sold him as a slave for 20 pieces of silver. His owners then sold him to an officer in Pharaoh’s court named Potiphar (v.36). Since the favor of God was upon Joseph and since he believed in his dream, everything he touched was blessed.

I am sure that all sorts of thoughts must have rushed through his mind. He may have even questioned how the dream would come to pass if he was slave; but he remained faithful everywhere he went and God blessed everything he did. Potiphar put him over all the crops and the crops prospered as well (39:3). Unfortunately, Potiphar’s wife also took a liking to Joseph, attempted to sleep with him, and after Joseph refused, she accused him of attempted rape. So Joseph was thrown into prison (39:20).

Incidentally, Pharaoh’s butler and baker were also thrown into the same prison. God blessed Joseph to interpret a dream for the butler and the baker. Later on Pharaoh had a dream that none of his advisors could interpret. The butler (who had had been released from prison and reinstated) suggested that they give Joseph a try. Sure enough, God blessed Joseph to interpret the dream and Pharaoh placed him over all of Egypt.

Jehovah blessed Egypt because of Joseph and Egypt, under Joseph’s leadership, prepared for the impending famine. Joseph’s brothers were not as prepared and they had to come to Egypt for help. When they did, the dream finally came to pass.

It took over 20 years, but it CAME TO PASS!

So what does this mean to you? It means that you will have to remain faithful to God, no matter the setbacks, if you want to see the promises of God manifested in your life. Joseph went from a pit to a palace, but he had his share of setbacks and challenges along the way. He was able to see the manifestation of the dream, because he never gave up, he never threw in the towel. Joseph coupled patience with his faith and you must do the same thing!

Things might seem like they are getting worse before they get better, but if you have a promise from God, then you must stand on that promise – come hell or high water – and you must continue to BELIEVE that it will come to pass.

Joseph was faithful everywhere he went and God caused him to prosper because of it. You will also prosper if you remain faithful and operate in patience. Don’t ever give up on your dream and one day you will be able to say

“AND IT CAME TO PASS!”

Father, I declare, right now, with my own lips, that I operate in both faith and patience. I have the confidence of faith and the consistency of patience operating in my life. No matter the setbacks, no matter the challenges, and no matter the opposition; I will not allow what I see to change what I believe. I remain faithful every day and I know that You will honor my faithfulness and bless me everywhere I go. I will never give up on my dream or Your Word! In the fullness of time I know that it SHALL come to pass. I enter this day with great expectations. I am a dreamer, I dream big dreams, and I believe my God will bring them to pass in my life! In Jesus’ name. Amen!