Dare to dream big

[Pronkertjie]

pring: People who dream the Lord's kind of dreams are few and far between these days. That is why there are a number of vacancies in his heavenly dream team. The dream team is a small group of people that dream big dreams about God's latest plans for the world, the church and their own lives! Take Joseph, for instance. His big dreams changed the lives of many people in the end. From when he was small he started dreaming of the day he would become known as an important figure (Genesis 37). Unfortunately, Joseph made one big mistake: he shared his dreams with his dream-dead brothers who lived in nightmare land. Therefore, they were not impressed with his dreams for the future, and the price that he paid for sharing them was slavery in Egypt.

The Lord has a dream team to this day
To this very day, the Lord shares his heavenly dreams with ordinary people. Can you recall Joel's great promise that elderly people would dream dreams again and that young people would see visions? And it did come true on the day of Pentecost, didn't it? (Acts 2:17.) From that day onwards the Lord's winds of change reached gale-force strength. Dream-dead people and nightmare dreamers therefore no longer have any excuse. To this day, the Lord guides his dream team, in surprising ways, in the right direction.

God's dream team live out their dreams
Joseph, the expert dreamer in God's dream team, did not allow his dreams to remain sleep-time experiences. On the contrary, he based the hours that he was awake on that which God had told him in his dreams. God's voice was his only compass. Because he had this assurance he could keep to God's course without fear even when he ended up as a slave in Potiphar's house in Egypt (Genesis 39:1-6). Not even the flamboyant Egyptian gods could get this young man to budge one centimetre from his God's course. Although he was a stranger and all alone in a foreign country, he lived his God-given dreams!

What an example to South African believers trying to build a new life in places such as Atlanta, Dubai, Brisbane or Hamilton! Learn from Joseph never ever to betray your faith, especially not when you live in a foreign country. If you live in South Africa, learn from Joseph to pursue your God-given dreams. The worst that can happen is not that a few of your dreams may not come true, but that you don't dream at all, OR that you don't have the courage to pursue your dreams in the Name of Christ!

Heavenly dreams may cross your path in unexpected places
One fine day, Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph, but he refused her knowing that he would have to pay the price. She was livid and spread the lie that he had tried to rape her, and he was sentenced to two years imprisonment in an Egyptian jail (Genesis 39:7-20). However, the Lord stretched out his merciful hand to Joseph, his faithful servant, in jail (Genesis 39:21-23). Yes, indeed, God's dream children experience his unfaltering love in the most unexpected places. He takes them from their nightmarish situations and puts them down in green pastures, and He lets others around them experience his heavenly grace too.

Joseph did not know where the road of the Lord would take him. He did not have the faintest idea how his childhood dreams would be realised in jail. However, he did not lose heart and clung to his great God bravely. It is no wonder that God used him in jail in a powerful way. Here, Joseph continued dreaming, and also interpreted the dreams of others, for instance the baker and the cupbearer (Genesis 40:6-23).

God is good to his dream team
In his own way and at the right time, God showers his dream team with heavenly glory. People who pursue God's dreams may never seek self-recognition. Take the example of Joseph – after two years in jail he was asked to interpret the pharaoh's dreams (Genesis 41), after which, out of the blue, he was showered with great praise and honour. In a wink, his status changed from a jailbird to the viceroy of Egypt. God raised him to this position so that He could use his faithful servant powerfully to reign over the Egyptians with wisdom and to be good to his own family (Genesis 42-50). At last Joseph lived out the incredible dream that he had been dreaming since his childhood! God had made it happen, and he was where God had always wanted him to be!

Be courageous: Pursue your dreams! Live them! Do not be afraid. Dream big and trust God to make your dream come true as only He can. Measure your dreams against the Word of God and fulfil them according to his will. Persevere in following his heavenly dream-course, even though everyone around you is living in nightmare land. pring:

PRAYER
Lord, teach me to dream again.

Grant me the ability to foresee anew

the great plans you have for your world.

Guide me to live out your heavenly dreams.

Pray, may I never sleep through my dreams!

For Thy Name's sake,

Amen.

Stephen Joubert
http://www.echurch.co.za