A dream left in dreamland accomplishes nothing; dreams are designed to become realities. When I read through the story of Joseph, I am inspired, yet challenged. Joseph was a dreamer and a hard worker. He never let his dreams pass him by, but rather believed in them, and consulted God about them.
Although Joseph was faced with some challenging circumstances along the way, he never gave up hope. After being sold to Ishmaelite traders by his own brothers, brought to Egypt and sold again to Potiphar, and then thrown in jail for being wrongfully accused, you would think that his faith would have wavered, but not in the slightest. Not Joseph! He knew his God was greater than any setback, and that no obstacle was too great to stand against the dream that God had given him.
Joseph pressed into God and refused to give up. Oh, what an unshakable faith!
And who knew that it would be Joseph’s gift that got him out of jail? By interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph was finally set free from the chains that bound him to his cell. Not only was he put in charge of the entire land of Egypt, but his family was reunited and restored. Because of his God-given wisdom Joseph formulated a plan to preserve the land of Egypt; his dream had finally come to pass!
When I look at this story, I don’t just see Joseph the dreamer, but I see Joseph the doer. He was faced with so much opposition, but not once did he falter. He trusted God in the process, and served him wholeheartedly.
Maybe you have dreams that seem out of reach in the natural. Maybe you’re at the point where you have given up hope. Maybe some people have betrayed you in the process. But who are you trusting? In whom does your faith lie? If God has given you your dream in the spiritual, then He has also equipped you to walk it out in the natural. Are you willing to press through the battles in order to get to the promise? Sometimes your dreams require you to claim new territory – Egypt. There will be opposition when you dream: Joseph’s brothers, prison. Not everyone is for you; discern your way through your dreams. Do not let obstacles make you lose sight of the promise. Don’t turn your dreamland into a wasteland!
Human wisdom has limits, but with God there are no limits. The Bible tells us that finishing is better than starting (Ecclesiastes 7:8). So, today I challenge you. What are your dreams? Do you have a strategy in place? What steps are you taking? Your dreams require preparation and action. And when adversity starts knocking slam the door in its face, because if God is for you then who could be against you?