The Old Testament gives us the record and history of Joseph, Jacob’s son. He is one of my favorite people in the bible because he’s a dreamer. And since I’ve always fancied myself a bit of a dreamer too, I’m thrilled by the grandiosity of Joseph’s dreams. Even more impressive is his obedience and trust towards God to see the manifestations of them come to pass. Heavenly Father has placed a dream in all our hearts, and it is always a choice to stand steadfast in faith or to let the dream stay forever locked in the deep canals of our hearts. I greatly admire Joseph because he continued to believe in the dream the Lord had given him even though he faced incredibly perilous conditions and circumstances. As we read the record of everything he endured, from the very first day of his birth, we can see clearly the destiny that God had ordained for Joseph. It is a testament that even though our situations may be extremely challenging and may not look as though they are not going to work out, God is up to something! Our patience and faith are required to witness the miracle of the dream Heavenly Father is incubating in our hearts.
Elements of a Dream
God gives us a dream, and it is important for us to know that we’re born with it. It’s a part of our DNA. Whether it’s becoming the best at our craft, being a masterful teacher or preacher, becoming a spouse and having a family, or being incredibly successful in our jobs or professions, we are driven to achieve these things because it is our destiny to do so. It is also important for us to know that we can choose a path that leads us away from our destiny, and thereby squash the dream in our hearts. None of us should want to do this. Earth is rocky terrain and there is plenty to navigate through. The Holy Spirit is our guide, God’s Word is our road map, the Lord Jesus Christ is our driver, and faith in him is our vehicle of transportation. God has provided us with unmatched and superior accoutrements because walking in destiny and seeing a dream come to pass requires it!
Life may feel very random, but you must know with every fiber of your being that nothing about your life is random. Every detail has the potential to lead you further on the path that God has laid before you; even if that detail is troublesome and causes heartache. God doesn’t cause these negative things to happen, but He most certainly knows that the devil’s agenda is to interrupt our destinies and steal the dream from our hearts. Sometimes the enemy fiercely attacks us, and when he does, our Heavenly Father expects us to pull out our map, and depend on our guide and driver, so that our faith transports us closer to the destination God has ordained.
The higher the dream, the stronger your reach
Whether you believe it or not, God is strengthening and lengthening your reach. He’s using what the devil meant for bad for your good. God is taking what the enemy tried to use as a weapon to destroy your dreams and using it to condition you to reach higher than you thought you could. The conditioning is not always pleasant. Just as it was with Joseph, there may be people in our own families that the devil will use to try to crush the dream in our hearts. This can begin as early as the very day we are born.
There were many attributes within Joseph that God further developed in him as he grew, because these attributes would be instrumental in the miracles that God would perform through Joseph in his later years. Heavenly Father has been prepping you in much the same way. We can see in learning about Joseph that he wasn’t overly concerned with how others felt about him. Genesis 37:2 tells us that He knew the difference between right and wrong early on, and he didn’t mind squealing on his brothers one bit. Despite the ridicule and hazing he might have received from them later, he’d tell his father when they were up to no good. He sought favor with his biological father which developed his appetite for pursuing favor with his Heavenly Father as he drew closer to Him.
Joseph began to learn about heaven’s economy through his biological father, Jacob. He became his father’s favorite and one day Jacob gave him a beautiful robe as a special gift. It is known to most of us as ‘Joseph’s coat of many colors.’ From this he understood that despite the shenanigans of ungodly people and the troublesome situations the devil causes through them, righteousness will always be rewarded.
Joseph had a dream that his brothers, even his parents, would one day bow to him. They were not too pleased to hear his dream. It infuriated his brothers and their bitterness towards him increased. One day they stripped him of his beautiful robe, threw Joseph into a pit in the ground and left him to die there. They then got it into their heads they could make a few coins off their cruelty to Joseph and sold him to the Ishmaelites. He was then placed in slavery under the Egyptians, but even in troubling situations, the hand of God was always on Joseph’s life, just as the hand of God is upon yours.
It’s not all about us
God blessed thousands through Joseph’s obedience and faith. You may not realize it, but thousands will be impacted through your obedience and faith as well. Even those that live in your neighborhood are blessed because you are there. You are a conduit of God’s powerful and divine love. It is impossible to estimate the spiritual domino-effect that happens as your faith deepens, becomes immovable, and manifests results. We must always stretch ourselves to see that our blessings are never just all about us. God wants to do what is best for everyone. This is why we must reach higher in our faith than the miracle we think we need and stand firm for the ripple effect that will impact those that are here long after we’ve left. It’s the whole reason God put the dream in our hearts—to bless us and others as well.
King David said in Psalm 138:8 (NLT), “The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.” Have faith in God’s plan for your life. Stay prayerful and remain close to Him. He is working in you and will exceed your expectations if you remove the limits from your thoughts. Don’t give up on the dream God has placed in your heart, and always remember that He controls your destiny and all you have to do is let Him.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Reaching Higher than the Miracle You Need” written by Reverend Fran Mack, edited by Kim Times for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2019. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.