The Joseph Journey (10)

Be a Dreamer

When we think of dreams today we usually think of stories that our minds tell us when we drift off to sleep. In this case I do not dream often. It is rare that I will ever remember having a dream in the night. My wife and kids on the other hand remember many of their dreams. However, it’s not this type of dreaming that we are going to discuss this morning. In today’s world we tend to separate dreams, visions, and callings however, in biblical types these words were used interchangeably. They all had the same meaning.

Earlier this week I was watching a youtube video of Robert Henderson and he said something that caught my attention for the entire week.

“In order to reach your DESTINY you MUST be able to DREAM!”

As I was getting ready to close out our series on Jacob I couldn’t shake this through of dreams being connected to your destiny. But they are. Further more I would include that those without dreams are lost and dying.

If you want to die sit around and do nothing. It’s medically founded. People who are inactive for the majority of their day have more ailments, diseases, and die quicker than those who lead an active lifestyle. I have watched people with arthritis get crippled because it initially hurt to move. I have also seen people who have arthitis push through the pain which kept their bodies from degenerating more. Inactivity not only kills the body it will kill the soul and Spirit.

Your body will fall apart quickly if it isn’t utulized. I have watched as normally healthy people tumble into death because they sat. They lost their desire to do anything.

As a Pastor I have asked God many times, Why do people church hop? Why do people bounce from job to job? Why do people leave marriages? Why do some people always seem bored? If this is you then pay attention because I believe God has given me the answer. If it is not you—then pay attention because God is giving you a warning.

Those without dreams, aspirations, or direction Roam aimlessly because they don’t know what they are looking for.

You cannot be a functioning part of the body if you don’t understand what it is you are supposed to do within the body.Joseph’s Journey started with a dream. Although Joseph didn’t know it at the time or if he did, I doubt he knew the size and scale of his dream at the time Joseph found direction in his dream.

Genesis chapter 37 Joseph gets the dream that he is elevated above his brothers. He then dreams again this time his elevation is above his parents. The first thing we must understand about dreams in the Old Testament is that they were taken very seriously.

The doubling of a dream indicates the certainty of its fulfillment. Meaning that if someone had the same type of dream twice they could conclude it would happen as they dreamed it. We see this with the King when Joseph was called up. He had two dreams of different things doing the same actions.

Until Joseph had the dreams, or was given direction and purpose, we didn’t hear much about him. One would assume because he was the favored son and because he war a robe that hindered his ability to work that he roamed aimlessly for the beginning of his life not really focusing on any one thing.

An arrow aimed at nothing will hit nothing every time.

If there isn’t a direction or a target how do you know if you hit the mark? I find that when people church hop it’s usually because they don’t know where they fit in. I have talked with people who join large churches and people who have joined small churches. What I have found is, baring God telling them to move, you cannot get someone who has a clear idea of their calling to leave their church.

I believe it is because people who have a clear destination and understanding of their part will do everything in their power to make it happen.

What kept Joseph on point through trials and tribulation—Direction

What kept Paul moving despite beatings and many attempts to killing him-Direction

What kept Daniel Faithful when faced with the lions den-Direction

Shadrach Mischach and Abendigo-Had direction

When David lost his direction-He was on the roof looking at naked women and killing innocent men.

When Saul lost his direction he was driven mad by demon Spirits

When Solomon had direction he asked God for wisdom and knowledge and gain the world.

When he lost direction he became a crazy old man whom his own family despised.

People without Dreams or Aspirations are dangerous people.

Growing up I was told that idleness was the devils playground.

While Joseph was in jail for years he mentored others he kept his direction. What would have happened if during the hard times he just sat and sulked? Nothing. He would have missed opportunities that God wanted to use to elevate him so that God’s will would be done.

One of the scariest things is a bullet shot in the sky. We all know what goes up must come down. The difference is we don’t know where and when the bullet will show up. We just know when it arrives it could cause massive destruction.

Believe it or not

Finding Purpose is Easy

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

God told Jeremiah that before he was formed he would be a prophet to nations. You may not be a prophet to the nations, but before God formed you he had a plan for your life written in the book of Destiney.

Psalm 139:15–16 ESV

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 136:

Psalm 136:15–16 ESV

but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever;

God saw your unformed substance and in those days he wrote your purpose before your days ever started. You are given everything you need to fulfill God’s purpose in your life.

Your likes/dislikes. Your talents and even things you aren’t talented in tell the story of who you are to become. When people ask me what they should do to minister to others the first question I have is:

What do you like to do?

I have found that as God wanted my ministries to change my heart would change. I remember my call out of youth ministry as if it were yesterday.

God isn’t going to put you

9pm sitting in a loud Giant Center with band rocking kids jumping. I sat down and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I lost my heart for it. I asked God why and he said I have a different job for you. I love what I do. Is it hard yes. At times do I want to quit. Yes, but I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. Why? Because it’s who God made me. I just talked with someone a few days ago who said they could never do what I do. And I said it’s because you aren’t called to it. I had a great time at VBS, but it reminded me that I am not a children’s pastor for a reason.

So what are you too do?

Pray-God will reveal what he wants you to do

Aim- You either go at it with all you have or you don’t aim for it at all. If an arrow doesn’t have enough forward thrust to hit it’s target. When the wind pushed agianst it the arrow will fall.

Trust- Even in the hard times Joseph had to trust that God knew what he was doing. Just because God knows what he is doing doesn’t mean you won’t turbulent times. The enemy wants to stop you from fulfilling your purpose.

Pray some more—Paul never stopped asking for faith and seeking God when times were good and when times were bad. It’s what kept him motivated and going forward. Even when everyone around him wanted him dead. Purpose is powerful thing. Purpose in God’s hands are unstoppable.