Dreams and Visions

Today we are looking at the life of Joseph.   At age 17 he was sold into slavery, betrayed by his own flesh and blood.   What had happened before that time in his life?    He had been given dreams by God.  In those dreams he witnessed the sun, moon and stars bowing down to him.   God was showing him that he would someday be elevated to a high position in which his family would be subject to his leadership.

There are people reading this right now that when you were young you also had many dreams.  Dreams of what your life could be, dreams of hope and a future.  But just like Joseph somewhere along the line those dreams were shaken by overwhelming circumstance.  

Often when you receive a word of prophecy or a dream or vision from God the first thing that happens is the OPPOSITE of what God promised.   Here Joseph had a dream of being a great leader that everyone would bow to, the top of society, and the first thing you know he is the opposite of that, he is a SLAVE, the bottom of society.    And then when you think it can't get much worse, often it does get even worse.   Next he was charged with what our society would call a felony, and thrown in prison, though he had not comitted the crime he was accused of at all.    How could it be that God gave him dreams of being at the top of society and here he was living at the very bottom of society instead.   Where the dreams wrong?   Did he miss God?  Was it too late?  Was everything so messed up that the prophetic dreams had failed?  

On the contrary.  God gave him dreams that he would someday fulfill a great destiny, at the very highest leadership positions,  to help him GO THROUGH the tragedies that would fill his life BEFORE he was elevated.   God has given you dreams and prophetic words, those have NOT failed, they will surely come to pass, they will be your destiny!   That prophetic dream, vision, word, inspiration that came to you was God's promise to you that the hard times that you would face would not forever rule your life.  God was showing you that there would be hope for better days, just like he showed Jospeh his greater destiny in his dreams.

Some of you have given up on those dreams, but it is time to start dreaming again.   It is time to start believing again.  It is time to start hoping again.  It is time to know that God who is the author and finisher of your faith is not done working in your life yet.