Was it a dream or a nightmare? It ultimately came true, but the journey was anything but painless.
"Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf." Then his brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, "Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." (Genesis 37:5-9)
Dreams are prominent in the record of the Bible. Quite often Yahweh God revealed His plans and will to His people through dreams and visions. Were it not for this medium, we would not have the last and perhaps most intriguing book of the Bible, the Revelation.
Dreams and visions are intrinsically bound to the work of Holy Spirit in our era, as indicated in Acts 2:16-18. This Spirit era is the age of dreams and visions, but, not every dream is a Spirit-inspired revelation - some dreams are merely the mysterious and vivid activity of the subconscious mind. The source of some dreams may be more directly attributed to a late-night snack or meal than God's Holy Spirit.
How do we sort God's revelation from mental imagination? How do we know when God is truly speaking to us in a dream? This much is certain: God will never present anything contrary to what He has already revealed in His written word. If He truly speaks to us through dreams, it will be to clarify that which He has already revealed in the record of Scripture. He will only add revelation to those who diligently study His written revelation. Dreams and visions are no substitute for meticulous and faithful study of the Bible.
Joseph endured severe hardship on the road to fulfillment of his God-inspired dreams. And perhaps these vivid dreams sustained him in his darkest hours. The dreams were eventually fulfilled, Joseph was vindicated, his brothers saw truth validated, and God ultimately was praised and glorified.
If God has given you a dream, search for its confirmation in His written word, ponder its significance in your heart, and faithfully follow the dream to fulfillment, regardless of the hardships during the journey. If it is the dream of human imagination it will become clear; if is the dream of His Spirit, it will prevail!
Steve
"Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf." Then his brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, "Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." (Genesis 37:5-9)
Dreams are prominent in the record of the Bible. Quite often Yahweh God revealed His plans and will to His people through dreams and visions. Were it not for this medium, we would not have the last and perhaps most intriguing book of the Bible, the Revelation.
Dreams and visions are intrinsically bound to the work of Holy Spirit in our era, as indicated in Acts 2:16-18. This Spirit era is the age of dreams and visions, but, not every dream is a Spirit-inspired revelation - some dreams are merely the mysterious and vivid activity of the subconscious mind. The source of some dreams may be more directly attributed to a late-night snack or meal than God's Holy Spirit.
How do we sort God's revelation from mental imagination? How do we know when God is truly speaking to us in a dream? This much is certain: God will never present anything contrary to what He has already revealed in His written word. If He truly speaks to us through dreams, it will be to clarify that which He has already revealed in the record of Scripture. He will only add revelation to those who diligently study His written revelation. Dreams and visions are no substitute for meticulous and faithful study of the Bible.
Joseph endured severe hardship on the road to fulfillment of his God-inspired dreams. And perhaps these vivid dreams sustained him in his darkest hours. The dreams were eventually fulfilled, Joseph was vindicated, his brothers saw truth validated, and God ultimately was praised and glorified.
If God has given you a dream, search for its confirmation in His written word, ponder its significance in your heart, and faithfully follow the dream to fulfillment, regardless of the hardships during the journey. If it is the dream of human imagination it will become clear; if is the dream of His Spirit, it will prevail!
Steve
posted by steve @ 7:34 AM
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