Your Dreams Will Lead You to Your Destiny

(Message: Pastor Dr. S. Joseph, Founder, NLMI. Hoping I haven’t missed much; Happy reading!)

Choose Life

It is indeed a great pleasure to meet you and greet you in this new decade and New Year 2011. Being fully aware of how God fulfilled our needs in the past decade, we look forward to great and mighty acts in fulfilling the vision of NLMI for 2020, if the Lord tarries. As is written in the word of God: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24: 14).

Beloved, we are, in a way, holding up Jesus’ return, if we do not preach the gospel to the nations. We-each one of us, are called to be a witness in Jesus’ own words as is found in Acts 1:8: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

So, you see-as believers in Christ the Lord, witnessing is not an option, but a choice that you and I have to make, each passing day of our lives. This year, I am completing 54 years of serving the Lord; it is not bragging that I do here, but rather an acknowledgment to God’s goodness by which I can say that each passing day is better than the day before. The same I can say for my wife-Florence (we will be completing 50 years – golden jubilee of married life next year) and for my children and grand-children: Each passing day is better than the day before. There is no secret except that we make a choice everyday and can say along with Joshua: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. You see that there is no compulsion; for God says “I have set before you today life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life… (Deut. 30: 19)

Pursue Your Primary Dream

Today, I want to share with you from God’s word using the title for my message: Your Dreams Will Lead You to Your Destiny. I say “Dreams” because you may have quite a few dreams; but let me say one primary dream and the other secondary dreams. Even in your work or business, you would have had dreams that have been or are being fulfilled; maybe some have unfulfilled dreams too. But the word of God teaches us what our Primary Dream should be: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matt. 6: 33). What Jesus is telling us is this: If you focus on the primary ('heavenly') dream of seeking His kingdom, the secondary dreams (earthly-of food, clothing and shelter) will take care of itself-i.e, it will be added to you.

Isn’t this wonderful? We have been born (again) into this kingdom by the grace of God and the gift of faith; we are in this world, but not of this world. And now, we as the kingdom people can pursue the kingdom of God. Therefore we must have this as our ‘primary dream’-to seek after God’s kingdom. You see, the people of this world pursue their dreams that are all secondary-and the result is strife, envy and sorrow. But you and I can prioritize our primary dream-and find righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For it is the blessing of the Lord that makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. (Prov. 10: 22). Psalm 1 and Joshua 1 talks about the prosperity of the man meditating on God’s word. This is my prayer for this decade that you know Him, know His word and pursue your primary dream as children of His kingdom-and the secondary dreams will be added to you! For we should not live in darkness pursuing rituals and religious traditions, but by revelation live as children of light.

Joseph (Old Testament)

I have chosen two persons-one from the Old Testament and one from the New, to drive home the point that your dreams will lead you to your destiny. I love their names in the Bible; incidentally, both of them are named Joseph!

We know the Joseph of the Old Testament-he was nicknamed by his brothers as ‘dreamer’. In Genesis 37 we read about Joseph-a young boy hated by his brothers just because he was much loved by their father-Jacob (Israel), who made for Joseph a tunic of many colors (Gen. 37: 3). Jacob had to choose one among the twelve to carry on his legacy, and he chose Joseph! Now the tunic (or the robe) of many colors symbolizes anointing, legacy and blessing.

Anointing

About Jesus it is written: You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions {brothers} (Heb. 1: 9). Are you looking for the anointing? Do this: Love righteousness and hate lawlessness! Put on the robe of righteousness in Jesus Christ. For we are NOT just members in the kingdom of God, but citizens, where the King is also our Father! The Psalmist made this observation: I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. (Psalm 37:25).

And so, Jacob passed on the anointing and his legacy to Joseph by giving him the robe of many colors. Immediately afterward, the Bible says “Now Joseph had a dream…” (Gen. 37: 5). If you fulfill all righteousness, the Holy Spirit will descend upon you; give you your dream to be pursued.

Speak Out Your Dreams
And Joseph told his brothers about his dream, but they hated him more…

I had this question why Joseph could not keep silent about his dreams; then his brothers would not have hated him so much! But God showed me from Hebrews 11 that faith is that hand that stretches out to take hold of the unknown. If you remain silent, your dreams may die within-so you MUST speak OUT! Your dream is like the bank deposit, within your heart; and unless you draw it out it will remain useless and unused. Therefore draw it out and speak out your dream.

The New Life Movement also began with a dream, after much prayer and fasting for 2 weeks in 1980, when God gave me a vision for Mumbai and India. I too started to speak out my dream; much like Martin Luther King who declared “I have a dream…” We know most of Martin Luther King's dreams came true-the latest one when Barack Obama became the first ‘black’ President of the United States. Can you imagine-starting out as slaves from Africa, to holding the highest post of the country and of the world!

Two Dreams-One Purpose

Joseph had two dreams; one heavenly-the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowed down to him (Gen. 37: 9) and one earthly-the sheaves stood all around and bowed down to the sheaf of Joseph (Gen. 37: 7). 

[This is nothing new! For Abraham too were given two dreams – Look at the stars of heaven, if you can count them (spiritual); and see the sands of the earth (natural) – So will your descendants be! Abraham loved God, feared God, and obeyed God.]

So, the dreamer Joseph told it to his family members-all hell broke loose. On the first opportunity, he was disrobed of his coat of many colors, thrown into the pit, sold as a slave and reported as dead to his father! The brothers even had the foresight to show some blood on his garments by killing a kid of the goat, to make it look as if some wild beast had killed Joseph!

But do you know that neither the dreamer, nor the dream was destined to die! Joseph paid the price to follow righteousness-whether in the pit, or in Potiphar’s house or in the prison cell, or in the palace… When we read of Joseph’s life, we are wonder-struck as to how God led him from one place to another, fulfilling exactly the dream that Joseph had! And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). And Joseph was one night in the prison, and the next day in the palace-for the Pharaoh himself had a dream only Joseph could interpret! Thus Joseph’s primary dream (heavenly) was accomplished - he preserved the lineage of Judah (who otherwise would have perished in the famine), for the coming of the Lord Jesus! Joseph’s secondary dreams were all fulfilled; he had prosperity all around. He made his family members secure in Egypt all the days of his life.

Joseph (New Testament) 

Now for the New Testament Joseph – many preachers do not preach about this man! Egypt was the place to go for this Joseph too, to preserve the heritage in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament’s reflection is seen in the New Testament-and vice-versa. The Old Testament ends with the syllable ‘curse’ (Malachi 4:6). And after 400 years of silence, the ‘Fear’ in the Old is replaced with ‘Fear not’ in the New. The New Testament starts with the Jesus’ generation (Matthew 1). We are now not only a new creation, but a new generation (Matt. 1: 17). We are now not only of the Jesus’ generation, but we are also of the chosen generation! Hallelujah!

The Just Choice
It says about this Joseph: Then Joseph her {Mary’s} husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. (Matt. 1: 19).

Imagine this-being betrothed to a young virgin and shaping your dreams for a happy life together and then hearing that she is with child! Joseph’s dreams would have been shattered and he must have been hugely disappointed. Yet, he did not want to make it public, because according to Moses’ law, she would have been stoned to death!

All this made me wonder why Mary did not share her heavenly visitation (Luke 1:28-38) with Joseph. I am going to answer this with what little I know of Jewish tradition. Because according to Jewish tradition, after the betrothal ceremony, the bride returns to her family and the bridegroom goes to his father’s house. There the bridegroom has to prepare a place before marriage and thereafter go and take his bride. How many of you know that the Bridegroom is coming? Remember what Jesus said in John? “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14: 2, 3).

And in the Jewish tradition, the bride must not meet the bridegroom till the time of marriage. I think this must have prevented Mary from sharing anything with Joseph. But the news, that she was in the family way, spread like wild-fire and reached Joseph! Also, I believe Mary must have been a wise woman-she must have thought, if it is God who is bringing it to pass, it is God’s responsibility to talk to and convince Joseph.

The Primary Dream

And while Joseph was struggling with the choice he had made, God appeared to him in a dream. Joseph too must have been a wise man-for he did not act hastily but slept over it and dreamed the dream of his life. If you too are struggling with the choices in your life, I ask you to go and sleep over it-give it time; let God speak to you!

The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in that dream and told him the heavenly purpose-yes, it was the primary dream; that the Child of the blessed Mary is of the Holy Spirit and that Jesus will save His people from their sins (v20, 21). Along with that, the angel also confirmed what the prophets had spoken about Jesus (v22, 23). In your choices too, God will confirm by His word what He is speaking to you in your dreams. Therefore, do not fear!

The Gospel Truth

You would have heard the expression, ‘What he says is NOT the gospel truth’ and ‘this' or 'that' 'is not the gospel truth'. Many in the world use the expression without knowing what the gospel truth is. But do you know what is the gospel truth? Jesus will save His people from their sins. Jesus is the hope of nations. He is the way, the truth and the life. There is simply no other name given for men, but the name of Jesus, by which we may be saved. This is the gospel truth. This is what we preach.

The Secondary Dream

I maintain, that if your primary dream is fulfilled, the secondary dream will take care of itself! For in Matthew, chapter 2, we read about the wise men from the east, who traveled great distances to see Jesus. They saw the star and knew the time that the King of the Jews to be born in Bethlehem; they brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They rejoiced exceedingly as the star went before them. The entire journey must have been tedious and could have taken the wise men about two years’ time; for the wise men saw the young Child Jesus-with Mary His mother (Matt. 2: 11), unlike the shepherds who saw the Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in the manger (Luke 22: 12, 16). The wise men worshiped Him, gave their gifts and went their way. Now was the time for Joseph’s secondary dream (earthly).

Immediately after the wise men’s visit, Joseph was asked by the angel of the Lord in the dream to flee to Egypt with the young Child Jesus and Mary His mother. Do you know why Joseph remained in Bethlehem nearly two years? Because it would take nearly two years for the wise men to visit them. And because the 'secondary dream' of financial provision was on the way-the gifts of gold. Now Joseph could go to Egypt and stay there as long as he wished, providing for the Child and Mary. For it is written: "Out of Egypt, I have called My Son". (Matt. 2: 15).

God has already thought about your secondary dreams, when He gave you your primary dream. He knows the future, and works all things right. He makes everything beautiful in its time. Your dreams will lead you to your destiny. Fulfill your primary (heavenly) dream and the secondary dreams (earthly) will take care of itself. I know I have a long way to go in fulfilling my primary dream; but I know this: what God says is utterly true. And God is faithful who also will do it. Amen.