Abraham and Joseph are examples of what I want to call "The Stages of a Dream" or "The Stages of a Vision". It seems in both Abraham's life and in Joseph's life they experienced the same stages. The four stages are:
1.) The Birth of a Dream.
2.) The Life of a Dream.
3.) The Death of a Dream.
4.) The Resurrection of a Dream.
Now in these stages we see the Life of Jesus Christ. We see the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord and we can see this in each stage of Abraham's vision and in Joseph's dream. The first stage is the Birth of the Dream. Abraham and Joseph experienced this birth when God came to them sovereignly and providentially to tell them what He would do in and through their lives. In Abraham's case we see the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12:1-3. In Joseph's case we see his boyhood dream in Genesis 37.
The second stage is the Life of a Dream. God gives life to the dream as we walk obediently to His vision or dream. In Abraham's case he leaves his family and moves to Canaan. He was being led by God. It seemed everything was going right. In Joseph's case we can get a clearer picture because Joseph follows the Lord and becomes the 2nd in command at home as Jacob places him in charge of his possession and brothers in Genesis 37-38. He is 2nd in command in Potiphar's house in Genesis 38-40. Joseph was 2nd in command in prison under the prison guard in Genesis 40-41. And in the end Joseph becomes 2nd in command over all of Egypt in Genesis 41 to 50.
The third stage is the Death of a Dream. God gives death for the purpose of exaltation. As God continues to bless us in His vision or dream we may become prideful or self-centered. Therefore we begin to think God has no part in fulfilling the dream and its because we've done all the right things and God has nothing to do with it. In the Life of Abraham God causes Sarah to be barren and Abraham and Sarah start feeling the vision is dead and uses Hagar to give birth to Ishmael to help God out. Abraham takes matters into his own hands. God puts a vision to death for a time until you realize God is raising you up for His Name's Sake not yours. Joseph had the same experience. He found himself hated by his brothers. He was placed in a pit, sold into slavery, and put into prison. From Joseph's perspective he certainly was not seeing how God was fulfilling his dream in Joseph's life.
The fourth stage is the Resurrection of a Dream and it occurs when all things seems helpless. The disciples are hiding in confusion wondering what is going to happen now that Jesus is dead only to have their hopes resurrected when Mary brings word that JESUS IS ALIVE!! Abraham and Sarah were beyond child bearing years. Joseph was 13 years in on a 20 year prison sentence and he gets word that the Pharaoh had a dream and wants to speak with him. Joseph could follow the Providence of God in his interaction with all the dreams in his life; two as a child, two different dreams of the butler and baker and now two dreams of Pharaoh. Joseph could also follow the Providence of God in the favor of God in his leadership as he was 2nd in command in every position he had in life. He was able at the end of his life to see the Life of Jesus all the way to the end that he could stand in front his brothers as they offered and apology and say, "you meant it for evil but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20).
If you've experienced an encounter with God in a vision or a dream the first thing you should do is make sure it is Biblical. God offers no further revelation and Satan is an Angel of light. However God will call you through a vision from God's Word or from a dream. He may press something upon your heart that you just know God is going to do something through your life. It is nothing more than a conception or an understanding of the task God has called you too. You want to follow that up with works for James said "faith without works is dead". Everything may go great for a while and you may get confident or a bit cocky about it. God will certainly put it to death moving you to uncertainty and frustration. You may take it further into your hands and work even harder and take on more responsibility trying to make the dream come about. God will wait until your done. He will let it die in your life. You will question whether you've heard God correctly. You will get to the end of yourself and turn yourself over to God. You will say with Jesus "Not My will but Your Will". It is at this point that God may choose to resurrect the dream. You've realized that it is about God's Name Sake not your own. You will have a fresh new dependence upon God and you will once again find and see victory in your life. I hope you find this helpful. God Bless!
1.) The Birth of a Dream.
2.) The Life of a Dream.
3.) The Death of a Dream.
4.) The Resurrection of a Dream.
Now in these stages we see the Life of Jesus Christ. We see the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord and we can see this in each stage of Abraham's vision and in Joseph's dream. The first stage is the Birth of the Dream. Abraham and Joseph experienced this birth when God came to them sovereignly and providentially to tell them what He would do in and through their lives. In Abraham's case we see the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12:1-3. In Joseph's case we see his boyhood dream in Genesis 37.
The second stage is the Life of a Dream. God gives life to the dream as we walk obediently to His vision or dream. In Abraham's case he leaves his family and moves to Canaan. He was being led by God. It seemed everything was going right. In Joseph's case we can get a clearer picture because Joseph follows the Lord and becomes the 2nd in command at home as Jacob places him in charge of his possession and brothers in Genesis 37-38. He is 2nd in command in Potiphar's house in Genesis 38-40. Joseph was 2nd in command in prison under the prison guard in Genesis 40-41. And in the end Joseph becomes 2nd in command over all of Egypt in Genesis 41 to 50.
The third stage is the Death of a Dream. God gives death for the purpose of exaltation. As God continues to bless us in His vision or dream we may become prideful or self-centered. Therefore we begin to think God has no part in fulfilling the dream and its because we've done all the right things and God has nothing to do with it. In the Life of Abraham God causes Sarah to be barren and Abraham and Sarah start feeling the vision is dead and uses Hagar to give birth to Ishmael to help God out. Abraham takes matters into his own hands. God puts a vision to death for a time until you realize God is raising you up for His Name's Sake not yours. Joseph had the same experience. He found himself hated by his brothers. He was placed in a pit, sold into slavery, and put into prison. From Joseph's perspective he certainly was not seeing how God was fulfilling his dream in Joseph's life.
The fourth stage is the Resurrection of a Dream and it occurs when all things seems helpless. The disciples are hiding in confusion wondering what is going to happen now that Jesus is dead only to have their hopes resurrected when Mary brings word that JESUS IS ALIVE!! Abraham and Sarah were beyond child bearing years. Joseph was 13 years in on a 20 year prison sentence and he gets word that the Pharaoh had a dream and wants to speak with him. Joseph could follow the Providence of God in his interaction with all the dreams in his life; two as a child, two different dreams of the butler and baker and now two dreams of Pharaoh. Joseph could also follow the Providence of God in the favor of God in his leadership as he was 2nd in command in every position he had in life. He was able at the end of his life to see the Life of Jesus all the way to the end that he could stand in front his brothers as they offered and apology and say, "you meant it for evil but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20).
If you've experienced an encounter with God in a vision or a dream the first thing you should do is make sure it is Biblical. God offers no further revelation and Satan is an Angel of light. However God will call you through a vision from God's Word or from a dream. He may press something upon your heart that you just know God is going to do something through your life. It is nothing more than a conception or an understanding of the task God has called you too. You want to follow that up with works for James said "faith without works is dead". Everything may go great for a while and you may get confident or a bit cocky about it. God will certainly put it to death moving you to uncertainty and frustration. You may take it further into your hands and work even harder and take on more responsibility trying to make the dream come about. God will wait until your done. He will let it die in your life. You will question whether you've heard God correctly. You will get to the end of yourself and turn yourself over to God. You will say with Jesus "Not My will but Your Will". It is at this point that God may choose to resurrect the dream. You've realized that it is about God's Name Sake not your own. You will have a fresh new dependence upon God and you will once again find and see victory in your life. I hope you find this helpful. God Bless!
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