anger or authority and assurance…

how do our dreams past the test?

when i face the test of denial, the answer is commitment.  when someone denies the dream it’s an opportunity for me to express a new and fresh commitment to GOD and to that dream. 

when i face the test of doubt, the answer is scripture, GOD’s word.

for joseph GOD’s word was the dream, he had to go back to the dream again for GOD’s word.  but we have a bible to look at.  we can look at this bible to find the answers for GOD’s dream for our lives.  dreams are personal so when people react with doubt at our dream we often react with anger.  one of the common things when people doubt our dream, especially if it’s someone important to us – a parent, brother, sister, close friend, pastor – is an angry reaction of “i’ll prove them wrong.” 

what happens then is our dream turns into a vendetta.  instead of following GOD’s dream for our lives we’re trying to prove somebody else wrong.  and that’s no way to find GOD’s will for our lives.  instead of saying, “i'm going to prove somebody else wrong” or instead of allowing somebody else’s doubts to cause you to admit defeat and give up, there’s a better test.  it’s the test of scripture.

GOD given dreams always have to pass the test of scripture.  what does GOD’s word say?  does it strengthen this dream or are there some things here that make me begin to doubt this is GOD’s dream for my life.  when you take a GOD-given dream and you start to read through GOD’s word with that dream on your mind saying, “LORD, if it’s right, show me.  if it’s wrong, show me.” when you start to ask people you respect who know the word, “is this a GOD given dream, does it fit with scripture?” one of two things are going to happen. 

you’re either going to find out it’s not GOD’s dream or it is.  and if you find out it is, the test of scripture does two great things.  first of all it adds authority to your dream and then it adds assurance to your dream.  if you get GOD’s authority you know you have something to say.  but also you know you have an inner assurance. 

just a thought from the front porch…