Posted: 29 August 2024

From a sermon given on 25 August 2024:

And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old....Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.
(Joshua 14:10, 12)

John Maxwell defines a dream as an inspiring picture of the future that energizes your mind, will and emotions, empowering you to do everything you can to achieve it. God has bestowed on us the necessary abilities to turn our thoughts into things.

Caleb's dream was based on God's promise. He was now convinced and convicted that time to actualize it had come. He was willing to contend with the giants who had to be driven out. Caleb realised that the only way for him to get the land was by going to battle.

Dear friends, even if our dreams are from the Lord, we have an obligation to go for them and make them a reality. Many people drop their dreams because of their unwillingness to fight for them. If we have to turn our dreams into reality, we must roll up our sleeves, sweat and strain for them. Surely, the Lord will bring to pass all that he has deposited in you.

Further readings:

And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
(Genesis 41:38-49)

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
(Proverbs 10:4)

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
(Ecclesiastes 5:30)