Are you awaiting the fulfillment of dreams that God has given you?
Have you faced setbacks that cause you to question whether the dream will be fulfilled?
Are you or others with whom you serve weary of waiting for a dream to be fulfilled?
Do you ever get frustrated by the dreamers in your life?
If so, you’ll find this message from Wesley Scott Amos’ book, The Transforming Journey encouraging and perhaps even convicting in a way that leads to renewal.
I’ve created a video explaining a ministry activation you can do with your team or congregation, renewing hope for the fulfillment of the dreams God has given and releasing power and encouragement for the journey.
In the chapter “Vision and Perseverance – Joseph, Dreamer of Dreams” Amos writes, God has a vision for your life but between the seeing and the living of the vision there is a journey requiring perseverance, endurance. (p. 49) In the book of Genesis, God gave Joseph a vision for his purpose when Joseph was a young man. However, Joseph had to become a person who could live into that vision. The time Joseph spent as a slave, as a trusted administrator to Potiphar, the false accusations he endured, the prison time, the long years waiting to be remembered all were used by God to shape Joseph, preparing him to step into the purpose the Lord had for his life. (Genesis 37-50)
As Amos writes, …the journey refined him, purified him, prepared him to live into God’s purpose. (p. 58)
A pastor gave me this short prayer to pray in response to the story of Joseph’s life: Lord, give me the faith to live your dreams. When I pray this prayer, I invite to the Lord to prepare me for the dreams He has given me, giving me hope for the fulfilling of the dreams and encouraging me towards patience when their fulfillment seems far off.
The chapter in The Transforming Journey also convicted me. Amos talks about dream haters. He writes, How the world hates and loves its dreamers. (p.52) As I read the chapter, I realized that I am sometimes a dream hater. My husband is a visionary. He has a vision to plant a church in our city where skeptics can bring their questions and find that Jesus can handle and is sufficient for their questions.
Sometimes I love his dream, especially when our community flourishes and when I see people responding to Jesus through him. But when obstacles arise, I start to hate the dream and resent the dreamer. I think, “Why do you always have to push for change? Your vision is so disruptive.”
This chapter helped me to see myself in Joseph’s brothers, when I criticise or resent the dream or the dreamer. It called me to repent. It also encouraged me, pointing out that failures, setbacks and difficulties aren’t evidence that the dream is a fake. On the contrary, these hardships are necessary to prepare both of us to live into God’s purpose.
Watch the video in which I explain an activation you can use to minister healing and encouragement. You are welcome to use this activity with your team or congregation.
Please take a moment to join the discussion. Respond in the comments:
What dreams has God given you? Where are you at in the journey? In hardships and setbacks, in the fulfillment of the journey? Share your experience.
If you use this with your team or congregation, please share how they responded to it and how the Lord met them.
Thank you for allowing me to be part of your life.
How do I make sure I get all of your posts?
Hi Marilyn,
Thanks so much for asking. If you subscribe to my mailing list, you’ll receive my posts. You can subscribe here:https://www.worshipdanceministries.com/subscribe
Sorry for the basic question, but what does “activation” mean? Peace in Christ. 💟
Hi Lisa. Great question. An activation provides a “learning by doing” experience for participants. So, you have a spiritual truth you have taught and you use an activation to give participants an experience in which they have a chance to respond to the spiritual truth.