Introduction

Ladies and Gentlemen, Brothers and Sisters, welcome. I am so grateful to see each and every one of you gathered here today, united in the sweet fellowship of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We gather here, not as strangers or mere acquaintances, but as a family, bound by the unbreakable bonds of divine love, and knit together in the unity of the Spirit. We are here, not by chance or by accident, but by divine appointment. We are here because God, in His infinite wisdom and unending love, has called us to be here.

Today, we find ourselves standing on the precipice of a profound revelation, an insight into the heart of God and His divine plan. We are about to embark on an adventure of faith, guided by the light of God's Word. But before we do, let us pause for a moment and prepare our hearts.

We turn our attention to the book of Genesis, chapter 37, verses 5 through 11. It reads: "5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, 'Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.' 8 His brothers said to him, 'Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?' And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. 'Listen,' he said, 'I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.' 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, 'What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?' 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.'

Now, the renowned Christian author, J.I. Packer once said, 'The life of true holiness is rooted in the soil of awed adoration.' It is this sense of awed adoration, this profound reverence for the Lord, that we must cultivate in our hearts as we seek to understand the divine mysteries contained in these verses.

Let us bow our heads in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we come before You today, humbled and awed by Your majesty and Your love. As we delve into Your Word, we pray that You would open our hearts and minds to receive Your truth. May Your Holy Spirit guide us and illuminate our understanding. May we not only hear Your Word, but may we also put it into practice in our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Dreams Discerned

As we look at the life of Joseph, we can see that dreams played a significant role. These were not ordinary dreams, but divine revelations, given by God. Joseph's dreams were prophetic, providing a glimpse into God's plan for his life and the lives of his family members.

Overview of the dream. In the first dream, Joseph saw sheaves of grain bowing down to his sheaf. In the second, he saw the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him. These dreams were symbolic, representing Joseph's future position of authority over his brothers and even his parents.

However, understanding these dreams required discernment, a spiritual ability to perceive and understand things that are not immediately obvious. Discernment is a gift from God, enabling us to see beyond the surface and grasp the deeper spiritual realities.

Joseph's family reacted with disbelief, scorn, and even hatred. Yet, these dreams were not the product of Joseph's imagination or wishful thinking. They were divine revelations, part of God's plan. Now, let's look at the first aspect of discerning dreams.

It involves recognizing the source of the dream. Not all dreams come from God. Some are simply the product of our own thoughts and desires. Others may even be influenced by spiritual forces of darkness. Therefore, it's crucial to discern where a dream is coming from. Joseph's dreams were clearly from God. They were not influenced by his personal desires or ambitions. In fact, sharing these dreams with his family brought him ridicule and hostility, not honor and respect. Yet, Joseph was confident that these dreams were from God. He did not allow the negative reactions of others to cause him to doubt or dismiss what God had shown him.

Next is understanding the symbolism. Dreams often contain symbols that represent something else. In Joseph's dreams, the sheaves of grain and the celestial bodies were symbols representing his brothers and parents. Understanding requires spiritual insight. It's not something we can figure out on our own. We need the help of the Holy Spirit, who reveals the deep things of God to us. Joseph was able to understand the symbolism in his dreams because he was in tune with God. He had a close relationship with God and was sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. This enabled him to discern the meaning of the symbols in his dreams.

The third aspect of discerning dreams is interpreting the message. Every dream from God carries a message. It may be a message of warning, guidance, encouragement, or revelation of future events. Joseph's dreams carried a message of future events. They revealed that he would one day be in a position of authority, and his family would bow down to him. This was not a message that Joseph or his family wanted to hear. Yet, it was the message that God wanted to convey.

Interpreting the message of a dream requires wisdom. We need to ask God for wisdom to understand what He is saying to us through the dream. Joseph demonstrated this wisdom. He did not jump to conclusions or make assumptions. He took the time to pray and seek God's wisdom in understanding the message of his dreams.

The fourth aspect of discerning dreams is responding appropriately. Once we have discerned the source, understood the symbolism, and interpreted the message of a dream, we need to respond appropriately. Joseph's response to his dreams was to share them with his family. This was not a popular decision, and it brought him a lot of trouble. Yet, Joseph felt it was the right thing to do. He believed that God wanted him to share these dreams with his family, even though they did not receive them well.

Responding appropriately to a dream requires faith and courage. We need to be willing to act on what God has shown us, even if it's difficult or unpopular. Joseph showed great faith and courage in responding to his dreams. He faced ridicule, rejection, and even hatred from his own family. Yet, he remained faithful to what God had shown him, trusting that God's plan would prevail.

Discretion in Disclosure

As we continue to unpack the narrative of Joseph, we find ourselves in a place of intrigue ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO