DREAM TO REALITY
Genesis 39:1-23
How should we live from dream to reality? Achieving the reality of our dream requires certain disciplines. Note that Joseph’s success was the result of God’s blessing on his life and works. However, even if Joseph’s success was dependent on God, he demonstrated certain disciplines to lead him to his dream. What are these disciplines?
1. Discipline of Stewardship (39:1-6)
Verses 1-6 revealed that the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in everything he did. Note that although God made him prospered, Joseph was a hard-working and diligent young man (v. 3). He was a slave but became a steward of Potiphar’s household and was entrusted of everything that Potiphar owned.
I don’t know if Joseph was aware that he was on his way of realizing his dream but he disciplined himself to become a good steward. I believe it is important that a dreamer should discipline himself to hard work and diligence in order for him to realize his dream.
ILLUSTRATION One of history’s sharpest minds belonged to Thomas Edison, the great inventor. Despite only three months of formal schooling, Edison and his inventions changed the world forever. His secret? “One percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration,” as he put it; and he proved his definition by working days at a time, obsessed with his projects, neglecting family and friends, and stopping only for short catnaps.
Failure never seemed to discourage him. When about ten thousand experiments with a storage battery failed to produce results, a friend tried to console him. “Why, I have not failed,” Edison quipped. “I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Joseph never knew what lies ahead of him but he knows what’s before him. The fact that he was sold as slave never stops him from being a good steward of his life and opportunities. In the same way, wherever you are in the ladder of success, never underestimate the power of hard work. If we can be trusted with little things, then God is not afraid to give us greater opportunities in life.
Joseph’s success was not purely based on hard work. He succeeded because God was with him (vv. 2-3). Potiphar recognized God’s presence in his life and how God made him prospered in everything that he does. As a result, he was not afraid to entrust his household and properties to Joseph. What can we learn here?
First, a person who walks with God does not need to advertise God’s presence in his life. People will see God. Some individuals manipulate their credibility by stating that they are Christians and therefore can be trusted. We don’t need to promote our credibility, it simply shows.
Second, God’s presence made a difference in a person’s success. In God’s presence, no event or situation would be wasted. Everything has a purpose and would contribute to the overall achievement of success. If you believe that God is with you, then be vigilant and follow God’s leading. At times, following God’s leading may not be acceptable based on worldly standards. Follow Him anyway.
2. Discipline of Vigilance (39:7-18)
ILLUSTRATION Charles Swindoll said, “With greater success comes greater measures of trust, which by the way, lead to greater times of unguarded vulnerability.”
Without any doubt, Joseph became successful in the house of Potiphar. Potiphar left everything in his charge except the food he ate (v. 6) Joseph was a slave who had earned the right to be respected and trusted. As a result, Potiphar turned everything over to him. I take this to mean that Joseph determined his own schedule, that he organized all of Potiphar’s estate and administered all his finances. In short, Potiphar trusted him.
Joseph however knew that greater success comes greater trust which leads to greater times of unguarded vulnerability. So he guarded himself from vulnerability. He was tempted by Potiphar’s wife and knew exactly what he’s supposed to do. He refused (vv. 8, 10). He was vigilant and protected his weakness.
Discipline of vigilance is necessary to protect our vulnerability. Sometimes because of the level of success and trust by others cause us to think that we are untouchables, immune, and invulnerable from moral and spiritual failure. (See 1 Peter 5:8-9) The devil’s attack may come in three forms:
a. Material temptation – lust for things, it might be as big as a house or a small as a ring.
b. Personal temptation – lust for fame, authority, power, or control over others.
c. Sensual temptation – lust for another person’s body and attention.
No matter where we are in our level of success and trust by others, we are susceptible to at least one of these temptations. We thought that only those who are big time individuals can be vulnerable but even an average person or common workers may lose his dream and opportunities for success if vigilance is taken for granted.
Joseph guarded his vulnerabilities and gave us some guidelines to follow in terms of being vigilant against the devil’s attack.
a. Boundary (vv. 8-9a)
Joseph knew his limits. He is committed to live by the rules. He focused himself on what he is required to do and not on what he would like to do. He was satisfied with what he has and did not look for things that he does not have. Realize that we cannot have everything and do anything we want. Beyond what is given is always detrimental to our success.
b. Accountability (v. 9b)
He recognized that God gave him the opportunity and he is accountable to Him. He did not allow his success to erase the image of God in his mind. God is still God and he cannot betray His trust and plan for his life. No matter how successful we are, we are still accountable to our God.
c. Consistency (v. 10)
Joseph was tempted many times and his response was the same. Temptation does not come one time. Every time you climb that ladder of success, you will always feel that stress on your leg. Temptation never stops and we should be consistent in our response – NO.
d. Practicality (v. 12)
When Potiphar’s wife became daring in her attempt, Joseph simply run away. We should not rationalize or be logical in our dealing with temptation instead take simple and practical steps – run away or stay away.
3. Discipline of Submission (39:19-23)
We never had a chance to hear Joseph’s arguments before Potiphar; all that we knew was he was placed in prison. Humanly speaking, he could have complained to God and say “that’s unfair.” Imagine Joseph after doing what was right and resisting evil; he was falsely accused and dumped in prison. The normal response is to fight back or at be bitter about being godly.
Joseph however simply submitted himself to God and continues to let God be in charged of his life. True enough, God did not abandon Joseph in prison (vv. 20-23). He continued to do what is right and live according to God’s will. He was placed in a special prison – the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
And because God was with him and blessed his works, he found favor in the eyes of the warden and made in charge of all the prisoners and activities within the prison. What can we learn here? No matter where you are, when God is with you and you submit to Him, success and significance would not be absent.
Once again we have to realize that opportunities and success are primarily relative to God’s presence and favor and not simply because of our talent and hard work. Even the most strange and strenuous situation can be a stepping stones to success.
Therefore practice the discipline of submission even if it leads to seemingly strange circumstances.
CONCLUSION
Dreams are not meant to be aspired but also realized. With God on our side nothing is impossible especially when we are willing to engage in disciplines that lead to realization of our dreams.
