A. REHEARSE THE PAST: JOSHUA 14:6-15
1. Dreams keep us alive. Caleb reminded Joshua. “As it was in my heart” (14:7).
2. God usually shows you a dream long before you get it. “Moses swore on that day . . . surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance” (14:9).
3. Your dream comes when you pursue God and live righteously. “Moses swore on that day . . . because you have wholly followed the Lord” (14:9).
4. Usually what God shows you is what you want. “Ever since the Lord spoke this word . . . now therefore give me this mountain” (14:10, 12).
5. There are usually obstacles and distractions between your first vision and the time you get your dream.
a. Time. “These 45 years” (14:10).
b. Unbelief of others. “My brethren who went with me made the heart of the people melt” (14:8).
c. Detour. “While Israel wandered in the wilderness” (14:10).
d. Delays. Helped others win their land first. Caleb wasn’t getting any younger.
6. You base your dream on promises. “Moses swore . . . on that day . . . the land shall be your inheritance” (14:9).
7. Restate your faith to get the dream. “I fully believed the Lord would empower us” (14:9, PEB, i.e., Plain English Bible, the version in Praying With the Conquerors).
B. LAY OUT THE FACTS
1. Recommit yourself to your dream. “I am just as strong as I was on that day” (14:11, PEB).
2. Recommit your faith in God. “The Lord will be with me” (14:12).
3. Be unafraid of danger or the battle. “So now is my strength for war” (14:11).
4. Recognize God’s past providence. “The Lord has kept me alive . . . these 45 years” (14:10).
5. Know honestly the difficulties in reading your dream. “Give me the hill country . . . the Anakim living there in great, walled cities” (14:12, LB).
6. Know the basis of your strength. “The Lord will be with me” (14:12).
7. Count on God’s promise. “Caleb said . . . you know the word which the Lord said to Moses . . . concerning you and me” (14:6).
C. STEPS TO RECEIVE YOUR DREAM
1. First you must see the dream God has given you. “Your young men shall see visions, your old men shall vision visions” (Acts 2:17).
a. As a young man Caleb had a vision of a home in Hebron.
b. As an old man He dreamed of conquering Hebron.
c. The dream never died.
2. Second, you must live the basis of your dream. “I wholly followed the Lord my God” (14:8).
a. Faith. “If ye have faith . . . he shall say unto this mountain, ‘remove hence to yonder place’” (Matt. 12:20).
b. Pray. “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe” (Mark 11:24).
3. Third, you must remove barriers that block your dreams.
a. Know your opposition. “It may be that the Lord will be with me and I shall drive them out” (14:12).
b. Be vocal about your barriers. “Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea” (Mark 11:23).
4. Fourth, you must ask for your dream.
a. Outward request. “Ye have not because ye ask not” (James 4:2).
b. Ask boldly. “Give me this mountain” (Joshua 14:12).
5. Fifth, you must commit yourself to work and/or fight to get your dream.
a. Personal responsibility. Caleb didn’t ask Joshua to fight with him, even though they were spies together when younger.
b. No exceptions. Even though Caleb was 85 years old, he didn’t ask others to do it for him.
6. Sixth, personal dreams involve partnerships with God.
a. Division of labor. “We are workmen together with God” (1 Cor. 3:9, KJV).
You’re only a dreamer
If you don’t sacrifice everything for your dream
b. Caleb trusted God. “The Lord will be with me” (14:12).
c. Self commitment. “I shall be able to drive them out” (14:12).
7. Seventh, don’t give up if you don’t achieve your dream immediately.
a. Easy to achieve dreams that are beneath your life’s calling.
b. Most dreams take patience and diligent work.
c. Many youth want their mountain NOW, and give up when it is not achieved.
d. Unstable young people go from one dream to another. Their dreams come from surface decisions, not from God.
e. Elderly usually have more patience, even though they don’t have much time left.
8. Timing is everything in dream fulfillment.
a. If you risk too soon, you may fail and not get another chance.
b. If you wait too long, the open door of opportunity may close.
c. Follow God’s leading through open doors. “A great . . . door has opened for me” (1 Cor. 16:9).
*Lesson taken from pages 87-91, Praying With the Conquerors, by Elmer Towns
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord,
I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
For more information on the TRBC Pastor’s Bible Class, log on to the Internet for TRBC Home page at www.trbc.org/pbc.
