William Carrey, considered by many to be the human catalyst behind the modern missions movement, used to say, "Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God."
This month we’re going to talk about people in God’s Word who lived this very way of life; people who dreamed big for God. By pondering these biblical examples I hope each of us will become big dreamers for God. If you once dreamed big for God but have become discouraged about whether or not those dreams can still be realized, these scriptural models should help you dream again.
We’re going to cover some very encouraging ground these next four Sundays by talking about "God’s Big Dreams For You."
Our text verse is unique because it contains the first mention in the Bible of two very important words: "vision" and "reward". During these next four weeks we’re going to be emphasizing how being a person of vision leads to a very rewarding life!
Genesis 15:1 (NLT) "Afterward the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, ’Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.’"
This verse contains FOUR ESSENTIAL ATTITUDES FOR FULFILLING YOUR GOD-GIVEN DREAM:
1. Realize that your dream will need to be tested.
The first word of our text verse deserves further investigation. "Afterward". After what? What had been happening in the life of Abram up to this point? Let’s quickly review the three preceding chapters of scripture.
In Genesis chapter twelve God calls Abram to leave his home at age 75. So he sets out, not even knowing the precise location of the Promised Land to which God is sending him. Shortly thereafter Abram finds himself in the midst of a famine. He’s forced to take his family, servants, flocks and herds into Egypt. While he’s there he lies about his wife being his sister so that Pharaoh won’t kill him. Pharaoh takes Sarai into his harem but God protects her in spite of Abram’s deception and she is returned to Abram untouched.
This character flaw of Abram’s is not covered up in Scripture. One of the many reasons we know the Bible is true and therefore trustworthy is that it "tells it like it is".
Abram was weak. He lied. There’s no excuse for his lying. One can claim, as Abram did, that Sarai was his sister, the daughter of his father but not his mother. (Gen. 20:12) But when she became his wife, this was the relationship by which they were to be known. There’s no excuse for his lying. Yet Abram did not stop his journey to obey God because of his own sinful failure.
So we see in Genesis twelve that Abram’s dream was tested by FAMINE and FAILURE.
In Genesis chapter thirteen, Abram separates from his nephew Lot because of a range war that erupts between their herdsmen. There wasn’t enough grazing land for both their sets of herds and flocks. So Abram lets Lot take his pick of land on which to graze and Lot chooses foolishly. Sure, he picked the lush land, but it was also connected to the wicked city of Sodom. Eventually, Lot inches his way into the city. His family life is devastated because he chose the wrong priorities in life.
Abram could have taken first pick due to seniority. Instead he was selfless.
Don’t be so sure that just because you can do something that you should do the thing.
So in Genesis thirteen we see that Abram’s vision was tested by CONFLICT.
In Genesis chapter fourteen Abram rescues Lot from being taken captive. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Lot and his family had been living, lost their battle to a group of Babylonian kings. As a consequence Lot and his family were among the people taken hostage - probably to become slaves.
Uncle Abram puts together an army of his servants and rescues Lot and his family and all the other people and goods claimed by the heathen kings.
After the battle Abram meets Melchizedek, king of Salem. (v.18) King Mechizedek possessed a couple of very unique qualites.
Number one, he was also a priest. The only other priest-king in the Bible is Jesus.
Secondly, no one could trace his human origin. (Hebrews 7:3) That’s why Hebrews 5:6 (Quoting Psalms 110:4), emphasizes that Jesus was a priest after the "order of Melchizedek". He wasn’t from the normal high-priestly line of Aaron. Jesus was a priest-king of Supernatural origin. He was the only priest without human sin - which is the only way Jesus could be our Savior.
So what does Abram do when he meets this Christ-like figure? He pays him tithes. (v.20) In fact, this is the first mention of someone giving ten percent as an act of worship in the Bible. It occurs 400 years before the law of Moses established tithing. So you see, tithing is not under the law. It actually pre-dates the law.
Abraham worshipped God by giving - by tithing. But this wasn’t the end of his mastery of stewardship. The King of Sodom offers for Abram to keep the spoils of the battle he had just won. (v.21) (It seems haughty to me that this king offers Abram something he lost in battle and Abram regained.)
The neat thing is Abram refused the offer because he did not want the King of Sodom to ever be able to say, "I made Abram rich." (v.23)
Abram wanted everyone to know that it was his God, not any man, that blessed him. He was able to refuse material goods based on principle.
So we see, Abram’s vision was not only tested by FAMINE, FAILURE, and CONFLICT, but also by WARFARE and PROSPERITY.
That’s the stuff that comes before the AFTERWARD.
(AFTERWARD, the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision...)
Do you see the pattern?
AFTER Abram stepped out by faith and left his homeland.
AFTER he’d been through the famine.
AFTER he’d embarassed himself by lying to the King of Egypt.
AFTER he’d had the dissension with his family member, Lot.
AFTER he’d fought and won the battle with the Babylonian kings.
AFTER he passed the test with his possessions.
AFTER THOSE TESTS...God appeared to him in a vision.
A lot of us would have given up AFTER having gone through just one of these tests.
And that is the reason why many dreams from God never materialize - we give up too soon.
When we realize our dreams must be tested we can have a better attitude about those tests and a positive attitude is essential for realizing our dreams.
Those who see their God-given dreams fulfilled are the ones who persevere through tough times. They are the people who refuse to quit. Their tenacity and perseverance win out. They’re like Jacob wrestling with God, refusing to quit until they’ve received God’s blessing.
This is the biggest difference between winners and losers in every field. In business, sports, marriage and family life - many succeed because they have a superior attitude about their tests.
People who fulfill their God-given dreams aren’t always the most brilliant, not always the most talented, not always the better skilled. They don’t always have the best resources at their disposal. They’re just people who refuse to let go of their dream.
God’s will through the Patriarchs or any other saint, was not realized overnight. It took years of testing and molding and refining.
But why do I have to be tested to realize God’s dream?
Because God can’t give his dreams to people whose minds are cluttered with other things. He needs our undivided attention. Our tests and trials are not meant to discourage us - they are meant to draw us closer to God.
Psalms 34:17-18 (NCV) "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed."
A. W. Tozer said, "It’s doubtful God can use any man greatly until he’s hurt him deeply."
Tests can be God’s pruning shears.
John 15:1-2 (CEV) "Jesus said to his disciples:’I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit.’"
Then Jesus went on to say in John 15:5 (CEV) "I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me."
It’s tempting when the road is smooth and the sun is shining to think you’re doing it all without God’s help. But of course, you’re not. Without Him we couldn’t do anything. Having our dreams tested helps us remember that.
Abram was to the point where God could say, "Abram, I want to talk to you about something", and Abram was prepared to listen.
It was AFTERWARD. After the storms of life.
A young naval student was being put through the paces by an old sea captain. "What would you do if a sudden storm sprang up on the starboard?"
"Throw out the anchor, sir."
"What would you do if another storm sprang up aft?"
"Throw out another anchor, sir."
"And if another terrific storm sprang up forward, what would you do?"
"Throw out another anchor."
"Hold on", said the captain. "Where are you getting all your anchors from?"
"From the same place you’re getting your storms, sir."
You don’t have to worry whether or not God has enough anchors for your storms!
Abram passed the tests so God gave him vision.
The first attitude to realizing your God-given dream: realize your dream will be tested. And then...
2. Remember that God offers reassurance. "The LORD spoke to Abram in a vision."
"No one has ever seen God." (1 John 4:2; John 1:18)
"God is Spirit." (John 4:24) He is not contained in a physical body - except, of course, for the time Jesus took on human form. So when God spoke to people in Bible times He often had to do it in vision fashion.
Besides, there wasn’t a Bible available in Abram’s day. He couldn’t turn to the book of Genesis. So God speaks to him through a vision.
Don’t ever forget how much God wants to communicate with man. He communicates to us through creation and conscience. (Romans 1) And He communicates through the Word of God, both written and Living.
Some object that they can’t be visionaries because God hasn’t spoken to them in a vision like he did Abram.
Do you realize that you have it better than Abraham had it? God will speak to you every day if you will read His Word! You have much more revelation from God than Abram ever dreamed of having. (No pun intended.)
And what will happen when you hear from God? Many great things, one of which is, you will be able to face your fears. Fear is the greatest enemy to realizing your God-given dreams. Fear is a dream killer.
That’s why God’s communication to Abram included this next attitude.
3. Replace fear with faith. "Do not be afraid, Abram, I will protect you."
What might Abram be afraid of at this point in his life?
The retribution of the Babylonian kings he had defeated in battle? The wrath of the King of Egypt for lying about his wife? No, Abram had already survived those tests.
The greatest of Abram’s tests was the test of his faith.
God had promised to make him great and make him the head of a great nation. (Gen. 12:2) You know the problem...Abram and Sarai were old and childless. How could God possibly hope to fulfill His promise to Abram now?
Abram believed the Lord (Genesis 15:6), but he still wondered "how" God was going to fulfill His promise.
Abram suggested to God that his trusted servant Eliezer of Damascus become his heir. (Genesis 15:3) Sarai’s plan was for Abram to father a child by her Egyptian servant Hagar. (Genesis 16:1-2)
Both plans missed the mark. Both alternatives were motivated by fear.
But God wanted Abram’s child to be a child of faith, not fear.
"Don’t be afraid, Abram. Just because it is humanly impossible doesn’t mean it is Divinely impossible!"
Jesus said in Matthew 17:20 (LB) "...if you had faith even as small as a tiny mustard seed you could say to this mountain, ’Move!’ and it would go far away. Nothing would be impossible."
Chuck Swindoll tells the story of a village in northern India. Everyone brought their wares to the village to trade and sell. One old farmer brought a whole covey of quail. He had tied a string around one leg of each bird. The other ends of all the strings were tied to a ring which fit loosely over a central stick. He had taught the quail to walk dolefully in a circle, around and around, like mules in a sugarcane mill. Nobody seemed interested in buying the birds until a devout Brahman came along. His Hindu religion taught him respect for all life, so he believed the birds should be set free.
"I want to buy them all," he told the merchant, who was elated. After receiving the money, he was surprised to hear the buyer say, "Now, I want you to set them all free."
"What’s that sir?"
"You heard me. Cut the strings from their legs and turn them loose. Set all of them free!"
With a shrug, the old farmer bent down and snipped the strings off the quail. They were freed at last. What happened? The birds simply continued marching around and around in a circle. Finally, the man had to shoo them off. But when they landed some distance away, they resumed their predictable march. Free, unfettered, released...yet they kept going around in circles as if still tied.
Don’t go around and around in circles of fear and insecurity and timidity! "If the Son has made you free you are free indeed!" (John 8:36)
So, the third essential attitude - replace your fear with faith.
The fourth essential attitude for realizing your God-given dreams...
4. Recognize that a great reward awaits you.
The NKJV and NIV translate Genesis 15:1 this way, "I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward." (Which, in itself is a great truth - our reward is getting to have a relationship with God, not just the realization of our dreams!)
The Hebrew word for "shield" is often translated figuratively to denote protection - which, of course, is what a shield is for. Specifically, it is for protection in battle.
But once again, the battle in which God wanted to protect Abram was not a physical one - it was spiritual.
Ephesians 6:12-13 (CEV) "We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. 13 So put on the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm."
And what is the shield in our God-given armor?
Ephesians 6:16 (CEV) "Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one."
In order to win the spiritual battle involving the realization of our God-given dreams we will have to believe what we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:9-10 (Msg) "By an act of faith, he (Abraham) lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents...10 Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an UNSEEN city with real, eternal foundations - the City designed and built by God."
Walt Disney’s widow was being interviewed after the completion of Disney World in Florida. The reporter remarked, "Isn’t it a shame that your husband never got to see this?" Mrs. Disney quickly corrected him. "He did see it. That is why it is here!"
People who keep their eyes on the prize get to see what others cannot see.
Abraham was one of those people.
Will you be one?
1. Realize your dream will be tested.
2. Remember God offers reassurance. You’re not in this thing alone!
3. Replace any fear you might have with faith.
4. Recognize the great reward that awaits you for fulfilling your God-given dream.
What dream has God given you? Do you long for family and friends to come to faith in Christ? Never stop dreaming that dream!
Can you see God helping you overcome your family problems, your financial problems...do you have educational dreams for your self or your children? Is there a dream for your job that lies unfulfilled? Do you dream of God using you in a bigger way?
Believe these great words of God today: "Don’t be afraid, I will protect you; your reward will be great."
Never give up on your God-given dream!
