Has God ever given you a dream or a word to stand on and nothing you are experiencing seems to suggest it will ever come to pass? Do you still count God faithful? Can He really be trusted?
If you have been a follower of Christ for any length of time, you have probably seen God’s faithfulness at work in your life. But in the midst of trouble, seeming lack, and what appears to be overwhelming odds against you, you begin to consider the storm.
Let’s consider Joseph. Look at the chain of events he walked through and ask yourself, “Would I still trust God?”
God gives Joseph a dream. But then it seems that everything is contrary to the dream being fulfilled. At 17, his brothers sold him into slavery. As a slave, he is wrongly accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison. While in prison he remains faithful and is given charge over the other prisoners. From this position, Joseph interprets the dreams of the king’s former butler and baker. He asks to be remembered when the butler is restored to his position, but the butler forgets about him for a few more years.
From the time Joseph was sold into slavery until the time of his release was 13 years. What would you be saying about this time? Would you begin to complain to God about your circumstances?
Let’s see this from God’s perspective. God sees the end of a matter from the beginning. He knew the steps Joseph needed to take in order to get him to the expected end where he would become second in charge over an entire nation. God did not cause evil to Joseph but knew his brothers would sell him into slavery before He ever gave Joseph the dream. God took the evil and turned it for the good of Joseph, the good of his family, and the good of two nations. For we know that all things work together for good to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Joseph did not see how all these events were lining him up for what God promised and what He called him to do. Every step that seemed to take him farther actually brought him closer to the fulfillment of the dream. But in one day everything changed. God’s perspective – His handiwork – was revealed.
If you have ever received a dream or vision for your life, your business, your vocation, don’t let go of it! Hold on to that dream like a dog with a bone. You may not see His hand working in your life. You’ve got to trust Him especially when you don’t understand and you can’t see what He’s doing and you don’t think He’s doing anything. When time keeps passing and the promise hasn’t come, trust God.
Has God been faithful to you? Has He ever helped you in the past? Will He change now? The devil has tried to hit you with everything but you’re still standing. You’re still here!
When you messed up and came crawling back to Him was He faithful to restore you? Has He ever healed you? If He’s been faithful to you then, why isn’t He going to be faithful to you again? It’s going to happen. He has helped you in the past. His promises have never failed; therefore, this thing is going to change.
God will not waste one event, one crisis, one failure, or one mistake. God knows the plans that He has for you, plans for good and not of evil to give you an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11). God has declared your end from the beginning – and it is GOOD!
Daniel 3 vs. 27: Then the high officers, officials, governors and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed and their clothing was not scotched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!
Vs. 28: Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! He sent His angel to rescue His servants who trusted in Him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any other god except their own God.
God sent His angel to deliver His servants who hath trusted in Him and announced them for the whole world to see. Today we are reading the story of these three Hebrew boys that trusted God to the end. If your trust is in God, He will deliver you in your time of trouble and rescue you in the face of danger. He will not leave you to end in shame. These three Hebrew boys trusted God to the extent of suffering and yielding unto death because they refused to bow down to an idol.
Daniel 3 vs. 17: if we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
Vs. 18: But even if He doesn’t , we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.
They did something that amazed God, they had this confident trust in God as their strong deliverer and they were not afraid to say it. They told the king that even if their God does not deliver them, they will still not bow or worship any other God. Many times because of the pressures of life, we sell our honor, our God given birthright and renounce God just for a moment of pleasure just to save our skin. If you can stay in Christ and confidently hold on to Him, though it will be painful, lonely, tiring, sometimes you go through shame and reproach, we face rejection, we are falsely accused, even jailed, persecuted, beaten, appear foolish to the world etc but we are assured of a GREATER END AND A GLORIOUS FUTURE if we hold on tight unto God.
I had a dream some years back, and I was in a boat with some people and after a while the storm came, the wind blew and the boat was about sinking, everybody was afraid, people were crying for help, some fell into the sea, so I saw a tree and I held onto that tree until the storm stopped and nothing happened to me. When I woke up, the Holy Spirit told me that no matter what I face in life, I should never let go of God, for in Him I am safe! Daughter, you are completely safe in Christ Jesus!
Vs. 30: then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.
Praise God! The greatest rewarder of all rewarded these three Hebrew boys for sticking to their belief in God and not rejecting Him in the face of challenge. God knows all that you are going through; sometimes it seems as if God is far away from you or that He has forgotten all about you, NO! God did not bring you this far to forsake or leave you. You can’t give up now; you have come this far from where you started from. When you set out to do what God has called you to do, He will reward and announce you. The road won’t be easy but surely at the end there is a banquet awaiting you!
Dare to be a finisher.
Dare to be a victor.
Dare to conquer.
Dare to trust God.
The world will come to the brightness of your rising!
God will show you forth and announce you!
When God shows you forth, the world will praise the Lord for you!
PRAYER: Lord help me to keep trusting and praising you in the storm and in all circumstances of my life’s journey. No matter the season, help me not to give up. I receive the spirit of perseverance and discipline. Also give me the staying power to enable me stay fixed in You in Jesus name I pray.