“And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”
Has God told you something in the dream or vision and you have thrown it away or forgotten about it because you have waited and it seemed it will never come to pass?
I have come to realize that God never changes His mind. What He spoke years ago to me I still hear the same things today. I was going through some notes I had written years ago and realized the same pattern of messages God had given to me. I am not good at journaling but I have come to realize how important this concept is. As we reflect on this passage in Habakkuk 2:2-3, I will like to highlight some important facts about the things we hear from God.
When God speaks, the very first thing to do is to write it down and date it. Daniel 7:1 says “In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream.” This can come as a dream or vision or trance or whatever means God uses in communicating to you. Secondly, ask God for an understanding. Sometimes this can be difficult. It is very important that you take time to talk to God about it before consulting others for help. If you have trusted men and women of God in your life you can consult them only after you have really spent time asking the Holy Spirit about it. Thirdly, you must understand that when God speaks, it is always for an appointed time. This is where I think many of us miss or lose it. Daniel 8:26 says “The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”
Let us look at the revelation God gave Joseph through a dream when he was a young boy. “Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 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.” 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. 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.” (Genesis 37: 5-9)
If we try to analyzed this revelation, we can gather some facts; Joseph was quick to share his dream with his family but none of them understood what his dream meant and thus they were unable to interpret the dream, rather they hated him. His dream brought forth family problems that led to Joseph being sold to slavery. One thing is for sure; when God speaks, he does not change his mind. Numbers 23:19 says “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” The word of God cannot be hidden or cannot die. when God speaks it must come to pass, though sometimes the word meet forces that wants to alter His word. Isaiah 55:11 also says “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
If God has given you a word, you have a responsibility to pray it into existence because spiritual forces are often standing in the way to challenge the word of God to ensure that it does not come to pass. You have to pray until you see it physically come to pass. This may take days, months, or years. It may mean you have to pray different types of prayers. It may sometimes take you into fasting. From the moment Joseph had his dream that he would one day be a great person, satan began to challenge the word of God in Joseph’s life. Satan used his family and he was sold to slavery in Egypt, the enemy did not give up but continued to work so hard to keep him from experiencing what God showed him in his dream. The good news was that Joseph did not give up believing God and God was with Joseph as well. Genesis 39:21 says “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” The favor of God will find us wherever, irrespective of circumstances.
In summary, Joseph’s dreams finally came to pass exactly as God had showed in the dream. “When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.” (Genesis 43:26) Joseph was the next in command in the whole land of Egypt yet he began his life as a purchased slave. Do not give up your dream for anything. Hold on to it and continue to trust God. Certainly, He will bring it to pass when you least expect.
To do list when you have a dream:
First thing upon waking up; remember your dream or vision and write it down.
Pray for understanding?
Reflect on the dream or vision. Do you understand what it means? Do you need to speak to someone about it?
Continue praying on the dream.
Blessings
Ennette Heaggans