Three Dreams to Promotion

Three Dreams to Promotion

In the heart of every healthy person is a desire for promotion. It is normal to desire advancement, progress, upgrade, or elevation to a higher level.  That desire provides the motive force that produces learning, growth and creativity for betterment of life. The Bible teaches that promotion neither comes from the east nor the west but from the Lord (Psalm 75:6-7). The story of Joseph is an excellent example of how amazingly God can promote a person. Joseph rose from the pit to being a governor of Egypt (Genesis 41:15-41). As in his case, your promotion will involve handling three kinds of dreams. It happens through three dreams, your personal dreams, the dreams of people around you, and the dreams of leaders in your life.

1) Your personal dreams. Joseph's promotional journey began with a personal dream (Genesis 37, 39-40). Promotion is meaningful where there is a dream or vision. The dream is a picture of better days beyond the status quo. A long term preferred picture of oneself.  What a promotional step contributes to progress towards the overall dream a person has tells the significance of the step.  Factors that include passion, talents, societal needs of concern and revelation influence the form and nature of the dream.  Joseph walked intimately with God through the influence from his up bringing. He was a highly favored child of Jacob one of the patriarchs in the faith of Israel.  God revealed to Joseph in a literal dream major promotion that was coming. It would be so great that his parents and siblings would bow to him. He received a backlash instead of applause from his brothers when he talked about the dream. The brothers resented the thought of bowing to Joseph and had already developed an attitude against Joseph because he was their father’s favorite child.  They saw Joseph as someone bragging about his favored position in the family and now he dreams of ruling over them. The backlash was so strong that when Joseph brought them food supplies while they were herding their father’s flock, they discussed killing him. He survived but landed in a pit despite his pleas for mercy. In a chain of events, from the pit they sold him to some Ishmaelites who in turn sold him to a top official of Pharaoh of Egypt. All went well for him at this house until Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him of molestation. As a result, he was sent to prison. Joseph’s preoccupation with his dream therefore took him to a dungeon via a pit.  Mere preoccupation with your personal dream does not result in its fulfillment. In fact announcing a dream can land the dreamer into serious trouble. The Civil Rights ‘I have a dream’ icon, Martin Luther King and many others can testify.

The dream however can live on. Joseph was able to protect his dream by protecting his relationship with the dream’s source, Jehovah. The Lord was with him and granted him favor wherever he found himself (Genesis 39:21).

>>He nurtured a strong heart by patiently waiting on God (Psalm 27:14). Man looks at the outward but God promotes based on what he sees in the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Courage and patient are essential ingredients to God’s promotion process (Hebrews 6:12). Waiting is not easy but he waited patiently.

>> He kept his faith. His trust in God was unyielding despite the trying circumstances he went through. As his situation spiraled downward, his faith was soaring upward. Whenever this converse relationship is at play, inevitably at some point faith lifts the situation from any dungeon or pit to its level (2 Corinthians 4:23).

>>He maintained his integrity. Joseph showed fear of God by remaining faithful to his word. At college to progress to the next level, you have to pass tests. Joseph passed the moral tests he faced.  One such test was at Potiphar’s house. He refused to let Mrs. Potiphar seduce him. Instead, he ran away from her like someone fleeing from mortal danger (Genesis 39:12).  He also passed the test of becoming bitter despite having been rejected, mistreated, misunderstood, and falsely accused. He maintained a godly attitude. He did not accumulate wounds, self-pity and anger inside.

>> He humbled himself and was lifted up in due course (James 4:10). Humility is a precondition for promotion. He humbled himself to serve diligently, competently and faithfully in Potiphar’s house and in the prison even though he had a very big dream of what he should become. He humbled himself before God even though he did not fully understand what was going on and how the preferred end would happen.

2) Your neighbors’ dreams. Joseph’s difficult experiences shifted him from self-promotion to concern about what was troubling those around him. When that shift was complete, something good was bound to happen.  He realized people around him also had dreams but could not interpret them. He moved from talking about his personal dream to interpreting the dreams of fellow prisoners. Helping fellow people understand their dreams opened doors for him. It gained him a contact in the place of his divine appointment. He interpreted the dreams of the baker and butler when they were in prison. His personal dream took him to the dungeon. Interpreting dreams of others set him up for leaving the dungeon.

Joseph refused to settle in his status quo. Joseph asked the Butler to remember him so he could leave the dungeon (Genesis 40:14). He still had hope of promotion. The best of dreams can be destroyed by diversion to some other dreams from people, good as they may be. He refused the prison best of being in charge of all the prisoners (Genesis 39:22-23). Joseph’s dream conceived when he was in Canaan was constrained. It was not enough to be chief among prisoners. When you reach the ceiling of what is possible at a level, its time for promotion or boredom and frustration will soon set in. God had to bring him out. A giant tree in a pot will only grow to as much as governed by the pot size. Determine satisfaction with a promotion by the standard of your God given dream. Something can be right but not enough, and necessary but insufficient.

3) Your leaders’ dreams.  Joseph through the Butler he helped had an opportunity to interpret the King’s dream. He grabbed the opportunity to interpret the dream of the leader linked to his dream role. Some unstoppable dynamic sets in when you get concerned about what is troubling the leaders. When you make yourself available to serve and make them successful. When you get out of your way to help leaders solve their problems, achieve their goals and dreams.  Being able to help solve the problems leaders face is the key to promotion. The level to which you can be promoted depends on that of the leader whose dreams you interpret. For Joseph, preoccupation with his personal dream and rights took him to the dungeon. Interpreting dreams of leaders brought him out of the dungeon. Joseph gave God the credit for his ability to interpret the dreams of others (Genesis 41:16).

More specifically, Joseph was not promoted to governor of Egypt because he interpreted the King’s dream. Interpretation alone could have left the King more perplexed and quick to send Joseph to prison.   Instead of leaving the leader, depressed with the meaning of his dream Joseph inspired hope with his words, ‘Now therefore let Pharaoh take [the following action]’ Genesis 41:33). Joseph turned a dream problem to a dream solution. As for you, refuse to specialize in reporting problems. Suggest solutions for problems everyone else is only complaining talking. Behind every problem, there is an opportunity to provide a solution. The world has enough questions and analysts but few answers.  Start interpreting dreams and more so, start recommending solutions. The king appointed Joseph as the governor not for his gift to dream and interpret dreams but for offering wise advice. ‘But if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally... (James 1:5)’

Because of attending to the dreams of others, Joseph’s dream was fulfilled. God not only interprets dreams but also fulfills dreams. Pharaoh ordered that Joseph be brought from prison and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon (Genesis 41:14). As a pregnancy that is due, when God’s time is ripe and right your promotion will be unstoppable. It will come speedily and often irrationally in eyes of people. Even though Joseph fulfilled leadership roles as a slave and prisoner and credit should go to his parents who did a sterling work to shape his character and godliness, he hardly qualified for the job. He was almost forgotten in the dungeon but ascended to lead the nation. He moved from a position of obscurity into prominence, from a nobody to a somebody, from a have-not to abundance, from disadvantage to privilege, from the pit to the palace. He showed that it is not so much about knowing the right people and holding the right papers as it is about serving the right God right. You are rising up. God is breaking the rules that constrain you, shattering the boundaries that limit you, blistering the ceilings that have been set over you to keep you under. It is time. Jesus has positioned you in the heavenly places.

Message by Dr. Kurai Chitima.

Faith Ministries – Johannesburg Faith Life Center.

Ground and First Floors Sunset Bay Building,

204B Bram Fischer drive,

Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa 

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The Farmers’ Joy

The Farmers’ Joy

John 7:37-39; Joel 2:19  

Where I grew up the prayer of every farmer was ‘let it rain’. The coming of rain brought joy. When rain came, not only farmers became alive. Trees and plants turned green, frogs croaked, birds sang and insects chirped and buzzed. Children rejoiced as they played outdoors at the start of rain season and encouragingly sang ‘Go ahead fall so we can have food’.  Rain also came with fears of flooded rivers that threatened a small local bridge, lightening dangers and snakes that were forced out of their hiding crevices and holes by rainwater.  Rainfall also meant hard work. Mornings would start much earlier on the fields.

Once I visited a friend and his family. I found them hosting their mother who lived in a rural area far from them.  It was lovely to spend some time talking with the mother. She told me how much she desired to stay a little longer but she had to go back. She had just received news that the early rains for the farming season had finally fallen. She therefore was so happy and planning to head back home to sow her crop.  Farmers are delighted when rain falls at the right time and in right amounts. Rainfall waters their crops, fills their dams and raises the water table. Crops are able to grow root and find nourishment from nutrients in the soil. The dams provide irrigation water during the dry spells when there is no rain.

Similarly, the most evident effect of the rain and reign of the Holy Spirit is joy. Joy ought to be the dominant disposition of a believer in Christ.  Jesus came that you may have joy to the full. When it rains,  farmers  takes advantage of rainfall in several ways.

1. Farmers know the opportunity rain brings. Farmers has knowledge of the potential in the  land and are confident of their farming capability. Without such knowledge and ability  the rain can come and will just go to waste. As a believer, you like wise need to take advantage of the opportunity of knowing God and who you are in God.  The Holy Spirit rains to enable you to harness the potential in being a child of God  with God’s nature.  You can take advantage of  this rain only to the extend you know God and your identity, rights and privileges in Him.   Reading and meditating on God’s word reveals the potential and enables you to be fruitful.  Through listening and obeying the word of God you can understand the soil, inputs, and methods you need.  What you can do is no longer limited to your  natural DNA but replaced by your new  DNA in Christ. Also, the ministry of the church like the  agricultural support services to a farmer provides the support you need.

2. Farmers step out in face of uncertainty.  If you look at the skies, you will not sow. Farmers are courageous enough to step out.  Their courage is inspired by what they know about previous behavior of nature and the potential return from trust in what they believe should happen if they cultivate the land. Farmers see what things can be not just what they are presently. They create the change they want rather than  waiting to react to change that occurs. As a believer the rain of the Holy Spirit will be wasted if you  lack faith.  Asking by itself is not enough. Some things you are asking for require that you take courage to walk into them instead. See it by revelation from God’s word before you see it in the natural. Be optimistic because the reality is that risk with God is not risk for he is able and faithful.  Its not the size of your faith but the size and dependability of your God that matters. Faith pleases God despite the outcome (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is evidenced by the actions one takes not the ‘faith feelings’ they have. Feelings and declarations often precede faith actions (1Samuel 17:45-47) but cannot substitute them.  Action has to be taken . The land has to be ready, the planting and nurturing needs to be done. God is dependable we have his promises and a record of his faithfulness in our lives and in the Bible.

3. Farmers build  teams.  Good farmers work well with people. To scale up in any venture one must have the wisdom to builds a team and network of supporting relationships. Every big project that has broad based impact and significance requires the organisation of many people. Big dreams require input of many people. You have to move from  subsistence  to corporate thinking. God’s blessings are net breaking and there is  always enough to share .  The rain can come but unless you can nurture supporting relationships and partnerships you will only accomplish a little.  Ask God for grace to build support networks.  You need a network providing diverse inputs.  People who think and act as you can limit you to what you already know. Difference is the beginning of synergy. When the rain comes you cannot do it alone.

4. Farmers think long term. Farmers constantly think of the end.  They think of the next seasons when  handling the soil, equipment, water, crops, and stakeholders.  It matters what the farmer leaves behind for the future.  Farming is not for people wanting a hit and run quick buck.  As the rain of the Holy Spirit falls, you need set in motion daily disciplines that bring about spiritual  growth to maturity and multiplication. Think beyond your location to  nations and  generations.  Have a clear vision of your preferred future.  My first television experience was  a black and white, monochrome set. The TV had a tall areal on the roof of the house. Often signal would be poor and someone would go up the roof to adjust the aerial for a clear picture.  You also need to do everything possible to find a clear picture of the future. That picture cannot be clearer than your picture of God hence the importance of knowing God. The clarity of the picture also indicates the strength of the faith you have for what you are trusting God for, since faith  the substance of things hoped(Hebrews 11:1).

 5. Farmers give something.   Farmers  are willing to part with something. Farming requires inputs and material to work with. The measure of sacrifice indicates the potential for yield. The rain of the Holy Spirit will be wasted if you are unwilling to give. Big thinkers and big dreamers distinguish themselves by being big givers.  You can talk and pray big thinks but what will happen is linked to the measure of your giving.  See giving as an investment not a loss.

6. Farmers focus on causes.  Farmers  focus on doing the right things that lead to the harvest they want.  Focus on creating the causes of fruit. Maintain a hunger and a thirst to enjoy sustained benefit. The rain of the Holy Spirit comes to the thirsty and is sustained by thirst. The first sign of life is appetite and the first serious sign of death is loss of appetite. Avoid just being desperate for effects/ manifestations but hunger and thirst first and foremost for  the person of the Holy Spirit. Build an intimate relationship with God.  Jesus said come and drink. Drinking is taking actions corresponding to your thirst. If you are already full, you will need to let go of something of the flesh to make room for the rain to sock in and stir rivers to erupt out of you. 

7. Farmers  are patient.  Farmers are motivated enough to patiently apply the necessary discipline of consistent hard and smart work.  What you still need when everything else is in place is motivation to start and keep at it.  What you expect may not all happen instantly or shortly. The season is certainly right. Its not too early its not too late.  It is the right time as promised in God’s word.  What you need when there is delay is patience.  “…that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself,  saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.  And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise (Hebrews 6:12)”.

Handle With Care: Gentleness

Handle With Care: Gentleness

Let your gentleness be known of all men. The Lord is near.  - Philippians 4:5

When parcels are shipped from one place to another, some parcels are labeled FRAGILE: HANDLE WITH ARE.  The sign is a warning to handle the parcels with care to avoid damaging the contents. The assumption is that the people and equipment handling the parcel have strength that exceeds the limit the parcel can withstand. Those handling the parcels have to do so not according to their full strength but in ways and measure of strength, the parcels can bear.   The strength is moderated to what is necessary and sufficient to achieve the goal of securely shipping the parcel. In other words, their strength must be under control. The terms for strength under control used in the Bible are gentleness or meekness.  

Every person on the face of earth can do with a ‘Handle with Care’ sign on him or her, because people are easily hurt if handled carelessly. People wield sufficient strength to hurt one another physically, and emotionally. No wonder, the Bible many times exhorts believers to be gentle with one another (Philippians 4:5).  'But  the fruit  of the Spirit  is  love, joy , peace , long suffering , gentleness , goodness , faithfulness gentleness, and  self-control, against  such there is  no  law. (Galatians 5:22-23)'.  In addition, Ephesians 4:2 says, "Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each others' faults because of your love."  Another scripture is Titus 3:2, 'To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness to all men.' 

Being gentle is not being demanding, abrasive and coercive. It is being selfless in use of advantage, power, position, and privilege.  It includes being willing to listen, to explain, and to be patient with another. It is being careful that one’s conduct affects the other person and your mutual interests positively.  Gentleness is making choices about another considerately and with the goal to be winsome. It is speaking or acting in a way that lives the relationship stronger. Sadly, often people win arguments and lose their relationships.

Imagine what would happen if God dealt with humanity carelessly. Being all powerful He has to  handle humanity with utmost gentleness. Just a careless drop of His hand can crush planet earth to nothing. Just a careless wave of His hand can sweep people off the universe to unknown emptiness in an instant. However, out of love, He chooses to put His power under control to produce benefit not harm. God is love and gentleness is a vital mark of love. In 2 Samuel 22:36 David acknowledged the elevating impact of God's gentleness in his life, 'Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great '. God is gentle (Psalm 18:35; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Mathew 11:29; 21:5). 'Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me: for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest to your souls (Mathew 11:29). 

It is amazing how gentleness in speech and actions can promote harmonious relationships. A colleague shared how things did not seem to go well in his marriage. Beginning of one year as he made his personal development plans he asked his wife for one thing he could work on that year to make her happier. She thought for a little while. She had heard lots of ‘I love yous' from her husband already. She was longing for love in a different word - gentleness. She said he should just work on being gentle. He decided to evaluate and set goals to improve how he spoke to her, how he responded to her and handled her generally. A miracle happened by year-end. It was as if they were happily married all over again. Beginning of the following year, he asked again for something to work on. She said just keep working on the area of gentleness. The following year it was the same and their marriage life was greatly transformed positively. Faithfully walking in gentleness works wonders in other relationships such as parental and team relationships.

Words you speak are one area to pay close attention to in seeking to be gentle (Ephesians 4:29). Proverbs 31:6 says of the virtuous woman, ‘She opens her mouth with wisdom. The law of kindness is in her mouth.’ The tongue is a small organ but can affect the whole life. ‘Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire from hell.  For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of animals in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind:  But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  With this we bless God, even the Father; and with this we curse men, who are made after the similitude of God.  Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be ( James 3:6,8).

We have all been disappointed at some point. The issue is not only about words you speak but also how you respond to words spoken to you. Gentleness is response under control. It is being responsible or response-able. When someone disappoints you or offends you, how do you respond? I have heard people saying someone was calm and composed but on hearing provocative words 'lost it' or 'came off the hook'. Gentleness is staying on the hooks and requires grace for the failures, wrongs and weaknesses of others. Not every potential battle is worth fighting.  Some issues can be energy wasters and detractors best dealt with by simply ignoring them or not stirring them up.

Message by Dr. Kurai Chitima.

Faith Ministries – Johannesburg Faith Life Center.

Ground and First Floors Sunset Bay Building,

204B Bram Fischer drive,

Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa