Dr. Ollila spoke about dreams and how the Christian can live and fulfill his/her dream. He looks at the life of Joseph and how he had conviction before he faced crises and did not conform to sin.
Scripture Texts
Genesis 37:1-11; Genesis 39
Main Points or Ideas
How Does a Dream Become a Reality?
1. Have Conviction Before You Face a Crisis (Genesis 37:1-11)
- Know what you believe and why you believe it before getting into a crisis—do not try to make up your mind in the moment
- Joseph had conviction before crisis: he did not conform to his brothers' wickedness, did not conceal their evil, did not contend when sold by his brothers, and did not complain
- Make up your mind ahead of time about what you will and will not do
- Do the right thing so often that when crisis comes, you will do the right thing automatically
2. Live with a Holy Fear of God and Fervent Love for God
- Joseph had a drive to live in the fear of God—practicing the constant awareness of God's presence
- Three keys to maintaining this: the Word of God (Psalm 119:9-11), the worship of God (keeping your heart lifted in praise), and concentrating on the works of God (reviewing how God has worked in your life and family)
- This holy fear and fervent love kept Joseph's purpose clear and unique
3. Have a Committed Loyalty to God-Placed Authority (Genesis 39)
- Joseph maintained loyalty to Potiphar as his master, refusing to betray that trust
- He maintained loyalty to the God he feared—"How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" (39:9)
- Stay in the place of protection under God-placed authority—this is protective
- Accept God-given responsibility, God-given restrictions, and the building of right relationships (pattern from Genesis 2:15-17)
4. Deal with Testing and Temptation Wisely
- Avoid the source of temptation—stay away from where temptation would be easy, guard against devices that can become destructive
- Realize that retreat is better than defeat—Joseph ran when Potiphar's wife grabbed him, losing his coat but saving his character
- Joseph was lied about and imprisoned, yet maintained his character so clearly that even in prison he prospered
Conclusion
Don't get in a hurry to see God's hand work—stay focused on loving Him and being obedient to Him. Keep your dream alive if it is a godly dream. Every step and every minute of investment in godly living is worth it when God brings the dream to fulfillment in His timing.
