God’s Spirit Poured Out
28 ” And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
God gives us dreams, assignment or purpose. But often this dream will be opposed, disdained, cornered,, trapped, quartered or even killed or aborted if we let it.
Noah’s Dead Dream lived
Noah, commanded to build an ark for as a day of rain that would come as a judgement on of people on the earth, Noah commenced building the ark and started warning people of the impending doom. But they all laughed at him.
After 5 years, 10year 50 years nothing happened. Noah kept on believing that it will happen. It had never rained before. It was difficult to describe what rain would be like. It looked foolhardy- a pipe dream, pie in the sky.
Some called him a hopeless, useless, nut case- a dreamer.
Others said, ‘Man, find another dream, this dream of yours is dead.
Some youngsters were so brazen, brash and bold; they used his ark for their wild parties. Others used it as their love nest and yet some were so wicked, they defecated in it to wind Noah up.
Just imagine Noah cleaning up after them and still trusting that the God who told him to build an ark is a God of integrity regardless of the passage of time.
Noah eventually completed the ark and the Holy Spirit led the animals to the ark until the number required was completed. Noah and his family entered the ark and then it was shut.
The Dream Come True
The heavens opened for the first time and it rained and rained and rained. People though it was a joke, they were laughing initially but their laughing was soon turned into desperation. Some tried to swim but could not. They had no experience. Other climbed to the top of trees, but soon the water engulfed them and they drowned.
Meanwhile what killed the unbelievers, the scoffers, the God-mockers, carried Noah to safety.
7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Heb11
The Dreamer thrived. His dead dream came alive. The word of God did not fall to the Ground.
Dead dreams can live.
Even as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be today. Has the Lord spoken, given you a dream? Has the dream tarried, held in abeyance, postponed as it were?
The vision, the dream is for an appointed time and at that appointed time it shall burst forth. It shall not delay a single day.
Dead dream can live!
Abram had been promised in Gen12:
“I will bless you to be a blessing, I will make your name great, who ever blesses you will be blessed and whoever curses you will be cursed out of you all the families of the earth will be blessed. “ Gen12:1-3
Wow! what a dream! What a grandiose plan! It was music to Abram’s ears.
However time was running out, Abram was getting old – over 75 now and nothing was happening. His biological clock was kicking and ticking fast.
In Gen 13 God had blessed him with wealth. It is 2 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents.
6 Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.
7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen ofLot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.
8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren.
9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”
10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyedSodom andGomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like theland ofEgypt as you go toward Zoar.
11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, andLot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.
… Little did Lot know he chose hell.
After he had gone, God confirmed His covenant with Abraham and showed him a glorious picture of his coming blessing as much as the sands of the sea, and the stars in the sky.
It was awesome, impressive to say the least . But Abram was still barren and became desperate in Gen 15:
God promised: I am your shield and strength.
Abram was agitated even desperate: See you have not given me a child and my servant Eliezer shall be my heir.
God reassured him that Eliezer shall not be his heir but one that would come out of his loins
Genesis 15: God’s Covenant with Abram
1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
2 But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”
4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”
5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
14 And the LORD said to Abram, afterLot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are — northward, southward, eastward, and westward;
15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.
16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.
17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”
Later God confirmed His covenant with Abraham
Genesis 15
17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.
The fire going through the pieces represented God alluding to
an ancient custom of friendship expression when blessing and curses are pronounced by parties to a friendship covenant.
If I am in trouble you have to come to my aid; you cannot feel sorry and remain aloof . Your strength is my strength.
Jesus took the piercing and cutting for us on the cross. That was why even after His resurrection the mark was still there and He showed it to His disciples especially doubting Thomas.
The Passover meal was the covenant meal as we partake we need to remind ourselves that we are part of the New Covenant established on better promises. We are not only children and servants of God; we are also friends of God, and God will keep His covenant obligations. He cannot deny Himself. He is faithful, reliable and dependable. He has the wherewithal to bring it to pass, He does not depend on anyone that may disappoint Him. This should be our confidence as we trust Him. It is impossible for Him to lie, recant default on, rescind his promise; alter what He had uttered.
Genesis 16: Hagar and IshmaelGen16- unbelief and the birth of Ishmael-
son and thorn in the flesh16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram
In Gen 17 God changes the name of Abram to Abraham (father of many nations, and Sarai to Sarah- mother of nations.
I can imagine Abraham, saying ,”Lord I want a child, not a change of name. ‘ Besides what a ridiculous name. You know I don’t have a child and from now on people will be calling me ‘Father of many nations, …Father of many nations…’ when I have nothing to show for it. It is humiliating. Can’t we wait until I have the children then we stats using the name? “
Abraham had to believe God, and accept the seeming humiliation. God was communicating faith, calling those things which be not as though they were. God was making a covenant expression based on their covenant relationship- even friend- which was part of the custom in those times, where parties to a friendship covenant would exchange their strength, and names and follow it up with a covenant cutting in a secret ceremony. As we saw in Genesis, there was the cutting where Abraham cut an animal into two piece and the Lord came as a fire over it while Abraham snored- his contribution to the covenant.
Abram to Abraham
4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.
5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.Gen17:5
6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
Sarai to Sarah
15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.
16 And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”
17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?“
18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”
19 Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.
Gen 17
circumcision
24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. Gen17:24
Abraham & Sarah
1 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13 And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’
14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”
The dream lingered. It was delayed as it were or even denied. Was God lying? Was He playing on their emotions? Would He be able to deliver like He said? Was it a dead dream?
Dead dream comes alive!
Genesis 21: Isaac Is Born
1 And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken.
2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3 And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him — whom Sarah bore to him — Isaac.
4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.”
7 She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Are you aged, gone past your sell-by date, written off, shelved, parked or even buried like Lazarus even though God said this sickness was not unto death?
You are coming back to life.
Dead womb will receive strength to conceive again like Sarah. Believe God like Sarah did. Do not throw away your confidence in God. Sarah and Abraham turned the corner regarding their unbelief, you too can.
11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude — innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. Heb11
7 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed — God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”
19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Rom4
Your dead dream will live, In Jesus name, …. If you will hold on, if you will only believe. God is not a man that He should lie nor the son of man that He should repent. Even a pagan prophet believed this and was bold to state it. Why not you? Keep affirming the promises of God. He’s a faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy to a thousand generations Deut7:9 Num23:19
Isaac’s Dead Dream
Isaac took a wife- Rachel. She was stunning. There was a great promise He had inherited from his Father. For a start he was the child of promise, a child in Abraham’s old age. He was a testimony that God is faithful and can be trusted, does not need help from man to bring about His plans.
However, Isaac was to have his own challenges. Behold Rachel, -the beauty, the gorgeous, the queen, the Leona Lewis, Jay Lo of her time, was barren again. The barrenness that faced Sarah and Abraham had come to visit again. Could you believe it?
It was as if the dream is dead again.
Isaac had to believe God because he was a testament of what God can do . He prayed to God and God opened the barren womb of Rachel, who had a twin- Jacob and Esau, two nations. The dead dream came alive because if He said it, you can take it to the bank.
Your dead dream will live too. God remembered Noah, He remembered Abraham. He remembered Isaac, He will remember you! Your dead dream will also live.
Financial dead dreams
God’s blessings are trans-generational- for you and your children’s children. We have seen how He blessed Abraham financially in Gen13 ‘Abram was very rich’. We have seen the pictures he painted; now Isaac is in a land and his financial dream fell dead right before his eyes.
There was a severe famine. That God had promised does not mean you and I will not be tried. God allows the trials to train us to reign with Him. He allows the trials to increase our faith, make it robust, to reveal His ability as we trust in Him, pray to Him.
Isaac wanted to up sticks and run as far as he can, some of us have run to America, Nigeria, or France or Ireland in the hope that the grass is greener there, when we have not heard from God- just moved by the wind of apparent convenience.
God will bless you anywhere He has put you, regardless of the vicissitudes of life that visit you.
So if you will stay put He will give you strange instructions winning ideas that will make you stand out.
Genesis 26: Isaac and Abimelech
1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.
2 Then the LORD appeared to him and said: “Do not go down toEgypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you.
3 Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
6 So Isaac dwelt in Gerar.
Go will bless you superabundantly as you sow even in famine. That is a step of faith and God honours faith. We walk by faith and not by sight.
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him.
13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous;
14 for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.
Yes, you will be so blessed that unbelievers will be envious of you.
Remember, it had happened to his dad, Abram, and God showed His faithfulness. He had a track record that Isaac could depend on. It was like a signpost of reference.
This is why you need to pass these signpost like a baton to your children and children’s children.
Abram inEgypt
10Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egyptto dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. Gen12:10
Gen13:2
Elijah and the Widow
8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs toSidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.”
11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”
12 So she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.
14 For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’ ”
15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.
16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah 1Kings17:8-16
Physical dead dreams
Widow of Zeraphat
Elijah Revives the Widow’s Son
17 Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. And his sickness was so serious that there was no breath left in him.
18 So she said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?”
19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.
20 Then he cried out to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?”
21 And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him.”
22 Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.
23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives!”
24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth.”
Shunamite woman’s dream died
Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son 2King4:
8 Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.
9 And she said to her husband, “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.
Dead Dream came back to Life 2Kings4
13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’ ” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”
14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.”
15 So he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
16 Then he said, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!”
17 But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.
18 And the child grew. Now it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers.
19 And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.”
20 When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out.
22 Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.”
23 So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “It is well.”
24 Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.”
25 And so she departed, and went to the man of God atMount Carmel. So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman!
26 Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’ ” And she answered, “It is well.”
27 Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me, and has not told me.”
28 So she said, “Did I ask a son of my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”
29 Then he said to Gehazi, “Get yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, do not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; but lay my staff on the face of the child.”
30 And the mother of the child said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her.
31 Now Gehazi went on ahead of them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child has not awakened.”
32 When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed.
33 He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.
34 And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm.
35 He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
36 And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite woman.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Pick up your son.”
37 So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out.
Happy Easter!
The Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead meant the price He paid was sufficient for the redemption of man: God can be trusted to keep His promise of a Saviour. The love of God had been clearly demonstrated It meant the righteous demands of a just God had been satisfied and what the priest did annually using bulls and goats was done once and for all, Jesus had been to the Holy of Holies and received justification for all who come to Him for forgiveness and salvation. We can be free from our sins. Those who were crucified with Him have also risen with Him and seated with Him in the heavenly realms far above principalities and powers and thrones and dominions. We can lay claim to and enjoy all the promises of God in Christ.
Those who sat in darkness can now rejoice of the light can now shine in their darkness; hope was rekindled like the day David defeated and cut off the head of Goliath. It was a day of great jubilation like the Day of Jubilee when slaves were set free.
A New Day has dawned; a New Era has come. The old has gone and the New has come.
The resurrection sets Christianity apart from other religions because Jesus did not only die but He rose again from the dead. He conquered the death and the grave. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, praying for us daily.
One day He will return in great power and great glory at the blast of the trumpet of God. All eyes will see Him. He is coming for those who look forward to His appearing- that blessed hope. And when we see Him, we shall be like Him; mortality will clothe immortality; that sown in dishonour will be raised in great glory; our death doomed bodies will be traded with glorified bodies. Then shall come true the saying
“Death has been swallowed up in victory. . O Death, where is your sting? Where, O grave, is your victory.”
Our Final Victory
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “ O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1Thess 4:16-18)
Jesus Ascends to Heaven
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:8-11)
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God. Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.(1John3:1-3)
So this is our hope in regard to any dream that the Lord has given to us.
Be cause He lives your dream can live also.
Put your faith in God. Look unto Jesus- the Author and Finisher of your faith. Let’s keep ourselves pure and look to Jesus the Author and Finisher of your faith. Let’s revisit the cross and renew our commitment to Him and point others to Him. Let’s ponder on the full meaning of the resurrection, die daily and live daily for Him, in Him and with Him.
Your dead dream will live because He lives and He is the resurrection and the Life.
Stand to see your salvation. The battle is not yours but the Lord’s. Pray without ceasing. Hold on to the horns of the altar. The Kingdom of God suffers violence, but the violent takes it by force. Through our God we shall do valiantly. Greater is He that is you, than he that is in the world. When the enemy comes like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise a standard against him. Weeping may endure for the night but joy is coming in the morning.
Dead Dreams Can Live
Dead dreams can live
Only believe
Just put your hope
In the God of Hope.
Dead dreams can live
Believe to receive
Against all hope
Believe in Hope.
Because Jesus rose
Defeating all His foes
Your dead dreams can rise
On Him fix your eyes.
Be strong in the Lord
Just stand on His Word
He is a faithful God
And a powerful God.
Keep your Dream Alive
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