Embracing Struggles: The Journey to God-Given Dreams

Devotional

Day 1: Struggles Shape Our Character

In the journey of pursuing God-given dreams, struggles are not merely obstacles but essential tools for shaping our character. These challenges are allowed by God to prepare us for the dreams He has for us, focusing more on who we become rather than what we achieve. The life of Jacob exemplifies this truth, as his struggles were instrumental in his transformation. God is more interested in our character, which is eternal, than in our earthly accomplishments. Embracing struggles as preparation helps us align with God's purpose and develop the character that we carry into eternity. [01:49]

"For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: What current struggle in your life might God be using to shape your character, and how can you embrace it as preparation for His dreams for you?

Day 2: Crisis as a Divine Signal

A crisis often serves as a divine signal that God is preparing us for a new dream. It is a pivotal moment that captures our attention and propels us toward the next phase of our lives. In Jacob's story, his crisis moments were not just about survival but about transformation and readiness for God's greater plan. Embracing crises as catalysts for change allows us to see them as opportunities for growth and alignment with God's vision. These moments are not to be feared but welcomed as steps toward fulfilling God's purpose. [09:11]

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent crisis you faced. How might it have been a signal from God preparing you for a new direction or dream in your life?

Day 3: Perseverance Through Testing

God tests our faith and commitment through prolonged struggles, requiring us to hold on and not give up. This perseverance is crucial in building our character and preparing us for the blessings God has in store. Jacob's journey was marked by long and painful struggles, yet his commitment to God's promises was unwavering. In our own lives, enduring through testing times strengthens our faith and aligns us with God's will, ultimately leading to the fulfillment of His dreams for us. [20:41]

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel tested. How can you demonstrate perseverance and commitment to God's promises in this situation?

Day 4: Confession as a Breakthrough

Admitting that we are our own biggest problem is a breakthrough moment in our spiritual journey. This confession allows us to move past our weaknesses and embrace the new identity God offers us. Jacob's story highlights the importance of self-realization and confession in overcoming personal barriers. By acknowledging our shortcomings, we open ourselves to God's transformative work, leading to a renewed sense of purpose and identity. This step is crucial in aligning with God's vision for our lives. [25:08]

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: What personal weakness or sin do you need to confess to God today? How can this confession lead to a breakthrough in your spiritual journey?

Day 5: Embracing a New Identity

God offers us a new identity and dream when we confess and commit to Him. This transformation changes how we see ourselves and aligns us with God's vision for our lives. Jacob's transformation into Israel symbolizes the profound change that occurs when we embrace the identity God gives us. By letting go of excuses and embracing this new identity, we position ourselves to fulfill the dreams God has for us, living out His purpose with renewed clarity and strength. [33:18]

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: What old identity or label do you need to let go of to embrace the new identity God offers you through Christ? How can this change impact your pursuit of God's dreams for your life?

Sermon Summary

In this message, we explore the profound journey of pursuing God-given dreams, using the life of Jacob as a central example. Many people dream, but few pursue those dreams due to fears, insecurities, and the potential for conflict. Achieving dreams requires effort and a willingness to face struggles. God allows these struggles because He is more interested in who we become than what we accomplish. Our character is what we take to heaven, not our achievements.

Jacob's story illustrates the struggle behind every great dream. He was a man of contradictions, running from God and his brother, yet God gave him a dream of a great blessing. This dream came with a struggle, which involved four phases that we all must go through to prepare for God's dream for our lives.

The first phase is the crisis phase, where we struggle with God and others. This struggle is often a sign that God is preparing us for a new dream. The second phase is the commitment phase, where God tests our faith in His promises. We must hold on and not give up, even when the struggle is long and painful. The third phase is the confession phase, where we admit that we are our own biggest problem. This is a breakthrough moment, as we acknowledge our weaknesses and sins. Finally, the conversion phase is where God gives us a new identity and dream. Jacob's name was changed to Israel, symbolizing a new identity as a prince with God.

God's deepest work in our lives is changing our identity and how we see ourselves. We must stop making excuses and blaming others for our weaknesses. Instead, we should embrace the new identity God offers us through Jesus Christ. This transformation is essential for fulfilling the dreams God has for us.

Key Takeaways

1. Struggle as Preparation: God allows struggles in our lives to prepare us for His dreams. These struggles are not about what we accomplish but about who we become. Our character is what we take to heaven, not our achievements. [01:49]
2. Crisis as a Catalyst: A crisis often signals that God is preparing us for a new dream. It is a way for God to get our attention and make us ready for the next phase of our lives. Embrace the crisis as a step towards God's greater plan. [09:11]
3. Commitment Through Testing: God tests our faith and commitment through prolonged struggles. We must hold on and not give up, even when the journey is painful. This perseverance builds our character and prepares us for God's blessings. [20:41]
4. Confession and Self-Realization: Admitting that we are our own biggest problem is a breakthrough moment. This confession allows us to move past our weaknesses and embrace the new identity God offers us. [25:08]
5. Transformation and New Identity: God gives us a new identity and dream when we confess and commit to Him. This transformation changes how we see ourselves and aligns us with God's vision for our lives. [33:18]
** [33:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - The Struggle Behind Dreams
[00:59] - God's Interest in Our Character
[02:20] - Jacob's Dream and Struggle
[03:21] - Jacob's Encounter with God
[05:03] - Recognizing God's Presence
[06:16] - The Principle of Tithing
[07:17] - Preparing for God's Dream
[08:42] - The Crisis Phase
[09:57] - Jacob's Lifelong Struggle
[11:33] - Wrestling with God
[13:25] - The Root of Our Problems
[16:39] - The Commitment Phase
[24:47] - The Confession Phase
[32:55] - The Conversion Phase
[38:36] - God's Deepest Work
[45:47] - Time to Dream Homework
[48:35] - Prayer and Closing

Sermon Clips

God intentionally allows these struggles to happen in your life and in my life, why? Well, because God is far more interested in what you become on earth than what you do on earth. Let me say it again. God is far more interested in what you become on earth. That's your character than what you do on earth. That's your contribution. God is more interested in the person you are becoming than your accomplishments, why? Because you're not taking your accomplishments to heaven. [00:01:35]

The deeper purpose of a God-given dream that he gives you is what you end up becoming in the process of going after that dream and you're not taking the end goal to heaven, but you are taking you. Now a clear example of this in the Bible of the fact that there's a struggle behind every great dream and in this series we're doing on time to dream, we're looking at what's God's dream for your life and what's his dream for the next stage of your life. [00:02:07]

Now, God promises in this dream, "I'm gonna be with you and I'm going to watch over you wherever you go. But one day, I will bring your people back to this land." That actually became true. That prophecy was fulfilled in 1948 when the nation of Israel was established and Jews came back to the land in 1948. Now, "When Jacob woke up, he thought, "surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn't even aware of it." [00:04:41]

Now, the first phase in God's process of preparing us for the dream He has for us is what I call the crisis phase. You go, oh great, we begin with a crisis. Yeah, sorry. Write this down. In the crisis phase, here's the first phase of struggle. I struggle with God and others. I struggle with God and others. Are you in a crisis right now? Congratulations, God's getting ready to give you a new dream for your life. [00:08:43]

God often uses a crisis to get our attention. God whispers to us in our pleasure, but He shouts to us in our pain. There's a verse in Psalms that says sometimes God, it takes a difficult situation to make us change our ways. We don't change when we see the light, we change when we feel the heat. You say, well, I thought God loves me. Of course he loves you. God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to let you stay that way. [00:15:12]

God test by faith in his promise to bless me. He has made this promise. He's told Jacob, I'm gonna bless you, I'm gonna give you this land, I'm gonna multiply your generations. You're gonna be a mighty nation. Your people will bless the whole world. You're the chosen people. He's given all these promises. Now God's gonna test Jacob's faith and God's gonna test your faith in His promises too. He gives you a promise of a great dream and then He test it. [00:16:44]

I admit that I am my own biggest problem. I admit that I am my biggest problem. When you finally go, God, I realize I'm the big problem here. It's not my brother or my sister, it's me, oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer. It's not my husband, not my parents, not my kids, it's me, oh Lord that I am causing a lot of these problems by my reactions. [00:24:55]

I will never be able to reach all the great dreams that God has for my life until I admit my own weaknesses and sins to myself, to God and others. I can't possibly go after God's dream for my life if I'm still holding back and not being real, not being authentic. If I'm being a phony or a fake. You know, I tell you every week how much I love you. [00:29:38]

In this phase, God gives me a new identity and dream. God gives me a new identity and dream. I look at God's loving and gracious response to Jacob's confession. When Jacob goes, I admit it, God, I'm a manipulator. I manipulate people. I get my own way by doing stuff behind. I'm a politician, I do office politics. I'm a manipulator, just to get my way. [00:33:06]

God saw Jacob's potential. And God looks at a scared young guy who thought he had to fight for everything in life to get his 'cause he was the first born child and so he's gotta fight for it and he's gotta push people away from the table so he can get his part of the meal. God looks at Jacob and he doesn't see all of this sin. He sees all of his potential. [00:35:14]

God does his deepest work in changing our identity, how we see ourselves. That's a lifelong process and for lasting change, you're gonna have to change how you see you, your perception of yourself. For you, why am I sharing this with you instead of talking about the steps to discovering the dream? Because the way you see yourself affects everything else in your life, including the dream that you have for you. [00:39:20]

Only Jesus Christ can make that kind of radical change in a person. Regardless of who you are, regardless of what you've done, Jesus Christ wants to give you a new identity. In fact, he promises it. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 says this. "If anyone belongs to Christ, they are a new creation." They are a new identity. They are a new person. They are a new being. Not a turnover leaf, it's a whole new life. [00:40:25]

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