Bible verses about dreams

According to Numbers 13:30, dreams:

• Cause us to act-"Let us go"
• Cause us to see urgency-"Let us go up at once"
• Create faith within us-"Let us go up at once for we are well able"

45 years later, Caleb, who spoke in that passage, says, "I want the place where the giants live, the sons of Anak" (Josh. 14:12). He had a dream, but one man having the dream didn't make the difference. 602,448 of his fellow soldiers died. 1000s and 1000s of women died because they didn't share the dream.

 

I believe that churches need to dream big and have faith that those hopes and desires that please God and glorify Him will be accomplished. But there may be pitfalls along the way, any one of which may keep us from doing great things. In Caleb's day, there were the obstacles of intimidation (31-33; 14:2-3), opposition-walled cities (28), enemies (29), imagination-borrowed trouble and irrational fear (32-33; 14:3), defeatism (31), and unbelief (14:11). Today, if we'll let him, Satan will provide a way to disobey what God wants us to do. When we do, the consequences are grave (cf. 32-33). There will always be excuses for why we shouldn't work at doing the Lord's will. But God gives us large dreams and objectives. The Promised Land, with all its blessings, was from God and by God. God opens so many doors of opportunity to us. He wants us to take advantage of these opportunities and fulfill His objectives for us. He's shown that He gives more opportunities to those who work with the ones already given. Remember the parable of the talents (Mat. 25:21,28-29). The greatest limit on our ability to fulfill those challenges and dreams is us (Eph. 3:20). Remember, God wants us to keep growing and doing more good for His glory (Phil. 4:19), and if God be for us, who can be against us (Rom. 8:31)?

 

--Neal Pollard