Is My Dream From God? 3 Biblical Signs

Dreams Are Costly

On August 28th, 1963, more than 250,000 people gathered in the nation’s capital for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. battled with what themes to cover in his speech that day. But at some point, his friend and confidante Mahalia Jackson yelled out, 

“Tell them about the dream, Martin!” 

Midway through his address, King abandoned his notes and launched into the soaring expression of his vision for the future, declaring, "I have a dream today."

If I were to ask you what your dream is, many of us would lean back and stare into the distance, thinking of all the possibilities that life has to offer. 

But when we look back at the life of a dreamer like Dr. King, we can argue that his God-given dream cost him his life.

What My Dream Cost Me 

In April 2015, I packed up my U-Haul truck and said goodbye to my siblings. There is a picture tucked away in the abyss of photos on my phone of me and my kids, my younger sister and her kids, and my oldest sister and her son. 

We all stand there smiling as they wish my family well on our new adventure moving north. 

I had no idea that would be the last time we would all be together like that.

Just over a year later, my older sister’s cancer returned, and the next time we saw each other, she was lying in a hospital bed, and it would be the last time we embraced each other. 

Had I known the true cost of pursuing my dream, I dont know if I would have made the same decision. 

In other words, for every dream we have in our hearts, there is a cost. 

Joseph and the Cost of God-Given Dreams 

We find the opening account of Joseph in Genesis 37:1-11.

“Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. These are the family records of Jacob. At seventeen years of age, Joseph tended sheep with his brothers. The young man was working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought a bad report about them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age, and he made a long-sleeved robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him. Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood up, and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” “Are you really going to reign over us?” his brothers asked him. “Are you really going to rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said. Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” He told his father and brothers, and his father rebuked him. “What kind of dream is this that you have had?” he said. “Am I and your mother and your brothers really going to come and bow down to the ground before you?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.” - Genesis 37:1-11 

What can we learn from Joseph the dreamer?

We are entering a contentious household, an old-school version of baby-mama drama. 

Can you imagine a reality TV show that features one man, multiple wives, and all his kids from different women? It’s like an episode of Love & Hip-Hop Uncut! 

That said, Jacob’s household is full of dysfunction and not a comfortable place. It’s in this context that Joseph shares his dreams. 

Biblical Reasons for Dreams

The Hebrew text of Genesis uses the noun ḥalôm and its related verb ḥālam to describe Joseph's dreams. These are the most common words for “dream” in the Old Testament.

Protection: A dream can be how God protects his people or foretells his provision for them. God warns Laban in a ḥalôm not to harm Jacob (Gen 31:24).

Promise: God uses a ḥalôm to promise Solomon great wisdom and understanding (1 Kgs 3:5–14).

Joseph has had a glimpse of God’s protection and provision for his people. He has also gotten a glimpse of the role he will play in serving God’s people. 

So Let’s Unlock the Marks of God-Given Dreams

1) When God Gives a Dream, it's BIGGER Than You

“Listen to this dream I had: There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood up, and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” Genesis 37:5-7 

Joseph received big dreams, so big that he sounded arrogant even to his father.

When we speak of dreams today, they usually involve a better personal life, leveling up, more stuff, less stress, and more pleasure. Our egos become inflated. 

But when God gives dreams, it is for the good of others. It’s not about us. And we, just like Joseph, don’t see what God is doing because we are so focused on ourselves. 

We all know that God was the one who gave Joseph his dreams, because we know that over time he became the second most-powerful man in Egypt, in order to serve those in need during a famine. Yet, at the time, Joseph was just a young man who was looked down on by his brothers.

When God gives you a dream, it's always bigger than you. God-given dreams look like works, acts of service, and influence for the good of others. 

Not only that, but God-given dreams will always be bigger than you simply because it's from God. God is not known to give you a dream that does not require his help to accomplish.

2) Not Everyone Will Agree With God’s Dreams 

For the dreams given to Joseph, he was hated even more by his brothers and he was rebuked by his father. 

When God calls men and women to walk with him, there is a separation that must take place. 

Joseph's brothers hated him all the more because of his dreams. His father even rebuked him for such "wild" dreams. Even though Joseph might not have had the slightest intention to insult or ridicule his siblings and his father, the enormity of his dream caused them to reject it.

This is the cost of following Jesus and walking in his ways. Walking with Jesus will cause a separation between you and those around you. 

This is part of the cost of a God-given dream.

Jesus said, “The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.” - Matthew 10:37-39 CSB

Jesus is clear–there will be a separation in your relationships when you seriously pursue God-given dreams. 

Here is the reality: The problem is that God has called you and whispered something in your heart, but you have waited on the approval of others rather than trusting God. 

When we receive a dream, vision, or goal from God, the truth is that some will not like it. There will always be people who will not like us and won't want us to prosper, but God is the one who has the final say.

3) God will fulfill His plans in His time

While the beginning of the story starts in chaos we get an opportunity to see the outcome with clarity. 

Joseph goes on to say,

”God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, Lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.“ - Genesis‬ ‭45‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬

When God speaks to us and we see the dream he is unveiling in our lives and in the world, we desire it to be fulfilled right away. 

But that rarely happens! 

Joseph was still very young when he received the dream, and we know that it will take some time before his dream finally comes true. He was seventeen when he dreamt his dreams and was about thirty when they were fulfilled…

When God gives us a dream, it's on His personal timeline. His plans will never fail, and He will always fulfill what He has said He will fulfill.

God always comes through in the end. He always delivers on his promises. 

It is often easy to sing about God being a promise maker and promise keeper. But truth be told, It’s hard waiting for God to fulfill the dreams He has laid on your heart to pursue. 

Ultimately, I have come to realize the dreams that come from God are costly, but they are always worth the price. 

Practical Tips for Discerning God's Dreams for Your Life?

• Consider the scale of your dream. Is it focused on personal gain or ambition, or does it align with God's purposes and the service of others? God-given dreams are often bigger than ourselves and involve a greater purpose.

• Evaluate others' reactions. Do people support and encourage your dream, or do they express doubt and opposition? Opposition can sometimes indicate that your dream challenges the status quo and aligns with God's will.

• Reflect on God's timing. Are you willing to be patient and trust in God's timing for the fulfillment of your dream? God's plans often unfold over time, and He may use periods of waiting and preparation to shape our character and equip us for His purposes.

• Seek confirmation through prayer, scripture, and wise counsel. Spend time in prayer, asking God for guidance and clarity regarding your dream. Also, study relevant Bible passages to see if your dream aligns with God's principles and promises.

• Seek wise counsel. Discuss your dream with trusted mentors, pastors, or friends who can offer spiritual guidance and support. Their insights can help you discern whether your dream is truly from God.