From Dream to Destiny: The Ten Tests You Must Go Through to Fulfill God's Purpose for Your Life (17 page)

You see, every word of God is submitted to the God of the Word. And the God of the Word is full of mercy. The God of the Word is Love. His heart will always be made manifest through the words He speaks, and it is important that we remember that. We have to hold on to prophetic words, but we also have to judge prophetic words and test prophetic words. We judge them by the Word of God and the inward witness. And we stay submitted to the God who has spoken those words—because every word God has spoken is submitted to the God of the Word.

Hold On to Prophetic Words

Throughout our lives, we are going to encounter circumstances which contradict the words God has spoken over us. One of the most important things we can do if we want to pass the Prophetic Test is simply to hold on—hold on to the words God has spoken to us! Because there will be many opportunities to let go of those words or to stop believing that what God said is going to come to pass.

As I’ve said, God tests our faith with the prophetic word, and He tests our character with the written Word. We absolutely must hold on to those things God has spoken over our lives. And the way we hold on is by faith.

If God has spoken something to you, hold on to it! If God has said that you are going to do a certain thing for Him, hold on to it! Don’t let it go, whatever may happen, and don’t give up believing in the words God has spoken! Joseph could have given up, and let go of the things God had spoken about his destiny. But if Joseph had let go of those dreams, he never would have made it to the destiny to which God had called him. All through Joseph’s trial, he had to hold on to the word of God. He had to keep on believing that the things God had spoken over his life would be fulfilled.

The apostle Paul understood the importance of holding on to the prophetic word of God. Remember what he wrote to the church at Thessalonica: “Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thess. 5:20-21). Paul is telling them to test all prophecies and
to hold fast to those prophecies that are good. Good prophecies are those that are from God.

If we are going to hold on to those prophecies, it is going to require some effort on our part. Paul described that effort as “pressing on.” In Philippians 3:12, Paul says, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”

Paul is talking about his destiny. He is saying that Jesus Christ has laid hold of him, for a specific purpose—and Paul wants more than anything to lay hold of that purpose. He wants more than anything to hold on to the things Jesus Christ has called him to do. He wants to hold on to the words God has spoken about his destiny. But Paul says that in order to do that, he has to
“press on”
(Phil. 3:12, emphasis added). In other words, he has to push forward, he has to resist, and he has to exert some effort if he is going to hold on to the words God spoke over his life.

Timothy was Paul’s son in the faith, and Paul wrote to let Timothy know about this test and struggle that all of us must go through.

This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme (1 Tim. 1:18-20).

Paul is reminding Timothy of the prophecies that had been spoken over his life, and he is exhorting Timothy to hold on to those prophecies. Paul says it is
by those prophecies
that Timothy will “wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience.” This is pretty amazing. According to Paul, holding on to that prophetic word is absolutely critical to Timothy’s fulfilling God’s call on his life. It is by holding on to the prophetic words of God that Timothy will wage warfare on the devil, keep his conscience clear and fight the good fight of faith!

What is possibly even more amazing is what Paul has to say about
two young men who did not hold on to the prophetic words of God—Hymenaeus and Alexander. Paul says that these young men rejected the prophecies made over their lives, and because of that they suffered shipwreck—meaning they didn’t reach their destination (destiny) in God (see 1 Tim. 19-20). Then Paul says that because they rejected God’s word for their lives, he had turned them over “to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme” (v. 20). It sounds to me like Paul is saying that rejecting a true word from God is blasphemous. These are pretty strong consequences for rejecting the prophetic word of God—“delivered to Satan” and “suffered shipwreck” (v. 19-20)—but that is what the Bible says!

Hold on to the word of God. If God has given you a word about your life, hold on to it. I want to say this again—there is only one person who can prevent you from walking into your destiny, and that person is you. So don’t block your destiny. Hold on to the things God has spoken over your life.

Twenty-something years ago, God spoke to me about leaving an employer. When I left, that employer said to me, “You will never amount to anything if you leave me.” But even as a young man, that didn’t affect me at all. Do you know why it didn’t affect me? Because God had spoken to me! So I just held on to what God had said.

Recently I had a little surprise as I was looking through some of my computer files. I came upon a file I had never seen before—it was titled “Elaine’s First Prophecy.” Now Elaine is my 14-year-old daughter, and without my realizing it, she had typed this up and saved it on my computer. Elaine had received her first prophecy and wanted to be sure to save it—apparently she was planning on getting some more!

I was somewhat blown away by this, I have to admit, and a bit humbled as well. Because here was a 14-year-old girl, holding on to the prophetic word she had received—yet so many adults do not. So many adults have let go of the things God has spoken over their lives. They have forgotten what God has said about their destiny—or simply have stopped believing in it. They have allowed the circumstances of their lives to cloud their vision and to convince them that the things God has said they will do for Him are never going to happen.

Don’t let that be you. Hold on to the words God has spoken over
your life, and believe Him! That is what I must do. That is what Elaine will have to do. And that is what you must do also, if you want to pass the Prophetic Test.

Until the time that the prophetic word of God comes to pass in your life, the written Word of God is testing you. So get to know His Word. Study the Bible; meditate on it; memorize it. Remember that knowing what God has said in His written Word is the key to seeing His prophetic words fulfilled in your life.

As you wait for the fulfillment of your destiny, keep in mind that there is only one Person you need to please, and that is God! As long as you serve Him, no one else can stop what He has planned for you!

God has a destiny for your life. He has someone He wants you to touch. He has someone He wants you to reach. He has a ministry for you (though it may not be a vocational ministry). So hold on to that destiny.

And hold on to the prophetic word of God, no matter what happens. Press on, and lay hold of those things God has promised. When you do that, you will pass the Prophetic Test. And one day you will step into your destiny. One day you will see every word that God has spoken over your life come to pass.

CHAPTER
S
EVEN

When our daughter Elaine was a little girl, it was not uncommon for me to walk into a room and find all of her dolls neatly lined up, with Elaine dictating orders to them. She would say, “Now you go over there, and you go here; you do this, and you do that.” What struck me the most about that scene was the way that even a small child could express the inward desire to rule over the world around her—even if her authority extended only to her dolls!

Has it ever occurred to you that the desire for power is just built into human nature—that it is a part of who God made us to be? It seems to me that human beings are just hardwired to want to rule and have dominion over the world around them. If you don’t believe me, just get your children a dog. Dogs can really take a licking in the pecking order of family life—but especially from the youngest member of the household, who is usually in the position of being ruled over by everyone else. It is amazing how even the smallest child will jump at the chance to finally have something to rule over or dominate. No matter how young, they don’t seem to need any lessons in how to boss the dog around!

If we watch children, we quickly see that every person arrives on this earth with a desire to rule. To put it another way, we all have a desire for power. But where do we get that desire for power? We get it from God!

All too often we think of the desire for power only in negative terms. Of course, there is a wrong desire for power, a desire that is rooted in selfishness—but there is also a right desire for power. There is a desire for power that God has put into each human being when he or she was created. God is all-powerful, and the Bible tells us that He created humankind in His own image. So when we were created, we were created in the image of an all-powerful Ruler.

Genesis 1:27-28 tells the story.

So God created [humankind] in His own image; in the image of God He created [humankind]; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God created humankind “in His own image”—and the very first thing He told Adam and Eve to do was to “have dominion” over the earth and to “subdue” it. So from the very beginning, God not only created us to have power, but also commissioned us to use it. He planned for us to have power and to use it the way He does—to do good and to make life on Earth better. We are made in the image of an all-powerful God, who uses His power to bless people, minister to people and help people.

The Power Test: Learning to Steward Your God-Given Authority

I know you may have never heard this before, but I am telling you that you actually have a legitimate desire for power in you—and this desire comes from God!

God created us to have power and He wants to give His power to us—but He is looking for those who can be trusted with His power. What will we do with the power He gives us? Will we use it wisely, as His stewards on this earth?

This is the Power Test.

So far most of the tests we’ve studied have involved the way we respond when bad things happen in our lives. But the Power Test is different. This test has to do with how we respond when something
good
happens.

How do you respond to success? How do you respond to power? How do you respond to authority? How do you respond to influence? How do you respond to God’s blessings? It is what you do with the power and the blessings of God that is the true test of your character.

This may come as a surprise to some, but God’s blessings can be just as much a test as tribulations can—because blessings involve responsibility, and responsibility requires character. If God blesses believers, and they don’t have the character necessary to handle that blessing, they will fall or misuse that blessing for selfish reasons. That is why God spent so many years building Joseph’s character before giving him the responsibility to rule over Egypt.

Every person will go through the Power Test, because every person has some degree of authority and responsibility. You might not think you have much authority—but if you think carefully, you will realize there is something God has given you responsibility over. It might be something as small as a puppy or as seemingly insignificant as a room full of dolls—but you have dominion over
something
in your life! And in that area of authority, you are being tested.

Since I am a pastor, an example that easily comes to my mind is a man who starts out serving in the church parking lot. Every week he is faithful in that responsibility, just following orders and parking cars “for Jesus.” After a while his faithfulness becomes apparent to everyone, and eventually he is made the “parking lot captain.” So the next week he shows up with a uniform, a bullhorn and a huge flashlight that looks like a prop from a
Star Wars
movie. That parking lot is now his place of responsibility!

The point I am trying to make is this: We all have responsibility over something, and everyone will be tested by that responsibility. How do you respond when you’re given responsibility or authority? How do you handle that dominion? This is the essence of the Power Test. When
Joseph stepped out of the dungeon, he stepped into a place of great power and great authority—and he also stepped into the Power Test. Joseph was only stepping into the first part of the first phase of his destiny at that time. If Joseph had handled that power in the wrong way, he never would have been able to fulfill his destiny in the way God had planned.

Genesis tells the story of how Joseph was called from the dungeon to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. At that time Joseph had been in prison for 12 years; and it had been 2 full years since he had interpreted the dreams for the butler and the baker. But things were about to change.

Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh. Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day.” Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh (Gen. 41:1,8-9,14).

Not only did Joseph give Pharaoh the interpretation of his dreams, he also gave Pharaoh some free advice about how to prepare for the coming years of famine (see Gen. 41:25-36). And Joseph’s advice was so full of wisdom that it caused Pharaoh to conclude that Joseph must be filled with the Spirit of God (see Gen. 41:38). (I find it interesting that three men who were unbelievers—Potiphar, Pharaoh and the keeper of the prison—all recognized that the Spirit of God was with Joseph.)

So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be
over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt” (Gen. 41:37-44).

So the Pharaoh gave Joseph his signet ring, which represented his rights and authority as the ruler of Egypt. He clothed Joseph in fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck, representing the riches that Joseph would now enjoy. And he had Joseph ride in his chariot, with people crying out, “Bow the knee!” as he went by—which represented the royal position in which Joseph now stood. He had the three
R
s—rights, riches and royalty. Now, that’s
power!
In what must have seemed like the blink of an eye, Joseph found himself in the middle of the Power Test!

The Power Test Comes Suddenly

This is often the way it happens with the Power Test. It comes suddenly. Just like Joseph, you may work hard for 10, 15 or 20 years—and then, in a single day, God can suddenly change everything about your circumstances! In one day God can bless you and put you into your destiny.

That is what happened to Joseph. God saw that Joseph had been faithful, and He made his dream of destiny a reality. Notice that in Genesis 41:14 it says, “They brought him quickly out of the dungeon.” One morning Joseph woke up in the dungeon—and the next day he woke up in the palace. One morning Joseph woke up as a prisoner—and the next day he arose as the second most powerful man in the world! The Power Test comes very, very suddenly.

Where Does Power Come From?

Psalm 62:11 tells us where power comes from: “God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God.” This verse says that power “belongs to God”—so if we have power, it has come from God. God is the One who gives us power.

One of my favorite Scripture passages is in John 19—Pilate is talking to Jesus about power. Pilate doesn’t seem to realize where his power comes from.

Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:10-11).

I think this is one of the most humorous passages in the Bible—because Pilate is actually talking to God and saying, “Don’t you realize that I have power over you?” Pilate just didn’t understand, did he?

Jesus straightened him out when he said, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.” Jesus let Pilate know that all power and all authority come from above—from
God Himself.

And God has given every person power in some area of his or her life, and every person is a leader to some degree. What kind of a leader are you? Are you a humble leader? Are you a servant-leader? What are you doing with the power God has given you? God is looking for good stewards whom He can trust with His power. He wants us to recognize that power comes from Him. And He wants us to walk in humility.

How Do We Receive Power?

It is very simple. As with everything else in the Bible, if you want to have power, you do just the opposite of what you think you’re supposed to do! I don’t know if you’ve noticed this yet, but in the kingdom of God everything is opposite. This has been called the spiritual law of paradox.

If you want to have authority, then you must be under authority (see Mark 9:35).