“ WE DON ’ T HAVE TO ACCEPT CHALLENGES AS DEFEAT . They arise as a motivator to help push our dreams into REALITY .”
January / February 2018
19 by Tosha Brown
Hidden within every challenge is great opportunity . How true these words ring in my spirit as I think back to last year ’ s events . It was both historical and life changing for many . Many lost jobs , homes , and the false security that they had built up in the world . Some are left stuck , discouraged , and have lost focus of their dreams . Many have become paralyzed by the challenges that life presented many have lost passion for moving their dreams and visions forward . That is the main strategy of the enemy , to steal your joy , to kill your dreams , and destroy your hopes for the future . But Jesus has declared that he has provided life in its abundance for us ( John10:10 ). We don ’ t have to accept challenges as defeat . They arise as a motivator to help push our dreams into reality .
“ WE DON ’ T HAVE TO ACCEPT CHALLENGES AS DEFEAT . They arise as a motivator to help push our dreams into REALITY .”
This past year , I faced a challenging life situation as well . It was about 10:30 at night and my husband and I were about to read the word together … which we often do at night . He turned to me and grabbed my hands . I assumed we were about to pray . I laugh as I write this because I still can ’ t believe what happened . He began to tell me that he had been laid off of his job , where he had been employed with the largest financial institution in the country . I lay there in shock , starring at him like a deer caught in headlight , and the only word I could muster up was , “ okay .”
We have only been married two years , serving in a new church , just started a new business , moved into a new home , and purchased a new vehicle earlier that month . We are newlyweds in every sense of the word ! God had given us a plan for a business when we were married and we had written the vision , made our faith confessions and was unwavering in believing it would manifest . My husband and I had made a plan that would allow me to leave my job to run our business fulltime , and he would follow me the next year . Our ultimate goal was to have a successful business so we could avail ourselves to ministry fulltime . Suddenly our infamous plan didn ’ t manifest exactly the way we thought it would , and attaining it didn ’ t appear to be a reality . I am not about to insult you with trying to sound all deep and religious . I went through all the natural emotions that anyone could experience . The difference is in the outcome , I choose to believe God ’ s word . Yes , all the valid questions were still there : Did we miss God ? Will we lose our home ? Will I lose my business ? I found myself being the sole income earner in a family of seven !
After praying one evening , God reminded me that he wasn ’ t bound by man ’ s challenges and circumstances . What He had spoken shall come to pass in our lives . We were to stand in faith , remain strong and faithful in our walk and we would surely find success . ( Josh 1:8-9 ) God said he would “ reinvent ” the dream that he had given us . To reinvent means to make as if for the first time something already invented , to re-make or redo completely ; to bring back into use again .
This reminds me of the remarkable story of Joseph and his dream of being a great leader and preserver of a nation in the midst of famine . His dream would present tremendous challenges and create supernatural opportunities to be spoken of forever . He didn ’ t have a dream coach to push him along , and he didn ’ t have a prayer partner he could call on . The only thing he had was a word from God . He was in the midst of a hostile environment and everything looked contrary to his dream manifesting . Joseph was hated by his family , sold into slavery , and placed into prison . But the dream that God placed on the inside of his heart had survived . After his dream had become manifest , Joseph glorified God by remembering how God had brought it to past . He said , “ God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief .” ( Gen 41:52 NLT ) We can learn from Joseph that when you walk in faith and refuse to quit , God guarantees your challenges won ’ t prevent your vision from being fulfilled . Between receiving your dream from God and realizing its fulfillment you ’ ll be tested . You have to be as Joseph did and remain faithful , patient , strong , and focused . God used every arising challenge that Joseph faced as a way to re-invent the situation for His Good .
As for me , God did exactly that . He took what appeared to be a hopeless challenge and re-invented it for His good . Instead of me staying home as we previously thought , my husband now runs our business fulltime . Our vision never died , it just manifested differently than we had planned . I have learned that challenges can ’ t steal your dream without your permission and they can ’ t stop God ; don ’ t allow them to stop you !