Day 1: Love Makes You Dream!  

In Genesis 37, we see an interesting correlation between love and dreams: Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than his other children (verse  3), and because of his great love, Joseph was free to dream (verse 5).

Here is an Old Testament picture of New Testament love. Jacob symbolizes our heavenly Father, and Joseph represents us. God loves you more than anything. Jacob loved Joseph so much that he gave him something: a coat of many colors. You see? Love always gives. Love is always accompanied with a gift, a demonstration of love. 

GOD SO LOVED that He gave . . . (John 3:16).

Jacob so loves Joseph that he gives him this amazing coat—as a picture of the coat God gives us, because He loves us so. The coat represents two things in the Bible: righteousness and authority. Because of God’s love, demonstrated on the cross, we now, as believers, are clothed with righteousness—right standing with God, and clothed with authority to rule and reign in life over all the power of the enemy. 

The next thing that happened after receiving his coat is Joseph dreamed a dream. God gives us a coat. Then God gives us a dream. 

When we doubt His love, we live at a low level, just trying to survive, living day-to-day, grinding out an existence, constantly looking for someone in life to validate or approve of us. But when we know our Father loves us, our sense of approval and acceptance lifts us from low self-worth and small thoughts. We begin to think the highest thoughts and dream the highest dreams!

And when you're confident in God’s love for you, your dream will never die. 

Even when you’ve been stripped of everything, you can’t be stripped of God’s love. It has been poured into your heart. Haters can take your coat, trash your name, and try to step on your dream, but they can’t get the love of God out of your heart. God put it there. He is not mad at you; He is mad about you! And that’s going to get you through whatever you’re facing today. Meditate on God’s love for you. Expect His power, and you will walk in your God-given purpose.