Resurrection of Dreams!

Yesterday, I read a an encouraging word that Joy Parrott received from the Lord. This entire blog post is her message. God is using it to breathe life into many areas of my life. I pray it does the same for you!

I am sharing her message in its entirety---including her web information and bio at the end---to fully credit her.

Joy Parrott:

Resurrection of Dreams!

My Dreams Were Dead

Recently the Lord has been speaking to me about the resurrection of dreams! I don't know if you're finding yourself in this place where the pain, disappointments and struggles over the past season have caused your dreams to die, but I have been there. So much so that even my natural dreaming in the night seasons seemed to have dissipated.

Today, I want to encourage you to allow God to bring resurrection life to your dreams. You may have seen and walked in some of what God has for you, but it isn't over! Don't settle for the little, but allow yourself to dream again and to dream big!

I like to call myself "Joy-seph" because I can relate so much to his story! Not only did God give me many dreams, but He also gifted me with the interpretation of dreams which produced the book, Parables in the Night Seasons: Understanding Your Dreams.

I, like Joseph, was a dreamer and I, like Joseph, shared my dreams. I've gone from the betrayal of the brethren to being used in the house of Pharaoh. And in the recent season I had found myself in the dark place of the prison or dungeon! At the beginning of this season I could still find myself being used by God, but, as the season continued, my hopes and dreams of being released once again to those dreams began to die within me. The pain and disappointments of the season were digging a grave for me and my very life seemed to be dead! My desires were dead! My dreams were dead! And my passion was dead!

Called Back to Life...

But then! I want you to know there is a "but then!"

But then, I felt the rumblings of the earth shaking beneath the grave of those dead dreams. These rumblings began to launch fear within me. I found myself bantering with a myriad of self-talk that went something like, "I am afraid to dream. What has dreaming done for me? These dreams I once had have brought me pain and disappointments! There is no life in me any longer! It is not in me to dream again! I don't even know what that would look like. I am so far removed from that person I used to be."

But then, God spoke to me and said, "Joy, you have forgotten that there is more to Joseph's story."
At that moment, I felt the Spirit speak to me and say, "Go back and read how Joseph felt when his dream was about to be called back to life."

I turned to the pages of his story; this time looking for what Joseph may have felt just before his dreams were resurrected.

"It Is Not In Me"  

Genesis 41:14-16 says, 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. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it." So Joseph answered Pharaoh saying "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace."

There it was!  Joseph felt just like me! His response was, "IT IS NOT IN ME!" He may as well have been saying, "I am afraid to dream. What has dreaming done for me? These dreams I once had have brought me pain and disappointments! There is no life in me any longer! It is not in me to dream again! I don't even know what that would look like. I am so far removed from that person I used to be!"

He goes on to say, "God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." Now I imagine what he was really saying was, "Don't look at me because I can't help you. God will give you what you need, but I don't have it!"  

When I read the words, "It is not in me," tears flooded as I realized those were my very feelings! At one time, I may have been willing to offer my services but now it was like, please don't ask because there is nothing in me to give you! Sobbing at this realization, I could feel God bringing healing to me. Just becoming aware that I was not alone in how I felt – that was healing in itself. Then God took me further into Genesis, chapter 41, and showed me this was just a season that I had encountered, and He wanted to bring resurrection life once again to me.

Genesis 41:29-31 says, "Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe."

What Joseph was interpreting was the moving from plenty to famine. He goes on to say that the plenty will not be known [any longer] because the famine following it will be very severe. This past season has been really severe for many of us. As a result, we have forgotten the days of plenty. The days of plenty represent the days of our promise, of our dreams, of our passion, and of our gifts. That is why we may say, "It is not in me." The severe famine has depleted us and left us for dead. In the days of plenty we had dreams, visions, experiences in God with fun and exciting days to awake to. Now the famine has left us with loss of life, interest, joy, passion, drive, dreams and the like.

Dream Again!

When I read this I had understanding in ways I didn't have before! The most exciting part was that this was just a season!

We are at the end of that season and signs of life are beginning to emerge! 

Even as we see the budding of spring around us, new life for a new season is upon us! How appropriate is this!

The beginning of our new season comes just at the time that we will be celebrating Resurrection Day! Will you let God bring resurrection to your dreams? It is time to dream again!

And just as Jesus stood at the tomb of Lazarus and cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" I stand at the tomb of your dead dreams and cry with a loud voice, "Dreams come forth!" in Jesus name! Amen!

Joy Parrott
Joy Parrot Ministries
Email: joyparrott@hotmail.com
Website: joyparrott.com

Joy Parrott is a dynamic conference speaker, minister, and encourager. She is the author of the best-selling books, Parables in the Night Season: Understanding Your Dreams and Watchman, Watchman, What of the Night? She has been called a modern day "Joy-seph" and has an anointing to impart dreams and interpretations. She is also gifted in healing, words of knowledge and prophecy. Joy has traveled both nationally and internationally, releasing the healing power and manifested presence of God. Her heart's cry is, "Show Me Your Glory." She has a passion to see every person rise up into their true calling and royal destiny in the Kingdom of God.

Joy is an ordained minister, the founder of Joy Parrott Ministries, Glory Publications, and Crown of Glory Training Center. She has recently returned from a two-year health sabbatical after being diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and is now cancer free.