About Holy GhostTheEvangel

Men of Destiny Don’t Quit

Never Lose Sight of The Charge

Your Dream Cannot Be Missing

Defense of Little Round Top | American Battlefield Trust (battlefields.org)

It is your personal responsibility to make sure that your dream is not stolen. Even when challenged by the stupidity of his dream, Joseph knew that he had a dream. It was his dream. Even his mother tried to silence him by making suggesting that his dream did not make sense. It was not just the brothers, the parents felt challenged. Yet, there must have been repetitions or reinforcements of that dream. Otherwise, the opposition would not have been so intense to the extent that the brothers considered killing him. So, there was a dream, and the owner of the dream recognized it.

Even though, he did not know how to actualize it, yet he knew that a future kingship lay ahead of him; and he never gave up. In fact, to help understand it he sought counsel, which is what we should all do, but that got him into trouble. And the people, including his parents who were supposed to help him clarify the dream set up the agenda to eliminate the dream. The parents and his siblings knew what the dream and such was not to be allowed in their myopic environment.

You cannot trade your dream if you must achieve destiny. The existence of the entity called The United States of America is predicated on the victory of the Federalist Army over the Confederates in Round Top, Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. Colonel Vincent’s order to Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain leading the Twelfth Maine was clear. It goes like this, “whatever you do, you can’t let them through here”. Having resisted four charges, his unit was battered, and his immediate lieutenants were dead. In addition, the opposition was re-gathering and being reinforced with men and equipment. He knew he had to make the next charge or else be captured standing still. To be captured means allowing the Confederates to pass through. It may not have ended the war, but the story will certainly not be of a United States of America.

Therefore, at the crossroads of American history stood the man called Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain whose destiny was tied to the future greatness called, The United States of America. Had he allowed himself to be dissuaded or not stood on the understanding of psychology he would have traded his destiny. That wisdom of psychology exposed him to dangers, and a bullet to his belt buckle is evidence of how vulnerable he became to encourage his fighters by proving that he was there with them fighting to the last man. Yet, this was his own calculation. There is further proof that God was protecting that dream and his destiny.

Let us read this letter to Governor Joshua Chamberlain from an enemy combatant present in that battle:

Dear sir

I want to tell you of a little passage in the battle for Round Top, Gettysburg, concerning you and me which I am now glad of. Twice in the fight I had your life in my hands. I got a safe place between two rocks and drew bead fair and square on you. You were standing in the open, behind the center of your line, fully exposed. I knew your rank by your uniform and accents, and I thought it a mighty good thing to you out of the way. I rested my gun on the rock and took steady aim. I started to pull the trigger, but some strange notion stopped me. Then I got ashamed of my weakness and went through the same motions again. I had you perfectly certain. But that strange something shut right down on me. I couldn’t pull the trigger and gave it up. That is, your life, I am glad of it now and hope you are.

Yours truly

A Member of the 15th Alabama

In other words, we have accounts from both sides of the battle confirming that Chamberlain exposed himself to enemy fire while he encouraged his forces to take on the final but rather senseless charge. The stupidity of that charge confused the enemy camp. They were caught off-guard and defeated. These accounts also confirm the intervention non-physical forces that guided the resolution of the war and the establishment of The United States of America while protecting the destiny of Joshua Chamberlain.

Truly you cannot protect yourself if you must charge ahead. In fact, the charge opens you to enemies in hiding in addition to the ones that you are attacking. This is what happened to Joseph as he sought the interpretation of his dream.

“Because you are precious in My sight and honored, and because I love you, I will give men in return for you and peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east [where they are dispersed] and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, Give up! and to the south, Keep not back. Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth. Even everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, whom I have made. Bring forth the blind people who have eyes and the deaf who have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together and let the peoples be assembled” (Isaiah 43:4-9 KJV).

When God gives the charge, He backs it up for the achievement of those who do not lose sight of the goal. Chamberlain had heavenly protection that covered up for his weaknesses and the folly of his humanity, probably, because his thoughts were in alignment with his destiny and the will of God.

In God’s Purpose Battles Are Real

If we are to learn anything from the lives of Joseph and Jesus Christ, it is that battles are real, particularly for men with great destinies. Joseph did not just become ruler over his household, he became a ruler over his nation, among other nations. So huge was the dream that at the time of its realization every member of his family looked up to him for deliverance and recognized its fulfilment. And that extended to his entire nation. Further, Joseph became blessed with two out of the tribes of Israel that were numbered out of Egypt. In addition, his descendants ruled the nation for several generations – one dream that was never cut short. He never wavered in his faith, despite the many challenges.

That God ordains destinies is very clear. The account of Joseph makes it unmistakably clear. Jeremiah also affirms it in Jeremiah 1:5 in his direct interaction with God. In John 19:30, the scriptures quote Jesus Christ as confirming the conclusion of His assignment. Mary was told that Jesus was going to be ‘The Messiah’. Jesus told us that he is ‘The King with an endless kingdom’. Human wisdom which resisted understanding the full meaning of his words limited the potential royalty of Jesus Christ to Israel like that of David. They tried to call Him king of the Jews. This was why the Jews fought Him because they did not want their routines destabilized some new power bloc. Today, hardly is there a country in the world where the Name of Jesus is not observed with respect. He has not only become king over Israel, but He is also King over all the world.

Therein lies the mystery and spirituality of destiny. Most of the time, its prophecy defies human appreciation. The ministry of Jesus Christ officially lasted less than four years in Israel, yet he continues to be celebrated worldwide, irrespective of the limitations of human understanding. Therefore, you cannot accept to be stopped. Did Jesus face battles? Yes, He surely did. The scriptures talk about Satan always hanging close by to cause some distraction or deviation every time. Jesus separated Himself to pray. Satan always needed to understand the step to be uncovered because he will always smell the rat.

How about Joseph going from dry pit to slavery and to prison for no crime, except that he refused to give up on his dream. Eventually, his entire family and nations depended on him for sustenance. Until Jesus confirmed the end of His assignment in John 19:30, it became clear that He knew His purpose and had realized His dream. That was the essence of His coming to wear humanity, to prove that holiness is possible for the flesh to observe. And he offered himself as a path to that holiness. The destiny of all men henceforth, became tied to the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. That is not only great but a huge destiny; not without its battles, but all won and finished at the cross.

It appears that the bigger the destiny the larger the population of those whose survival is tied to that destiny. The dreams and lives of Joseph, Jeremiah and Jesus tell us that men who do not denounce their visions in the march towards the realization of their dreams end up well. Herod may have been a great king in the history of men. Yet, despite his reach and length of time, he is irrelevant to world governments compared to Jesus who spent only three plus years on the campaign trail. The very powerful Herod who attempted to kill Jesus to protect his own throne.

God delights in the gathering of His people. This is His primary purpose. The scriptures say, “… unto Him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10b). And he always continues to prove that the destiny of man is tied to the gathering or re-gathering of His people:

“Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called” (Isaiah 54:2-5).

A man fulfilling God’s purpose in destiny must expect battles. Until God is celebrated, he is still on the march to achievement and personal victory.

Seek God While He May Yet Be Found

His people include everyone on earth. He is The God of the whole earth. Yet, some people need to act. They have been assigned the duty of fearlessly enlarging coasts to accommodate the growing population of worshippers. “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4) becomes our new motto if we must reenergize our devotion to achieving our destiny. God wants to go somewhere with your life, but you must give Him the opportunity to take you there. He requires your complete obedience for Him to use you for other generations (2 Corinthians 10:6).

An important take-away is this. It does not matter where in the cycle of crisis you find yourself at this minute, you can engineer a re-alignment. It does not matter that you have been discouraged by a lack of support or mentorship. You may have even backslidden and fear that you may be deprived of your mandate. What is important is a consciousness that you are human, hence, Christ wore humanity; and a consciousness that the spirit realm exists. Your confidence is in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit is interested in how you manage your pathway to achieving destiny.

The scripture says, “Finally, be strong in the LORD and in His mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). Therefore, we are reassured of the backing of the unchallengeable power of The Almighty God if we dedicate ourselves to our confession of submission to the grace of salvation, and the interest of God in the expansion of His kingdom. Once again, we must remain aware that as Christians we are at the core of a spiritual battle of the forces for and against our attainment of our destiny; and that the greater the vision, the bigger the war.

Irrespective of the opposition and hurdles, you cannot afford to allow your dream to be stolen. Find it, protect and charge forward with it. It is the will of God, and a source of salvation for many.