Living Water #634

LIVING WATER – EPISODE 634 || 28TH FEBRUARY, 2026

By Solomon Uwumbolibe Mensah

WHEN GOD AWAKENS FORGOTTEN DREAMS

Scripture Reading:  Genesis 42:8–13

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”“No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”

“No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.” But they replied, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”

There are moments in life when God brings us back to situations we thought were finished, healed, or forgotten. Joseph stood before the very brothers who betrayed him years earlier, yet they did not recognize him. Time had passed, circumstances had changed, and God had elevated Joseph, but the past had not disappeared, it was being revisited for a divine purpose. This passage shows us how God awakens dreams, exposes hearts, and begins restoration through unexpected encounters. Sometimes God allows us to face yesterday again, not to reopen wounds, but to complete His work in us.

1. God Fulfills Dreams at the Appointed Time: When Joseph saw his brothers, the Bible says he remembered his dreams. The dreams given in his youth had seemed distant after years of slavery and imprisonment, yet at the right moment God brought everything together. This teaches us that God’s promises do not expire because of delay. Even when circumstances appear to contradict what God has spoken, He is still working behind the scenes. What God reveals in one season may take years of preparation before fulfillment becomes visible.

2. Not Everyone Recognizes the Person God Has Transformed: Joseph immediately recognized his brothers, but they failed to recognize him. The one they sold as a helpless young man now stood before them as a powerful ruler. God’s process had changed Joseph so completely that those who knew his past could not identify his present. In the same way, God often transforms His people through hidden seasons of growth, pain, and discipline until their identity reflects His purpose. When God lifts a person, it reveals the power of divine transformation rather than human effort.

3. God Uses Testing to Reveal the Heart: Joseph accused his brothers of being spies, creating pressure that exposed their character and forced them to speak honestly. This was not cruelty but testing. Before restoration could happen, the truth buried in their hearts had to surface. God sometimes allows challenging situations that test our integrity, motives, and repentance. Tests reveal what comfort hides, and through testing God prepares people for reconciliation and maturity.

4. Conviction Begins When the Past Is Confronted: As the brothers defended themselves, they unknowingly confessed their family story, saying, “One is no more,” referring to Joseph himself. Their words revealed lingering guilt and unresolved history. God often allows confrontation with the past so that conviction can begin. Healing cannot occur where truth is avoided. When God brings old matters back into view, it is often the beginning of restoration rather than punishment.

5. God’s Plan Includes Restoration of the Family: The brothers explained that they were twelve sons of one father and mentioned the youngest remaining at home, showing that the family connection still existed despite past betrayal. God’s purpose was never only about Joseph’s promotion; it was about preserving and restoring an entire family line. In the same way, God’s blessings in our lives often extend beyond us to families, communities, and future generations. What God starts in one person, He intends to use for many.

This passage teaches us that God remembers dreams even when we forget them, transforms people through hidden processes, uses testing to reveal hearts, brings conviction through truth, and works toward restoration rather than destruction. Joseph’s encounter with his brothers was not accidental, It was a divine moment where past, present, and future met under God’s sovereign plan.

Call to Action

Ask yourself today: Are there dreams you believe are forgotten? Are there areas where God is testing your heart? Is God bringing you back to something you avoided so healing can begin? Trust God’s process. Allow Him to complete what He started, even when it requires facing uncomfortable truths.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, We thank You because You never forget the dreams and promises You place in our lives. Help us trust Your timing and Your process. Search our hearts and remove anything that prevents restoration and growth. Give us humility during testing and faith during waiting. Bring healing where there has been pain and fulfill Your purpose in our lives according to Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.