Nothing Can Stop What You Imagine: 5 Ways to Feed Your Dream

Sermon outline

God Himself said nothing people imagine will be impossible for them, so refuse to put a ceiling on your dreams, and feed them through visualisation, the right associations, focus and faith that turns disaster into a dream seed.

1. Nothing can restrain what people imagine

   At Babel the people, with one language, set out to build a tower to the heavens, and God came down and remarked that nothing they imagined would be impossible for them. Nothing is recorded in the Bible just to take up space. There is no law against what you can imagine, so dream big dreams.

   Illustration: Driving around cities here and abroad, you marvel at the bridges and buildings man has built, getting bigger and higher every year, because people can imagine it.

   “There is no law against what you can imagine.”

   • Genesis 11:1-9
   • Genesis 3:9

2. Don't rewrite your theology to accommodate a tragedy

   Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning, so your season must change. In adversity you will be tempted to lower the standard, but don't bring the Word down to your circumstances; lift your circumstances up to the Word. Many stay stuck in religion because it doesn't challenge them, but church is where the Word washes you so you can face the week.

   Illustration: Friends he has known for 20 or 30 years still talk and think the same way, while children today have grown so much smarter.

   “Do not rewrite your theology to accommodate a tragedy.”

   • Psalm 30:5
   • Philippians 4:13
   • Ephesians 5:26
   • 1 Samuel 17:46

3. Pain will pass, but principles are permanent

   Everyone gets hit with a curveball, the pastor included, but misfortune is always temporary. The enemy will try to count you out as long as you live, but he is defeated, so submit to God, resist the devil and get up stronger. It was not God's fault that he trusted someone; all people are to be loved, but not all are to be trusted.

   Illustration: Some years back in ministry, someone he trusted absconded with a great deal of money. He was in the valley of despair and wanted to throw in the towel, and it took him a few years to get over it, but people around him and the Holy Spirit encouraged him. Like a boxer knocked down who gets up and wins two rounds later, the round may be over but the fight is not.

   “Pain will pass but principles are permanent.”

   • Ecclesiastes 1:9
   • Psalm 119:89
   • James 4:7

4. 1. Visualisation

   Visualisation is sustaining a mental photograph of what you want to receive from God. Keep dreaming even when circumstances are bleak, don't let anyone put a ceiling over you, and spend time with people who think bigger than you. The woman with the issue of blood carried a dream seed for her healing, ignored the crowd and made the demand herself.

   Illustration: Jesus did not know who touched Him, only that power had gone out of Him, and even His disciples could not understand why He asked. When you have a dream, the people closest to you may not understand you either.

   “Visualization is simply sustaining a mental photograph of what you want to receive from God.”

   • Mark 5:25-34

5. 2. Associations

   Relationships create momentum towards your dream seed. Many have lost their imagination by associating with faithless and foolish people, who will tow you backwards, while people with burning desires push you forward. Whether in person, on the phone or in a group, people are always transferring a spirit of faith or of doubt.

   “Faithless and foolish people will tow you backwards.”

   • Proverbs 13:20

6. 3. Concentration

   Focus on completing one worthwhile dream or goal at a time. Many let their creativity scatter their attention until they know something about everything but master nothing. Your creativity is a gift from God; don't let it become an enemy.

   “Your dream seed deserves your undivided attention.”

7. 4. You can change disaster seeds into dream seeds

   The widow of Zarephath was preparing her last meal when Elijah asked her to make him a loaf first, and her flour and oil did not run out. He links this to the church's culture of priestly offerings on communion Sunday, which he gives himself because he doesn't want to stay at the same level.

   Illustration: At a pastors' conference in Hillcrest he felt prompted to sow a few thousand dollars he had set aside for his next trip to the US. When no one else moved he asked God for a sign, then plucked up courage, laid the bundle on the stage, and afterwards the preacher told him he was going to be a rich man.

   “When you get a word from a prophet it will change your life.”

   • 1 Kings 17:7-16

8. 5. Begin to use your imagination

   Picture the things you want in your life and speak them out. Dream again, refuse to be chained down, use your energy to build new paths ahead of you, and think upwards, not downwards.

   “Don't think downwards, think upwards.”