Dreaming the Impossible: Embracing God's Extraordinary Power
Summary
In our journey of faith, we are often challenged to dream the impossible dreams and to believe in the extraordinary power of God. Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think. This is not a mere tease; it is an invitation to step into a realm where the impossible becomes possible. God's love empowers our faith, enabling us to believe beyond our human limitations. As we receive His love, we are filled with the fullness of God, a fullness that cannot be contained by the universe. This is the posture where all things are possible, where we live as those who know Christ dwells within us fully.
The journey of faith is not about having a fraction of Christ but being filled with His fullness. This fullness is not reserved for dramatic encounters but is available to us continuously. It is a call to live in a state of constant overflow, where the peace and love of Christ manifest through us, displacing fear and doubt. We are invited to posture ourselves in neediness, acknowledging our dependence on God and His love. This posture allows us to dream the impossible and believe for the miraculous in our lives, whether it be in our marriages, finances, or other seemingly impossible situations.
God invites us to partner with Him in the miraculous. Our prayers are powerful, and our faith is activated when we look to Him and ask. The power that works in us is the Holy Spirit, and it is through this power that God does the exceedingly, abundantly above. We are called to take steps of faith, to partner with God in action, and to see His power manifest in our lives. This partnership is not about us doing the work but about His power being activated through our obedience and faith.
In moments of challenge, we are encouraged to look to God, to seek His face, and to have faith in His desire to move in our lives. Our faith is not in the method or the prayer but in the One who answers. As we posture ourselves to see Him, we will witness His miraculous power. God is inviting us to bring our troubles to Him, to exchange our pain for His promise of double recompense. He is a good God, ready to give us beauty for ashes and to turn our tests into testimonies.
Key Takeaways:
- God's love empowers our faith, enabling us to believe beyond human limitations. As we receive His love, we are filled with the fullness of God, where all things are possible. This fullness is not a fraction but the entirety of Christ dwelling within us. [02:50]
- Living in the fullness of God is not reserved for dramatic encounters but is available continuously. We are called to live in a state of constant overflow, where the peace and love of Christ manifest through us, displacing fear and doubt. [06:58]
- Our prayers are powerful, and God invites us to partner with Him in the miraculous. The power that works in us is the Holy Spirit, and through this power, God does the exceedingly, abundantly above. We are called to take steps of faith and see His power manifest. [10:42]
- In moments of challenge, we are encouraged to look to God, to seek His face, and to have faith in His desire to move in our lives. Our faith is not in the method or the prayer but in the One who answers. [20:32]
- God invites us to bring our troubles to Him, to exchange our pain for His promise of double recompense. He is a good God, ready to give us beauty for ashes and to turn our tests into testimonies. [25:35]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Exceedingly Abundantly Above
[02:50] - Fullness of Christ Within
[04:45] - Comprehending God's Love
[06:58] - Continuous Overflow
[08:59] - Dreaming the Impossible
[10:42] - Partnering with God
[12:28] - Power of Prayer
[13:32] - Conviction in Prayer
[14:20] - Steps of Faith
[15:26] - Activating Faith
[16:57] - Eyeballing God
[17:51] - Faith Moves God
[18:47] - Breaking Through
[20:32] - Looking to God
[22:44] - Testimonies of Healing
[24:40] - Nothing is Impossible
[25:35] - Divine Exchange
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 3:14-21
- Isaiah 61:7
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Ephesians 3:20 say about God's ability to do more than we ask or think? How does this relate to the concept of dreaming the impossible? [01:10]
2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of being filled with the fullness of God? How is this fullness described? [04:45]
3. How does the sermon describe the role of the Holy Spirit in empowering believers to experience the miraculous? [10:42]
4. What examples from the sermon illustrate the idea of partnering with God through prayer and action? [12:28]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How might understanding the fullness of God dwelling within us change a believer's perspective on their daily challenges? [06:58]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that believers can posture themselves to receive God's miraculous power? [08:59]
3. How does the sermon explain the relationship between faith and the miraculous? What role does the Holy Spirit play in this? [10:42]
4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of looking to God and seeking His face in times of trouble? [20:32]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a situation in your life that seems impossible. How can you apply the message of Ephesians 3:20 to this situation? [01:10]
2. The sermon encourages living in a state of continuous overflow. What practical steps can you take to ensure you are filled with the fullness of God daily? [06:58]
3. Consider a time when you felt prompted to take a step of faith. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? How can you be more open to such opportunities in the future? [14:20]
4. The sermon mentions the power of prayer and partnering with God. How can you make your prayer life more effective and aligned with God's will? [12:28]
5. Think about a recent challenge you faced. How did you seek God's face during that time, and what was the result? How can you improve your approach in future challenges? [20:32]
6. The sermon talks about exchanging pain for God's promise of double recompense. What pain or struggle are you currently facing, and how can you bring it to God for His divine exchange? [25:35]
7. Identify one area in your life where you need to see God's miraculous power. What specific action can you take this week to partner with God in that area? [10:42]
Devotional
Day 1: Empowered by God's Love
God's love empowers our faith, enabling us to believe beyond human limitations. As we receive His love, we are filled with the fullness of God, where all things are possible. This fullness is not a fraction but the entirety of Christ dwelling within us. [02:50]
Ephesians 1:18-19 (ESV): "Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might."
Reflection: Think of a situation in your life where you feel limited. How can you invite God's love to empower your faith in this area today?
Day 2: Living in Continuous Overflow
Living in the fullness of God is not reserved for dramatic encounters but is available continuously. We are called to live in a state of constant overflow, where the peace and love of Christ manifest through us, displacing fear and doubt. [06:58]
Colossians 2:9-10 (ESV): "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority."
Reflection: Identify one area of your life where fear or doubt often creeps in. How can you allow the peace and love of Christ to overflow in this area today?
Day 3: Partnering with God in the Miraculous
Our prayers are powerful, and God invites us to partner with Him in the miraculous. The power that works in us is the Holy Spirit, and through this power, God does the exceedingly, abundantly above. We are called to take steps of faith and see His power manifest. [10:42]
Acts 1:8 (ESV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Reflection: What is one step of faith you can take today to partner with God in a situation that seems impossible?
Day 4: Seeking God's Face in Challenges
In moments of challenge, we are encouraged to look to God, to seek His face, and to have faith in His desire to move in our lives. Our faith is not in the method or the prayer but in the One who answers. [20:32]
Psalm 27:8 (ESV): "You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, Lord, do I seek.'"
Reflection: During a current challenge, how can you shift your focus from the problem to seeking God's face and trusting in His response?
Day 5: Divine Exchange of Pain for Promise
God invites us to bring our troubles to Him, to exchange our pain for His promise of double recompense. He is a good God, ready to give us beauty for ashes and to turn our tests into testimonies. [25:35]
Isaiah 61:3 (ESV): "To grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."
Reflection: What pain or burden are you carrying today that you can bring to God for His divine exchange? How can you trust Him to turn it into a testimony?
Quotes
1. "Because the perfect love of God, the fullness of God, wants to posture you to start believing for what has seemed impossible. This is the place where you step into another realm." [00:00:07] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Now this magnificent God, he doesn't tease us. You know, he's not out there going, I could do it. But I probably... I probably won't. He's not putting it out there to Skype, you know, that I can, but I don't. He's putting it out there as a dinner bell waiting for you to go, I'm coming. I'm coming to the table. I'm going to have this. Hallelujah." [00:01:21] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "This is the place where you step into another realm. Where you start to behave as you were created. Where you start living as one who absolutely knows that Christ, not the essence of Christ, not the echo of Christ, not the simple badge of Christ, but Christ himself, the same one who walked the earth, who rose again, he now lives on the inside of me." [00:02:50] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, all the time, so filled that the perfect peace of Christ that passes understanding is living in you, is manifesting through you, that the love of Christ is flowing through you, that the face of God is operating in you and that no doubt, no fear is given a foothold because His perfect love continually comes in and displaces it." [00:06:58] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "You know, when it comes to the miraculous, when it comes to the impossible, to the supernatural, to that which you and I have been called into, it's not a specialist ministry. It is the ministry of the believers. These signs shall follow those who believe." [00:11:02] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "But He says, according to the power that works in us. What power? It's the power of His Holy Spirit, living, filling, continually overwhelming us. It's according to that power that He wants to do the exceedingly, abundantly above. In other words, He is inviting your involvement." [00:11:33] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Peter walking on the water, he had to do something. Lord, if that's you, tell me to come. And when Jesus says come, he's like, he does something. He takes a step. But he asks the Lord, give me a clear word that you want me to come. And so the Lord speaks to him. That's it. And he takes a step. And partnering with God, he sees the supernatural. He walks on water." [00:14:46] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "I was born to this idea at my son's 21st birthday when we were trying to make all the decorations outside and the wind was blowing and I was rebuking the wind with everything I knew how to rebuke and nothing was happening. It was still blowing a gale. Everything was blowing off the tables. And finally, I went inside, closed my bedroom door and I eyeballed God." [00:19:38] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "I found that it's so, so easy to miss that, to get into the habit of putting your faith in the method or in the prayer instead of actually talking to the one who will do the work. It's according to the power that works in us, but the power is not disconnected from him. It all flows from him." [00:21:36] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "If you've been through difficulty in your life, as we all have, the Bible says in this world, we will have trouble, but take heart. I've overcome the world because we have a, a promise that God wants to give us double for our trouble. Isaiah 61, 7, for your former shame, pain, and disgrace, I'll give you double recompense." [00:26:47] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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