Making the Invisible Visible.

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins.

Do you have dreams and wishes? Does your heart yearn for a place called there, a large place, a beautiful place, a glorious place? How do you suppose you'll get there? By staying in bed? By continuing to wish and dream, or by stepping out to begin doing something about it?

We have a new year closing in before us. Do you have dreams for the New Year? Do you have expectations? Or, you are one of those sold on the sadistic mentality of "expecting nothing?" You are sure wiser than that. Ain't you? 

If you don't expect you don't get. QED. And, if you get, you get what is left after those who expect have taken their bit. Is that the kind of life you are dreaming about? Is that the kind of life you want? I trust not. You are bigger than that.

So, let's get to working on the coming year. Where do you expect to be on the last day of the year? Who do you expect to be on this day?What do you expect to have accomplished? To reach all these milestones on the last day of the year, where, who and what do you expect at the middle of the year; at the end of each quarter?

Write them down now. Muse over them, and update as your thoughts gain clarity. These are the beginning steps to making the invisible visible. This is the secret to becoming a miracle worker.

The Saint.

Links to Similar Articles:

The Order.

Life is Built:

The Power of Dreams (Part Seventeen): The End Never Justifies The Means.

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

God Deals in Eternity.

It was not only important that Joseph got to the throne. The way he got there was much more important. In maturity and preparedness, the version of Joseph, who became Prime Minister in Egypt, was far more important than merely becoming one. Note, he could not become Prime Minister until the time appointed. There was a reason, and there was a purpose for his ascending to the throne.

“Do not fast forward into something you’re not ready for or allow yourself to shrink back into what’s comfortable, growth lives in the uneasiness, the in-between, the unfinished sentence, you are a season of becoming” (Danielle Doby, I Am Her Tribe)

Jacob needed to inherit the promise, but it was far more important the way he did. He limped the rest of his life [Genesis 32:25] as a signature to remind us all. God thinks in generations, not just in the moments. Every truth He espouses has its parallel in eternity. He does nothing in isolation. The signature of His personality is stamped on all that He does.

We Have An Enemy.

Isn't it strange what God said about the consequence of David's sin? The Word reads,

“The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” (2 Samuel 12:13b-14, NKJV)

Who are the "enemies of Lord?" God could have spared the product of the adultery, but that would have given His enemies something to hold, something against His person, something against the perfectness of His being. We have an accuser. We have an accuser who is keeping count. Let us not give him something to hold against us.

Jesus said,

"I won’t speak with you much longer, for the ruler of this dark world is coming. But he has no power over me, for he has nothing to use against me." (John 14:30, TPT)

David, as it were, put God in a difficult position. He gave the accuser something to hold on to. What about you? Are you putting God in a difficult position? Are you putting Him in a tight spot? Are you shortening His hands of grace, mercy, and favor towards you? [Iaiah 59:1] God is limitless, but we determine how much of His limitedness reaches us.

© 2020 Akin Akinbodunse


Link to Study Series:

The Power of Dreams (Part Sixteen): Ordered.

Links to Other Resources:

The Last Word on Power (Tracy Goss)
You Are What You Love (James K.A. Smith)

Who Are You Becoming? (Jonathan Fanning)
Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself (Dr. Joe Dispenza)

The Power of Dreams (Part Sixteen): Ordered.

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

The Journey is the Life:

A dreamer understands that success is not merely a destination but rather a journey. They know that every step of the journey is important. Every decision that is taken along the way is equally important. These are the rudder propelling the ship of our life, in the direction of its destiny. Each step and each decision is a part of the building block of our story.

“The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.” (Charles Du Bos)

There is no Life without Pain:

Life is an infinite game, with infinite sets of possibilities and a finite set of rules. David needed to become King, the way he became king was far more important. The version of David, in maturity, who became King was far more important than the mere destination of being King. The timing of David becoming King was far more important than his merely becoming King. 

"Pain is not tragic. Pain is magic. Suffering is tragic. Suffering is what happens when we avoid pain and consequently miss our own becoming. That is what I can and must avoid: missing my own evolution because I am too afraid to surrender to the process.” (Glennon Doyle, Untamed)

Remember, our dream makes us, but in the final analysis, we make our dreams. Never forget the vision is for an appointed time. It will not come before its time. However, it can be delayed and/or canceled, but it will not come before its appointed time.

© 2020 Akin Akinbodunse.

Link to Study Series:

The Power of Dreams (Part Fifteen): Looking Out to the Horizon.

The Power of Dreams (Part Seventeen): The End Never Justifies The Means.

Links to Related Topics:

Your Dreams are Possible

The Power of Visualization (Part One)

The Invictus Soul...Unconquerable, Undefeated (Part Three)

Books for Further Study:

Prayer (Timothy Keller)
The Laws of Hope (Ryuho Okawa)
This Present Darkness (Frank Peretti)

The Power of Dreams (Part Fifteen): Looking Out to the Horizon.

Looking Out to the Horizon

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

Speaking Our Children into their Future.

Let the promise work for our children. Speak life over them. They need it. Don’t speak as you feel. Don’t speak as you see. Speak words of faith over them for their good, success, and fulfillment in life. [Jeremiah 29:11] This is what pleases God, who is looking for HOLY SEEDS. [Malachi 2:15; Genesis 18:17-19] Can God count on you? Can God see you as valuable as Abraham? Yes, He can. 

"More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men than has been taken from the earth." - Napoleon Hill.

The next move is yours to make. Affirm those He has kept under your watch. Give yourself no rest until they become all they were created to be. You can do it. All you need to do is start.

"Dream extravagantly, for God has imbued us with ample imagination to dream out to and across the very periphery of the impossible." - Craig D. Lounsbrough.

So, which story are you writing for your life? Which kind of story are you writing about your children? Is it an interesting one? Is it a successful one? Is it a victorious one? Is it an overcoming one? Is it an impactful one? You hold the pen, what are you doing with it?

God bless our seeds. May they be holy. May they obey God and do what is right and just. May God’s promises pursue them, overtake, and envelope them. May they be a source of joy to us all the days of our lives.

© 2020 Akin Akinbodunse

Link to Study Series: 

The Power of Dreams (Part Fourteen): Holy Seeds.

The Power of Dreams (Part Sixteen): Ordered.

Links to Other Resources:

The Last Word on Power (Tracy Goss)
You Are What You Love (James K.A. Smith)

Who Are You Becoming? (Jonathan Fanning)
Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself (Dr. Joe Dispenza)

The Power of Dreams (Part Fourteen): Holy Seeds.

God, Desires Holy Seeds

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

We continue with our fifth example, David, a man after God’s own heart.

There is a Way.

When you have dreams, you understand there is a process. You will choose to have things God’s way or not at all. You will not seek to have a thing before its appointed time. You will understand only that which God gives is permanent. At the point of his anointing, the dream birth in David gave him the strength to wait. [1 Samuel 16:1-13] It gave him an idea of what success represented for him.

"Dreams must be chased, for if we wait for them to chase us we will live a life of waiting." - Craig D. Lounsbrough.

David’s dream showed him the end from the beginning. It showed him the finished work of God. It did not matter what man did thereafter. God already settled the issue. [Isaiah 46:10; Ecclesiastes 3:11] His was simply walking (working) into the promise. He had something in his future, calling out and drawing him to itself. And, it was something he wanted, not something he did not want. Can you beat that?

"Dreams are as real as you want them to be. Dream big dreams!" - Bryan Tracy.

The Future is Calling.

Just how much more confident and assured our children (and, by extension, our congregations) will be if we each take time to speak words of life over them. They matter. They are important. It is our responsibility to affirm our children in the way of life. [Proverbs 22:6] We all have heard of bad examples where parents speak evil, discouraging, disparaging words to and over their children. 

"A winner concentrates on that which is goal achieving rather than tension relieving." - Denis Waitley.

We need to get more conscious of the opposite, which is equally and much more true. It makes a difference when we speak the future we see, of (and in) God, upon our children. Let us be quick to speak good over them. Let us be quick to speak life over them. There is a reason why the link is called THE FIRST COMMANDMENT WITH A PROMISE. [Ephesians 6:2] 

"The starting point for a better world is the belief that it is possible." - Norman Cousins.

Let the weak say, "I am strong," is the admonition of the scriptures. How much more for our children? We are not to speak affirmations of the foolishness of their today, but rather affirmations of the future we see of them. The adults we want them to grow into. They are yet works-in-progress. This is not their home. Let us usher them into their God-ordained destiny.

© 2020 Akin Akinbodunse

Link to Study Series:

The Power of Dreams (Part Thirteen): The Wrestle.

Links to Related Topics:

Your Dreams are Possible

The Ground of Prayer (Part Three)

The Power of Visualization (Part One)

The Invictus Soul...Unconquerable, Undefeated (Part Three)

Books for Further Study:

Prayer (Timothy Keller)
The Laws of Hope (Ryuho Okawa)
This Present Darkness (Frank Peretti)

Dangerous Prayers: (Craig Groeschel)

Dancing Through Life (Allen T. Brown)
Prayer Warrior Journal (Barry and Annaliese Adams)

The Power of Dreams (Part Thirteen): The Wrestle.

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

Vision = Obedience:

Ask Moses. He'll tell you he learned a bitter lesson striking the rock the second time [Numbers 20:7-13; Deuteronomy, 32:48-52,] when God asked him to only speak to it. Unknown to him, the rock was figurative of Christ, the rock of our salvation. [1 Corinthians 10:4] The end NEVER justifies the means. They are not one and the same before God.

There is a way, there is a process, and there is timing in the things of God. The end NEVER justifies the means. God’s agenda MUST be carried out in God’s own way. Jacob finally got the message as he wrestled with God. [Genesis 32:23-32] And, in fact, it was not God Jacob wrestled with. Jacob, rather, wrestled with himself. He wrestled with his old, lower nature. 

Life is a Wrestle:

He wrestled with that in him, which kept him from trusting God wholeheartedly. He wrestled with the “cunning spirit” he inherited from his mother’s lineage. He wrestled with dislodging himself from the “wrong word" (name) he had been given. [Genesis 25:26, 27:36; Hosea 12:2-4] He wrestled with a change of name from Jacob (the supplanter, trickster, heel grabber) to Israel, a prince. 

He refused to allow anything less than God, and all God had for him, define him. And, God heard his prayers. Doesn’t that sound suiting and refreshing. He had missed it, but that did not count him out. That did not have to define his destiny. He cried out to God, and he was heard. Now, I don’t know where you are at present. All I can say is, there is redemption for you also. 

"For some of us the word is ‘yes.’ Yes, we believe we can succeed. Yes, we can learn. Yes, we can make a difference. Others carry a ‘no,’ with all the negative baggage that accompanies it." (Marlin Seligman, Learned Optimism)

You are Here to Win:

You, too, can cry unto God and be heard today. The demons that have been chasing you all your life don’t have to continue. Like Jabez [1 Chronicles 4:9-10], like Jacob, you too can cry unto God today. You, too, can become an overcomer. You, too, can start a new chapter of victory. Will you? What are you saying to live? Is it a Yes, or a No? It is your choice – no excuse or place for crutches. 

Your today and future are in your hands. Say ‘YES!” to life. Say ‘YES!” to prosperity. Say ‘YES!” to abundance. Say ‘YES!” to happiness. Say ‘YES!” to peace. Say ‘YES!” to joy. There is enough to go around.

© 2020 Akin Akinbodunse

Link to Study Series:

The Power of Dreams (Part Twelve): The Abundant Mentality.

The Power of Dreams (Part Fourteen): Holy Seeds.

Links to Related Topics:

Your Dreams are Possible

The Power of Visualization (Part One)

The Invictus Soul...Unconquerable, Undefeated (Part Three)

Books for Further Study:

Prayer (Timothy Keller)
The Laws of Hope (Ryuho Okawa)
This Present Darkness (Frank Peretti)

The Power of Dreams (Part Twelve): The Abundant Mentality.

Not Power, but By Grace

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

We continue with our fifth example, David, a man after God’s own heart.

There is a Time. There is a Season:

David had several opportunities to kill Saul and take over the kingdom by force, but the hand of the Lord humbled him. [1 Samuel 24:5] That is the power of dreams! Dreams give you an abundance mentality. It helps you understand there is enough to go around. There is enough wealth available to go around for everyone. It is not a zero-sum game. It is not a finite game. It is an infinite game. 

"To be a winner in life and in business you must act like a winner, and what better way to do that than to emulate the habits of highly successful people." - Peter Legge.

There is an infinite set of possibilities and outcomes. It is not about competing with someone else. It is about competing with your own self. Just how much of the evil in our world today will be taken away if we can tap into the abundance that is in God through dreams. All the envying, coveting, competitions, backbiting, front-deceiving, and the likes will all be taken away. 

"All successful men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose." - Brian Tracy.

Mentalities:

When we know the power of dreams, we will understand that we can create the world we want. And, not feel we have to compete with others for the seemingly little we think is available. Having a Poverty (Scarcity, Poor) Mentality is only natural. It is only natural for weeds, thistles, and thorns to grow on the soil. They are a result of the fall. They come naturally. [Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:20-22]

If we want an Abundance Mentality we need to cultivate it. It does not come naturally. It is found upstream. This is where Jacob missed it. It wasn’t God’s will for him to trick the brother of his birthright. The end does not justify the means. In God, the means are just as important as the end, if we want an abundance mentality.

Our God is not just the God of the Beginning and the End. He is the God of the In-Betweens just as well.

The In-Betweens of Life:

Our God does His greatest works in the in-betweens of life. That is where growth occurs. That is where transformation, becoming, and taking hold occurs. That is where God lives, in the in-betweens of our lives. It is where the miracle of life takes place. Those who are under the Abundance Mentality find rest in the in-between of their lives. They are the Isaiah 28:16 people. They are not moved or disturbed by temporal things. 

They understand things are always in a state of flux. Nothing is permanent. Everything has an expiry date. Therein is wisdom. Heraclitus puts it like this, "There is nothing permanent except change." Good is not permanent. It either becomes better or worse. Bad is not permanent. It either becomes better or worse. The night is not permanent. It either becomes darker or dawn breaks through. Nothing is permanent except change.

This is both comforting and discomforting all at the same time. It reminds us life is growth. Death is a lack of life, a lack of growth, and the prerequisite disciplines. Death is a rut, a grave with both ends open. That is what you get when you stop engaging and exercising yourself in and with disciplines. That is where you are headed when you do not have a goal, target, dream, or vision. That is fate when one's life is not directed and motivated by strong reasons.

Nothing is permanent. Let the change work in your favor. Dream a dream, live the dream, walk the dream and keep growing.

© 2020 Akin Akinbodunse

Link to Study Series:

The Power of Dreams (Part Eleven): The Call (Drive, Pull) of Destiny.

The Power of Dreams (Part Thirteen): The Wrestle.

Links to Related Topics:

Your Dreams are Possible

The Power of Visualization (Part One)

The Invictus Soul...Unconquerable, Undefeated (Part Three)

Books for Further Study:

Prayer (Timothy Keller)
The Laws of Hope (Ryuho Okawa)
This Present Darkness (Frank Peretti)

The Power of Dreams (Part Eleven): The Call (Drive, Pull) of Destiny.

The Call of Destiny

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

There Are No Coincidences in Life:

Some people call it a coincidence. I choose to call it “The Call (Drive, Pull) of Destiny.” How come David had access to Saul’s presence ever before he was needed on the battleground? [1 Samuel 16:14-23] How come he came to the battleground at a time there was a need? Which amongst the prices offered by Saul might have motivated David more, and why? [1 Samuel 17:25-27] 

"Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction." — John F. Kennedy.

Could having access to the palace, prior, played a part? To what extent did being a pre-anointed king affect  David's confidence? Was the "roar of a king" in him spurring him? To what intent was David’s encounter with the lion and the bear? [1 Samuel 17:33-37] What difference did these make for David? Would he have had a story (memorial) without them? 

"Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams." — Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Your Dream is Waiting on You:

Would David have had the boldness and the faith to face Goliath without his own record of victories and experience with God? A whole lot of us suppose we are waiting on God while doing absolutely NOTHING. God has already done His part. So, not sure who or what you are waiting for. The next move is ours to make.  

"It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well." — René Descartes.

God has born dreams of greatness in our hearts [Ecclesiastes 3:11]. He has given us the mandate of dominion. [Genesis 1:28; Romans 5:21] He has given us provisions in His Word. He has given us His Spirit to stir us, comfort us, lead us, and guide us [Luke 11:13]. What else are we waiting for? He is severally casting visions of possibilities before us. Yet, we say we are waiting. 

Run with the Last Command:

Waiting for what or who? I don't really know. Yes, I understand there is a place for special directions and specific details. However, while you are waiting, what are you doing with the last mandate He gave you? No other mandate will come until He sees your faithfulness in the last one, and your time is due. So, while you are waiting for special directions and specific details, stay faithful and profitable. 

"Our inner image of ourselves and what we want to accomplish in life makes us become what we were meant to be." — Mark Victor Hansen.

Occupy till He gives you the next mandate. Keep the course. Stay faithful on the last mandate - the last word you heard. Provoke heaven to action on your behalf. Your miracle is in your present assignment, not the one you are eager for. Your faithfulness, where you presently are, is what will open the door for you. Get to work, my dear. Get to serving where you presently find yourself. 

"In the beginning, the dream makes the person, but in the end, the person makes the dream." — John Maxwell.

Make the best of the opportunities it affords you. There is a miracle. There is a call for you in it. Your waiting is not an excuse to be lazy or be idle. Keep pushing. Keep winning. Keep reigning.  It is time to step out and win. It is time to face the lion and the bear. It is time to bring down every Goliath that stands in the path of your destiny (dreams). Let the king in your roar. Roar! 

It is your time to reign. [Revelations 5:10]

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

Let the King in Me, Roar!

Link to Study Series:

The Power of Dreams (Part Ten): The Power of Vision.
The Power of Dreams (Part Twelve): The Abundant Mentality.

Links to Related Topics:

The Power of the Present Moment

Your Treasure is in Your Excitement
The Power of Visualization (Part Three)
Fighting The Enemies of Marriage (Part Nine)

Books for Further Study:

The Laws of Hope (Ryuho Okawa)
Dancing Through Life (Allen T. Brown)
Fear Not, Dream Big & Execute (Jeff Meyer)

What's a Girl to Do? (Janet Folger)
Lady in Waiting (Anne Glenconner)

Get Out of Your Own Way (Dave Hollis)

The Enneagram, Relationships, and Intimacy (David Daniels)

The Power of Dreams (Part Ten): The Power of Vision.

The Picture I See is a Wow!

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

DAVID, A MAN OF VISION:

Our fifth example is David, a man after God’s own heart. Ever wondered why God anointed him king way ahead of his actual coronation? Ever wondered what kind of thoughts and dreams the anointing awakened in him? [1 Samuel 16:1-13] And, what about you and me? We have been made kings and priests unto our God, to reign on the earth. [Revelations 1:6, 5:10; Romans 5:17] Just like David, we are anointed. 

"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream, precedes the goal." — Pamela Vaull Starr.

Christ, the anointed one and His anointing, lives (resident) on the inside of us. [Colossians 1:27] The Lord our God is with us, and the shout of a king is among us. [Numbers 23:31] What kind of person ought we then to be? What kind of dreams should this awaken in us? Any less than David, or even much more? David's anointing awakened enough fight in him to defeat Goliath. 

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." — Mark Twain.

He sets for us an example to follow as we face our own Goliath each day. We are not to hide away like mere men, who have no hope. We are not to be hidden away amongst the crowd. [1 Samuel 17:11] Our Goliath (challenges, shortcomings, etc.) come to reveal us. They come to exalt us. They come to stir us in the path of our destiny. Our place is to stand, and standing tall, we will.

A PRICE TO LONG FOR:

The anointing and the promises of God made David a dreamer - a dreamer of big dreams. It increased the fight in him for bigger and better things. Note his question on the reward. [1 Samuel 17:26] He did not go after Goliath for fighting sake. His eyes were on the price. He did not only have sight. He had a vision. (As Jonathan Swift puts it, "Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.") 

"Imagination is the key to motivation." — Rene Descartes.

David had a vision for big things. He had a vision for greatness. What Goliaths' are standing tall in your life that needs your standing up to? What "uncircumcised Philistine" is taunting and defiling the name of your God? What are you waiting for? Are you going to stand tall like David, trusting God and His Word, or join the crowd, oblivious of that which you have?  

There is the shout of the King among us. There is a shout of the king inside of you. Let it not go to naught. Let it roar. We are too blessed to see our self as small. We are too endowed to hide away. David did not. He understood the covenant. He understood the hand of God over his life. Why should we do otherwise? His dreams made him a lot bigger than his physique portended him to be. 

He knew providence was on his side. His part was activating it with his dreams and actions in line with the same. His dreams flooded his mind with ideas on how to accomplish his desired end. He had a WHY (God’s mandate). His WHY birth the WHAT and HOW in bringing about the WHY. His WHY was the fight (strength, motivation) in him that overcame his Goliath.

"Opposition is not only evidence that God is blessing, but it is also an opportunity for us to grow."— Warren W. Wiersbe.

William Hutchison Murray puts it this way,

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”

Are you committed? Are you intentional about your living? Why not, if not?

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

Links to Study Series: 
The Power of Dreams (Part Nine): The God of the Whole Picture.

The Power of Dreams (Part Eleven): The Call (Drive, Pull) of Destiny.

Links to Related Topics:

Your Dreams are Possible

Success = Purpose Fulfilled.

The Power of Visualization (Part One)

The Invictus Soul...Unconquerable, Undefeated (Part Three)

Books for Further Study:

Dream Big (Bob Goff)
The Laws of Hope (Ryuho Okawa)

Dancing Through Life (Allen T. Brown)

Fear Not to Dream Big & Execute (Jeff Meyer)

The Power of Dreams (Part Nine): The God of the Whole Picture.

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

As we look at Joseph’s life and journey [Genesis 37; 39-45], we learn the journey of life is not a straight one but is never disjointed. There is a connection. And, the way home is having a dream of what home looks like—that way, one never sells him or herself short along the way. For every decision, every action magnifies or diminishes what our home will look like. That is our dream come true. 

There are no coincidences in life. There is a cause, and it always happens for us, not to us, though it might not appear so at the point of incident. Like Napoleon Hill so fondly puts it, “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”

"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however." — Richard Bach.

There is a hand of providence over our life, tying the knots together. He is in charge of the full picture. He is God, both of the valley and the mountain. [1 Kings 20:28] He has not promised to keep the trouble away, but He promised to ALWAYS be with us through it all. [Isaiah 43:2; Psalm 23:4; Hebrews 13:5] He has promised to give us “a future and a hope.” He is working good out of it all. [Romans 8:28] 

"It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting." — Paulo Coelho.

He's got us in the palm of His hands. [Isaiah 49:14-16] He is our CERTAINTY, in an uncertain world. He is He who held Joseph together when his world came crashing in. In the “darkness of the lifeless pit,” [Genesis 37:24] Joseph had the light of his dream and the one who gives him “a future and a hope.” The same holds true for us. Do you have a dream? Do you have hope? Is there an end to your faith?

"Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men." — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Don’t join the easy crowd with faint hearts who have no dreams, no goals, no ambitions, no aspirations, no cup for God to fill. You are much better than that. You serve a big God who wants to give you “a future and a hope.” Don’t shorten His hands. Dream a dream. Cast your net upon the deep. Life is waiting for you.

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

Links to Study Series: 
The Power of Dreams (Part Eight): Joseph Dreams of Greatness.

The Power of Dreams (Part Ten): The Power of Vision.

The Power of Dreams (Part Eight): Joseph Dreams of Greatness.

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

The fourth example of a Dreamer, we see in Scriptures, is Joseph - the Dreamer. How so appropriately labeled. In fact, Genesis 37:1-11 is rightly titled, “Joseph Dreams of Greatness.” You know, we all can just as well replace Joseph’s name with ours. “Akin Dreams of Greatness” sounds just right. That is what God expects of us, to be able to see life from and through the eyes of faith. 

In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells us His thoughts towards us are those of greatness. It reads,

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (NKJV)

You can as well replace the word “thought” with “dream.” God has great dreams of us. Why should we any less? He wants to give us a future and hope. No wonder the Psalmist declares,

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You. (Psalm 139:17-18, NKJV)

Joseph did not just have a dream. He had a dream of greatness. He had a dream to be great. He had a dream of enlargement. He had a dream of expansion. He had a dream of God making room for him. He had a dream of coming and entering his large place. And, there is nothing wrong with that. It is recorded as an example for us to follow. 

It is the Father’s will and good pleasure to give us the kingdom, not just in the world to come, but also in the here and now. That is what we learn in the Lord’s Prayer Model. “God’s kingdom come. God's will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” [Matthew 6:10] That is our prayer. That is our desire. In God’s kingdom, there is provision. He is the shepherd, and we are the sheep of His pasture. [Psalm 23:1; 95:7; 100:3] 

His will is to give us life in abundant measures. He delights in our prosperity. He delights in our well-being. He is invested in us.  He is touched by the things that touch us. He cares. [John 10:10; Zechariah 2:8; Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 35:27]

"When we realize we are worthy simply because we were born, we no longer look outside of ourselves for validation or approval." — Unknown.

Obviously, as Christians, our first dream should be making heaven (spending eternity with God). That is first and foremost, but not the only dream. Otherwise, we might as well die and be gone to heaven. Our dream of heaven awakens in us other dreams as well. This comes from God’s original mandate to mankind, to have dominion, be fruitful, and multiply. [Genesis 1:28] 

"Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us." — Wilma Rudolph.

We are called to reign in life. [Romans 5:17]

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

Links to Study Series: 
The Power of Dreams (Part Seven): Abraham, the Dreamer.

The Power of Dreams (Part Nine): The God of the Whole Picture.

The Power of Dreams (Part Seven): Abraham, the Dreamer.

The third example of a Dreamer we see in the Scriptures is Abraham - the father of faith. Just how appropriate. Abraham’s life was full of God-given dreams. God birth in Abraham a dream. (Genesis 12:1-2) God’s words created or were decoded in pictures in Abraham’s mind. He was 

“waiting expectantly and confidently, looking forward to the city which has fixed and firm foundations, whose Architect and Builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:10, AMP) 

Like you know, the power of words is in the picture(s) they create. No picture, no power. The more vivid the picture, the more power it brings to effect. No wonder God had to create indelible pictures in Abraham’s mind that He was bringing to birth. This is what kept him and his descendants going through the highs and the lows. 

That is the power of dreams – his vision (dream, picture of the future) constrains him in the path of righteousness. [Hebrews 11:8-16; Proverbs 29:18] And what kind of dream (picture) do you suppose God was creating in Abraham, as He told him about his descendants? God caused Abraham to dream of a multitude of uncountable descendants - people from his own bosom. 

God even changed his name to reflect this. This was a man who was yet to have his first issue. (Ref. Genesis 13:16; 15:5; 17:2-8; 21:12; 22:17; 26:4) It was based on this that Abraham could sacrifice Isaac. That is the power of dreams. A dreamer sees the bigger picture. He is not discouraged by seeming temporal setbacks. He sees the end. And, the end is that he wins. 

He knows that even the setbacks work for his own good, the seeming disappointment for his appointment. (Ref. Hebrews 11:17-19; Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 4:17) Abrahams’s show of faith caused God to swear by Himself. That is what a dream (vision) can earn you – an irrevocable blessing - a blessing without measure nor limit. (Ref. Genesis 22:16-18) 

So, what picture of the future is your life running towards? How indelible is the picture? Is it interesting? Is it good? Is it one you desire? Or, is it one you detest? Here is God’s word to you,

“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11, AMP)

"The question for each man to settle is not what he would do if he had means, time, influence, and educational advantages; the question is what he will do with the things he has. The moment a young man ceases to dream or to bemoan his lack of opportunities and resolutely looks his conditions in the face and resolves to change them, he lays the corner-stone of solid and honorable success." (Hamilton Wright Mabie)

You, too, can dream again. And, I use the word “again” intentionally. We all come into life with dreams. These dreams, for some of us, have been eroded by various circumstances of life. We have given place to toxic people and circumstances, who/which come to kill our seeming childlike dreams, hopes, and expectations. The onus is on you to make it no less than God has promised. 

"There are always ways of motivating yourself to higher levels. Write about it, dream about it. But after that, turn it into action. Don't just dream." (Dan Gable)

It is time to start dreaming of the future you want. Make the picture one of peace and well-being. Make it one you want to be in. You have the power. It is time you start using it. The night is over! The morning is here. It is time to dream again. There is a God in Heaven who desires to make your dreams come true. Please give Him a chance.

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

Links to Study Series: 
The Power of Dreams (Part Six): It is Okay to Dream.

The Power of Dreams (Part Eight): Joseph Dreams of Greatness.

The Power of Dreams (Part Six): It is Okay to Dream.

The Psalmist admonishes us to,

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4, AMP)

The question is, what if we do not have desires? What then will God give? Can someone be without desires, plans, and dreams? Though not a normal human state, the obvious answer is yes. There are such. These have become such by conditioning. God created each one of us with desires, dreams, and the yearning to plan, otherwise known as the ability to think. 

However, due to several extraneous influences, some think having desires or dreams is wrong. For some, it is borne out of several disappointments. For others, they are simply prisoners of false religious piety, which sees them as unworthy of having desires or dreams. Whichever the case might be, it is obvious that it is not the place God wants us to be. 

Otherwise, the Psalmist will not have told us He (God) will give us the desires and petitions of our hearts. Obviously, there is the precursor that we delight in Him. "I cannot emphasize with strong enough words the immense power of dreams and aspirations. They fuel our journey with passion, hope, and love." (Kevin Hall)

"There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say, 'Yes, I've got dreams, of course, I've got dreams.' Then they put the box away and bring it out once in a while to look in it, and yep, they're still there. These are great dreams, but they never even get out of the box. It takes an uncommon amount of guts to put your dreams on the line, to hold them up and say, 'How good or how bad am I?' That's where courage comes in." (Erma Bombeck)

In Psalm 20:4 (AMP), we see the Psalmist again praying,

“May He grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans.”

Notice the usage of the word “Your.” We see the same in Proverbs 23:18 (AMP), “Surely there is a future [and a reward], and your hope and expectation will not be cut off.” God has enough faith in us having the right desires when our walk is right. Not having desires is NEVER the right answer. Doing that is living below par or being open to the downward pull of death. 

Life and living involve and include dreaming and planning within the context of God's sovereignty and love. When I love Him with my all, [Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27], then I can trust that my desires will be rightly aligned. And, when they are not, He will work with me to make them. [Psalm 23:3] Not stepping out, however, is never the answer to life. 

"Don’t downgrade your dream to match your reality, upgrade your faith to match your destiny." ― Unknown.

It is time to dream again. It is time to break off the oppression of the enemy. It is time to bring to life the desires God has placed in your heart. It is time to have an appointment with destiny. The curtain is being raised. It is your time to reign.

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

Links to Study Series: 
The Power of Dreams (Part Five): You Can Have What You See.

The Power of Dreams (Part Seven): Abraham, the Dreamer.

Other Resources:

The Power of Starting Something Stupid (Richie Norton)
Uncommon Character (Douglas Feavel)

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The Power of Dreams (Part Five): You Can Have What You See.

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

The second example of dreams we see in the scriptures is at Babel. This is the reference in our text. It shouts to us,

“With every other thing being equal, the people were only limited by their own imagination (dream).”

They could have whatever they imagined (dreamt). That is the power of dreams. “If you can see the invisible, you can do the impossible.” Wow! What power! They could have whatever they imagined. The same applies to us today, and even more so. Our only limitation is our imagination, our dream. What a power God has given to His creation? Albert Einstein puts it this way, 

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” 

1 Corinthians 13:9-10 (AMP) tells us,

“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [for our knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete]. But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away.”

Our imagination is our bridge between what we presently know and that which is “complete and perfect.” Obviously, we will not get to that which is complete and perfect until we see Jesus. Our calling is to keep pressing until then. There is more to life than what presently is. And, the power is in our hands to bring it into being. If only we can see it, then and only then can we have it. 

"A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future." ― Denis Waitley.

We don’t have to be satisfied with what is. It can be better. It can be greater. It can be richer. It can be more enduring. It can change. The calling upon our lives is that of agents of change. That is the calling of the church. Faith is the basis (foundation, assurance, or down payment) of the things we hope (or dream) to receive. [Hebrews 11:1-2] Faith is useless without hope (dream) to work on. 

Our dream is that “something in our hand” that God comes to breathe on, or as it were, lay His hands on to bless. I guess religion, in some circles, has deceived us not to have desires or dreams. Just how foolish that is. Doesn’t nature teach us better? Is that the expectation of our own children? Isn’t it an act of natural grace to want to fulfill the desires of our own children? 

"Every human life contains a potential, if that potential is not fulfilled, then that life was wasted." ― C. G. Jung.

Isn’t it an act of natural grace to want to make our children happy? How much more the Father of all fathers? How much more the Father of all grace? We are called to make things happen and not be running helter-skelter, trying to hide our tail between our legs, reacting to change. We are called to have dominion. We are called to occupy. We are called to reign in life. Enough of the lies we tell ourselves. 

"Without Dreams we reach nothing. Without Love we feel nothing. Without God we are nothing." ― Unknown.

We have had enough of being at ease in Zion. It is time to stand up for our rightful place. When are we going to join hands with God in making His enemies His footstool? What are we doing to make His Kingdom come? What are we doing to ensure His glory covers the whole earth? In what way are we bringing the influence of Heaven to bear on earth? The onus is on you and me. 

"In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities." ― Janos Arany. 

Let us get working. [Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 10:13] It is time to dream again. It is time to break off the oppression of the enemy. It is time to bring to life the desires God has placed in our hearts. It is time to have an appointment with destiny. The curtain is being raised. It is your time to reign. [Romans 5:17; 1 John 3:2]

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

Links to Study Series: 
The Power of Dreams (Part Four): Here in God's Stead.

The Power of Dreams (Part Six)

Other Resources:

The Power of Starting Something Stupid (Richie Norton)
Uncommon Character (Douglas Feavel)

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The Power of Dreams (Part Four): Here in God's Stead.

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

God gave us the commission to have dominion (leadership, kingship, reign, etc.). How does a man go about this? Where does his edge come from? He is not the biggest of living creatures? He is not the fastest? So, what gives him the edge? What has differentiated him out, and still does? Man’s leverage position has been and still is his ability to think. It is his ability to innovate. 

It is his ability to stay well ahead of the game. It is his ability to be proactive. It is his ability to be an agent of change, not a victim of it. It is his ability to dream into existence the world he wants, rather than be a victim of the world force on him. This is our leverage, our position. It is that with which we have been endowed to have dominion in this life.

"The kingdom of God is not a matter of getting individuals to heaven, but of transforming the life on earth into the harmony of heaven." ― Walter Rauschenbusch.

The essence of dominion is not just to cast out devils. Dominion is God’s endowment to man to fulfill the essence and purpose of creation. And what is that essence? It is to manage the earth. That is to maintain and appreciate its value and beauty. It is to keep things in proper order. It is to bring down the glory of heaven upon the earth. It is to cause God’s glory to pervade the earth. 

That is the original intent of God, and it has not changed, and it will never change. [Genesis 2:15; Habakkuk 2:14; Matthew 6:10; Luke 19:12-13; 1 Corinthians 15:25] So, the ball is in our court. You will either align with God and gain the fullness of the benefit, or you will be misaligned and lose out. It is our choice to make. God is going to have His way irrespective and regardless. 

"You have to have a dream so you can get up in the morning." ― Billy Wilder. 

"Nothing happens unless first a dream." ― Carl Sandburg. 

That is why He is not limited as to whom He brings new innovations to bear through. Or, you thought those were from the devil? The scriptures tell us, “ALL GOOD AND PERFECT GIFTS COME FROM HIM.” The question is, can He find you faithful? Can He trust you? Can He entrust you with His riches? That is all in your own hands. [James 1:17]

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

Links to Study Series: 
The Power of Dreams (Part Three): God, Our Example.

The Power of Dreams (Part Five)

Other Resources:

The Power of Starting Something Stupid (Richie Norton)
Uncommon Character (Douglas Feavel)

The Power of Dreams (Part Three): God, Our Example.

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

Guess who the first example of a dreamer is in scripture? Yes! You guessed, right. God! God, Himself, no other. So, none of us will ever be in doubt as to the potency of dreams. He used Himself as the very first example. Wow! He left us an indelible mark of what life ought to be. He called creation into being. Notice, He did not jump into creation (action). 

"If you can dream it, you can achieve it." ― Zig Ziglar.

God’s first response to a terrible and hopeless situation was “to brood (hover, think, contemplate, sleepover, give life, warm, cultivate, give attention to, etc.) over it.” [Genesis 1:2] This is where a lot of us miss it. We are in a hurry going nowhere. We jump out every morning to a job we do not like, leading to a place we have no idea about. We work because we think we have to. We work because that is what everyone else is doing, and that is what we have been told. 

"All of our dreams can come true — if we have the courage to pursue them." ―Walt Disney.

After all, is said and done, we either blame God or the devil for our lot. We see every other thing but ourselves as our own enemy. Unknown to us, our enemy is the person in the mirror, who might as well be our best friend, if only we let. It is not in the deliverance. It is in the opening of the eyes to see. I love the way Helen Keller puts it. She says, "The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision." 

"When you look at the possibilities instead of the problems, the future is filled with endless opportunities." ―Zig Ziglar.

She also said, "I can see, and that is why I can be happy, in what you call the dark, but which to me is golden. I can see a God-made world, not a manmade world." That is the secret. That is the secret to life. That is the secret to happiness. That is the secret to living a fulfilled life. That is the secret to living fully. That is the secret to the living whole. That is the secret to being all God made us be. 

"All successful men have agreed on one thing -- they were causationists. They believed that things went not by luck, but by law; that there was not a weak or a cracked link in the chain that joins the first and last of things." ―Ralph Waldo Emerson.

For, a person is drawn and motivated by that which he or she sees. Can you see it? I know you have eyes, but can they see. Are they seeing? All we need to win is to stop and think. All we need is to stop doing the same old things. If it is not working, why keep at it? Why not be like God? He is wisdom. It will do us loads of good and change the trajectory of our life. 

If God did not create except that, He first dreamt (conceived that He was set to do), what makes us think we are better? If God did not call forth until He knew and settled in Himself what He wanted, what makes us think we can? If God did first finish and conclude the end before He started, where did we learn our haphazard “Que sera sera” (whatever will be will be) attitude and approach from? 

"Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us." ― Wilma Rudolph.

Does your life matter to you? Do you have dominion? Are you occupying, or are you being occupied? Are you going somewhere? Do you know where you are going? It’s time to break the chains of oppression. It is time to dream again. You’ve got the power. Use it.

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

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Links to Study Series: 
The Power of Dreams (Part Two): Do You Have A Dream?
The Power of Dreams (Part Four): Here in God's Stead.

Other Resources:

The Dream Giver (Bruce Wilkinson)
Think, Learn, Succeed (Caroline Leaf)

The Power of Dreams (Part Two): Do You Have A Dream?

And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6, AMP)

Do you have a dream? Are you exercising your God-given ability to dream? Do you have sight? Do you have a vision? Can you see beyond the world that now is, into the world that can be and the world you want? Can you see yourself fulfilling your purpose? Can you see yourself leaving a legacy? Or, have you allowed yourself to be so beaten you cannot see beyond your today? 

Are you so limited you cannot see beyond the next meal, the next paycheck, the next school fees, the next… (You fill in the blank)?

"Your hopes, dreams and aspirations are legitimate. They are trying to take you airborne, above the clouds, above the storms, if you only let them." ―William James.

Why won't you let your dreams take flight? How dare you hold them back? You were born to soar. Don’t waste your life living limited. There is more to your life. There is more in your life. There is more in your future. Break free of every limitation. It is time to soar. There is more than where you are today - irrespective of your present status. What God has for each of us is inexhaustible. 

He says I come that you might have life (your wishes come true, your fulfillment of purpose, etc.). And, not just have it in measurable quantities, but rather immeasurable, God-like quantities. God wants to wow! You. Do you have a problem with that? He wants to give you in, and according to "His measure." He wants to give you beyond your wildest dreams and imaginations. 

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." ― Henry David Thoreau.

Let no religion, traditions, persons, or the like hold you bound. It is time to set yourself loose and soar. Begin to live the life of your dreams. Don’t wait another day. Time waits for no one. Take the first step and see the next become clearer. [John 10:10; Ephesians 3:20; 1 Corinthians 2:22-23]

© 2014 Akin Akinbodunse

Links to Study Series: 
The Power of Dreams (Part One): The Beauty of Dreams
The Power of Dreams (Part Three): God, Our Example.

Other Resources:

The Dream Giver (Bruce Wilkinson)
Think, Learn, Succeed (Caroline Leaf)

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