Freedom to Dream

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How do most of us respond to the enemies of our dreams?

• We respond with Fear

• We look for ways to Escape

• We Deny that there is a real problem

• We think that Giving Up is a viable solution

• We think God doesn’t care 

When we are tired and fatigued and problems are drowning out our dreams what do we do?

1. Understand God hasn't given up on us or our dreams, so why have we?

Isaiah 40:27
O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? 28 Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

When it comes to you and your progress ... when it comes to you and your success ... when it comes to you and your holiness ... God will not grow tired or weary.  He will not lose patience with you. He will not give up on you.

God hasn’t given up on your situation

Isaiah 40:28
Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

God knows we will stumble 

Isaiah 40:29
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. 30 Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

Understand Your breaking point

Dr. Richard Swensen writes, “We are exceeding our limits in scores of areas all at the same time. From ‘activity overload’ to ‘choice overload’ to ‘debt overload’ to ‘expectation overload’ to ‘information overload’ to ‘work overload’, we are a piled-on margins society.” 

We all need our own Plimsoll Line painted on our calendars.

2. Get alone with God and refuel the dreams. 

1 Kings 19:11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

• Stop looking for God in all the activities 

• He wants us to Get alone with Him so He can rekindle our dreams. When we get there, we need to do less talking and more listening.

• Make this a daily priority

• Develop a deeper level of trust

Isaiah 40:31
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Psalm 32:7
For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.

Psalm 32:8
The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

3. Never be afraid to recalibrate your dreams.

One of the most Dangerous places to be in life is when we have more memories than dreams.

Nehemiah 7:4
At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt. 5 So my God gave me the idea to call together all the nobles and leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration. I had found the genealogical record of those who had first returned to Judah. This is what was written there:

What's the secret to this new life and new dreams? It's him. 

In his presence you can experience his power.

Isaiah 40:30-31
Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. 31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.