By Karen Sargent
My goal this year is to dream bigger. I am standing on Ephesians 3:20-21AMP. Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Getting Rid of the Box
What limits me the most is usually my thinking. I have a tendency to dream small. This can also be called putting God in a box. So, this year I am getting rid of the box. My focus is taking Him at His Word.
The Message version of Ephesians 3:20- 21 helps make it plain.
“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!”
I love verse 21. Many times when Ephesians 3:20 is quoted, they leave off verse 21. To me, praise is a natural response to verse 20! Also praising God for the answer is a sign that you have received it.
We Can’t Dream Bigger Than God
These verses tell us God can do far more than we can ever ask, hope, think, pray, guess, request or imagine. That means even in our wildest imaginations, we can’t out dream God! And a vision that goes beyond our personal ability is where lofty goals really start.
Write the Vision, What Is Your Big Dream?
An important step is to write down the vision that you have in your heart. Remember that nothing is impossible with our God. Remove the box or limitations and dream with no limits.
Here is an example or part of my vision. I see myself getting paid to do what I love, what I would do for free. My goal is to make an impact and leave people better off than when I met them. It’s my desire to inspire others to grow and fulfill the call of God on their life. When they do that, they will also inspire others to do the same and the ripple effect will be enormous.
It’s Alright to Need Help
I’ve heard it said that it’s not a very big dream if we can do it without help. Obviously we need God’s hand upon us, but also the assistance of others. We may need help when we get the harvest, but that’s a good problem to have. Being part of something larger that ourselves means a greater victory than we could achieve.
Why does it seem hard to believe?
Often we start out dreaming big, but get discouraged. Circumstances are one of the things that throw us off or distract us from the vision for something better. It takes effort to intentionally focus on the invisible- the hope, the promise, and the result. It’s a choice to look beyond what is in front of us, and believe God for more. I love Philippians 1:6 which reminds me that Jesus is the Author and Finisher of my faith. He started it and He has finished it. My job is to stay connected, and stay in His plan. The key is keeping in the faith and making decisions and actions accordingly.
The What Ifs
Another factor that slows us down are the “What ifs”. Those questions that run in your head are another distraction many of us deal with. I hear those doubts often, and my goal is to replace them with positive thoughts and affirmations. That’s why part of my goal to dream bigger this year means spending more time renewing my mind on a daily basis.
Letting go and embracing transformation
Romans 12:2 AMP And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
This verse tells us that the enemy is not outside, but inside. Step one is to let go of the external pressures of the world. Then we can embrace transformation. So just like we eat three times a day, I take time to meditate on the Word 3 times a day or more. In order for my spirit to be stronger, I need to feed it. I do this by praying in the spirit, and I exercise it when I do what the Word says.
What We See Starts With What We Believe
Life doesn’t happen to us, it happens with us. Everything that takes place in our natural world, is connected to what we are believing on the inside. In order to change the outside we have to first change the inside. That means our mind and beliefs have to change with our dreams.
Dream Bigger: All things Are Possible To Him That Believes
I recently heard a message and the minister pointed out that we have never seen a fruit tree struggle to make fruit. They don’t have to declare and decree that they will bear fruit. They just simply produce fruit because they are connected to their roots or to the vine. Remember when Jesus said He is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5). Our job is to stay connected and let His power flow in us and through us. Truly that is the only way we can bear good fruit. This is evidence of His great power working in us.
Heart implants
In closing remember that “As a man thinks, so is he”. (Proverbs 23:7) Our thinking determines what we have and what we see in life. Our future success (or lack of) begins with the thoughts, dreams, and visions of our heart.
The greatest thing we can do to make this year different is to change our thinking, and dream bigger. The best way I know how to do this is line up my thinking and my heart with the Word.
Philippians 4:8 says “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].”
Make Every Thought Obey
2 Corinthians 10:5 says “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Dreaming bigger means making changes. Weeding out the negative thoughts and then adding the Word is the only way to get to the big dreams.
Really it’s futile to try to change the outside of our life without changing the inside- our mind. Life is a mirror. What we believe shows up on the outside. If we don’t like what we have then we have to change what we are thinking. It’s not sane to think that we can keep doing the same thing and get different results. Renewing our mind has to be the first step in dreaming outside the box. That’s my number one goal for 2025.
Here’s to dreaming bigger! As the lyrics say “Something powerful is happening!” There is a New Thing Coming!