I Can Only Imagine – Part II

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Accomplish, dream, I Can Only Imagine Part II, Imagination, imagine, Thiink, Vision

I read somewhere once that the universe is expanding. If that is true what does that say about us.  We too should be expanding.  First, we should be expanding in our knowledge of Christ until what we know becomes who we are. Second, we should be expanding on our visions and dreams. Isaiah 54:2 says, “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.”  In other words, prepare for increase. In order to prepare for increase you must desire increase. Not just desire it but desire it to the point that you are willing to prepare for it.  You see some people want increase but the’re not willing to prepare for it.  God told Israel to prepare for increase by enlarging their tents, stretching forth their curtains and lengthening their cords.  They had to take what they had and expand upon it.

At some point each of us must take inventory of where we are to see if we are expanding. It doesn’t matter if you do it daily, weekly or monthly you want to make sure you’re looking at your life, your visions and dreams so that you don’t become stagnant. This is why Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus he wanted them to continue to grow and increase in their knowledge of the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:14-21).

Look at the story of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, each servant was given talents; to every man according to his several ability.  To one He gave five, to another two, and to another one.  Along with the talent was the responsibility to increase what was given.  The one with five increased to ten, the one with two increased to four.  But the one with one talent didn’t brother to try and increase what he had, he buried it instead.  Maybe he thought his one talent was insignificant or that it was too little to increase.  If you notice he didn’t even use his one talent.  He could have brought something with it but instead he chose to bury it.

The bottom line is this; it’s up to you to increase on the desires, visions and dreams that God has given you.  There are times when God will give you an idea to increase you but you don’t move on it.  Maybe you’re thinking the idea God is giving you is too insignificant or too small.  What if Ruth had thought gleaning in someone’s field was insignificant.  She would have missed being in the right place at the right time and missed Boaz.  Or maybe you’re thinking that too many other people are doing that.  Listen my friend; God is unlimited, never think because someone else is doing something that God can’t add to what’s already done, He’s God.  There’s always more!

Today, I encourage you to take inventory and ask yourself these two questions; One, I’m I expanding in the area of my visions and dreams? Two, am I limiting God in what I’ve already accomplished?  If you can answer yes to either of these questions then it’s time for you to grid up the loins of your mind, ask God for a new vision and begin to expand.

I Can Only Imagine

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dream, Dreams, Goals, Imagination, imagine, see, seeing, Visions

The imagination is not an evil thing God gave us imagination.  Yes, it is true that due to man’s fallen nature his imagination through the enemy became evil.  But when you have the Spirit of Christ living in you the imagination is no longer evil because we have the Spirit and mind of Christ.  In fact, I believe God wants us to use our imagination to see or picture the things that He’s given to us.  It’s through our imagination that we are able to see ourselves possessing the promises of God before they are manifested in the physical realm.   1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, “But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”   The Holy Spirit reveals to us through our spirits things that God hath prepared for us.  Now, these things that the Holy Spirit reveals come up from our spirits to our minds where we are able to understand and imagine or see them.  If you never imagine yourself possessing the things God says is yours, you will never possess them.  For example, before I ever preached a sermon or lead a worship service I saw myself doing so.  If I never imagined myself doing it, it could never have become a reality.  Therefore, our imagination is necessary to fulfilling our destinies.

In July of 2008 the Lord gave me this prophecy concerning 2009 and beyond, “Dream big, there is nothing I can’t and won’t do for you.  Dream big for your future, 2009 will be a year of fulfillment of big dreams.  I will give you the desire you must take that desire and expand upon it.  Dare to dream big.  I need your dreams to fulfill.  Dream big, be extravagant and I will do it.” Wow! Want a word from God.  This word is as relevant now as it was then.  Notice God said, “I will give you the desire you must take that desire and expand upon it.”  How do we expand upon the desires He gives us?  We do it through the power of our imagination.   When Abraham settled in the land of Canaan, God said to him, “…Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever” (Gen. 13:14-15).  God was not only telling Abraham to imagine the land but to imagine his descendants living on the land.  Abraham didn’t have an heir at that time.  He further told him to “Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee” (Gen. 13:17).   Abraham was to walk through the entire land of Canaan the length of it and the breadth of it.  Now that may not have been physically possible but it was certainly mentally possible.  Abraham could imagine himself being in the entire length and breadth of Canaan with all his descendants and what he saw was what God gave to him.

Now, just as God told Abraham to look out from where he was God is telling us to look out from where we are and imagine where we want to be, where He has destined for us to be and He will give us what we see.  God needs our dreams and visions to fulfill if you’re not seeing anything than you’re not giving Him anything to fulfill.  I believe that many people are not using the power of imagination because they are still seeing it as something evil.  Even when the Holy Spirit is prompting you and giving you visions in your mind you shut it down because you think that it’s something evil.   Remember we have the Spirit and mind of Christ.  We don’t have to fear being overtaken by an evil imagination.  We have the Spirit of Christ to know the things that are given to us of God.  1 Corinthians 2:12, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”  If Joseph had been concern about whether or not his dream was evil he would not have held on to it.  Although his brothers tried to talk him out of it Joseph held on to his dreams.  Don’t allow the enemy to stop you from envisioning yourself in something great due to feelings of guilt and condemnation, dream big.  Don’t allow him to tell you your dream is a fancy and that what you see is impossible.  There is nothing impossible with God.  There is nothing that God can’t and won’t do for you.  Allow yourself to imagine don’t be lazy in your mind.  Arise; walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it, frequently, daily.  See yourself doing the desires that God has place in your heart.  What is your desire?  Is it ministry, business, marriage, or is it a singing career?  Get a picture in your mind imagine every detail spare no expense for the Spirit of Christ is in you to accomplish all that you see.