The Impossible Dream, #2: Fasting and Prayer | Mac Hammond
 
Recap
 
Pastor Mac gave the second installment of his series entitled, “The Impossible Dream.” He said, “Even though I say about every new series I teach that it is the most important message I’ve ever preached, when it comes to this message—for this day, at this time, and where we are right now—I truly believe that about this message. God has a dream for your life. And it’s not possible for you to achieve that dream without His partnership in your life.” That being said, what is God’s “Impossible Dream” for your life?
 
Dive Deeper
 
God has a dream for your life… in fact, He has a dream for everyone’s life. God’s dream for your life represents success, fulfillment, contentment, happiness in every arena of your life; you need to understand the basic parameters of how He dreams about you. Because He does!
 
1st Corinthians 2:9, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
 
This scripture says God’s got a dream for you… things prepared just for you. You need to know the basic context of what that dream looks like if you’re going to be able to partner together with Him in His dream for you.
 
Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (NIV).
 
This scripture talks about the basic framework for His desire for you. It sounds like a dream worth embracing.
 
The New Testament rendering of God’s dream for us can be found in 3rd John 1:2: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
 
This verse is divinely inspired because it’s a revelation of the will of God for all believers of all ages. He says, “Beloved, I wish…” This is His dream. He’s only wishing because He’s not going to impose it on you. You’re a free moral agent. You need to discern His dream for your life and then embrace it.
 
The word “prosper” means to succeed and to increase. This is talking about the natural arena of life—to be healthy in your body, all physical infirmity gone.
 
It also says, “even as thy soul prospers.” This is talking about the true riches in life such as peace, joy, contentment, fulfillment in life… not necessarily wealth.
The Apostle Paul is an example of someone prospering in his soul. Paul said, “I’ve learned to be content in whatsoever state I’m in.” Yet he experienced being beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and more. Yet he said he was content.
Content means “inward sufficiency.” You’re not going to see it in the natural until your soul has begun prospering with the peace of God, the joy of the Lord, and the contentment regardless of your outward circumstance. And that’s the foundation for things to begin changing in the natural prosperity and good health occurring.
Pastor Mac said, “I’ve had people tell me, ‘Well, I can get happy if the Lord would just answer my prayer.’ Well get happy and the Lord will answer your prayer.”
This is the parameter, or the context, of God’s dream for your life. When you start partnering with God, it’s buying into His dream for you. And these provide the boundaries of that dream that’ll help keep you on course.
How do you define a dream? Webster’s Dictionary defines “dream” as a pattern of thought or mental imagery that stimulates the intellect and stirs the emotion.
 
When you’re dreaming a dream that God has for you, you’re going to get intellectually stimulated. You’re going to start thinking about it and you’re going to have trouble stopping.
Read About It
 
1st Corinthians 2:9, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
 
Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (NIV).
 
3rd John 1:2, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
 
Discussion Questions
God has a dream for your life. Do you know what His dream is for you?
How is Jeremiah 29:11 the basic framework for God’s dream for your life?
3rd John 1:2 says, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” Can you describe what it means for your soul to prosper?

These sermon notes are from the opening minutes of this weekend’s message. If you would like to hear the entire message, click on the link above.

Recent Sermon Notes

STRATEGIES OF DECEIT, “Shield, Helmet, and Sword” #4 | Mac Hammond

Pastor Mac taught the fourth message in his series, “Strategies of Deceit.” Learning the strategies through which Satan will try to deceive you is imperative. For many people, the first point of deception Satan uses against them is the lie that he doesn’t even exist! Most people don’t have any trouble believing in a God. They look at creation and know that all its magnificence and complexities could not have happened by random chance. But Satan? The guy with horns and a pitchfork… how can you take that guy seriously? However, not believing in his existence is the very thing that will allow him to “eat your lunch.”

STRAGEGIES OF DECEIT: “Your Heart and Your Feet” #3

Pastor Mac taught his third installment of his teaching series entitled, “Strategies of Deceit.” As Pastor Mac has often said, “The enemy can’t defeat you if he can’t deceive you.” Why? Because Satan is already a defeated foe. The only way Satan can defeat you is to get you to believe something other than the truth. The enemy will make it his goal to deceive you into believing God’s will for you is anything other than life and blessing. In the end, you decide your life’s destiny based on your own decisions. Are you making decisions for life and blessing? Or death and cursing?

Strategies of Deceit 2 | Mac Hammond

we were blessed to have Pastor Mac back in the pulpit with a brand-new series entitled, “Strategies of Deceit.” Over the years, believers have expressed their frustration that their lives are filled with bad, and sometimes evil, things. Even though they pray and live their lives by faith, they can’t seem to make an end of the bad things. They don’t know how to deal with the situation in which they find themselves. Pastor Mac explains the hard truth that the enemy cannot just arbitrarily bring death and cursing into your life. There’s a reason why the enemy has access into your life!

Strategies of Deceit | Mac Hammond

we were blessed to have Pastor Mac back in the pulpit with a brand-new series entitled, “Strategies of Deceit.” Over the years, believers have expressed their frustration that their lives are filled with bad, and sometimes evil, things. Even though they pray and live their lives by faith, they can’t seem to make an end of the bad things. They don’t know how to deal with the situation in which they find themselves. Pastor Mac explains the hard truth that the enemy cannot just arbitrarily bring death and cursing into your life. There’s a reason why the enemy has access into your life!

Finding Your Voice in Prayer | Ken Olson

Pastor Ken Olson shared with us a message on “Finding Your Voice in Prayer.” Noting that our nation’s Declaration of Independence declares that we, as citizens, have the right to pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He further added, “There’s nothing more empowering, more enabling to pursue life, liberty, and happiness and so many other things that God has planned for our lives than a pursuit of a lifelong relationship through prayer with our Heavenly Father.” Heaven isn’t just a place. Heaven is a divine flow!