But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Act 1:8 

Acts 1:8, Rom 8:11, 2 Tim 1:7; Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17. Ephesians 3:20

Recurrent Thought

The dreams and mission of God face all kinds of Challenges. The Holy Spirit, has been sent to the Church that he may empower us to fulfill the Mission of God and our personal God-given dreams

Dreams that transform lives constantly demand both inspiration and all kinds of resources for them to become realities. However, at times, it is not uncommon for those who dream to feel powerless in the face of challenges. When we talk about powerlessness we don’t speak about raw energy. Powerlessness, (feebleness, weakness, helplessness, or hopelessness) is a sense of feeling inadequate in the face of overwhelming challenges. Principally it may include feelings of inadequacy, fear of failure, or a lack of self-belief. It is a state of scattered attention, when you fear your efforts are dwarfed. Every person in life comes to situations of powerlessness of some sort. Today we want to talk about the challenge of powerlessness that affects dreams, that destroy the inspiration to dream again.

I submit that we achieve most things in life through the process of envisioning: dreaming and working towards achieving it. This is the default way of achieving our destinies. Our visions begin as seeds and we wait for them to mature as ripe harvest. Setting dreams and fulfilling them, is the way of life. It is a normal activity repeated a hundred times in our lives as we dream about various aspects of our lives. The only difference is that the activities we dream through differ in value in relation to the influence and impact they produce. For example, it is a genuine dream for me to want to eat a pizza tomorrow; but it is of low value as compared to me having a dream to build a house in the next 12 Months.

The reality is that the bigger the dreams the greater the possibility of power loss in the process of execution. The bigger the dreams the more the challenges you face.

When Jesus passed on to glory, the apostles had bigger and challenging issues against their pursuit of God’s Mission. However, Jesus sent them the Holy Spirit who helped to inspire and rejuvenate the passion for their dreams. The Holy Spirit breathed divine purpose into their dreams, reshaped their ambitions to align with heaven, and empowered them to pursue them despite all challenges. The Holy Spirit is a great motivator of vision inspiration. When the Holy Spirit comes, He doesn’t just inspire, He ignites dreams that are born of God. He transforms human ambition into divine assignment.

It is essential we understand that the Holy Spirit equips ordinary people for extraordinary purposes (1 Cor. 2:4–5). Paul intimated that he went to Corinth as an ordinary person not to impress them with highness. He wrote that he did “...not come with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power...” We don’t have to be impressive, but empowered. The Spirit specializes in using the weak to shame the strong.

The following seven (7) operations the Holy Spirit use to Overcome Powerlessness as we pursue the dreams God has placed on us. Power of the Holy Spirit can does marvelous things:

1. He Plants (and Replants) God-given Dreams (Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17)
   • It is the Spirit’s power to install God-packaged dreams in our lives.
   • In Acts 2:17, referencing Joel 2:28, the Lord states that “I will pour out My Spirit... and they will dream dreams.”
   • When the Spirit is poured out, He activates destiny.
   • God’s dreams are bigger than survival actions. They are about transformation.
   • You don’t invent your calling and assignments; the Spirit reveals them to you.
   • May the Spirit Plant Dreams in us that represents God in the earth
2. He Infuses Life into Dead Dreams (Romans 8:11)
   • The reality is that at times dreams die. Powerlessness takes over and Passion dries up.
   • The Holy Spirit specializes in resurrection. The bible says in Romans 8: 11 that “The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you...”
   • When dreams die, when hope is gone, the Spirit brings resurrection power.
   • Powerlessness is often tied to weariness, fatigue and inertia, but the Spirit revives and restores.
   • The same power that raised Christ can resurrect your purpose, your peace, your perseverance. He infuses life in dead dreams, and destines
   • The Spirit of the Lord brought Ezekiel to the Valley of Dry Bones and in Eze. 37:3  And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”. He called on the Spirit who breathed on them, and the dead rose and stood. Again he prophesied to the four ends of the earth for the spirit to enter these lifeless armies of Israel. They were infused and became a living army. That is a Dream army.
   • Where you think your dreams are dead, invite the Holy Spirit to breathe on them again.
3. He Replaces Fear with Boldness (2 Timothy 1:7)
   • One major result of powerlessness is fear to act in accordance to dreams. Fear immobilizes us.
   • But we must remember according to 2 Tim. 1:7 “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.”
   • Fear paralyzes, but the Spirit energizes. The Spirit comes to remove powerlessness
   • You may not feel brave—but the Holy Spirit in you is always courageous.
   • Powerlessness thrives in fear, but the Spirit brings clarity, confidence, and courage.
   • Don’t wait to feel fearless. Act in faith and trust the Spirit to empower you in the moment.
4.  He Empowers Us to Pursue Dreams (Acts 1:8)
   • Powerlessness is often what kills dreams. Lack of vitality promotes  passionless pursuit.
   • The scriptures states clearly that “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…”
   • The Holy Spirit gives perseverance, direction, and divine connections.
   • The Holy Spirit is the one who gives sustaining power. A good example is David, who was anointed as king long before he sat on the throne. The Spirit sustained him in between.
   • Remember that what God starts by His Spirit, He empowers by His Spirit. Don’t rely on your own strength.
5. He Protects Dreams despite Oppositions (Genesis 50:20)
   • Dreams are resisted by all manner of oppositions. Some form of oppositions are human led, but every opposition against God-given dreams and missions is clearly hatched and led by satanic spirits (2 Corinthians 10: 3-5).
   • Paul recognized that dreams face oppositions. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:9, "For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries," This shows the fact that open doors in ministry or life often come with opposition.
   • He spoke to the Church in Philadelphia that he had given them an open door which no one could shut down.
     Rev. 3:8 I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name 
   • Joseph's Spirit-given dream was attacked by family, abuse by Potiphar, delayed by prison, and misunderstood many, including those that mattered.
   • Joseph recognized the attacks but he also appreciated the protection that is why he confessed to his brothers that “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good…” (Gen. 50:20)
   • The Spirit orchestrates circumstances to protect the dreamer and the dream.
   • Now we can recognize that the pit, Potiphar’s house, and the prison were all training for the palace.
   • Don’t judge the dream by the detours of life. Remember the Spirit is working behind the scenes.
6.  He Empowers Us for Witness (Acts 1:8)
   • Many times we fumble over Kingdom Harvest. Despite the instruction, and commission we still don’t go out. We do not do well is this fact.
   • The Holy Spirit is given to us singularly to empower us to witness (share) the grace of God to others
   • The text states that “...you will receive power... and you will be My witnesses...”
   • The disciples were afraid and hiding after Jesus’ death.
   • But when the Spirit came, they became bold preachers—even in the face of persecution.
   • Powerlessness in evangelism is overcome by the Spirit’s boldness (Acts 4:29-31)
   • You don’t have to force the Gospel. We must regularly ask for the Spirit’s boldness, and He’ll speak through you.
7. He Brings Dreams to Fulfillment (Completion Ephesians 3:20)
   • Powerlessness and inertia makes us to have half-finished projects.
   • However, God wants to outdo and surpass what we dream in the actual fulfillment.
   • The truth is that all our dreams are usually smaller than what God is capable to do through us
   • “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine...”
   • Spirit-led dreams are not only fulfilled, they exceed our imagination.
   • The dream God gave you is not just about you, it’s about generations. It is beyond you!
   • When the Spirit fulfills a dream, it glorifies God, blesses others, and matures the dreamer.
   • Here is the encouragement: If the dream is not completed yet, Keep sowing in faith.
   • What the Spirit starts, He finishes (Philippians 1:6. He who began a good work shall bring it to completion)

Conclusion:

Your dreams matter to God. However, they must be Spirit born, shaped and powered. Don’t be discouraged by delay or opposition. Let the Holy Spirit breathe afresh on your vision.

Altar Time

• Let us Pray that the Holy Spirit Falls Afresh on us
• Be open to the Lord as He Falls on you, he will cause you to speak with other languages

Prayer

• “Holy Spirit, breathe on my dreams. Align them with Heaven’s purpose.
• Purify my motives, empower my walk, and give me boldness to pursue Your calling for my life.
• Let Your dream for the nations live in me.