The 
Phases of Faith
Faith is the only way to grow in our relationship with God.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
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My Prayer Today
Dear God, You are so amazing! There is nothing that I could ever ask for that would exceed your ability to person. Help me to discern your will and ask everything according to your purposes. I want to dream big, because you are a big God. I don't want to settle for anything less than all that you have for me. I ask that you would instill within me a vision that would burn within me heart. I ask that your glory would be manifest in my life and throughout this world. I ask this in confidence because I know that you hear and answer my prayers. In Jesus’ name. . . Amen.
God's Word For Me Today
Ephesians 3:20
"Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope for."
Reflecting on God's Word
According to verse 20, can we ever ask too much from God?
Does our ability to ask ever exceed God ability to empower? Why?
Is this verse challenging us to be bold in our prayers? How so?
A Deeper Exploration of God's Word
What does Jesus say about "asking" in Matthew 7:8?
Is receiving big dreams from God contingent upon whether or not we ask for them? Why?
Why is prayer so important to God?
Understanding God's Purpose
After reading Ephesians 3:20, do you think God ever dares us to ask? How so?
Does God want us to have big dreams? Why?
Is God ever waiting for us to ask of Him?
Applying God's Word to Our Lives
Is it wrong to ask God to fulfill a dream? Why not?
What was the last thing you asked God for, was it very big?
After spending time in praise today, begin a time of prayer and ask God for big things.
Thoughts...
Kathryn Kuhlman once stated, "Don't ask God for a cup full of water when He can give you the whole ocean." Many of us do not receive big things from God because we fail to ask for them. There is a story of a man who died and went to heaven. As Jesus was showing him heaven, he took him to a massive warehouse with endless gifts, supplies, and goods piled as far as the eye could see. The man then turned to Jesus and asked, "What are all the goods?" Jesus replied, "These are all the gifts that I wanted to give people on earth, but they never asked me for them." Friends, God longs to give us many good things, much better than we could ever have imagined, but we have not because we ask not. Prayer is the key that unlocks all the storehouses of heaven.
The first phase of faith is "the dream." When God wants to do something huge in our lives, he first instills within us a dream or vision for it. Ephesians 3:20 says that God is "able to accomplish infinitely more than we would even dare to ask or hope." In this verse God is challenging us to ask big of him. Our ability to ask will never exceed God's ability to empower! When we ask in faith for God to do something big, He not only hears our prayer but he also answers us. If what we ask fulfills his ultimate purposes, then we can be confident that he will perform what we have asked. God longs to give us big dreams, but we must first ask! Take time today to ask big of God in prayer, so that his glory would be manifest throughout the earth.