Raising Dead Dreams

Raising Dead Dreams John 11

11:4 ‘this sickness is not fatal…God will be glorified in this.”

Sickness= set-back, obstacle

Our set-backs can become our come-backs

-this was the response of JC when he heard that Lazarus was in ICU!

11:6-says he stayed there 2 more days!

#1 Don’t run off half-cocked everytime that there is a set-back to your dream. (fly-bologna illustration)

There is a time to respond and a time to reside.

When in doubt, wait it out!

JC says lets go to Judea again.(Vs 6)

-all of the disciples objected-they tried to kill you last time in…why go where you are not wanted?

JC replies with a parable regarding “light”. What does this mean?

“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep and I must go wake him up.”

What are you? An alarm clock?

But JC meant that he had died.

He then begins to let them in on a bit of spiritual insight.

#2 When you know Christ, your dreams(when planted in you by God) do not die a fatal death

they simply fall asleep, lie dormant/inactive until the spirit of God comes on the scene to “raise” them up again

In order for there to be a resurrection, there has to be a death

A death of our desires, our motives, our plan, our will

11:17 When JC arrived where Lazarus was he was told that he had been dead for 4 days. Both Mary and Martha make sure that he knows how disappointed they are in him because if he would have been there, Lazarus would not have died.

Now is where it gets interesting!

Read 11:33-38

JC was “deeply troubled” What could possibly trouble Jesus? What in the world would make our Lord cry?

When you accept the death of your God-given vision and you bury it away forever.

So how do we raise our dead dreams?

#1 Roll the stone aside

Hebrews 12:1-lay aside every weight and the sin….

Even at this point they told JC that surely he will stink for he has been in there for 4 days!

“you have already lost your chance, give it up”

“you will never be as effective as you would have been”

“you stink!”

#2 Believe!

That God has a bigger and better plan than you could possibly come up with.

Believe that your dream can indeed live again (vs 22)

#3 When JC says move, Move!

Come as you are…graveclothes and all!

If you obey God, and launch into the ministry that he called you to as you are right now(under the divine appointment of God); as you minister he will allow the experiences that you have to unwrap you of all of those things that buried you.

There will be no evidence that you ever gave up!

“unwrap him and let him go!” He did not unwrap himself.

Life has a way of polishing us up and smoothing off the rough edges if we will simply stay close to God and listen to his commands.

So get rid of those weights and sins

Believe that you are who God says you are

That you can be all that he says you can be

And where your dreams and aspirations are concerned….

Loose them and let them go!