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Take ActionWeek 1Here are some things for you to think about as you take action to do your part in bringingyour dream to pass:1. Before the foundation of the world, God had a plan for your life. As He knit youtogether in your mother’s womb, your Heavenly Father breathed dreams into yourspirit aligned with that plan. Those God-given dreams reflect your specialindividuality, calling, and divine giftings. You are called to be conformed to theimage of Jesus Christ, not to the image or opinions of your family and friends. Doyou know what qualities or aspirations you have that make you unique? Have yourfriends or family ever caused you to question your gifts or yourself because yourtalents are different from theirs? If so, what did you learn from that experience?2. If you will be honest with yourself, you will find that your own desires and abilitiesreveal the outline of God’s design for your life. In an attempt to inject fear, dreamdestroying forces will attack your mind, will, and emotions until you retreat from whatGod has revealed to you. But if you will face those attacks instead of hiding fromthem and then answer any questions that arise in the midst of the experience, youwill find the determination you need to move forward. What is a key dream in yourlife? Are you certain it’s from God? How do you know?3. What is within your ability at this time to help bring your God-given dream to pass?Have you taken any of these steps yet? If not, why not?4. The reason many people fail is not for lack of vision, but for lack of resolve — andresolve is born out of counting the cost. Consider what it will take to turn yourdream into reality. When you consider potential obstacles before you actually facethem, you will develop an inner resolve or determination to endure whatever youencounter along the way. What obstacles stand between you and your dream? Whatpreparation is needed to help you overcome those obstacles? What changes do youneed to make in your life in order to fulfill your God-given dream?11

5. Are you willing to stop making excuses and lay aside a life of mediocrity so you cantake steps toward fulfilling the vision God has given you? What do you have to lose?What do you have to gain?12

Study NotesOnline Bible Study With Rick RennerTopic: Dream ThievesWeek 2: Divine AlignmentFaith and Submission to GodYield Courage and StrengthIf you want to see your God-given dream fulfilled in your life, you absolutely mustunderstand Hebrews 10:23, which says, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith .”The Greek word for “profession” is homologia. In its most simple translation, this wordmeans to say the same thing. The first part of this word, homo, means of the same kind. It is wherewe derive the word “homogenus” (of the same species). The second part of the word, logia, isthe Greek word logos, meaning words. When the two words are compounded, they form theword homologia, which means to say the same thing. Some translations also render this word“confession.”In Hebrews 10:23, however, the word homologia conveys even more. When you make a trueprofession, you speak forth words that God has sown into your heart, not just gliblyrepeating what you’ve heard someone else say.Many Christians don’t understand this principle. Sincerely trying to move into a new realmof faith, they merely repeat words they heard from a preacher or a fellow believer. Yet becausetheir profession comes only out of their mouths and not from their hearts, their words don’t produce results —no matter how convincing they may sound.Spend time in the Word and in prayer until your profession of faith in what God has saidreflects what you steadfastly believe in your own heart. When you believe in your heart,speak from your mouth, and then act upon what God has said, you will be in completeagreement with God. Alignment comes from bringing your thoughts, your words, and yourways into agreement with God’s words and ways of doing and being right. When you enterinto divine alignment with the words, plans, and purposes of God, you will see yourprofession come to pass.1. The Power of a Heart and Mouth Connection (Read Mark 11) What was Jesus explaining about the heart-and-mouth connection when He said,“For verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thouremoved, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shallbelieve those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever hesaith” (Mark 11:23).13

Read Deuteronomy 1:8. What does this passage instruct you to do in order to comeinto alignment with God and walk in the full measure of His plan for your life? Read Psalm 27:13,14. What is the dream that you believe you will see come to pass?How has that belief been challenged recently?2. Align With God’s Word (Read 1 Corinthians 2:10) What words has God spoken to you about your dream? What are you actually sayingabout your dream? Are you in agreement with God? The Holy Spirit is your personal “life coach” sent to instruct you according to thewisdom of God. He knows the specific details of your life and the divine strategiesto help you achieve the fullness of His divine intent for your life. Read Ephesians1:11 in The Amplified Bible. Devote time to seek the specific counsel of Godconcerning your life through the Word of God and prayer. Write down yourimpressions or what you sense the Lord saying to you as you read, study, andmeditate on His Word in prayer.3. Surrender to God’s Purpose (Read John 5:1-9) Do you understand the sweeping ramifications of yielding to God’s supernaturalwork in your life? It will require a change in what you think, say, do, and, most likely,with whom you associate. Do you sincerely desire that? What does surrender looklike in your life?14

God is the Potter — you are the clay. Read Jeremiah 18:1-6. Are you pliable in Hishands? How have you yielded? How have you resisted? What changes do you needto make in the way you surrender to God’s will and purpose for your life?15

Bible Personality Week 2GIDEONDreams Come True When Your Thoughts Agree With God(Read Judges 6,7)Acquaint now yourself with Him [agree with God and show yourself to beconformed to His will] and be at peace; by that [you shall prosper and great]good shall come to you.Job 22:21Israel sinned greatly against the Lord and, as a result, was greatly impoverished through theoppression of the Midianites. When they cried out to the Lord, He answered. God sent thema deliverer named Gideon. All Israel dreamed of deliverance. Gideon did too. But when theangel of the Lord came to Gideon declaring God’s plan and purpose for him,Gideon did not at first agree (see Judges 6:11-14). The angel called Gideon mighty anddeclared that the Lord was with him. Gideon questioned it because of circumstances. Helater went on to test and prove the word of the Lord concerning his life. But when Gideonembraced, agreed, and aligned himself with God’s plan for him, he achieved a greatdeliverance for Israel — despite opposition and threats from many among Israel whopreferred the status quo (see Judges 6:24-40).Key Points: God’s Word to you is your empowerment and might to fulfill your dream (Judges6:14).Agreeing with God’s word to you and about you — and seeing yourself as He hascalled you — will help you accomplish what He will require of you.The fulfillment of your dream will always be the answer to someone else’s prayertoo.16

Take ActionWeek 2Here are some things for you to think about as you take action to do your part in bringingyour dream to pass:1. Amos 3:3 states, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” In order to comeinto alignment with God, you must agree with Him in your heart — not merely withyour words. Simply parroting a principle without believing it from the heart is nottrue agreement. Life-directing confessions of power are those that come from theheart, springing forth from a deeply held belief. What do you really believe aboutyour God-given vision and dream?2. Even if your dreams have been on hold or even laid down for some reason, you canpick up those dreams, dust them off, and begin pursuing them once again. The faithyou once had to fulfill those dreams may be dimmed and your dreams may seemobscured by time and lack of attention. But by choosing to align your thoughts,words, and actions with God’s words, you can bring your will back into alignmentwith His plan for your life. As a result, you will become unified with your own divinepurpose — in “agreement”! What area of your character are you consciously workingon right now to bring into alignment with God’s will and His ways? What areas haveyou been ignoring?3. Are you pliable in God’s hands? Are you willing to conform to God, or are youtrying to make God conform to you? Be honest. What are you willing to change inyour life in order to fulfill your divine destiny?4. Pruning is part of the process to become fruitful. There are some things that must betrimmed back or cut off in order for you to come in line with God’s supernaturalplan for your life. What is that area in your life in need of pruning? God’s plan mayrequire you to lay aside something you want so you can obtain what you desire evenmore. But you must first be willing to trust God and let go. What are you holding onto that may actually be hindering you from obtaining what you want the most in life?17

Study NotesOnline Bible Study With Rick RennerTopic: Dream ThievesWeek 3: The Behavior of Real FaithEven Unlikely ‘Heroes’ Can Rise Up To FulfillTheir God-Ordained Destinies Through Unmovable Faith in GodAll these people earned a good reputation because of their faith .Hebrews 11:39 NLTThe Bible speaks to us most strongly about faith in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is thesubstance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Although some may saythat Hebrews 11:1 is a definition of faith, it’s actually a description of the behavior of faith.Notice the word “substance” in this verse. This is the Greek word hupostasis, which isanother compound word. The first part of the word is hupo, which means alongside. Thesecond part of the word is stasis, which means to stand. When compounded, the new wordmeans to stand by or alongside something. This tells us something extremely important aboutfaith: When faith finally finds what it needs or wants, it never moves until it GETS what it seeks.Notice the word “substance” in this verse. This is the Greek word hupostasis, which isanother compound word. The first part of the word is hupo, which means alongside. Thesecond part of the word is stasis, which means to stand. When compounded, the new wordmeans to stand by or alongside something.By understanding this meaning of hupostasis (“substance”), we know that this kind of faith isdetermined, committed, and unrelenting. It knows what it wants, and it won’t let go until it gets it!This is a resolute, steadfast, full-of-grit kind of faith that has gumption and backbone. Itknows how to look straight into the face of opposition and refuse to move. It is firm,unhesitating, unflinching, indomitable, tireless, obstinate, and inflexible.This kind of faith knows exactly what it wants. It is a faith that will not bend under pressureand has resolved to believe at any cost — rain or shine, sink or swim — until it sees themanifestation of what God has said or promised. This is the behavior of bulldog faith as it isdescribed in Hebrews 11:1. You could therefore translate the verse, “Now faith is tirelessly anddeterminedly standing by and never letting go of things hoped for.”1. Tenacious Faith Doesn’t Budge (Read Romans 4:19-21; Hebrews 11:1) Faith is like a bulldog that has finally found the bone of its wildest dreams. Once thebulldog wraps its jowls around that bone, no one is going to pull the bone out of its18

mouth! Someone may tug, pull, and try to jerk that bone out of the bulldog’s mouth,but it will not let go. The bulldog is going to “stand by” that bone and neverrelinquish it. Describe a time when you took a stand like that. What was the result? Faith that won’t let go is determined, committed, and unrelenting until it achieves itsdesired result. This kind of faith is resolute and steadfast. It looks straight into theface of opposition and refuses to move. It is firm, unhesitating, unflinching,indomitable, tireless, obstinate, and inflexible. Write down two examples of someoneyou know who has cultivated that kind of faith. How did he or she behave underpressure? (You can use examples from the Bible if you choose.)2. Focused Faith Is the Product of Fellowship With God (Read John 6; Hebrews11:1-6; 12:2) It will take every ounce of your strength and determination to come into alignmentwith even a so-called small word from Heaven. Therefore, you need to draw fromHeaven’s supply of grace in order to remain focused and tenacious. This is done byspending time with God, listening to His thoughts, and soaking up the atmosphereof His presence. Most people wouldn’t even consider not eating daily — andcertainly they wouldn’t tackle a physical task without eating physical food. Yet howoften do people dash off to act on a word from Heaven without communing withJesus and consuming His Word daily — the Bread of Life. What adjustments canyou make in order to wait upon the Lord so that you’re exchanging your strength forHis mighty, indomitable strength and power (see Isaiah 40:31)3. God Selects the Unlikely To Do the Extraordinary (Read Hebrews 11:4-40) The names listed in these verses represent what is often referred to as Faith’s Hall ofFame. What specific insight and encouragement do you receive for your presentsituation as you read through this passage? Make a list of ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things. Whatcharacteristics, habits, and beliefs do they have in common?19

Bible Personality Week 3APOSTLE PAULBig Dreams Demand Bulldog Faith(Read 2 Corinthians 11:22-33; 2 Timothy 4:6-8)But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself,if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I haveobtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully toattest to the good news (Gospel) of God’s grace (His unmerited favor,spiritual blessing, and mercy).Acts 20:24 AmplifiedThe passage found in Second Corinthians indicates the many dream thieves the apostle Paulresisted. His patience was rewarded then and now as believers continue to read not only hisepistles, but also of his exploits. Through them, we gain understanding into the mysteries ofChrist and the behavior of faith that enabled Paul to finish his race. Paul esteemed fulfilling his God-given dream and assignment — his divine destiny— more than his physical life and temporal gain. His attention was riveted on eternalrewards and a heavenly commendation (see 1 Corinthians 4:5). Discuss how Paul’sfocus and determination sustained him in the midst of trials and hardship so that hecould finish his course with joy.20

Take ActionWeek 3Here are some things for you to think about as you take action to do your part in bringingyour dream to pass:1. Real faith stands by a word from God with tireless determination. It reveals “bulldogtenacity,” refusing to let go of that which has been promised. This kind of faith is theoverflow of a vital relationship with God. It develops as you commit yourself fully tostanding by His promise for your life until you see it come to pass. Are you lackingtireless determination? Do you need to reinforce your intimate connection with Godand His Word (see Isaiah 40:31)2. God’s word to you is simple, not complicated. As you choose to believe and actupon it — regardless of the discouraging words you may hear from the dreamthieves — the divine root of faith will spring up in you. Write down the things youknow that God has spoken to your heart about your life. What are some of the waysHe has been preparing you to walk in the fulfillment of His plans for you?3. Take some time to consider the stories of the men and women in Scripture whomade the commitment to believe and obey God, regardless of the challenges orobstacles they faced. When you move into the realm of bulldog faith, you can standsteady against all odds to see your divinely inspired dream come to pass. Have youidentified the price that you must pay to fulfill the dream God has given you? Are youwilling to pay that price? If not, are you willing to allow God to help you becomewilling?4. God takes pleasure in selecting unlikely people for unusual tasks. He has a distinctplan for your life that He will make clear as you seek Him through His Word. Yourfaith-filled response to God’s Word will not only alter your life — it will shapehistory. Remember: Your dream is not just for you. What dreams do you hold inyour heart that, when fulfilled, will make a difference in the lives of others?21

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Study NotesOnline Bible Study With Rick RennerTopic: Dream ThievesWeek 4: Fuel Your DreamSurround Yourself With Those Who Are PursuingTheir Dreams To Keep Your Spiritual Passion BurningDoing God’s will and fulfilling the purpose for which we were born must be our greatestdesire and our highest aspiration in life. God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in thebelly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and Iordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). John the Baptist was called byGod to preach before he was born, and he leaped in his mother’s womb as his mother,Elizabeth, was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41).The apostle Paul also knew that God had plans for him before his own birth, and hedescribed the Father as the “.God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and calledme by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen”(Galatians 1:15,16).Knowing God’s plan and purpose for your life gives you focus, clarity, and direction.Without a clear sense of direction and a passionate determination, people have a tendency toflounder and wander aimlessly through life. This is why Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there isno vision, the people perish.”Destiny awaits you. Can you see it? Focus, persevere with passion, and you’ll flourish in allyou’ve been created to do and be!1. Resolve To Obtain (Read Philippians 3:12-14) Proverbs 29:18 in the New International Version states: “Where there is no revelation,the people cast off restraint .” Restraints mark the bound

the clarity to identify your own God-given dream, but also the understanding to empower and motivate you to do whatever it takes to fulfill the dream in your heart and to restrain all dream thieves you may encounter along the way. The hour is late. Jesus will soon return. People are waiting for you