In the Psalms, it talks about the secret petitions of our heart. These are the hidden dreams that you haven’t told anybody about. One way you know they’re from God is that they’re so big you cannot accomplish them on your own. God does this on purpose so that it will take faith. Faith is what pleases God. Faith is what allows Him to do the impossible. So God will put something big before you where you don’t have all the talent, the education, the connections or the confidence. God will even allow certain obstacles that we can’t overcome on our own.

Today, if you’ve been believing God for something that seems like it’s taking a long time, don’t give up! Remember, God knows exactly where you are. He knows the desires He’s placed within you. He’s working things together for your good. He’s promised to finish what He started, and as you delight yourself in Him, He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart!

What are your hidden dreams? God will bring out those hidden dreams if you will allow him to, so right now wherever you are in life, just turn it over to God.

I wonder today how many people have been disappointed simply because they didn’t pray and ask God for the big things in their hearts. You might say, “Well, Joel, God is God. If He wants to bless me, He will bless me.” But no, it says in James 4:2, “You have not because you ask not.” If you’re not asking big, you are shortchanging yourself.

You will never reach the fullness of your potential if you only pray small prayers. I’m not talking about just making a wish list and praying every whim. I’m talking about asking God for what He has already promised you. The scripture says, “When you walk in God’s ways, you will lend and not borrow. With long life God will satisfy you. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” There are hundreds of promises that you have every right to pray and ask God to bring to pass; not only that, there are specific dreams and desires that God has placed in your heart. They didn’t just randomly show up. The Creator of the universe put them in you. Dare to ask and ask big — and watch what God will do in your life!

When was the last time you asked God to do something impossible, something out of the ordinary? I believe that one reason we don’t see God do great things is because we only ask Him for small things. Most people pray over their food, pray for protection, or pray for wisdom. That’s all good, but don’t limit what God can do. There should be something you’re praying about, something that you’re asking for that is beyond you, something that you can’t accomplish in your own strength. Do you dare to ask?

Your dreams may look impossible. You don’t have the funding or the connections, but God is saying, “I dare you to ask Me to bring it to pass. I dare you to ask Me to show you a flood of My favor.”

All through the scripture, we see people doing this. Elisha prayed that it wouldn’t rain, and for three and a half years there was no rain. Joshua prayed for more daylight, and God stopped the sun. Follow their example and step out in faith. Dare to ask, dare to believe God, and see His mighty hand move on your behalf!

Never be afraid to step out in faith and ask God for those things you desire. So many people today are lacking faith, and God loves when you turn everything over to him and step out in faith.

You may have spent years on a job that turned out to be a dead end. You were working your way to the top; things didn’t turn out like you had hoped, and now it looks like there’s a big waste of time. You may not see how you could ever get to where you want to be, but don’t believe those lies. God knows how to make up for lost time. God can accelerate things. God can bring opportunities back across your path that you missed that will thrust you years ahead.

It may not have happened the first time, but God will always give you another chance. He’ll make up for the lost time and bring you out better and stronger than ever before!

When you hear that “God wants to bring you out better,” does something come alive in your spirit? Something that says, “Yes, this is for me. I have not seen my best days. God has greater things in my future”?

Maybe you want to believe, but like the Israelites, you’ve been burdened down by adversity, trials and cares of this life. Maybe your mind has tried to talk you out of it saying, “This is not for you. You never get any good breaks. You’ll never be healthy. You’ll never be successful.” No, do yourself a favor. At least temporarily, turn your mind off and receive what God is saying. You may have gone through a loss, but God is going to bring you out better — promoted, increased, healthier, stronger and wiser.

Scripture tells us to cast our cares on the Lord because He cares for us. He doesn’t want us to carry a heavy load, discouraged and overwhelmed by things He already has the answer to. Don’t look at your circumstances; look to Jesus. Put your hope in Him. He is the author and finisher of your faith, and He will bring you out better and stronger than ever before!

Are you ready for a new chapter in your life? Sometimes, in order to move forward into the blessing God has for you, you have to be willing to let go of the old. The things that are behind you are not nearly as important as what is out in front of you. It’s time to get ready for the new!

You may have had some unfair things happen, things that you don’t understand; but let me tell you, you have come too far to stop now. Instead of allowing those things to hold you back, why don’t you let go and take a step of faith into the new? It’s time to get a new, bigger vision; it’s time to get a new, fresher outlook; it’s time to rise up with a new attitude! Instead of settling where you are, pick up and move forward. Have the attitude that says, “I may not understand it; it may not have been fair, but I am not getting stuck on this page. I know God has a new chapter for me — a chapter filled with blessings, favor and victory!”

Can you remember the time when you first discovered a big dream in your heart? Maybe you were determined to excel in your career, excel as a parent, or even excel in your walk with the Lord. You probably started out strong, but maybe things got a little difficult and didn’t happen as quickly as you would have liked. At that point many people decide, “Let’s just settle here. It’s not exactly what we wanted, but at least, it’s good enough.”

Friend, I want to remind you today that you were made for more than good enough! Maybe things haven’t worked out the way you planned, but now is not the time to stop and settle. Now is the time to dig your heals in and begin again. And even if that dream has died — it’s time to dream another dream. God has so much for you in your future.

If you’ve settled in any area of your life, take that first step by lifting your eyes to the Father. Let Him renew your strength. Let Him make things new in your life. Trust that His Word is directing your steps. Thank Him and worship Him because He is making all things new in your life!

In the Old Testament when this scripture was written, God’s people were going through a very dark time. They were being held captive and mistreated by other nations. God sent this word to encourage them and give them hope for their future, and when the time came, God was faithful to His Word!

Are you going through a difficult time today? Let this word bring you encouragement, too. God wants to give you double for your trouble. He is the God of restoration — that means He’s not going to just repay you for every wrong done, He’s going to go above and beyond and make things even better than they were before.

If you are facing challenges today or going through a time of adversity, remember, it’s always darkest just before the dawn appears. Your days are destined to shine brighter because God is faithful. As you stay in faith and are obedient to His Word, you’ll receive double for your trouble and see His promises come to pass!

God has set up seasons in our lives. It’s easy to get frustrated when our dreams aren’t coming to pass on our timetable, but every season is not harvest season. There are plowing seasons. There are planting seasons. There are watering seasons. Sure, we would love for every season to be a time of increase left and right, good breaks here and there. But without the other seasons, we wouldn’t be prepared. For example, it’s during the plowing seasons that God brings issues to light that we need to deal with. He’s getting us prepared for promotion.

If you’re not making as much progress as you would like, the key is to not lose any ground. Don’t go backwards. Hold your position. Keep a good attitude and do the right thing even when it’s hard. When you do that, you are passing the test, and God promises that your due season of harvest is coming. Be encouraged because your appointed time of increase, favor and promotion is on its way, and He will fulfill every dream and desire He’s placed within your heart. Remember, harvest is coming!

God rewards the people who seek after Him. Every time you obey His Word, His blessing will follow. If you’ll learn to obey Him in the small things, if you learn to pass the small tests, there’s no limit to how high God will take you. The scripture says, “When we fully obey God, blessings will chase us down and overtake us.” You can’t outrun the good things of God.

Always remember, when you obey God in the small, He will release big blessings. He has big opportunities, new levels of favor, healing, restoration, vindication, promotion, planned in your future. As you stay faithful to Him, you’re going to step into the fullness of your destiny and be all that God has created you to be!

Just remember that the big opportunities will follow when we simply obey God and his word. He wants to take us to higher places, and give us the big opportunities that we have been dreaming of.