Kris Vallotton • October 20, 2016

LEARN TO DREAM AGAIN

As human beings, we reach our highest potential when we harness the power of our imagination to birth the realities and purposes of God for us and for the world. When we dream with God, as Mary did, we co-create masterpieces of His imagination. Check out my friend Banning Liebscher’s blog on Chapter 14, Casting Vision and Capturing Hearts of the revised and expanded Heavy Rain book.

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Years ago I had a dream in the night that would be a defining moment of my life. In the dream I was preaching. As I spoke, I was reaching inside of people and uncapping wells of dreams inside them. The people I was preaching to lost their ability to dream because the wells in their hearts were capped. God was revealing to me a mandate He had placed on my life to come alongside people and call them to dream again. It was because of this dream that my heart was stirred as I read the pages of ‘Casting Vision and Capturing Hearts’, chapter fourteen of Kris’ book Heavy Rain .

CALLED TO DREAM

For too long people have refused to dream or even imagine all that God has for them because they are petrified of failure. They have bought into “reality” and in doing so, shut down their ability to dream. But God is calling His church to dream again. The Bible says that if we are to receive the Kingdom of God we must approach it like a child. Children are, by their very nature, dreamers. In every situation, their imaginations run wild. Here’s the sobering difference between children and adults: children don’t live in “reality.” As we age, we begin to understand things like odds and statistics. We hear stories of people that dreamt and failed. We encounter our own disappointments that slowly shut down our desire to dream. But the Bible makes it clear that when God’s Spirit is poured out young men will see visions and old men will dream dreams. The actual ability to dream is part of the inheritance we have in the Spirit of God. God wants us dreaming.

If we are to dream, we must understand that God does not live in our “reality.” He is not confined to odds and statistics. God calls us His children to throw off those constraints and allow ourselves to dream. Jonathan, the covenantal friend of David, was a dreamer who refused to be boxed in by “reality”. He had a dream to take on the army of the Philistines. He grabbed a friend and headed across the valley to confront them. On the way, he reminded his friend who was carrying his armor that God could save by many or by few. He was declaring the truth that we can dream an audacious dream because the God we serve is not confined to statistics. Because of this, Jonathan allowed himself to dream.

I can remember being seventeen years old, shortly after I surrendered my life fully to the Lord, sitting in class and daydreaming about stadiums full of people. In my dreams my friends and I were on stage and I was just about to get up and preach to a stadium packed with those seeking God. Since then there have been many dreams that I have seen both in the night season and in my heart. I don’t know what I would do without these dreams. They are what push me to press on when it is difficult. When I cannot see what is ahead of me and the way seems filled with obstacles, these dreams call me to live a life of faith.

PERMISSION TO IMAGINE

God wants to uncap the wells of dreams in your life. He is giving you permission to imagine all that He can do through your surrendered heart. Those who change the world are dreamers. It is scary because it takes you off the map and into territory you have never been, but as a follower of Jesus, it is the only way to live. You will never regret allowing yourself to dream and following those dreams wholeheartedly.

Are you ready to dream again? Tell me about it in the comments below.

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For more on this subject, check out the Revised and Updated Edition of Heavy Rain: How to Flood Your World with God’s Transforming Power at HeavyRainBook.com and watch the video below!

Banning Liebscher was on staff at Bethel Church (Redding, California) for 18 years and founded the ministry of Jesus Culture during that time. Jesus Culture, which started out as a conference for youth and young adults, has become a global movement of worship, events, and leadership development. Jesus Culture has released 29 albums and hosts numerous conferences and events around the world annually. As the vision of Jesus Culture grew, Banning and his family, along with the Jesus Culture team, relocated to the capital of California to start Jesus Culture Sacramento, a church committed to seeing believers encounter God, be empowered as world changers, and engage their city as leaders. Banning has been interviewed on media outlets including Relevant, The 700 Club, TBN, and CCM Magazine. Banning and his wife SeaJay, have three children.

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Character and Gifting: Favor with God and Favor with Man

By Kris Vallotton • March 5, 2025

Have you ever felt called to a spiritual role but struggled to find your place in it? Perhaps you've experienced a divine moment where God revealed a prophetic gift in your life, yet you found yourself wondering why others don't seem to recognize or acknowledge it. This tension between divine calling and human recognition can be one of the most challenging aspects of walking in prophetic ministry. I've spoken with countless individuals who believe God has called them to be prophets, yet they feel frustrated when church leadership doesn't immediately recognize their office. They often share powerful testimonies of divine encounters or prophetic words that confirmed their calling. But here's the beautiful truth I've discovered: authentic spiritual authority requires both divine appointment and human recognition. Scripture shows us that even Jesus "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52). 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Absalom, David's son, shows us the danger of winning people's hearts through flattery, false promises, and undermining leadership. He created a following by positioning himself as more accessible and understanding than the established authority. In today's social media age, the temptation toward self-promotion has never been stronger. We can easily build platforms that elevate our image above our character. But true prophetic authority doesn't come through marketing yourself as an expert – it comes through humble service, consistent character, and divine timing. James 4:6 reminds us that " God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. " When we push for recognition prematurely or through manipulation, we may gain a position but miss the protection that comes with proper promotion. Like Joseph, who shared his prophetic dreams prematurely with his brothers, our lack of wisdom can create a much more difficult path to our destiny than God intended. 3. Embrace the Preparation Process The weight of the prophetic office is both invisible and substantial. I've witnessed many genuinely called individuals crumble under the pressure of premature promotion. The apostle Paul wisely instructed that leaders " should first be tested and then let them serve " (1 Timothy 3:10), and warned against laying hands on anyone hastily (1 Timothy 5:22). True preparation for prophetic ministry involves more than just having accurate prophetic words. It requires developing spiritual maturity, biblical understanding, relational wisdom, and emotional health. If you sense a prophetic calling on your life, embrace the preparation process with patience and humility. Serve faithfully where you are. Allow trusted leaders to speak into your life and development. Study the Scriptures diligently. And remember that the process between the promise and the palace is not just necessary – it's a gift that prepares you to succeed when your time comes. My prayer for you is that you would find peace in God's timing for your prophetic journey. May you grow in both favor with God and with people, allowing the Lord to develop in you the character needed to carry His voice with integrity. Let me be clear- the path to your prophetic purpose isn't just about reaching a destination – it's about becoming the person who can faithfully steward the authority that comes with it.

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