The Potter's House Podcast

Walk It Out Wednesday: Don't Bury Your Dream! | Bishop T.D. Jakes

Date: October 2, 2025
Speaker: Bishop T.D. Jakes (Main Preacher) + assistants

Overview:

This episode of "Walk It Out Wednesday" features Bishop T.D. Jakes encouraging believers not to "bury their dream," even in seasons of trial and disappointment. Using the story of the Shunammite woman from 2 Kings 4:8–37, Bishop Jakes dives into themes of perseverance, reciprocity, favor, faith, trauma, and the difference between process and promise. The teaching is both practical and passionate, culminating in a powerful altar call and words of hope for anyone feeling weary or discouraged about their life's purpose or vision.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to “Don’t Bury Your Dream”

• Context: The message picks up on the Shunammite woman whom Jakes spoke about on Sunday, drawing from 2 Kings 4.

• Theme: It’s easy to let negative circumstances talk you out of your dreams, but true toughness is internal, not about being mean or hard on the outside (03:29).

  "You have to be tough to get what God has for you, not just tough on the outside... Tough is something you have on the inside that fortifies you and keeps you going." (Main Preacher, 01:24)

2. On Generosity, Reciprocity, and Giving

• Ministry of Giving: The Shunammite woman was notable for her generosity, creating space and providing for Elisha—a symbol of preparing room for God in our lives (05:29).

• Generosity doesn’t necessarily guarantee immediate or direct reward, but God is faithful:

  "If you're a liberal spirit, God says he's going to make you fat. Now, He doesn't mean this way—okay, Ice Cream did that... He's saying, I'm gonna give you more to be liberal with." (09:59)

• Principle of Reciprocity: Healthy relationships are reciprocal; if someone constantly gives to you, you should be moved to give back, even if in your own capacity (13:21).

  "In every relationship there ought to be reciprocity... Harvest is reciprocity to seed time." (Main Preacher, 13:21)

3. Seasons of Sowing and Reaping with Faith

• The Shunammite had seasons of sowing (giving) and eventually entered her season of reaping (receiving a child).

• Faith-filled language changes outcomes and attitudes.
  | "Your spirit needs to hear your mouth confess, 'I'm coming into my season.' The way you talk to yourself has a lot to do with how much peace you have..." (20:56)

• Many struggle not with demonic oppression but their own negative self-talk.

  "Most of y' all...it ain't the demons. You doing that to yourself." (21:11)

4. Parenting, Growth, and Letting Go

• When her son was grown, he visited his father—symbolizing the different roles of parents as children mature (22:47).

• Adult children require less control; sometimes love means allowing them to make mistakes (23:23).

  "You got to give up your role, your controlling role as a mother or father and let them live their own life." (22:43)

• The importance of male mentorship and spiritual fatherhood: wisdom comes with experience, not just age or title (24:01–25:46).
  | "Paul said, we have many teachers, but we only have one father. And don't fool around and lose your father." (Main Preacher, 25:09)

5. Understanding Favor—Favored Through Pain

• Jakes challenges the idea that favor equals an easy or prosperous life.

• The Shunammite woman’s favor did not prevent her from suffering heartbreak when her son died:

  "We only associate favor with success...But if you define favor only through success, then you can't explain what happened to this woman. Her child grew up and died on her lap. Her favor died her lap, but she was still favored." (Main Preacher, 29:57)

• Jesus was favored yet suffered crucifixion—favor does not mean exemption from hardship (31:16–32:12).

  "You can go through a bad time and still have favor." (Main Preacher, 31:16)

6. The Power of Process Over Promise

• The “warming up” of the dead boy’s body signifies how change is often gradual—miracles don’t always come instantly.

• The process (struggle, disappointment, delay) is formative, teaching resilience and tenacity:

  "It's not the promise, it's the process, how hard the process was. The process had disappointment in it. The process had failure in it. The process had disillusionment in it." (60:26)

• "You learn more about God in the process than you do in the promise. God will take care of the promise all by himself. But the process is for your edification." (61:32)

7. Dealing with Trauma, Unworthiness, and the Oil of God

• A question from the audience prompts discussion on feeling unworthy due to past trauma.

• Jakes responds: No one is worthy of “God’s oil”; it’s grace, not merit:

  "If you didn't have no trauma in your past, you still wouldn't be worthy of God's oil. God does not give us his oil because we are worthy..." (64:27)

• Trauma cannot overpower the grace of God:

  "The devil is trying to convince you that the trauma is stronger than grace...Say this until it gets in your mouth...when you start confessing with your mouth the Lord Jesus more than you can confess the past trauma, the trauma will have to let you go. And it's going to be gradual. It's going to wax warm..." (68:04–70:41)

8. Why God Doesn't Give All the Details

• Jakes illustrates with Abraham’s story: God reveals only what you can handle—full disclosure may paralyze rather than empower (72:22–74:48).

  "God gives you what you can handle. It's not God's job to let you in on details. Because if you're gonna walk by faith, faith don't give you details." (Main Preacher, 73:40)

9. Maintaining Faith When Evidence Contradicts the Promise

• True faith persists even when circumstances oppose the promise (76:44–77:40).

• God perfects us through waiting, suffering, and process—not quick, “instant grits” solutions:

  "There is no instant Jesus, because it is the journey that defines him." (Main Preacher, 79:49)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On True Toughness:
  "Don’t get them confused. In an attempt to try to be tough, we act mean. But you can be mean all you want to. Tough is something you have on the inside." (Main Preacher, 01:24)

• The Overflow Blessing:
  "When God says the liberal soul shall be made fat, God says, I'm going to give you more than enough. You're going to have overflow." (Main Preacher, 09:59)

• Favor in Suffering:
  "Favor is not equated to substance or wealth or good times or feeling good. You can go through a bad time and still have favor." (Main Preacher, 31:16)

• Process Over Promise:
  "The process is for your edification. The process is for your anointing. The process is for your strength. The process is to make you tenacious. The process is raising you." (Main Preacher, 61:04)

• On Self-Talk:
  "The way you talk to yourself has a lot to do with how much peace you have and how much contentment you have." (Main Preacher, 21:09)

• On Trauma and Grace:
  "Let go of the idol of your trauma, because you have made your trauma a God in your life...The trauma will have to let you go. And it's going to be gradual. It's going to wax warm." (Main Preacher, 68:15–70:41)

Important Timestamps & Segments

• Don’t Bury Your Dream Theme Introduction: 01:24–04:11
• Generosity, The Shunammite’s Giving: 05:29–09:59
• Reciprocity Principle: 13:20–16:16
• Faith-Filled Declarations: 20:54–21:47
• Parenting and Letting Go: 22:43–25:46
• Favor Redefined Beyond Success: 29:54–32:19
• Process Versus Promise: 58:54–61:32
• Audience Question: Trauma and Being Worthy: 64:27–71:18
• Why God Doesn’t Give All the Details: 72:22–74:48
• How to Maintain Faith Amid Contradictory Evidence: 76:44–79:40
• Prayer and Altar Call: 82:47–88:44

Tone and Style

• Language & Tone: Down-to-earth, relatable, and infused with humor, personal anecdotes, and conviction.
• Energy: Uplifting, occasionally fiery—frequently building to shouts of praise and call-and-response.
• Approach: Scriptural exegesis blended with modern application and direct audience engagement.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Toughness is spiritual fortitude, not external hardness
• Giving with a liberal spirit unlocks overflow blessings
• Favor is present even in suffering—not a guarantee of smooth circumstances
• Faith is maintained not by evidence, but by hope and confession
• Trauma does not disqualify you from God’s purpose or anointing
• God rarely gives all the details—faith’s journey unfolds step by step
• It’s often not instant results, but the process that develops strength and relationship with God
• Never bury your dream—keep walking, keep confessing, and wait for your “season”

Final Encouragement

The episode closes with a powerful altar call and communal affirmation:
"I will not bury my dream. I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord." (93:01)

And a charge:
"Now you gotta walk it out. And if you have not received the Holy Ghost, open up your mouth and start giving him praise...and watch him lift you." (105:09)

For those who missed this episode:
It is a rousing, faith-building teaching reminding each listener that God’s favor rests on them—regardless of circumstances or past pain—and that significant things are wrought in the process, not just the promise. Walk it out, don’t talk yourself out, and don’t bury your dream.