Monday, August 3, 2015
As Real As Ever
Last night I had a spiritual dream. In the dream I was being pursued by someone that wanted to slay me. We both had swords, but in the dream it seemed he was an expert assassin with a sword, and I was just a person that knew a little bit about carrying one. Running seemed to be the wise option.
We were in some type of very large building, perhaps the largest I have ever seen. There were many structures that made it appear as though this was also a place for storing and selling items of merchandise, some of which were on the shelves, although I do not remember anything about what was there. He was very acrobatic and leapt from place to place. I just out ran him at first, but he kept leaping from structure to structure an was gaining on me. He also had a bow so I knew if I did not move around, he could shoot me with an arrow at a distance.
In the dream, I decided to begin to get into the structures and jump from one to the other as well. Surprisingly, that worked for me, and I was able to move quickly through the structures. Just as I thought I was getting good at this form of movement, I realized that he was getting closer. It was then I realized that I was trying to win by imitating his strategy. I was trying to be acrobatic. It was at that moment that I remembered I could fly (as I have in many of these dreams), but why was I not trying to fly. He was not far away now, and I had to decide what to do. The wrong decision could be deadly for me. I remember thinking that I had chosen wrong earlier, that I had chosen to “play his game” and that I needed to use what I had been given, not respond to him like he would respond. As I made up my mind to fly, there were thoughts in my mind like where to fly to or what if it doesn’t work. But in this world I had flown many times and knew that I could, as naturally as walking in this world. Just as I took a leap into air to fly, I woke up.
When I woke up to my alarm I started to put one leg out of bed and reach for the clock. Suddenly I was hit with the worst leg cramp (“charlie horse” my dad called them) I can ever remember in my adult life in my left calf, the leg I put out of bed. It literally caused my leg to fold up. I began to rub it, as that is what I was taught in sports in high school. The pain was extremely intense and not receding. I was calling out to Yahuah (Lord) to help me. Suddenly I stopped rubbing my leg and said, repeatedly, “Peace to this leg in Yahuah’s name. Peace to this leg in Yeshuah’s name.” Instantly my leg felt some warmth, and the muscle began to relax. The pain dissipated as well. If I moved, it would begin to cramp again. I continued to speak to my leg, and with the cramping stopped, I began to rub my leg and tried to pull it to be straight, continuing to repeat that phrase. Finally it was straight enough to walk and I got out of bed.
Afterwards, as I sat to write, it seemed to me that we can hear a scripture often enough that we forget the intensity of it. This weekend at fellowship we read from Revelation, and it sounded as if there were some very intense things happening at the seventh seal and beyond.
Revelation 14:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Then I thought of Zechariah where there is a return of the Messiah, and whole mountains split apart.
Zechariah 14:1 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
We read over and over of Messiah destroying the enemies of Israel in a battle, and we become numb to what that means. There will be battle. People will die. Many people will die. It will not be pleasant. It will be real. But just like in the case of my dream and my leg, we need to not fight like the enemy fights. We need to use the power of the name of our Father Yahuah (Lord), and the power of the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus), for these are the gifts and wisdom given to us by the Father, to win the battle in the day of adversity.
Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are the Master. You alone are our King. We praise and exalt the name Yahuah! Only through You can we win against our enemy. Only in Your kingdom will truth and mercy reign! Send us today Your overwhelming provision, so plentiful that it overflows to those around us. We exalt Your name! Forgive us our sins. Help us to be Your people that overcome the darkness. Heal up our hearts and make them pure. Deliver us from the evil and the system that would steal from us what You alone have provided. Set Your people free to keep Your feasts Father! Come today with a strong hand and outstretched arm. Come now, Yahuah, rise up for Your people. We ask all these things in the name of Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.