I told myself that my next post would be short and sweet, BUT God. He was like, “But you thought it would be.” I really fought myself on posting this. But my Pastor’s bible study tonight was a direct reflection of the message of the this post so I figured maybe this is a word from God that I’m not supposed to keep to myself. So, here goes my journal entry from yesterday morning…
Dream
Ever since I was a small child I have had visions and dreams. The thing about it is that I never remember a dream unless it has some kind of spiritual significance. In no way am I trying to be funny or “holier than thou.” It simply is what it is.
Last night I had a terrible dream that my husband* and I were at some huge event with thousands of people. We had a newborn** so the baby was with a couple babysitters in a private room at the event. Something didn’t feel right so we went to check on the baby. When we got there one of the sitters was sexually abusing the baby and the other was doing nothing about it. I was so enraged that I snatched the baby and ran because I wanted to kill them but I knew I couldn’t. My husband, a police officer, stayed behind to deal with them. I ran through the arena looking for someone I could trust to “handle” the situation for me. I found an old friend all the way on the arena floor seats and simply said “I need you!” He hesitated for a split second but came with me. By the time we got to the top of the stairs my husband was there and he stopped us. Then I woke up.
Dream’s Message
When God places a vision (baby in my dream) inside of us we have to nurture and feed it appropriately, similar to a pregnant woman. We have to lay on our faces before Him and trust that He will bring it to fruition, that it will be birthed at just the right time. We can’t rush it because it’s not our baby, but His. We can’t run from it because it’s already in us and His Word will not return unto Him void (Isaiah 55:11).
When we grasp and embrace the fact that the vision is from God and that we have been entrusted by Him to be the vessel to bring it to pass, we have to guard it with our lives. When God reveals His vision for our lives to us He gives us the big picture and we have to trust Him for the smaller details along the way. One of those details is the people that He’s appointed to help us with it. In guarding the vision, we must be weary of who we share it with because not everyone is meant to know about it or be a part of it. Not everyone will understand or encourage it because they aren’t supposed to. Only those who God connected to the vision will understand. Others won’t “get it” until it begins to unfold. We have to listen for, trust, and follow the Holy Spirit’s (husband in the dream) lead in discernment just like Nehemiah (2:12-16). He involved a select few in the initial phase, but only after studying them.
Sometimes, even when we’re careful, people will try to pervert/tarnish the vision. They may do this by causing you to question yourself and the word of the Lord, or pretending to help you when they’re really bringing slander to your name and the vision. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” God placed each of us on this earth with a purpose/vision. That purpose is planted in our hearts and gives us life from day to day. If we allow disconnected people to speak over us and we heed their words we are failing to guard our hearts, our visions. You know what God has entrusted you to do. Run after it and “let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
Adam knew that God told him that he would have dominion over the earth and everything therein. He also knew that his purpose was connected to his obedience. He was not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but he allowed his helpmeet, Eve, to convince him otherwise. Even the people God places in our lives to help us with the vision may not fully understand so it is critical that we stand firm on the Word of the Lord.
Application
What vision has God given you? Have you embraced it? Are you seeking His face that it may be fulfilled? Who is connected to your vision divinely vs. selfishly (selfishly- you placed them in it)? What are you doing to guard your vision? Revelation 3:11 encourages us to “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown.”
*I am not married.
**I do not have any biological children.
