I had a dream last night, actually more of a nightmare. I was in a home for a prayer meeting. The pastor who was leading it – cut off prayer too early in my opinion. I felt disappointed, but I did not say anything. Later when we all went outside, a little boy walked over to the neighbor’s horse corral to pet the horse. The horse reared up and went unusually crazy, running around the corral then jumping the fence to get at the boy. We who saw this were stunned, and starting screaming at the horse. Then, out of nowhere, came a big mountain lion that finished off the boy who had been stomped on the ground by the horse. Screaming from the parents and the others was all I heard as I just stood in shock watching it all. Then these words came: “This is what happens when My people don’t pray.”
I woke up, and couldn’t go back to sleep; it was 2:00 a.m. I laid in bed praying for my children, but it wasn’t the focused prayer God was after – so I got up at 2:30 to go pray the way God is after from His Church today.
What kind of prayer did the prayer group stop short of? WARFARE! Using God’s Word against the plans/schemes/works/weapons of the devil and his cohorts. Jesus did and the devil fled.
I started to meditate on what the horse and cat represented in my dream. The horse: that which you have trusted or felt safe around – but can’t be trusted any longer. (Not at all referring to God and His Word.) The big cat: that we’re living in a time when out of nowhere comes a vicious attack. Then the pastor; what does he represent? A man that God has put in charge of leading others, and yet, not really leading as a leader should. He was not being led by the Holy Spirit for warfare prayer because he cut short the needed prayer just as it was starting to be led by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said that His Spirit would tell us of the things to come, lead us in how to see and treat the times we live in, instruct us in what we need to be doing in various practical ways, and Who would remind the Lord’s people of what the Lord Jesus taught His disciples ‘by example’ about hardship, persecution, enduring the evil day, standing on God’s promises – as they/we finish the work of God in their/our appointed time on earth. Jesus did, and He’s given us all we need to do the same.
Jesus warned about the APOSTASY of His churches due to them being afraid of persecution (so they do what they’re told by the ungodly) and afraid of hardships (so they depend on worldly systems), instead of confidently prepared and ready to overcome the flesh, the world and the devil. “Greater is HE who is within me, than he who is in the world!”
At the end of each of the Lord’s letters to His churches, He ends each with this instruction: “HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCHES!” (Revelation 2 and 3)
I would assume, and from the dream the Lord gave me, that we need to be trained for the real battle and get in the fight as we should, taking up our God-given positions of warfare against the unseen principalities of power over our loved ones, our communities and over our government.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the FULL armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against national rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this world’s darkness (Satan and his demons), and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (That which is “not seen,” but is there just the same, which we need to understand how to fight and defeat. Lives depend on it.)
“Therefore, take up the FULL ARMOR of God, so that when (not if) the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything YOU SHOULD DO, TO STAND (without any shrinking back). Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, and with your feet fitted with the READINESS OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE. In addition, to all this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish ALL the flaming arrows of the evil one. And with the helmet of Christ’s salvation and the SWORD OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, which IS THE WORD OF GOD, PRAY; pray in the Spirit at all times, and with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, STAY ALERT with all PERSEVERANCE as you continue to pray, and praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-18
Help me Lord to be faithful to what You have shown me.