This vision I received in the early morning March 3, 2017. This was a Friday morning, the day our women's conference was to begin.   As I was praying, I looked up and saw a yellow duffle bag, with black handles, flying over head.  It was following a arc'd path from the right to the left.  It's path was 20 feet over my head.  I thought, "What an unusual vision!"  I wondered what it meant.  I began to contemplate and pray about the vision.

I began thinking about the duffle bag.  Many people refer to their problems, and their personal issues as their "baggage."  Baggage usually is seen as a burden, or something that continues to cause people to stumble or to get hung up.  These troubles seem to follow them wherever they go, in spite of changing relationships and circumstances.  But in most cases, people hope to grow out of these issues as they mature, or hope to lose their baggage by seeking good counsel, or inner healing.

In the vision, the bag was yellow with black handles.  I believe the color yellow, in this case, represents fear.  I was reminded of something God had spoken to me years earlier.  He said, "As long as you are fearful of man, I cannot use you, for you are already being used."

God was in effect, stating that when we fear what others might think of us, we might choose to avoid the fear and potential embarrassment, by abandoning God's directive, in favor of personal safety.  In other words, we do what everyone else is doing, so that  we don't look stupid or out of place.

For example, God wants us to worship and praise him with all our heart.  But because of fear of what others might think or say, (which is the fear of man), our thoughts become: "She's making a spectacle of herself!" or "Does she have to shout like that?  It embarrasses me to even watch her!  Or Doesn't she look absolutely ridiculous?"  To avoid this possibility, we simply coware at the thought, stay in our pews and try to "blend in."

The fear of man can stop us from witnessing to our neighbors or even our families.  We are fearful of what they may think, we are fearful of being rejected, or made fun of, or shunned.  We can be fearful of losing our jobs if we were to witness to a client, a patron or a co-worker.  We can become so full of fear, that we are immobilized and do nothing.  We become ineffective, and incapable of being useful to the Lord. The devil has won.  He has kept us on the bench and out of the game.  He knows that if he can discourage us, we will, by our self-protective behavior, and our discouragement, influence others who will then become equally fearful of doing anything for the Lord and will confine themselves to their benches.  

How do we overcome our fear of man, and all the other fears that weigh us down? It is with the help of the Holy Spirit.  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13  

God gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can be overcomers.  He wants us to genuinely pursue the Lord's presence, and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  When we become filled with the Spirit of God, we become bold, just as the disciples in the upper room.  Before the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them, they were cowards, running away when Jesus was captured, and denying the Lord when confronted.  But once the Holy Spirit came upon them, they  became bold and began speaking to the crowds.   "We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!  Acts 2:11   ".... and about 3000 were added to their number that day!"  Acts 2:41

We have been praying for revival.  If we are serious about seeking God's presence, and seeking a revival for our church and the nation, then we must get rid of the baggage!  We must give our fears the "Heave-ho!" and choose to trust God in all areas of our life.  The Bible encourages us "to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."  Hebrews 12:1-2

As I was praying about the interpretation, a song suddenly began playing on Pandora, I didn't recognize the intro, to the song, so I asked God to help me understand the vision with the lyrics.  The song was by Josh Groban, "You Raise Me Up,"  such a beautiful song.  God was showing me, the way to become unburdened and to lose the baggage, is found  in the message of the lyrics:

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary; when troubles come and my heart burdened be;  Then, I am still and wait here in the silence, until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; you raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; you raise me up....to more than I can be.

So when our burdens weigh us down and our fears and anxieties of the day seem to overtake us, we need to go to our quiet place, be still, and wait for the Lord.  He will come and speak to us, strengthen us, and raise us up.....to more than we can be!