Going Your Own Way?
Hi Friends,
Just last Sunday, after church, I sat down to spend time with the Lord. Within just a few minutes, the Lord gave me this vision:
The Unicycle
I first heard a voice say “I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Then, I saw a man on a unicycle coming towards me. As his wheel turned to his left, he flew off the unicycle backwards and crashed into two people, taking them to the ground.
It was such a startling and unexpected vision. I thought that the man would have fallen straight down with the unicycle continuing in its direction, or that perhaps he would have been thrown forward and the unicycle going to the left which was the direction it had turned. I would never have thought that the man could have flown through the air backwards, and then have taken out two people as he landed.
What was equally remarkable was the voice I heard prior to this saying, “I don’t want to hurt anyone.” If the man on the unicycle was the one speaking, then what happened to him and the two people with whom he crashed, was certainly not intended.
The question to pose would be: Was he not confident in his ability to ride the unicycle? Or, had someone questioned his ability and he was responding to their fears, by saying that he was going to do his best not to harm anyone as he rode the unicycle.
What I believe the vision means:
I believe that the rider on the unicycle represents the average person. He is riding a unicycle which is meant to be ridden alone. A regular bicycle can take on an extra rider, by having him sit on the handlebars, or having him sit on a platform located over the back fenders. An extra rider can also stand on pegs that protrude from the rear wheel’s axle.
So the rider in the vision was “going it alone,” or choosing to go his own way. This represents independence, willfulness, and self-determination. It can represent selfishness and autonomy, needing no one else. Can we want our own way so much that we do not see how our actions affect others? Does our willfulness show our independence from God? Do we fail to acknowledge him as the true source of our provision, our talents and abilities?
The rider did show some concern for others, in that he clearly stated that, “I do not want to hurt anyone.” Perhaps the rider is someone who is so busy doing his own thing, that he is only concerned for others as a side note. He may be giving lip service to the notion of concern, but in reality, he was oblivious to the people around him. It was his lack of care that caused him to harm the innocent bystanders.
A scripture came to mind as I contemplated the vision:
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:15-20
It is important to note that this passage speaks of how the apostle Paul must have viewed his own actions before he was saved and filled with the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. Before his conversion, it was normal for him and the average person to succumb to the temptations of the flesh (the body’s cravings and desires). But when he became born again, his spirit became alive and the Holy Spirit gave him the desire to please God.
Yet, even after we are saved and filled with the Spirit of God, we still have choices and decisions to make. We have a choice whether to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and to do the will of God, or choose to fulfill our natural desires. If we want to please the Lord, then we need to practice the disciplines that encourage the Spirit of God to be strong in us, like prayer, worship and studying the Word of God. And at the same time we need to keep the flesh restrained. This may be a new concept for some. But we are created by God and made up of three parts, coming together as one entity. We have a body, which is our physical self, We have a soul which comprises the mind and the emotions. And we have a spirit which is eternal and relates to God. The soul, our personality, thoughts and feelings and the spirit will both live forever. And when we, the church, are raptured, our physical mortal bodies will all be changed to become immortal.
“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:51-55
The spirit is in conflict with the flesh. I have heard pastors describing this conflict as two dogs. Whichever dog you feed will be the one who is stronger and more dominant. If you feed your flesh, giving into its lusts, passions and desires, your flesh will overtake your heart, your emotions and your mind. It will become a strong motivator for all your decisions. However, if you feed your spirit you will become aligned with God’s will for your life, and you will be fruitful and at peace with God.
Jesus expresses that fact, that we need to feed our spirit:
“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.’” John 4:34
And he taught: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4
Our spirits need sustenance and to be edified. As we spend time in the Lord’s presence, we begin to hunger and thirst for more of him. When we choose to pray in the Spirit, which is praying in our heavenly language, we edify our spirits and we accomplish much in the kingdom of God, for we are praying the perfect will of the Father. Our spirit is also built up when we worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth! This means to allow our spirits to worship in song, in dance and in singing and praising him in tongues. “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24
We have often heard it said that, “The Lord inhabits the praises of his people.” This concept comes from a line from a psalm: “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:3
For me there is no doubt that when we worship the Lord in the Spirit the presence of the Lord becomes very real. He makes himself available, he is absolutely with us.
Now the idea that our flesh and our spirits are in opposition to each other, is shown in so many ways. Our flesh may want to sleep, but our spirit wants to seek God. This is demonstrated by the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane. The very night that Jesus would be betrayed, he asked them to pray with him. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
He left them, and prayed a short distance away. And twice he returned to them and found them sleeping. Indeed he was right, their tired flesh overcame their desire to pray.
“For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:17-21
The Lord does not want us to fall into sin, which happens when we are not built up in our spirits. The disciples had not yet received the Holy Spirit for Jesus had not yet died nor rose from the dead. So even though they saw the Lord’s miracles, and they believed that He was the Christ, the Messiah, they had not yet received the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples first became born-again when Jesus breathed upon them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
“In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples had met together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood right in the middle of them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’”
“Then he showed them his hands and his side, and when they saw the Lord the disciples were overjoyed. Jesus said to them again, ‘Yes, peace be with you! Just as the Father sent me, so I am now going to send you.’”
“And then he breathed upon them and said, ‘Receive holy spirit. If you forgive any men’s sins, they are forgiven, and if you hold them unforgiven, they are unforgiven.’” John 20:19-23
But when we are born again, and filled with the Holy Spirit, everything changes. Our spirit is made alive and we develop a sensitivity to God. Over-time, as we grow in our knowledge and devotion to the Lord, we begin to take on the attributes of his Holy Spirit. We call this the fruit of the Spirit, for when the Spirit is nurtured and given priority, the fruit of the Spirit will grow.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
Later, just before Jesus was taken into heaven, he told the disciples, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Just ten days later, they received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost. This is when they received real power to overcome their weaknesses, to deny their flesh, and to live by the Spirit. “‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” Acts 17:28
Now going back to the vision:
The rider on the unicycle was a man, so he represents all mankind: everyone of us, both believers and unbelievers. For whatever reason, he decided to “go it alone.” He decided to do something without God. Everyone of us can choose whether to serve God, to listen to his voice, or to just go our own way. What the vision shows us is the reckless devastation of a life lived without God.
We can see that many times those who don’t know God prosper, and everything seems to go well for them. They are successful in the eyes of the world, but what fate awaits them? “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36
We also see so many that do not know the Lord, and their lives are a miserable mess. These are people who have been abused, abandoned, or humiliated to such an extent that they can no longer fit into society. These are the homeless, the runaways, the prostitutes, the alcoholics…
These people have been victims of hateful crimes and rejection. Perhaps by no fault of their own, they did not know God. So when terrible things happened, they had no one to turn to for help. If they had known the love of God, perhaps they would have been able to forgive their enemies, and those that used and abused them. If they had known the Lord, they would have understood the importance of forgiveness. “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:15
The devil’s plan is to take everyone to hell with him. The perpetrator of a crime against another is a sin that is clearly visible to all, and without repentance, he will go to hell. But the victim can also be held responsible for the sin of unforgiveness, and also go to hell. In this way the devil wins - he gets two for the crime of one. If the victim does not forgive the one who has harmed him, then his own sin will not be forgiven. We are commanded to forgive in every circumstance, and even with repeated offenses. Jesus was able to forgive those who abused him and nailed him to a cross. “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ “ Luke 23:34
Now let’s look at the believer who chooses to “go it alone.” We as believers can choose to hear the voice of God, and be obedient to his commands. We can also choose to shut our ears, and ignore his word and follow our own deceitful hearts. We can compromise with the world’s view, and create for ourselves a rationalization or an excuse as to why we think it is okay. Compromising with the world and its values leads us astray and brings harm to our spirits and possible harm to others.
Some rationalize that the Biblical values are old fashioned, and do not apply. Today many people compromise the command of God by living with another as if they were married. They have sexual union outside of marriage—committing the sin of adultery. Some may decide that they have had it with their spouse, so they divorce. Others may decide that it is not a convenient time to have a baby, so they choose to get an abortion.
Sin knows no limits. As soon as one opens the door to sin and even a small compromise, he leaves the path with God and decides to “go it alone,” for he thinks his way is better.
At some point he will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit calling him to return and leave the sin behind. But If he continues to go the way of sin, and ignores the voice of the Holy Spirit, he can eventually come to a point of no return where the Holy Spirit walks away and he is left to his own devices. This is called apostasy. It means to fall away.
If on the other hand, the believer feels the prodding of the Holy Spirit and repents, which means to change the mind, then he can be reconciled with the Lord. But true repentance is seen as a change. A sinful lifestyle or habit must be left behind, to be fully forgiven and put in right standing with the Father. “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day.” John 6:39
So the vision of the uni-cyclist is really about getting right with God, and choosing not to go our own way. I remember quite a while ago as I was praying, I heard the Lord speak to me saying:
“I keep my angels round about you, but you go your own way.” The Lord was showing me that I was valuing my own will over his. My priorities were not right. Obedience to the will of God is what is all important:
“You are not your own, you were bought at a price.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
We owe the Lord our allegiance, our devotion, all that we have, and all that we are. He is God, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the creator, the very one who gives us breath. His name is Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. He purchased us with his blood. We are not our own! We belong to him!
Please pray with me—
Lord, I ask you to forgive my waywardness, my willfulness, my independent and rebellious spirit. Please restore me to yourself. I want to be yours alone. You paid the price for my salvation, and my deliverance. I want to return to you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my might. Please forgive me for doing my own thing and sinning against you and against your word. I choose to forgive those who have harmed me or my loved ones. I release them into your hands, and I pray that they too will come to repentance, for every sin big or small separates us from you. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit and make me a brand new creation.
For I understand that “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
And that, if I truly repent and turn to you, Jesus, that I will be forgiven and be in right standing with you.
“For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:34
Thank you Jesus! For now I am born again. Please write my name in the Book of Life! I am yours and you are mine!
Please share this post with those you love. God bless you and keep you in perfect peace with his Holy Spirit!
