Where Are You Going?
Hi Everyone,
I have three visions to share with you today. They were all given moments apart. The Lord is speaking of things that trip us up. We need to see how our thoughts, our decisions and the sin in our lives can lead us down the wrong path.
The Visions
The Tuft of Threads
In the vision I saw a snarly mess of threads, coming from a tuft that was made very close to a zipper in a garment. There is no doubt that the threads would interfere with the smooth operation of the zipper. The tuft or mess of threads needs to be pulled out.
The White Robe
In the next vision I saw a bathrobe being stuffed into a suitcase. It was white w/black spots made of polar fleece, very much resembling the fur of a Dalmation. The person was struggling to fit the bathrobe into the suitcase.
The Tight Rope
In this third vision, I saw a woman tight-rope walker walking in the air. The tight rope was tethered to a point high in the air, and also to somewhere near the ground, so that the walker was walking on a downward incline.
What I believe the visions mean:
The Tuft of Threads
The tuft of threads was a real mess that needed to be removed. I believe that it represents things that are in our lives that should be removed. The zipper represents the idea of things running smoothly. The threads will surely impede the movement of the zipper. The mess of threads represent ideologies, and lies that we have believed, and decisions we have made, which have become strongholds in our minds. All of these negative things have to be uprooted. As long as they are in our lives, they will cause friction, disunity, discord and dysfunction.
God loves us as we are, but he does not want us to remain as we are. We are like clay on the potter’s wheel. He is shaping us and forming us into his image Yet, we have to surrender ourselves into his hands. The Lord has plans for our lives, but unless we are willing to give Him control, we may delay, or miss altogether the plan He has for us.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
But we can certainly make a mess of things, when we do our own thing and go our own way. The Lord spoke to me once saying: “I keep my angels around you, but you go your own way.” Oh my! It was a gentle rebuke, but one nonetheless. God was trying to protect me and guide me, but I was obviously willful and not obeying his direction.
It is our flesh that has its own desires. Our emotions, and thoughts can override the witness of the Holy Spirit within us. When this happens, it is certainly to our detriment!
The devil and his demons are constantly watching us, wanting to lead us into harm’s way. They would love to sabotage our faith, and cause pain and suffering. Just as the Lord said:
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10
The enemy wants us to believe his lies, so he uses people to create conflict, to curse us , and to sin against us. He stirs up the soup with his comments, giving us thoughts that we think are our own. For example, if a child heard nothing but abusive comments about himself every day, he would believe that he really is “stupid, ignorant, weak, useless, worthless…” The parent, the teacher, the sibling or the bully has placed a curse upon the child, and he becomes bound, tied to these negative words. The child will have trouble in school relating to his peers or anyone who appears to be against him. His mind is no longer his. A demon will continue to place negative thoughts in his mind so that he cannot overcome, but submits to the demon, completely unaware that he is being manipulated.
Most people are unaware that their thoughts are not always their own. If one is led by the Spirit of God, then he might receive good thoughts or even “words of knowledge.” When the Holy Spirit speaks to us we are directed to choose what is right, and act in a godly manner. However, if one has the devil speaking to him, giving him thoughts, and directing his emotions, then his reactions and decisions will not be good.
My brother is an example of hearing voices that led him down a dark path. He got involved in practicing what I call “hocus pocus medicine.” It is really a practice in divination, which opened the door to demons. One came to stay. It had a woman’s voice and would talk and joke with him. It had a flirtatious woman’s voice. But one day the voice changed to that of a demanding, angry man who told him to drive into the side of a bridge. He survived by the grace of God. I stayed with him for 10 days and tried to disciple him. He was delivered, but as soon as I left, he went right back to what he had been doing. He called it “easy money,” and that was the snare. He is now worse off than before. Just as Jesus warned it could happen:
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” Matthew 43-45
Deliverance is a very important function of the Church. As believers, we can be “oppressed,” but not “possessed.” My brother was not able to hold his deliverance, because his relationship with God was not base on faith and trust. Had he been able to trust in God for his provision, he would not have fallen for the enemy’s temptation - “to make easy money.” What is important is to truly make Jesus our Lord and Savior. We need to be discipled, and to know who we are in Christ, and the authority that we have as believers. The Lord tells us that we need to overcome the enemy, and stand our ground. This makes all the difference. We all need to know the Lord and who we are in him.
For the Lord said:
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..” Hosea 4:6
We need to understand that we have power to overcome the devil, and we are commanded to overcome. It is essential for Christians to be able to defend themselves against the attacks of the wicked one. If we do not resist the devil, we will succumb to his ways, his thoughts and we will suffer the consequences. The word tells us to resist the devil and he will flee”:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
As believers we have been given authority by the Lord:
Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matthew 18:18
Sin is what causes people to become bound. It may be their own sin, or it may be the sin of another that causes an offense. It may be sexual immorality, greed, lust, stealing, lying or cheating. But all sin, if it is not confessed, causes bondage. If the sin remains hidden because of shame, guilt, or the fear of exposure, then the enemy has free reign in our minds and bodies. That is why the Lord declared that sin was the source of various conditions and diseases.
Jesus healed a man that was crippled for 38 years and told him:
Afterward, Jesus found the man at the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.” John 5:14
Sin was the cause of his paralysis. On another occasion, Jesus healed a woman with a severe back deformity:
One Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman there had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was hunched over and could not stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your disability.” Then He placed His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and began to glorify God.
But the synagogue leader was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.”
“You hypocrites!” the Lord replied. “Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it to water? Then should not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be released from her bondage on the Sabbath day?” Luke 13:10-16
So we see that when we sin, the devil is allowed to play havoc in our lives causing infirmity of all types, as well as mental and emotional problems. We know that the Lord is the healer, and he is more than willing to heal us, but we must do our part.
If sin is opening doors to the devil and his demons, then we need to repent and never return to that sin. If we have negative thoughts, we are instructed to take those thoughts captive.
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5
We need to come out of agreement with the words spoken over us, or words that we have embraced as truth. We need uproot what the enemy has planted, and allow the Lord and the Holy Spirit to speak into our lives through the Word of God. Let us declare his word and its truths over us.
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15
Unforgiveness over an offense is one sin that produces a bitter root and opens the door to demonic attacks. This next scripture explains why we need to forgive everyone, regardless of what harm has been caused.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours. Matthew 6:14-15
So we can be free and remain free, by getting right with God and walking in God’s ways. When we are obedient to his will. He will keep his angels around us. The Lord tells us that life is not going to be totally free of problems, but when we remain grounded in him and in his word, then he will be with us in our trials.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
If anyone has trouble being set free he can go to a church, where there is a deliverance ministry and receive the help he needs to be loosed from spiritual bondages, and discipled so that he can maintain his deliverance.
The White and Black Bathrobe
In this vision, the white bathrobe had black spots all over. White generally means purity, righteousness and holiness. But black is the opposite; I believe it represents sin. We as believers are the Church, the Bride of Christ. The word tells us that the Lord is preparing his bride for himself:
“...just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27
So the church is to be ready for her bridegroom who is Jesus, our Lord. She is to be dress in white, without spot or wrinkle. But the bathrobe is not pure white–it has spots, which represent sin. This vision speaks of those who are believers, but have not removed the sin in their lives. Jesus uses the parable of a king and his wedding banquet, to address the lack of commitment, and a true relationship with him.
In the parable, the king invites many people, but most of them send their excuses and refuse to come. He then asks people from everywhere to come, and some do. But one of them is not prepared–he is not wearing wedding clothes, so he is thrown out.
The parable shows the harsh reality of not being ready to meet the Lord. If we are not ready, not right with God, and do not have a genuine relationship with him, then we should expect to suffer what is called the second death: hell.
But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’
But the man was speechless.
Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:11-14
In the vision of the suitcase and the white and black bathrobe, the person who was packing the bag was expecting to go somewhere. In the parable of the 10 virgins, we see that they were all waiting for the bridegroom to come for them. When the time came they all trimmed their lamps, but the foolish were not prepared, for there was no oil in their lamps. They had to go and buy oil, so while they were on their way, the bridegroom arrived. Those that were ready went into the wedding supper, but for those who came late, the door remained shut.
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. Matthew 25:10-13
In the parable, five of the virgins were ready and went into the wedding supper, but five were rejected because they didn’t know him. These virgins represent the church who is expecting to enter into eternal life in heaven. However, there is a problem. The virgins were not prepared; they did not know the Lord. In the vision it is the white robe, that isn’t pure white. It is those black spots on the robe that keep the suitcase from closing and being ready to go.
So, if a believer, does not repent, and does not know the Lord, then is he saved? Well, No, he isn’t. That is why the word of God tells us to
“…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.” Philippians 2:12-13
If we are not ready, we have to get right with God. We have to walk in love and forgiveness. We have to do His will. This is what the fear of God is all about. I know that these are tuff messages, but we need to know that we are either ready, or we are not. We are either in the kingdom of God, or we are not. It is not enough to say we are Christians. Jesus wants our hearts not just our words:
“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely rules taught by men.’” Matthew 15:8-9
This vision is given as a warning to those who may belong to a church, but have not given themselves fully to the Lord. A pastor that I knew would always tell us, “Just because you are in the garage, doesn’t make you a car. So just because you come to church and sit in the pew doesn’t make you a Christian.”
In the parable, the five foolish virgins lacked oil for their lamps. The oil represents the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit’s inner witness, we will lack the power to live for him. But with the Holy Spirit, abiding in us, we can do all things! Jesus said:
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7
And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14
The Holy Spirit is the comforter, our guide, He is the Spirit of Truth. Jesus said:
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you. Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you. John 16:13-15
A Tight Rope
In this vision, the tight rope was tethered from a position in the air and fastened to someplace far below. The woman walking on the tight rope was carefully descending on the tight rope. The rope had a negative slope, which I believe indicates that the woman was not heaven bound, but going the opposite direction. The woman was dressed in black. She was not the church, but would represent those outside the church. She is very careful in her movements, but going in the wrong direction. She may think that she is all right, but she is not aware that her decisions in life and the beliefs she holds are taking her to hell.
I believe that she represents those who have another religion or ideology that stands in opposition to the Lord. She is diligent in her careful walking, which shows that she “knows” what she is doing. But in reality, what she knows or professes to be true, is not.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:12-13
I know that these visions are very serious ones. The Lord wants his church to be ready. None of us know when we will be called home, or when our last day will come. But it would certainly behoove us to get right with the Lord today. If you would like to pray to receive the Lord and ask him to forgive you of your sins, pray with me:
Dear Jesus,
You are the way the truth and the life. You died on the cross as payment for my sins. I ask that you forgive me of all the sins that I have committed. I ask that you help me to dedicate my life to serving you, and to follow your ways in obedience to your will. I ask that you restore me to right standing with yourself and with the Father. I ask that you fill me with the Holy Spirit and write my name in the book of Life. I pray that you keep me under the shelter of your wing and protect me from the evil one. I give myself to you, so that I belong to you and you belong to me. I look forward to the day when you call me to your side, in heaven. Thank you for making me a new creation, the past is gone, all things are made new. I am a new creation in you; I am born again! Thank you Jesus. Amen!
God bless you all! Please share with others. We want everyone to be prepared to meet the Lord!
