Car Dream

When I did the video series on Sasha Fierce, God showed me how a car often symbolized going from one spiritual place to another.  Well, three days ago, I had a dream about being in a car that I am sharing here.  The very next morning after the dream, I typed it out as a draft post on the blog and entitled it "The Car Dream", but I didn't publish it as I was not sure whether it was just a message for me.

However, yesterday morning, I received announcement of a new art series from John the Baptist Artworks and I recommended one particular piece entitled "Don't Get Distracted".  There were some similar themes between my dream and Sis. Rebecca's, and after reading her testimony, I felt led to publish this post.

The Car Dream

My family was in a car and my husband was driving.  We started out on a highway, and as we drove, the car to the right of us started coming into our lane and almost ran us off of the road.  My husband quickly steered the car to the left to avoid a collision.  At first I thought that perhaps the driver of the other car simply hadn't seen us, but they were driving erratically & weaving across all lanes on the highway.  Several times, they almost ran off of the road into a ditch.

Then I watched in horror from the passenger seat as the same car began trying to run us off of the road in earnest.  I could not see the driver as the windows were tinted so darkly that I wondered how even the driver could see out.  Suddenly, the car dropped back and came to a screeching stop.  When I turned my attention to look ahead and see what had caused the car to drop back, I saw we were approaching a bridge.

"Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Matthew 15:14

In Matthew Chapter 15, the Pharisees were trying to trip up Jesus with their words and questions, but He rebuked them.  After His rebuke, Jesus' disciples declared to Him that the Pharisees had been offended.  Yet, Jesus called them blind leaders of the blind and told His followers to leave the Pharisees to themselves.  They are enveloped in darkness - hence the tinted windows (Matthew 15:17-20).

"Blind Leaders" then are not just a detriment to those whom they lead, but they also try to derail others who are pursuing the truth.  It is not enough to simply mislead their own followers, but they desire to stop you from getting free as well by making you proselyte (Matthew 23:15; Romans 1:18-19).  If you will not pay heed to them, then they will come against you to try and stop you (and to stop others from listening to you).  After all, they came against Jesus Himself.  Expect this, but do not let it distract you from the goal, who is Christ (Philippians 3:13-14). 

Don't get caught up in meaningless squabbles and debates, but keep your eye on your destination (II Timothy 2:23-26).  Those who desire righteousness will be given ears to hear the message of truth by the Lord; those who contest it are merely sent to stifle your progress in Him.

The bridge we were crossing was extremely narrow.  So much so that it seemed impossible to pass over it as the lane itself seemed more narrow than the car we were in.  Yet, my husband did not seem deterred at all.  As he drove us across, I looked out of the passenger window and saw that the bridge was also incredibly high.  It was almost like passing over the Grand Canyon, but we were so far up that I could not see the ground below.  It was very clear that to fall from this narrow road would result in a tremendous fall indeed.  There were also no rails along the edge of the road, and I was nervous about whether we would make it.  Yet, my husband was able to safely navigate us across it.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matthew 7:13-14

The narrow bridge in the dream represented the narrow way we are to follow as Christians.  The hypocrite cannot go this way; they will always stop short.  There are not enough comforts on the narrow way for them and there are no allowances for the wisdom of men.  Further, proceeding on the narrow way is not something that we can do in our own power.  It takes the power of God to enable us to traverse it as we must completely depend on Him to do it.

You will find that the narrow path is often going to be a separator between you and those who are simply play-acting or "playing" church.  Proceeding on the narrow way is not something that can be done in the flesh.  Don't let others entice you off of the narrow path by telling you that you are taking Christianity too far or that you are too "narrow minded".  Be willing to let go of whatever (or whoever) you have in order to walk with Christ, for all else is dung (Philippians 3:8).

After leaving the bridge, the terrain of the land changed and it was like we were driving through a swamp.  There were tree limbs, watery puddles, and other elements that made the way very bumpy.  At times, I wondered whether we were even on a road at all because I could not see it, but my husband seemed to know the way and drove us slowly through.

We were going so slowly that a car behind us became impatient and decided to try and drive around us.  As they did, their car spun out and they became trapped in a mixture of sand and mud.  Try as he would, the driver could not get his car to move for the wheels simply spun in place in the sand.  In frustration, the man turned to his wife in the passenger seat and started berating and hitting her, blaming her for their predicament.  I turned to my husband and said, "That man is beating his wife."  Although my husband looked over, we kept driving.  Somehow I knew that if we were to pull over to see about them, we would also wind up stuck in the mire.

"He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." Psalm 40:2

"Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters." Psalm 69:14

"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand" Matthew 7:26

People often expect that the way will be easy once we come to Christ, but it can indeed be bumpy. There are obstacles the enemy will put in your way - and even strongholds within your own soul - which you will encounter.  We must walk circumspect, knowing that our enemy is as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  This is no time to be rash, but let patience have her perfect work so that you may be perfected (James 1:3-4).

In terms of the other driver beating his wife, it reminded me of Revelation 17:16 and also of Genesis 3:12.  The fallen nature of man will always seek to turn on someone else and blame them for his condition.  There is no natural affection with that nature because it is too selfish; it only loves it's self.  Unless that nature is put to death and new life in Christ springs up within us, then it will choke off the life we have found in Christ (Matthew 13:20-21). 

Neither can you go off of the path of righteousness to try and "help" someone else.  You don't do wrong in order to show someone else what is right lest you get ensnared in sin as well (II John 1:11).  So for example, there is no such thing as "Christian" musicians producing secular music as a means to reach the lost.  It is the light of Jesus Christ alone which draws men unto Himself and exposes error.  We can only share that light with others to the extent that we are abiding in that same light.

There is no way to the Father other than Jesus Christ; and no way to Jesus except one be led by the Holy Spirit (John 6:44, 15:26, 16:13-14).  We must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as we do not know the way and have not been this way before (Joshua 3:4; Genesis 24:1-9).  We cannot go ahead of the Holy Spirit or we will get into error.  There is no better or quicker way other than the road that the Lord has declared for us to take.  Don't lean to your own understanding. He is the author and finisher of our faith and He will do it if we but trust and follow Him.

My husband continued to drive as we left the swampy land and began approaching a big city with a huge mountain within it.  However, the problem was that all the other cars were facing us and driving towards us in the very same lane we were in.  There seemed to be some urgency with these cars, as if they were fleeing something horrible.  The cars were so numerous that it seemed as if every car in that city was trying to get out.  "What had happened to our lane," I wondered, "Were we going the wrong way?"  I looked over to the left at the other lane, yet it was the same.  It was filled with cars streaming away from the city, in the opposite direction from which we were going.  "Have we mistakenly gotten onto a one way street?  Maybe we shouldn't be trying to go into a city that so many seem to be fleeing?" I asked my husband, but he simply kept driving. 

Amazingly, although the cars all jostled for position in trying to leave the city in a frenzy, they parted as my husband slowly drove forward, creating a lane for us in the midst of the streaming cars.  I watched in amazement as we drove through these cars, wondering why people were in such a hurry to leave and why we seemed to be the only ones going in this direction.

We made it through the bustle of cars into the city, and everything became peaceful.  As we approached the mountain, I closed my eyes and bowed my head praying, "Lord Jesus, please just take us from this place," as the turmoil and chaos on the way just seemed too overwhelming and I was tired.  And the dream ended.

"Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace." Romans 11:5

At times, it may seem like everyone is going a different direction than you.  This may make you wonder whether you are going the wrong way, but do not waver (Jeremiah 1:17-19).  The Scriptures are clear that the masses will not follow the narrow path which leads to life (Matthew 7:13).  The word of God also states that the tares are gathered together first, before the wheat (Matthew 13:30).  So never be influenced by what crowds of people are doing.  Stay attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and let Him direct your paths.  Even though the way may seem impossible, He will prepare the way before you and make your paths straight.

This part (as well as others) also reminded me of Sis. Rebecca's dream because the One from whom all the others cars were fleeing as if in danger was the very One to whom we were fleeing for safety.  When God came to judge Sodom & Gomorrah, He gave Lot's family instructions to flee to the mountain (Genesis 19:17).  The mountain here is representative of our God, and so was the mountain in my dream (Exodus 3:1; Psalm 48:1; Isaiah 40:9; Micah 4:2; Revelation 21:10).  As the signs for pending judgment become ever clear, the only escape for us from the wrath of God is abiding in God Himself.  Do not fear, do not be dismayed, do not be distracted; but seek higher ground.  Seek the Lord while He may be found.

Although the husband in my dream was depicted as my actual husband, he represented Jesus Christ in the dream; who is our husband (Isaiah 54:5; Hosea 2:19-20; II Corinthians 11:2).  Jesus needs to be the the one "driving our cars", in other words determining the direction we take in life.  There is a song called "Jesus Take the Wheel" which speaks of the point when we tire of living for ourselves and creating many messes in our lives.  At that time, we realize how futile it is to seek our own way and we decide to give Him full control.  And if we know this, then we will be able to rest (be at ease), even in the midst of a storm.  This is how we must live every day.  We cannot just come to Jesus when we have gotten in a pickle and need Him to rescue us.  If we are to reach our destination, then in Him we must live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28).

One thing I learned about myself in the dream was that I was waaaaay too caught up into what was going on around me; my attention was too easily diverted.  My husband, Jesus Christ, was always steadfast; He never wavered, doubted, or gave the obstacles we faced any concern.  It was not that I didn't make it to my destination, but I could have taken that whole journey in perfect peace and had not (Isaiah 26:3).  That spoke volumes to me and I was ashamed.  It reminded me that there are things in my life even now which are taking up way too much of my attention.  I cannot let these things rob me of the peace & joy to be found in Christ, no matter what they are.  There is nothing in this world so great that He cannot surpass it or so terrible that He cannot overcome it.  He has already overcome the world...and that means everything in the world (John 16:33).

May we all be encouraged to keep our eyes on Jesus and not get distracted by false religion, corrupt world systems, financial struggles, or even trials & tribulations. 

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28