Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Power to Break the Shackles

I have written before about how I used to really like a song by Mary Mary called Shackles.  In the song, these women sing about how God has released the shackles off of their feet so that they can dance.  While it is a blessing to be able to dance for and before the Lord, I think what man needs most is the shackles broken off of his mind.

We can dance wholeheartedly before God and still be bound. Too many in the church have hindrances in the mind which prevents us from walking fully in the light/life with which God has called.  These can & must be dealt with by the power of God, for God is preparing His people at this hour for the days ahead.

This past night, I had a dream that I was in a shopping mall (which is strange for me as I hate shopping).  The store was filled with people buying this and that.  Then, a loud voice was heard.  It was like it was being spoken over a loud speaker, but it wasn't.  The timber & depth of the voice was extremely loud, but it was as if you were hearing it from inside yourself and it reverberated within your soul.  As I (and everyone else) turned to see who was speaking, there stood the Grim Reaper towering over the people with the machete held high in his hand.  The store erupted in agonizing screams as people ran everywhere looking for cover, but there was no place to hide.  This spirit of death marched on after the people and the fear from man was palpable. 

As I woke up, three thoughts occurred to me:
  • "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."  Matthew 24:37-39

    Before God's judgment came in Noah's day, the people were oblivious to the coming storms.  They were going about life as if nothing was happening, in spite of the fact that God had been warning them (II Peter 2:5, 3:20; Hebrews 11:7).  They simply didn't believe.  Each day they awoke with that day being the same as the last.  Because there was no tangible difference, they assumed that time was continuing for them unabated.  They assumed that they always had tomorrow. 

    This is the sense I got in the dream.  The shoppers were oblivious to what was about to happen, merely getting caught up in their purchases and plans for tomorrow.

  • "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he [Jesus] also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Hebrews 2:14

    The first time I read this Scripture many years ago, it stuck with me.  I asked God, "Are you saying that the common denominator among men staying in bondage to the devil is that man has a fear of Death?  Man is afraid to die?"  For some reason, this seemed a strange thing to me.  I don't know, I guess I expected some deep reason, but fear of death?

    Yet, we know that the nature of fallen man invests all that he is in sustaining and glorifying life in this present, evil world.  It is the temporary life that Satan tries to get you concerned about and wrapped up in; it is the same which he uses to try and distract you through entertainment.  Anything but have the eternal life available to you in Christ Jesus become more real to you than life in this world.  This is why God says whoever finds his (eternal) life must lose his (soulish) life (Matthew 10:39).

    In any regard, this fear of the Grim Reaper (a spirit of death) was very real in the dream.  People were terrified and you could literally feel it.

  • Who can stand against it?  As (spiritual & physical) death is released on people, who is prepared to stand?  Who is able to confront that evil spirit in the name of Jesus Christ and save souls from its clenching hands?  Moe importantly for me, can I stand in such times?  And if not, then why not?

    In the dream, everyone heard the voice of Grim Reaper who stated, "If only you had known my name."  It was like he was taunting the people, indicating that they could have been in a position to stop him, but they were in ignorance.  They had not known or believed that there was such an adversary and as a result, they were powerless against him.  Even some who claimed to know Jesus ran fleeing from the Grim Reaper, never having really been transformed into the image of Christ and equipped to stand.

    In Revelation, God speaks of the king of the demonic hordes released on mankind and says that his name is Abaddon in the Hebrew, or Apollyon in the Greek.

    Abaddon: "destruction"; the name of the angel-prince of the infernal regions, the minister of death and the author of havoc on the earth.

    Apollyon: "Destroyer", the angel of the bottomless pit, the Destroyer

When I awoke from the dream, I was led to read through Hebrews Chapter 2. While there is lots of meat in that Chapter, certain things stood out at me:
  • We must not take lightly the truths God has given us about who He is and the way of salvation.  Doing so could cause us to "slip" in our faithfulness to Him and result in us neglecting this great salvation.  We must be diligent. (verses 1-3)
  • We need the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is not an option but is required in order to be able to confront the enemy and release folks from his kingdom.  The Holy Spirit breaks the captivity. (verse 4)
  • We have the authority in Christ Jesus to do this, and we must.  Saving souls is not about changing what people believe but is literally about translating people from one power (darkness) to another (light).  It is a confrontation, a war for souls, and we must be ready in spiritual armor in order to engage that enemy and spoil his goods. (verses 7-8)
  • We can expect some suffering in the flesh, but this is what will help grow us up in God so that we can be more prepared in the battle. (verses 9-10)
  • In it all, we can be encouraged to sing praises to God for the mighty things He has done through & in us by His Son Jesus. (verse 12-18)
So this is my prayer for the Church worldwide. That every Christian soldier will have shackles broken off of the mind so that he/she can be diligent in their calling, seeking to be endued with power from on high so that we can take authority over Satan and his horde of demons which seek to wreak havoc on the souls of men.  

This is also my prayer for the meetings next week.  As many of you know, there are fellowship meetings occurring in Atlanta from January 6th - 8th.  If you feel that you have lost that zeal for the Lord, or you simply want to connect with other believers of a like & precious faith to be stirred up all the more, please consider coming. I am personally praying that these meetings can be just the start of what God will do through His church in this next year.  This request is not about raising up any particular person or congregation, but about individual members of the Body of Christ having a renewal of purpose in Christ and coming together to seek God's face to be empowered for that purpose.  If there are financial hardships, please call the church to see what is possible.  Members are sponsoring others who cannot afford it and some attendees are staying in the homes of members to help defray costs.  A lot of times, we do not receive because we do not ask (James 4:2).

Lastly, I don't think it was coincidental that the spirit of death appeared in the dream as a Grim Reaper.  I highly recommend a couple of articles done by Omega Church & Ministries Center about the Grim Reaper and its relevance to the present-day Church: Part 1 and Part 2.  Please take some time to read these.

I am not one who posts a lot about dreams and visions.  However, when I feel like there is something worth sharing I do.  I pray that you reflect upon this message and take it to the Lord for anything He might have you to know in it.

In the meantime, may the peace of God be with you and His holy fire burn with increasing intensity within you.

7 comments:

  1. THE REAPER (Part 1)

    Hi there,

    I have a few thoughts on this dream that I thought you might find interesting. I believe that the Lord still speaks and reveals through visions and dreams. However, so does the enemy. There is such a thing as a spirit of fear not of the Lord. One of the areas it resides over is nightmares. Then there are also dreams that simply come from us. Possibly too much pizza or ice cream before bed. With the gifts of the Holy Spirit it is possible to discern the difference, and even begin to understand the dream language of the Holy Spirit.

    "This past night, I had a dream that I was in a shopping mall (which is strange for me as I hate shopping). The store was filled with people buying this and that."

    I think the mall represents the state of what passes for Christianity today. As I've seen these malls in dreams myself, with similar things happening in them.

    Luke 17
    26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
    27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
    28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
    29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
    30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.


    "Then, a loud voice was heard. It was like it was being spoken over a loud speaker, but it wasn't. The timber & depth of the voice was extremely loud, but it was as if you were hearing it from inside yourself and it reverberated within your soul."

    I've believe I've heard the voice you speak of here. Like you, I heard this voice in a dream. It's a difficult thing to describe to those that have never heard it, and to those who do not believe in the supernatural, or those that don't believe the Heavenly Father still speaks in such a manner. This voice is unlike anything I've ever heard in my life. Not only do you hear this voice, but you also feel it. I literally felt this voice in a place I can only describe as my belly. I couldn't pin point the direction the voice came from as it came from everywhere. Upon hearing and feeling this voice... I knew it. It was like hearing the voice of one of your first and dearest friends whom you've long forgotten that you knew. A person who your surface mind has absolutely no remembrance of... but somewhere deep inside, beyond your heart, deep in your spirit their voice is known. The voice spoke a very simple message of three words... It's just me. It was the voice of the Holy Spirit.

    Psalms 42
    7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
    8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.



    TO BE CONTINUED...

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Reaper (part 2)

    "As I (and everyone else) turned to see who was speaking, there stood the Grim Reaper towering over the people with the machete held high in his hand."

    I believe this could very well be a vision of the beginning of Christ and His work, as seen through the eyes of those who do not know Him. I think this to be a possibility for several reasons.

    "In the dream, everyone heard the voice of Grim Reaper who stated, "If only you had known my name." It was like he was taunting the people...

    Consider the Psalms if you will.

    Psalm 2
    1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
    2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
    3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
    4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
    5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

    Psalms 37
    13 The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.


    It is the risen Christ that now has the keys of Hell and death.

    Revelation 1
    18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.


    If this were an adversary... a manifestation of the spirit of death, what difference does it make in knowing that it is called death? The Scriptures name this spirit, and I don't believe there to be any power in knowing its name.

    Revelation 6
    7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
    8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.


    "In Revelation, God speaks of the king of the demonic hordes released on mankind and says that his name is Abaddon in the Hebrew, or Apollyon in the Greek."

    True. However, where does this king of the demonic hordes get the authority to do what he does? It is only because God allows this thing to happen in order to fulfill all righteousness. The key in this king of demons possession was given to him. If this thing is from God it cannot be stopped or withstood.

    Revelation 9
    1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.


    There is no power in knowing the name of Abaddon or Apollyon. But there is power in knowing the name that is above all names. The name of Jesus Christ. Many professed Christians claim to know that name. Time will tell.

    TO BE CONTINUED...

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Reaper (part 3)

    As I stated previously, I believe this Grimm Reaper could very well be a vision of the beginning of Christ and His work. Consider the machete...

    The Grimm reaper traditionally carries a scythe not a machete. However like the scythe, the machete was originally created as a tool. In various tropical and subtropical countries, the machete is frequently used to cut through rain forest undergrowth and for agricultural purposes and even household tasks. While both the machete and the scythe have both been used as weapons in the past, only one of these two can be classified as a sword. And figuratively the word of God is a sword.

    Matthew 10
    34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

    Hebrews 4
    12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
    13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.


    "The store erupted in agonizing screams as people ran everywhere looking for cover, but there was no place to hide. This spirit of death marched on after the people and the fear from man was palpable."

    "In any regard, this fear of the Grim Reaper (a spirit of death) was very real in the dream. People were terrified and you could literally feel it."


    There is such a thing as the fear and terror of the Lord. This is the beginning of wisdom.

    Proverbs 9
    10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

    2 Corinthians 5
    11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.


    I'm sure you know as well as I that the fear of the Lord has all but disappeared from the church. It is a rare thing and a gracious blessing to experience this fear. It is a side to God that He only reveals to those that so love Him that they will not leave Him no matter what. When you truly love someone you're willing to accept them for who they are. All of the things that you like about them, and all of the qualities that you could probably live without. It is the same with God. Most never reach the depths and heights of relationship where they begin to experience the terror of the Lord or to know His voice. It's something that is desperately needed as this age draws closer to its end. The days have truly grown dark. Those that seek to save their lives will lose them. Those who are willing to lose their lives for Christ's sake will find them.

    May the Spirit of the Lord be with you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Broken Rhyme,

    Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! I believe that you are right about the voice. It didn't make sense to me why the spirit of death would say, "If only you had known my name" because the only name we need to know is Jesus. I assumed it was the voice of the Grim Reaper because when everyone turned to look, there it stood. Further, it was clear that the people's ignorance in this regard was the cause of them being subject to that spirit.

    It was definitely the Grim Reaper which appeared though. I said "machete" because I thought that was what one looked like, but it was indeed a sickle in its hand.

    Yet, as you say, all authority comes from God and even powers of darkness are limited by His hand. In reflection, I suppose it is similar to Revelation where there are proclamations made in the Heavens before each judgment is released. Demons may be used to carry out the purpose, but it is still God who proclaims the time and seasons.

    At the end of the matter, it all boils down to God and His will, regardless of the vessels used to bring such to pass.

    I have always had a vivid dream life, even before salvation. Yet spiritual dreams are always different. They have every perception of being real (actually happening) and the sensations from such dreams carry over even once you are awake (at least for me). I can still "feel" (for lack of a better word) what was going on in the dream. Like you said, it is critical that we ask God for discernment to know what is from Him versus what is from something else.

    Thank you again for posting your comments. Your input definitely helps to clarify what I saw.

    God Bless & strengthen you always!

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  5. Wow, so it really was a traditional scythe then. That changes a few things... Scythes were originally created for mowing. Later on they began to be used for harvesting. In this instance, there doesn't seem to be a harvest getting ready to take place, but a mowing or cutting down.

    "If only you knew my name."

    Psalms 37
    1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
    2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.


    Interesting that the Law even though fulfilled in Christ Jesus, still stands to condemn those that do not know Him. The Law still brings death and judgment to the unbeliever... regardless as to whether they hang around the courts, or even the sanctuary.

    I should probably add for everyone that this is not a definite interpretation... just a few ideas that I thought interesting. I have a vivid dream life as well.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am doing my best to make it to the meetings Jan 6-8. I will probably make it just by the skin of my teeth but I want to be there because I know I need to be under the power of Christ that will be poured out over all the (mostly but not all I'm sure) men there.

    ReplyDelete

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