"Lord, based on the way things appear, it seems that my prayers are not being answered. I've prayed everything I know to pray in every way I know to pray it. I've fasted and travailed but I can't tell by looking, that you're hearing my prayers. Please show me a sign that you're sending your word to him everywhere he goes, even if you have to use the unsaved or unbelieving, I'm praying that you get his attention as only you can."
These were my thoughts many months ago when my husband and I had divorced yet the Lord was confirming in me, that he was restoring my marriage and that I should continue to war, pray and believe Him.
I was desperately trying to hold on to hope beyond hope, but I found myself in despair when my then ex-husband came to visit our girls. I was doing all I could to stay away from the living room area while he visited with the kids, but then he asked for me to join him on the couch so he could tell me something. These were the times I dreaded because he seemed to want to brag to me about how well he was doing and how blessed he was, etc. but this particular day he started telling me about an incident which had taken place at work.
He was trying to witness to two females, both unsaved, but one was claiming to be an atheist. He was giving them all he had to try to convince them to try Jesus when the atheist (who knew the scriptures), began to challenge him about being divorced! She called him a hypocrite and told him we "Christians" want everybody else to uphold godly standards while we make excuses for disobeying the word of God ourselves. She knew the justifiable reason for divorce and that his excuse was not acceptable!
As he told me this story, I found myself fighting the tears...I knew then that God was hearing and answering my prayers even thought it did not appear that way, and He caused my "ex" to come and share this story with me without even knowing that he was giving me more confirmation of the goodness and faithfulness of God...
Even when I may not see it right in front of me, I know God hears me, therefore, I no longer entertain the possibility of an UNANSWERED PRAYER!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
DESTINY'S WAY
JUST DO IT! All we kept hearing the Lord say was, "Just do it!"
Do What? Step out on faith, be still and know that I Am God!
There's a way to do all things. No matter what needs to be done, there's a way to do it. Experience, wisdom, revelation and knowledge can get us to a place of completion no matter the task at hand if we're willing to follow the steps which lead to the end of the road we are on.
I can do things my way and get it done. You can do things your way and get it done or we can study the way someone else did a thing and get it done that way, but when it comes to the expected end which God has ordained for His people, there's only one way to go. I like to call that Destiny's Way!
Destiny's Way takes faith...it may take mustard seed faith or BIG faith, but it takes faith all the same. Despite the circumstances, regardless of the stumbling blocks and instead of what appears to be Giants in the land, KNOW THIS...There has never been a giant bigger than the Lord's standard. Have you ever wondered why God said He would RAISE a standard against the enemy? I believe it is because there is no giant higher than the standard which God will raise for you.
No matter how high the risk, God will RAISE HIS STANDARD...
No matter how high the cost, God will RAISE HIS STANDARD...
No matter how high the probability of failure may seem to be, God will RAISE HIS STANDARD against it and cause you to prevail. How much more the glory will He receive, when He shows Himself mighty on your behalf.
Destiny's Way takes determination. Have you ever thought hard about something you really desired in life and purposed to see it through to fruition? Have you ever said, I will not settle for anything less? In doing so, you have set a standard. You've claimed a certain territory and won't settle for less. The Lord doesn't intend for us to settle or lower our standards. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord will RAISE A STANDARD against him! That standard will pave the way to your destiny or expected end.
Never, ever, settle! Never, ever lower your standard, but instead trust and believe God to give you victory in the elevation or raising of His standard.
As we embark upon a new level of destiny in our walk of faith; one that will launch us into business ownership, it's challenging to step out of our comfort zone and just do it, as the Lord has spoken, but we walk by faith and not by sight. It would have been easier to stay under the employment umbrella as an employee for someone else who one day stepped out on faith and went for it, but would we ever know what God would do with our faith if we never put it into action? We understand that this is a time and a season when we have but one option; that is to step out of the boat and Just do it!
It's not about doing it my way, your way or any other way, but it's FAITH ALL THE WAY...DESTINY'S WAY!
Do What? Step out on faith, be still and know that I Am God!
There's a way to do all things. No matter what needs to be done, there's a way to do it. Experience, wisdom, revelation and knowledge can get us to a place of completion no matter the task at hand if we're willing to follow the steps which lead to the end of the road we are on.
I can do things my way and get it done. You can do things your way and get it done or we can study the way someone else did a thing and get it done that way, but when it comes to the expected end which God has ordained for His people, there's only one way to go. I like to call that Destiny's Way!
Destiny's Way takes faith...it may take mustard seed faith or BIG faith, but it takes faith all the same. Despite the circumstances, regardless of the stumbling blocks and instead of what appears to be Giants in the land, KNOW THIS...There has never been a giant bigger than the Lord's standard. Have you ever wondered why God said He would RAISE a standard against the enemy? I believe it is because there is no giant higher than the standard which God will raise for you.
No matter how high the risk, God will RAISE HIS STANDARD...
No matter how high the cost, God will RAISE HIS STANDARD...
No matter how high the probability of failure may seem to be, God will RAISE HIS STANDARD against it and cause you to prevail. How much more the glory will He receive, when He shows Himself mighty on your behalf.
Destiny's Way takes determination. Have you ever thought hard about something you really desired in life and purposed to see it through to fruition? Have you ever said, I will not settle for anything less? In doing so, you have set a standard. You've claimed a certain territory and won't settle for less. The Lord doesn't intend for us to settle or lower our standards. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord will RAISE A STANDARD against him! That standard will pave the way to your destiny or expected end.
Never, ever, settle! Never, ever lower your standard, but instead trust and believe God to give you victory in the elevation or raising of His standard.
As we embark upon a new level of destiny in our walk of faith; one that will launch us into business ownership, it's challenging to step out of our comfort zone and just do it, as the Lord has spoken, but we walk by faith and not by sight. It would have been easier to stay under the employment umbrella as an employee for someone else who one day stepped out on faith and went for it, but would we ever know what God would do with our faith if we never put it into action? We understand that this is a time and a season when we have but one option; that is to step out of the boat and Just do it!
It's not about doing it my way, your way or any other way, but it's FAITH ALL THE WAY...DESTINY'S WAY!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
ARE WE THERE YET?
What the enemy means for evil, God will turn around for your good. Not long ago I found myself facing the unthinkable. No one could have convinced me in a million decades that I would face a tougher time in my Christian walk. I thought I would literally crawl out of my skin. I wanted to run and hide and even throw in the towel on my faith in God. For a moment I was willing to dismiss all the great and wonderful ways He has shown Himself mighty in my life. Yes, He has restored my marriage just as He said He would. My husband confirms his love for me daily. All glory be to God. But, with this new thing I was angry all over again, almost in despair; I cried and wrestled with unbelief. I was about to tell God what I was going to do instead of asking Him for His grace to help in yet another time of need. My circumstance was heavy upon me and then I remembered three things...
1. What the devil means for evil, God will turn around for your good; while thinking, "I don't want a turn around."
2. There's nothing too hard for God. "No, but this is too hard for me," I said.
3. He will not put more on you than you can bear. My thought was, "Really? God, what more? This has to be the one that takes me down!"
Then I heard a minister say, "The devil wants you to quit! He wants you to give up. But God has prepared you for a comeback!"
Just when the enemy had me down lower than I could go, I could feel the standard of the Lord being raised against him. All of a sudden the peace which surpasses all understanding, came over me. I almost wanted to fight it off because I wasn't finished with being angry. I wasn't finished with being hurt. I wasn't finished with the idea of vengeance even.
My next level of prophecy and fulfillment of yet another promise of God hanging in the balance, I heard the still small voice say, "Are we there yet?"
The answer from my spirit was a resounding, NO! I knew I had not yet obtained every key to every door which would unlock the will of God for my life in every area, so ultimately I had not arrived at my expected end.
The Lord says, "I know the thoughts which I think toward you. Plans for good and not for evil, to give you an expected end." Well, I did not expect this place where I found myself. This could not be the expected end the Lord was talking about, but it seemed too devastating to take the next step...
But I remembered Joseph again...Potipher's wife having his garment in her hand after she had tried to seduce him and he ran away, yet she lied and he ultimately ended up in prison. I'm sure Joseph wondered why and he might have wanted to throw in the towel, but Joseph continued to serve the Lord. He found favor even in the prison. Joseph maintained godly conduct no matter the obstacles placed before him and he came out victorious at his expected end; even with a heart of thanksgiving and forgiveness toward those who had wronged him. What a COMEBACK from a pit, What a COMEBACK from prison! Joseph became a better man as he allowed the character of Christ to upstage the adversities he faced. As I remembered Joseph, I began to rise up.
Now I choose to look at the needs of another, recognizing and pulling down the strongholds and not tearing away at the flesh of the person who has wronged me or those I love. I choose to seek the Lord for the deliverance of one in need instead of running away and forfeiting yet another victory which the Lord has promised. I give myself over to grace once again, understanding that the prize will be that much greater. I'm not there yet, but I am here under the shadow of His wings where there is mercy and grace and peace...
The minister said, God has prepared you for a comeback. Therefore, I have come back to my first love. I have layed aside the heavy weight and I relish in the thought of my next testimony of His goodness.
When all hope is lost and you're faced with despair and anguish remember Joseph; remember your destiny. How great is the promise the Lord has made for you? How far will you have to go to obtain it? What must you endure? Great promise will come with great sacrifice. I know my promise is great, therefore my sacrifice and trials have come with great price. What gives me peace is knowing that my God is greater! No matter the circumstance, He is traveling with me and even carrying me through the tough times.
If you're growing weary in well-doing ask yourself what He has promised you. Look at where you are. Does it look anything like the promise? Come back and line up with your destiny again! Recall the victories in your past and remember the price you paid to see those things come to fruition. This thing that you're going through is just another one of those times, but of greater magnitude because of the next level of promise you must reach. You don't have far to go, but each level will require a little more of you. It will stretch your faith beyond comprehension, but you must know that you will reap in due season, if you faint not!
Now is not the time for fainting, but for anticipating that resounding answer from the Lord...If you have quit prematurely, get up! It's the devil who wants you to quit, but the heavenly hosts are in your cheering section, shouting GET UP!
When the Lord shook me and caused me to confront my own faith, I answered No, when He said, "Are we there yet?" Then I realized He was letting me know that He's still in this with me. He said are "WE" there yet? He didn't say, are "YOU" there yet?
Joseph obtained the prize, because he grew with each trial and every tribulation. Are you there yet, where Joseph was? Are you growing? Are you able to forgive? Joseph confessed that it was the Lord Who allowed those trials in His life to prepare him for what He had for him, "A COMEBACK!" He did not quit, he acknowledged God. He knew there was a "WE" everywhere he went. The Lord was in His rightful place with Joseph. Even though Joseph could not see Him there, I believe His presence had to be very real to him by faith.
Believe God and give Him His rightful place with you. He should be steering, leading and guiding. He's not your co-pilot. He's the one flying the plane. That's not cliche, it's truth! When you're about to throw in the towel, remember He's there with you and the journey is not over. The Lord does not look down at us and say to us, "Are you there yet?" Instead, He suits up, gets in the battle with us and in our weakness He nudges us a little bit further. In the natural, I heard the television minister say, "It's time for a comeback!" In my spirit, there was a still small voice saying, "Are 'WE' there yet?"
1. What the devil means for evil, God will turn around for your good; while thinking, "I don't want a turn around."
2. There's nothing too hard for God. "No, but this is too hard for me," I said.
3. He will not put more on you than you can bear. My thought was, "Really? God, what more? This has to be the one that takes me down!"
Then I heard a minister say, "The devil wants you to quit! He wants you to give up. But God has prepared you for a comeback!"
Just when the enemy had me down lower than I could go, I could feel the standard of the Lord being raised against him. All of a sudden the peace which surpasses all understanding, came over me. I almost wanted to fight it off because I wasn't finished with being angry. I wasn't finished with being hurt. I wasn't finished with the idea of vengeance even.
My next level of prophecy and fulfillment of yet another promise of God hanging in the balance, I heard the still small voice say, "Are we there yet?"
The answer from my spirit was a resounding, NO! I knew I had not yet obtained every key to every door which would unlock the will of God for my life in every area, so ultimately I had not arrived at my expected end.
The Lord says, "I know the thoughts which I think toward you. Plans for good and not for evil, to give you an expected end." Well, I did not expect this place where I found myself. This could not be the expected end the Lord was talking about, but it seemed too devastating to take the next step...
But I remembered Joseph again...Potipher's wife having his garment in her hand after she had tried to seduce him and he ran away, yet she lied and he ultimately ended up in prison. I'm sure Joseph wondered why and he might have wanted to throw in the towel, but Joseph continued to serve the Lord. He found favor even in the prison. Joseph maintained godly conduct no matter the obstacles placed before him and he came out victorious at his expected end; even with a heart of thanksgiving and forgiveness toward those who had wronged him. What a COMEBACK from a pit, What a COMEBACK from prison! Joseph became a better man as he allowed the character of Christ to upstage the adversities he faced. As I remembered Joseph, I began to rise up.
Now I choose to look at the needs of another, recognizing and pulling down the strongholds and not tearing away at the flesh of the person who has wronged me or those I love. I choose to seek the Lord for the deliverance of one in need instead of running away and forfeiting yet another victory which the Lord has promised. I give myself over to grace once again, understanding that the prize will be that much greater. I'm not there yet, but I am here under the shadow of His wings where there is mercy and grace and peace...
The minister said, God has prepared you for a comeback. Therefore, I have come back to my first love. I have layed aside the heavy weight and I relish in the thought of my next testimony of His goodness.
When all hope is lost and you're faced with despair and anguish remember Joseph; remember your destiny. How great is the promise the Lord has made for you? How far will you have to go to obtain it? What must you endure? Great promise will come with great sacrifice. I know my promise is great, therefore my sacrifice and trials have come with great price. What gives me peace is knowing that my God is greater! No matter the circumstance, He is traveling with me and even carrying me through the tough times.
If you're growing weary in well-doing ask yourself what He has promised you. Look at where you are. Does it look anything like the promise? Come back and line up with your destiny again! Recall the victories in your past and remember the price you paid to see those things come to fruition. This thing that you're going through is just another one of those times, but of greater magnitude because of the next level of promise you must reach. You don't have far to go, but each level will require a little more of you. It will stretch your faith beyond comprehension, but you must know that you will reap in due season, if you faint not!
Now is not the time for fainting, but for anticipating that resounding answer from the Lord...If you have quit prematurely, get up! It's the devil who wants you to quit, but the heavenly hosts are in your cheering section, shouting GET UP!
When the Lord shook me and caused me to confront my own faith, I answered No, when He said, "Are we there yet?" Then I realized He was letting me know that He's still in this with me. He said are "WE" there yet? He didn't say, are "YOU" there yet?
Joseph obtained the prize, because he grew with each trial and every tribulation. Are you there yet, where Joseph was? Are you growing? Are you able to forgive? Joseph confessed that it was the Lord Who allowed those trials in His life to prepare him for what He had for him, "A COMEBACK!" He did not quit, he acknowledged God. He knew there was a "WE" everywhere he went. The Lord was in His rightful place with Joseph. Even though Joseph could not see Him there, I believe His presence had to be very real to him by faith.
Believe God and give Him His rightful place with you. He should be steering, leading and guiding. He's not your co-pilot. He's the one flying the plane. That's not cliche, it's truth! When you're about to throw in the towel, remember He's there with you and the journey is not over. The Lord does not look down at us and say to us, "Are you there yet?" Instead, He suits up, gets in the battle with us and in our weakness He nudges us a little bit further. In the natural, I heard the television minister say, "It's time for a comeback!" In my spirit, there was a still small voice saying, "Are 'WE' there yet?"
Sunday, April 4, 2010
WHAT'S IN A DREAM?
What's in a dream?
In my dreams, usually are answers to prayers or warnings of things to come. Sometimes there are things that I need to pray for and then there are things to pray against. I have learned that the Lord has His way of revealing those things to me up front and as I stated before, it's usually in a dream. I see it as His way of keeping me aware of satan's devices.
My husband and I have been called to the ministry of counseling. There are many couples who are in need of help in their marriage. Some need hope to continue on, some need help to get started, while others still just need to know how to work through minor bumps in the road. We are always willing to help those in need, but because of this willingness to help, we can sometimes place ourselves in harms way.
Therefore, I admonish you today to acknowledge Him in all your ways and He shall direct your path. Always be alert and listening for the Lord to lead and to guide. Even though our intentions are good, the enemy will try to filter something into our lives through unguarded territories! Always, always keep yourself and your family guarded against the attacks of the enemy. I admonish you even further to pray without ceasing and listen attentively.
"Beward of those who would come alone." This is the word that was spoken to my spirit immediately when our pastor released us to counsel. This means that not everyone who says they need counseling, is actually in need of it, and just because we are counselors it doesn't mean that we must counsel all who come along. The Lord will not have us ignorant of satan's devices and I am convinced that He intervened for our good to prevent us from stepping into the trap the enemy had devised for us to fall into.
The Lord revealed something to me several weeks ago...
My husband and I had not been counseling couples very long when we received another counselee name and number. There was already a "red flag" or warning that there might be some challenge with this one, so we prayed together for the wisdom of God and we asked the Lord to reveal to us anything that would present itself as a hindrance.
Almost immediately, the Lord showed up in a way that had become familiar to me. If you have read any of my previous posts, you'll see a similar pattern of the Lord revealing things to me in my dreams. Because of this I did not take lightly what I saw after my initial contact with the counselee. It brought the Lord's warning back to me and I proceeded with caution.
There were strange occurances which I cannot put into words, from difficulty getting the call to go through, to calls being dropped "and we were not using cell phones". Later, when my husband and I conversed and he asked his usual question, "Dee, what's your gut on this one?" I told him I wasn't so sure about this one and I shared what the Lord had warned me about "those who would come alone".
We understand that there will be times when a marriage is in trouble and only one of the parties will be willing to receive counsel. This in itself is not a "red flag" or need for caution. But, when the Lord reveals, there's only one option-FOLLOW HIM!
This was one of those times when I had to beware "as the Lord warned", and I knew that, so my husband and I prayed for the Lord to have His way, intending to proceed unless the Lord intervened, and intervene, He did!
The dream brought it all home. In the same night I had 2 different dreams of tornadoes coming toward my husband and me. We were in the direct path for destruction but, the interesting thing was in the second dream. The tornado which was coming for us, was gliding gently across the water and as it drew near I could see that it was being guided by a woman. If you can imagine the body of a woman in a classy business suit, hair pulled back in a bun, arms by her side, gliding upward into the sky, yet the hem of her skirt was the start of the tornado. It was as if the tornado was attached to her. I won't get too deep with this one. There were other symbols and indicators of the intent of destruction in this dream, but it's too detailed for a blog post.
I shared these dreams with my husband the following morning and sought counsel from a trusted, female friend of mine who confirmed what I was already certain of. The dream was definitely a prophetic warning from the Lord. We canceled the pending session and referred the couple back to our church leadership.
I do not intend to convey that the counselee had ill intentions of wreaking havoc in my marriage, but that this was an assignment from the enemy, even if it was without the counselee's knowledge. Sometimes when people still need to be set free from some personal strongholds, they may need help in one area, but are carrying debris from another. While this person may have interpreted the circumstance as a need for marital counseling, the Lord was revealing that the stronghold cannot be counseled. It needed to be dealt with in a totally different way.
We've probably all heard the expression, you can run but you can't hide. You can't get away from what you're carrying inside of you. We have to learn to interpret what our "small foxes" are and be willing to lay aside that dead weight. Otherwise those small foxes can serve as conduits for the enemy to wiggle into our lives. Even if counseling is needed for the marriage, the first priority here was not the marriage but the personal baggage.
The enemy tried to come into my home disguised as an innocent counseling session and I can only imagine what he was trying to deposit. Whatever stronghold was attached to this person, wanted access into my home. Had it not been for the Lord, he would have had an open invitation. Many times we are unsuspecting and we leave our territory unguarded, but know this; THE DEVIL DOES NOT RELENT! Wherever there's an open door, he will come in. I know from first hand experience to heed the warnings of God no matter what. In this, He just proved Himself to me, once again! Did I think that the person might be disappointed? Yes! But God! Did I consider the possibility of the couple really needing some help? Yes! But God! Did I consider that we have power and authority over the enemy? Yes! But the Lord had another plan that did not include counseling in marriage.
Know your calling and let others minister in theirs. God will not have us ignorant of satan's devices. We opted out of this counseling opportunity and referred the person back to our leaders. This was a directive from the Lord. We did not need to analyze it!
When God says stop, you apply the breaks, trust that He knows best and believe that He is raising the standard against the enemy. In this situation, the Lord was protecting me and my household from a spirit of destruction and I trust God enough to know that if the counselee had a genuine need, He would see to it that the need was met in another way, but this one was not my fight!
When you dream. Ask yourself, is God speaking to me? Even if you don't know signs and symbols you can begin to learn the meanings behind them. I haven't always known signs and symbols, but I started to dig a while ago and the Lord led me down the paths which provided the answers I was seeking. I understand now how to look for clues and what things apply to me. I know that all things are not from the Lord and I can toss those things aside, but I know which things to toss and which things to keep. I encourage you to seek and find. Research and get understanding. You might be missing out on some vital information but you can start fresh even today. There are materials available to assist you with gaining trust in the fact that the Lord really does speak to His people.
There are a couple of books mentioned on this site which I encourage you to consider, but more than that, begin to pray and ask the Lord to reveal His will for your life and ask Him if He speaks to you through dreams. If He does, then you too can get understanding and know what's in a dream...
In my dreams, usually are answers to prayers or warnings of things to come. Sometimes there are things that I need to pray for and then there are things to pray against. I have learned that the Lord has His way of revealing those things to me up front and as I stated before, it's usually in a dream. I see it as His way of keeping me aware of satan's devices.
My husband and I have been called to the ministry of counseling. There are many couples who are in need of help in their marriage. Some need hope to continue on, some need help to get started, while others still just need to know how to work through minor bumps in the road. We are always willing to help those in need, but because of this willingness to help, we can sometimes place ourselves in harms way.
Therefore, I admonish you today to acknowledge Him in all your ways and He shall direct your path. Always be alert and listening for the Lord to lead and to guide. Even though our intentions are good, the enemy will try to filter something into our lives through unguarded territories! Always, always keep yourself and your family guarded against the attacks of the enemy. I admonish you even further to pray without ceasing and listen attentively.
"Beward of those who would come alone." This is the word that was spoken to my spirit immediately when our pastor released us to counsel. This means that not everyone who says they need counseling, is actually in need of it, and just because we are counselors it doesn't mean that we must counsel all who come along. The Lord will not have us ignorant of satan's devices and I am convinced that He intervened for our good to prevent us from stepping into the trap the enemy had devised for us to fall into.
The Lord revealed something to me several weeks ago...
My husband and I had not been counseling couples very long when we received another counselee name and number. There was already a "red flag" or warning that there might be some challenge with this one, so we prayed together for the wisdom of God and we asked the Lord to reveal to us anything that would present itself as a hindrance.
Almost immediately, the Lord showed up in a way that had become familiar to me. If you have read any of my previous posts, you'll see a similar pattern of the Lord revealing things to me in my dreams. Because of this I did not take lightly what I saw after my initial contact with the counselee. It brought the Lord's warning back to me and I proceeded with caution.
There were strange occurances which I cannot put into words, from difficulty getting the call to go through, to calls being dropped "and we were not using cell phones". Later, when my husband and I conversed and he asked his usual question, "Dee, what's your gut on this one?" I told him I wasn't so sure about this one and I shared what the Lord had warned me about "those who would come alone".
We understand that there will be times when a marriage is in trouble and only one of the parties will be willing to receive counsel. This in itself is not a "red flag" or need for caution. But, when the Lord reveals, there's only one option-FOLLOW HIM!
This was one of those times when I had to beware "as the Lord warned", and I knew that, so my husband and I prayed for the Lord to have His way, intending to proceed unless the Lord intervened, and intervene, He did!
The dream brought it all home. In the same night I had 2 different dreams of tornadoes coming toward my husband and me. We were in the direct path for destruction but, the interesting thing was in the second dream. The tornado which was coming for us, was gliding gently across the water and as it drew near I could see that it was being guided by a woman. If you can imagine the body of a woman in a classy business suit, hair pulled back in a bun, arms by her side, gliding upward into the sky, yet the hem of her skirt was the start of the tornado. It was as if the tornado was attached to her. I won't get too deep with this one. There were other symbols and indicators of the intent of destruction in this dream, but it's too detailed for a blog post.
I shared these dreams with my husband the following morning and sought counsel from a trusted, female friend of mine who confirmed what I was already certain of. The dream was definitely a prophetic warning from the Lord. We canceled the pending session and referred the couple back to our church leadership.
I do not intend to convey that the counselee had ill intentions of wreaking havoc in my marriage, but that this was an assignment from the enemy, even if it was without the counselee's knowledge. Sometimes when people still need to be set free from some personal strongholds, they may need help in one area, but are carrying debris from another. While this person may have interpreted the circumstance as a need for marital counseling, the Lord was revealing that the stronghold cannot be counseled. It needed to be dealt with in a totally different way.
We've probably all heard the expression, you can run but you can't hide. You can't get away from what you're carrying inside of you. We have to learn to interpret what our "small foxes" are and be willing to lay aside that dead weight. Otherwise those small foxes can serve as conduits for the enemy to wiggle into our lives. Even if counseling is needed for the marriage, the first priority here was not the marriage but the personal baggage.
The enemy tried to come into my home disguised as an innocent counseling session and I can only imagine what he was trying to deposit. Whatever stronghold was attached to this person, wanted access into my home. Had it not been for the Lord, he would have had an open invitation. Many times we are unsuspecting and we leave our territory unguarded, but know this; THE DEVIL DOES NOT RELENT! Wherever there's an open door, he will come in. I know from first hand experience to heed the warnings of God no matter what. In this, He just proved Himself to me, once again! Did I think that the person might be disappointed? Yes! But God! Did I consider the possibility of the couple really needing some help? Yes! But God! Did I consider that we have power and authority over the enemy? Yes! But the Lord had another plan that did not include counseling in marriage.
Know your calling and let others minister in theirs. God will not have us ignorant of satan's devices. We opted out of this counseling opportunity and referred the person back to our leaders. This was a directive from the Lord. We did not need to analyze it!
When God says stop, you apply the breaks, trust that He knows best and believe that He is raising the standard against the enemy. In this situation, the Lord was protecting me and my household from a spirit of destruction and I trust God enough to know that if the counselee had a genuine need, He would see to it that the need was met in another way, but this one was not my fight!
When you dream. Ask yourself, is God speaking to me? Even if you don't know signs and symbols you can begin to learn the meanings behind them. I haven't always known signs and symbols, but I started to dig a while ago and the Lord led me down the paths which provided the answers I was seeking. I understand now how to look for clues and what things apply to me. I know that all things are not from the Lord and I can toss those things aside, but I know which things to toss and which things to keep. I encourage you to seek and find. Research and get understanding. You might be missing out on some vital information but you can start fresh even today. There are materials available to assist you with gaining trust in the fact that the Lord really does speak to His people.
There are a couple of books mentioned on this site which I encourage you to consider, but more than that, begin to pray and ask the Lord to reveal His will for your life and ask Him if He speaks to you through dreams. If He does, then you too can get understanding and know what's in a dream...
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