We see God speaking to his people through dreams often in the Bible. We learn about the God-given dreams Joseph had regarding his future as a ruler in Egypt. Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams telling of the future of his kingdom.
Does God still speak to his people through dreams? I would say yes. I personally have had several dreams that were from God. At the time I didn’t realize these dreams were from God. Now, I can look back and see how the Lord was speaking to me through these dreams.
Are all dreams from God? No. There are definitely times when the enemy also uses dream manipulation in an attempt to convey his message, and ultimately control people. Other dreams may just be our minds working things out while we sleep. Learning to distinguish between the three is important so we don’t mistake a dream from the enemy for a dream from the Lord.
My Dream
Last night I had a dream I believe was from the Lord. Why? Because as I was waking up from this dream, the Lord started using Scripture to show me the lesson he was wanting to teach me. I will tell you the dream first.
I had a dream that I was doing ministry with some people. They were my good friends. One guy was really good friends with me. He was really dynamic in his preaching. He definitely had a gift. With him were two others, and I knew all three of these guys came from a difficult past.
Suddenly, I was taken back in time to when he and the two other friends were members of a cult. I was sent there by the Lord to go undercover and rescue them. I first had to become a member of the cult. Then I had to gain the trust of the leaders so that I could gain access to my friends. Friends who didn’t yet know who I was. As part of my undercover mission I had to assume the role of believing whatever the cult leaders taught, all the while keeping myself grounded in the truth.
One day we were sitting in the big group meeting and the leaders were spewing all sorts of crazy talk. It was all nonsense and lies and it really bothered my spirit. However, I recall having a part of me fighting really hard because that part wanted to believe what they were saying was true. After all, cults are all about mind control. I had to keep my mind focused on Jesus. At the end of this talk, I got up and walked out into the hall. I needed a minute to gather my composure.
However, as I walked out the door I passed the leader who had just spoken. I looked them in the eye and said, “You know this is all a bunch of mumbo jumbo, right?” When I said this I could hear the demons start screeching. These demons were mostly in the room and surrounded the leader. The person didn’t actually respond to me. They just stood there and stared at me blankly.
I walked outside and the Holy Spirit reminded me why I was there. Visions of my friends preaching and free of the bondage from this cult came to my mind. I knew I had to go back and do whatever I needed to to get back into the good graces of the leader. I walked back in and found her. It looked like she had been crying. I walked up and said I was sorry. Again, she looked at me with a blank look. I got the feeling that she didn’t even recall what I said, but I wasn’t sure.
After I apologized I knew things were all good again, and I was back in. I knew I had to just lay low and find a way to connect to my friends. I knew they would get freedom. Why did I know this? I knew this because I was really from the future and in that time I was good friends with them. I had to remember my love for them, and endure whatever was necessary to get them out. Because I knew the future, I had complete confidence in the task before me.
The Lesson
As I was waking up from this dream the Lord started speaking to me. He was telling me that we are all undercover operatives for his kingdom. Our job is to go in and be instruments to rescue people out of the mind-controlling enemy, and allow them to experience the freedom of serving the one true God. I was reminded of the verses in Jude 1:22-23 (ESV), “And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” Just like I was sent to the past to snatch my friends out of the grasp of this cult, so we are to be instruments to snatch people out of the grasp of the mind-controlling enemy.
In a way we are from the future. At least we can know what the future holds for humanity. We know that for those who surrender their lives to Jesus, eternal life and freedom waits for them. We also know that for those who reject Jesus, eternal death and bondage is waiting for them.
Furthermore, we also know that we don’t have to wait for our physical bodies to die to experience either eternal life and freedom, or death and bondage. Jesus tells us in John 17:3 (ESV), “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
We get to experience eternal life here and now by knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ who was sent.
How to go Undercover
We are free to become undercover agents for the kingdom of God. We can be educated in the philosophy of the world and learn how to shed the light on the lies and direct people to the philosophy of Jesus. I believe it is important for us to know what the agenda of the enemy is so we can learn how to combat that agenda with truth. How can we fight things we choose to run away from?
Ephesians 6:12 (ESV) tells us exactly who and what we are fighting, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
You can be sure Satan is educated on the plans of the Lord (at least as educated as he can be). He knows what the Bible says and works really hard to fight against what the Lord has said will happen. He even tries to speed things up sometimes. Think about times when Satan has worked overtime to set up his kingdom. Don’t you think he knows that there will be a time when he will get to say he is god? He knows what Revelation says better than many Christ followers.
Why should it be any different for the followers of Jesus? Shouldn’t we learn the ways Satan wants to attempt to control the world and fight? For far too long Christians have just stuck their heads in the sand and said, “Well, the world is just going to get worse, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m just waiting for Jesus to take me home.” What a defeatist statement. Did Jesus die on the cross so we can live a defeated life? NO!!!! In fact in Romans we are told we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). We can’t be both defeated and more than conquerors at the same time. You are one or the other.
It’s time we take our rightful places in this world. We are children of God Most High. You and I are on the side that has already won. We don’t have to wait for Jesus to win. He already did. He won the moment he rose from the dead. Satan is a defeated foe. Sure he tries to convince us that he still has power, but he doesn’t. He only has as much power as we allow him to have.
When we get our heads straight and realize we are in fact more than conquerors, we can stand up to Satan the Bully and put him in his rightful place. Where is that? Romans 16:20 (ESV), “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” Satan belongs under your feet! Do you believe it? Then start acting like you believe it.
Look for those people God has placed around you that no longer belong in the bondage of Satan. Go undercover and seek the Holy Spirit for how to snatch them out of the kingdom of darkness and place them in the kingdom of God. Remember what the future holds — greatness and freedom.
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