Dream - Are You Hiding On The Battlefield?

The Lord gave me a dream this morning after fasting and praying all day yesterday, and in this dream I saw a man who looked like Tom Cruise dressed in all white and he was carrying a white canopy bed on his back while walking through the middle of a battlefield. As he walked through the field he suddenly layed down on the ground and used the bed for a covering, the bedsheets covered him all around so no one could see him hiding underneath. Then the enemy came straight to the bed and started sticking a sword right through the top of the bed frantically trying to kill the man who was hiding underneath it, I could see him cringing in hopes that he would not be stabbed. It was sort of like a horror movie, then one plunge of the sword by the enemy stabbed the man in the leg, and he screamed out in pain, and then blood started to flow out from underneath the bed.

Then the enemy came to the head of the bed, and there laying on the ground was a very ornate gold worked small blade in a crimson scabbard. The enemy said, 'this looks like a very sharp blade', and I got the feeling in the dream that this blade belonged to the man hiding under the bed but he was not using it to fight the enemy. Then the dream switched to something else. -End-

As me and my wife talked about it this morning, she said to me, 'it sounds like a Christian hiding from the enemy and afraid to use the weapon God gave him to fight the enemy'. Instead of using the blade to stand and fight the enemy on the battlefield, the man was hiding underneath the bed in hopes he would not be found and afraid to use the sword of the Spirit against the enemy.

We then thought about David and the scriptures in 1st Samuel 17:40-47

"Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

David wasn't afraid of the giant who came against him with a sword, spear, and a javelin because David had the anointing of God upon him and came against the enemy in the name of the LORD of hosts!!! Haleluah!!! It was the word of God, faith, and one smooth stone in a sling that took down a mighty giant!! How mighty and great is our God!! The battle is His, and we must stand and fight the enemy like David did, he didn't just stand there and wait on the enemy, he ran towards Goliath full of faith and confidence in the Lord!!

I will be praying more about this dream and asking the Lord to show me any time that I may be trying to hide from the enemy and not speaking His word when I should. I pray that the Lord will use me, tell me what to do and correct me when I don't fight the enemy when the battle comes to me.

There is no place to hide from the enemy on this battlefield of faith, the enemy already knows we are there so it's time for all those who are truly in Christ to stand up for truth and His word in confidence knowing that the battle is the Lord's and the victory has already been won!!!!

2nd Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

To God Be The Glory!
Tyrone

What Does It Mean To Be Led By The Spirit?

*** A word for the mature and those with ears to hear ***

Romans 8:14 

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."

It's easy for someone to tell you, 'you must be led by the Spirit', but to live out the scriptures and bring this truth into our reality is something else altogether. So just how are we led by the Spirit? Let's take a look at our perfect example, the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus the Christ.

Matthew 3:11,13-17

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

"Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

The first thing we need to understand is that you can't be led by the Spirit if the Spirit of God is not in you. Jesus who set aside His divinity and humbled Himself becoming a servant of all, gave us the example that we should follow, even though He was God manifested in the flesh, He was baptized by John in the Jordan river to fulfill all righteousness. This righteous act of faith pleased the Father and John was allowed to see Heaven opened and the Spirit of God descending upon Jesus.

Immediately after His baptism, Jesus was LED by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil."

This is the same thing that happens to those who are truly born from above, who have the Spirit indwelling their vessels. They will be tempted, tested, tried, afflicted, chastened, rebuked, sanctified and purified in the refining fires before they are sent out by God. The time in the wilderness is where they receive training and discipline, it's where they come to know their Creator and His voice.

Matthew 4:17

"From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

During the earthly ministry of Jesus He preached the word He received directly from His Father, from the Heavenly throne. Jesus said, "I always DO the things pleasing to Him", (John 8:29)

John 12:49-50

"For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Jesus heard the voice of the Father speaking to Him through the Spirit. Jesus didn't go around quoting only the Law and the Prophets, He spoke the words He received from above which had never been heard by the Pharisees and Jews of His time, this is why they called Him a deceiver. What He spoke they couldn't understand because their minds were carnal and the words Jesus spoke were spirit and life. They had the Law and the Prophets which contained the ten commandments and the rest of the laws of Moses, but Jesus took the physical commandments much further with the spoken word He received directly from the Father.

Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28, 31-32, 33-35, 38-39 , 43-44 

"“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old,‘You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;  nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King."

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

These words of Jesus had not been heard before He spoke them and they were not written down until years after His death, resurrection, and ascension. So how did His disciples manage to remain faithful with only the Law and the Prophets written down? The Holy Spirit!!!

John 14:25-26

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

Jesus was present with the disciples for three and a half years teaching them, imparting knowledge, mysteries of the kingdom, and doing the works of the Father, it would have been impossible for the disciples to remember every single word He spoke and all the things He did during His earthly ministry. This is why they needed a Helper, another Comforter, Teacher, Guide, and Friend, the promised gift of the Father, the Holy Spirit. It was the Spirit of God who would supernaturally remind the disciples of everything that Jesus said.

John 16:12-15

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you."

Does the Spirit have a voice? Has anyone ever heard the Spirit speak to them what He has heard from the throne? Has anyone ever been shown or told what is yet to come? Yes, yes, and yes! He spoke audibly to the disciples in the first century, and He still speaks audibly to those whom God has chosen today!

Mark 13:9-11

“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

The disciples didn't have to worry about what they would speak to rulers and kings, they didn't need a scroll of the Law and the Prophets to recite from, because the Holy Spirit would give them a direct word from God to speak in the same hour! This is being led by the Spirit!

John 10:27

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

Jesus doesn't only speak to us through scriptures, but He said His sheep HEAR HIS VOICE! Those who are truly being led by the Spirit will hear the audible voice of the Lord speaking to them, the same way He spoke to the apostles, prophets, and saints of old.

Hebrews 13:8

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

When Jesus commanded the apostles to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptize them, and teach them EVERYTHING that He commanded them, how do you think that would be possible? Without a scroll? Without anything written down on parchment? The Holy Spirit of God!!!

Hebrews 10:16

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”

These scriptures in Hebrews tell us that God Himself would make a New Covenant, and instead of having physical tablets of stone with the laws engraven on them, God would spiritually put His laws into our hearts and write them in our minds! How, you ask? By His Spirit!!!

2nd Corinthians 3:1-3

"Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

When the apostles were sent out into the world they were not walking around with scrolls of the words of Jesus, the gospels hadn't even been written yet! But the word of God as taught by the WORD Himself was written upon their hearts and minds. After they were empowered by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they were able to impart all the teachings and commands of Christ to those who believed the good news, and they did it all orally!!!

Acts 2:40-42

^"And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (teaching) and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."

Philip the Evangelist was spoken to by an angel of the Lord, and the Spirit, who gave him directions and instructions concerning the Ethiopian eunuch.

Acts 8:26-29

"Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert.  So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”

When Peter had a vision of a new thing God was doing with the Gentile nations, the Spirit spoke audibly to him, telling him what he needed to do.

Acts 10:17-20

"Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

The Holy Spirit reminded Peter of the words of Jesus as he recounted the salvation experience of Cornelius.

Acts 11:15-16

"And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

The Spirit spoke through the prophets and teachers in Antioch.

Acts 13:2

"As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

The Holy Spirit led Paul and Silas during their missionary journey.

Acts 16:6-10

"Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.  After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.  So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them."

Those who have the Spirit of God indwelling them, will be led by Him, comforted by Him, corrected by Him, guided by Him, spoken to by Him, and taught by Him using the scriptures, life experiences, etc... and if there ever comes a day when a Spirit filled believer has no access to a bible, then the Spirit will teach them, and guide them into all truth by revelation, the same way Paul received the gospel!

Galatians 1:11-12

"But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ."

In these last days we need the Spirit more than ever, as the world is being flooded by darkness and the false teachings of man abound. Let us all humble ourselves, crucify the flesh, purify our hearts, and obey the words of Jesus, so that our earthen vessels may be filled to the fullness with the Spirit of the Living God!

In His Love,
Tyrone