As I journey further down the road of living out being a disciple like in the days of Acts, I get intrigued watching how my faith grows, how doubts enter and how God enters to encourage me and build me up along.
I’ve grown to really love this Scripture I stumbled across. As I dive deeper into understanding God, I have been able to use it to help me stand strong against others who say God doesn’t speak to us in these ways today. God has shown me how He’s spoken to me all throughout my life to teach me, encourage me, explain things to me, to build my faith, and communicate what He desires me to know. I’m grateful that He has aroused me to see how He has always done this in my life and continues to allow me to notice His activity today in my life.
“. . . I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” ~ Joel 2:27
Dream To Teach of Spiritual Warfare
One of the first dreams I remember is a recurring dream when I was younger that was used to teach me about spiritual warfare. I would have terrifying dreams of ghoulish entities that were trying to break into my home while I ran around making sure all the doors were locked and windows were shut tight . . . they could NEVER come in. I hated these dreams. I was tormented by them constantly. No one around me understood them. They also didn’t believe in, or perhaps contemplate, the reality of God speaking to us through dreams. Therefore, I was told these were nightmares because I had watched something scary or had eaten something that bothered me. I have come to view this as the worldly explanation given to me. Many years later God enlightened me and explained what was really happening. God revealed to me that I was shown in my dream the spiritual battle that was trying to come after me, after us. He assured me that I was being shown that my home was secure. There was no access that the enemy could break in by. I was God’s and the evil one could not have me. These experiences left feelings deep within me that still stick with me today. Often when warfare activity is present I can sense it in a similar manner. I just know, that I know, that I know. Because of this experience, I am a prayer warrior for our family, our kids, our grandkids.
Dream To Build Faith Stronger
At different times in this new journey into healing and deliverance I have come up against strong doubts. Doubts that I was given authority by Jesus to do what He asked of the original disciples in Acts. Doubts that I would be able to deliver anyone. Doubts that I would know what to do in the moment that I found my self in. Doubts that the enemy would listen to me. At the depth in this valley, I had a dream. The dream was of a creature that looked similar, yet vastly different from our yellow lab Nala. She stood before me and behind her was a tall bookcase full of colorful books displayed in vivid color. As the creature stood before me on a stage, I was looking intently into her deep black piercing eyes. I could sense the presence of evil, I felt it all over me and I KNEW a demonic presence was there. I immediately began addressing the entity that I could sense, but not physically see. I began giving commands, “Come out! Be Silent! Leave now! in the name of Jesus.” The creature went limp and gently curled into a lump on the floor. I awoke and remember thinking, “I could tell it was there. I knew what to say. The demonic presence listened. I need not fear. I will be able to deliver anyone from the hands of the enemy when God brings them to me.” My faith was built stronger by this dream.
Dream To Encourage, Build, Correct and Teach — Don’t Doubt Denise
Erroneously, I thought that I would wrestle less with doubts the further down this path of healing. I didn’t think about the fact that the deeper I go into this calling the enemy will fight against me and throw all kinds of questions and criticism my way, trying to deter me. During these years, I have been allowed to be a vessel that God heals through. I have experienced God removing pain from a girlfriends arm as I prayed for her and it entered into my arm. As I prayed for a man to commission him on mission, I felt God’s presence and He healed his knee that had pain for 15 years that I knew nothing about when I laid my hand on his knee and prayed for him. As I prayed for a young woman’s elbow that had been hurting from possible dislocation, I prayed and the pain left, her eyes went wide in amazement. My husband woke up with his back in extreme pain, I laid hands on his back, prayed and the pain decreased from level 8 to 2. Even though I have personally witnessed people get healed through my hands and my prayers, I still wrestle with doubts as I live among those who doubt this happens today. I was in a really dark place recently saying, “God doesn’t really want to use me this way. This isn’t for everyone, especially me. If God desired me to do this I wouldn’t have fear of stepping out in faith, fear of looking weird to others, fear of making those around me uncomfortable as I pray for strangers . . . I would just step out courageously on fire and pray for anyone and everyone I see that is ailing.” I was ready to walk away from the four years God had opened up to me through this adventure. All of a sudden, I had a dream. There was a man’s face that looked to have light green tree moss growing all over it, Lichen. As I came to him, I laid my hands on his face and prayed for healing. His face healed and the texture that resulted was soft, smooth skin. Everyone around us was cheering and excited. Chanting my name. I corrected all of them and said, “Why are you speaking like this? This is not of me. This is of God. The kingdom of God has come near. Praise His name He has healed this mans face.” I woke up feeling my faith had just received a booster shot. My faith was increased and I was encouraged to continue on the path He had awakened me to. The thoughts flooding my mind were now, “Why do you doubt this is for you to do?” This was the beginning of me coming out of this time of doubting. I was exhorted to believe what God was calling me to.
Visions — Not Yet
I have yet to have visions like a movie playing out before my eyes while I’m awake. One day I hope I will be able to write about that and share this type of encounter with God.
Prophesying By Images or Words From Name
In regards to prophesying, the typical way I receive these words from God is through a picture or image that is placed within my thoughts. As I see the image, I begin to ask God questions about what I see and what He wants to say. That is when I receive the words God wants to speak. God has always spoke to me like this, I just never really knew what was happening . . . I had not been given any words to explain what was going on. I had no grid to explain it. By understanding how He speaks to me I have been empowered to hear from Him more easily. I can be like a watchman and look for where God is going to speak. One other way I have come to hear Him speak to me is when I ask Him to give me special words for each letter in a person’s name. As I look at a person’s name in my quiet time, I ask what the Lord would like to say to this person through their name. Then I sit, waiting until I receive pictures or words for each letter and then I ask Him what He would like to share about that image or word. The communication flows from there. I must say I’m usually timid that I have heard accurately. I often share with each person by saying, “This is what I felt impressed upon my heart for you. If it does not resonate with you simply toss it away.” However, usually through a healing prayer appointment God has confirmed in my heart that what I heard in the morning hours is exactly right on and I’m encouraged to share the word I have for the person. Connecting with God like this and being able to share with others what I feel God has impressed upon my heart has been a huge blessing along this adventure.
Stay on My path. For it is smooth clear and easily traveled — but it’s narrow. If you get off there will be many distractions, cumbersome to walk through and you will have to dodge many things. So please child look for My path I’ve provided and don’t choose to go your own way.
There will be times on My path that are steep, exhausting and contain corners you will not be able to see around. Keep going. Be strong. Endure. Trust Me.
those feelings are lies. The presence of that barrier is keeping you from a dangerous area that you are unaware of. BUT I see it and I am protecting you. Do not follow the temptation to go around or climb over for there’s a steep treacherous hill you will roll down. Stay on the clear path I’ve provided. Even on the other side though you can jump off to explore, there will be stickers, rocks, weeds and uncomfortable things to endure and stumble on or stub your feet on. Stay the course, focused on My path. Trust Me.
group is not destroyed and dead. You are walking through a season where the leaves in those situations are supposed to fall off. This is how I’ve designed it. Understand this truth! Look forward to the season ahead of new growth where the leaves will fill your land abundantly.
intricacies are revealed during the time of stripping down. These things you would never notice if a laying bare had never occurred. Yet, be careful and watchful for even among healthy trees disease can enter and kill and choke you out. Be wise and know the difference. Seek Me for guidance. Don’t let parasites from outside come in and attack you. Be vigilant. Be wise to the world and the dark army against you and yours. Make sure to come to Me for refreshment and cleansing by the washing of water by my word — use My word as food to feed properly so you can remain healthy and not rot away and die.
you will feel like you’re surrounded in all areas of your life like above. Everything appears dead and void all at once. You’ll exit that season into a green section full of luscious evergreen growth, only to enter another season of barrenness. This next dry season might only be on one side, in one area, but don’t get confused. This will only be for a time. Hold on. Let the process work. Let the leaves fall as designed and eagerly anticipate the new growth and beauty that is yet to come. During these times you will feel that these moments in time are never ending. Persevere. Only in hindsight will you be able to understand.
Along your path you’re going to realize you’ve been collecting and stacking up grievances, problems you’ve superficially dealt with but still hold on to, only you haven’t handled yet, but stacked it in the pile to deal with later. This is very dangerous! Each one of these issues whether big or small, long or short, thick or skinny from yourself, husband, marriage, children, parents, friends, ministries is a piece of kindling. Though stacking up “feels” like cleaning up the debris in your life, it’s merely providing a fertile place where dead dried debris gathers waiting for a spark to come in and ignite a huge forest fire! Deal with each of these issues individually; don’t stack them and save them for later. Pick it up, address it and discard it quickly never to be addressed again.
times, you are walking through a season where it doesn’t look so beautiful or bountiful. It looks bare, void of color, you feel isolated, cold, abandoned, forgotten, so small in the midst of it all. But stay on My path; it’s only a season. Remember that when you finish walking through this time of emptiness, you will see My beauty. Colors will begin to show up again and different life will be present. Keep moving. You will end up in a new place with a new song to sing. Keep moving ahead.
Those times in the stripped areas, where you felt you couldn’t see, feel, or sense My presence. Places where you felt I’ve left you and do not see your pain…Listen, for that little whisper of wind through the rustling of the leaves I sent that to remind you . . . I’M HERE. I hear you. I see you. I’m with you. Don’t let the external view deceive you in your circumstance. I’m with you always and forever. I walk with you through these painful and empty times.
When you are looking all around for the correct way to go when there are multiple routes to follow. Look for My signs. I place them along the way to guide your steps. Look also for people that are heading the same way, those who have gone before you can help you maneuver and find your way. There will be steep hills to walk even towards the end. They will make your body sore, your lungs burn, your legs quiver, but endure. At the end there will be a place to rest to catch your breath — a time to reflect on all that you have walked through and see where I have been by your side the entire time.