The following are the dreams, experiences I had on New Years Eve 2008, headed into 2009.
1. In the first dream my wife and I were sitting in a staff meeting at our church. At the back of the room a friend who has passed away raised her hand and said she would really like to know what the others on staff thought of a dream that she had. At that point the leader opened the floor for anybody on staff to discuss what they felt like God was saying through their dreams.
This woman’s dream when she was alive was simply to take care of the foster child that she adopted as her own. Through this dream God was sharing his heart that he desires us to partner with him in being a father or mother to orphans in tangible and practical ways. I also felt that in the days ahead God was encouraging us to pay attention as a community to the dreams he had placed on our hearts.
2. In another dream a lady I know was helping to care for an older man in our church who had recently lost his wife. I was travelling to visit them when I passed by a place where Oprah had hosted a meeting that left behind quite a lot of junk and dirt in the street.
I feel like God is saying that in the journey of the life of our church we are reaching an age in maturity where we are going to begin to see the need for practical ministry to some of our elderly members. I also felt God was saying that in our journey we need to be aware that secular, Oprah style “humanity” leaves a lot of junk behind.
3. I had a picture of a closed door and I saw crayon scrawls on the floor leading to it.
I felt God was saying that creativity may be messy in getting started, but it will lead us through new doors.
4. There was another dream where church leaders were having a discussion about providing a room for others to bring their laptops and have access to wireless internet. In this dream a youth leader walked in and said that the room that was to be used for the wireless internet was full of maintenance equipment and in order to make use of the room the maintenance equipment needed to be moved to another place.
Two prophetic friends have both mentioned to me that they felt like this dream had to do with being in tune to what God was saying and not being too busy to tune in.
5. In one clear picture I saw a room in our church that was called the writing room. The room was fully constructed, but had not yet been painted or decorated.
I felt God was saying that in the coming days we will have increasing influence in the body of Christ and in the world through writings that we will produce.
6. In one dream somebody in our church came up with some really weird rules about men and women’s relationships. The result of the rules was that somebody in the church was accused of relational misconduct.
After this dream I felt God spoke to me the scripture 1 Timothy 5:19. Do not entertain an accusation … unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
7. In the last dream I woke up on New Year’s Day, but I had not had any dreams through the night.In that dream God spoke to me and said that a dream he had given me the night before was the word of the Lord for our church.
I felt through this dream God was saying that last year’s New Year’s dreams still apply.
a. God is continuing to raise up 5 fold ministry in the church.
b. We are continuing to build new structures that will be filled with new wine while still being true to the vision that birthed us
c. God may continue to give us a “haircut,” which would entail the removal of some things we have grown. This removal of growth will prevent future split ends.
d. God is continuing to take us through the first steps of a dance of new things in corporate worship. At the same time we need to be aware the enemy is actively opposing our ability to enter into the joy God has for us
e. God wants to financially bless us and one of the ways he is doing that is by setting us free from financial bondage.
Monday, June 20, 2011
New Year's Day 2010
The following is a list of the dreams and visions that I experienced this New Year’s Eve 2009, heading in to 2010…
Warfare close to Home
In the first vision I had a picture of a man who was equipped with a bat in his gear on his back. I instinctively knew that the man was not aware of the bat or of the fact that it was a needed and important weapon at his disposal.
I feel that in some ways this picture symbolizes a need for awareness about personal, close contact warfare. I believe what I was seeing from the vision was that there is a temptation to believe that the enemy is not capable of hitting close to home and that somehow any conflict we experience at a very personal level must be the will of God. However, I feel strongly that God desires to tell us that he is for us and not against us and that he desires us to stand and fight these personal attacks. We are equipped as more than conquerors through Christ Jesus to deal with personal attacks.
God will fulfill his Promise
In the first dream, my wife and I were in a large house hosting a New Year’s Eve Party and one of our guests was a very wealthy, successful business man. In the dream I was excited about talking to this man about what he thought about my values and goals and if he thought they would help me accomplish the great things I believe God had in store for me. When I began asking him questions though, the wealthy business man just looked at me uncomfortably not knowing what to say. When a coworker walked up and began chatting with him about daily life they walked off together enjoying their conversation.
The dream then shut down and restarted all over from the beginning; except this time my house was smaller and much more luxurious, my wife and I were still hosting the New Year’s Eve Party and the wealthy business man was still there. This time instead of asking him what he thought of my values and goals I asked him how he was doing and about a ranch that I knew he had recently bought. Instantly he and several others began laughing and talking about how they had just come from that ranch and how much they loved it. Folks were laughing and having such a good time and an even wealthier newcomer I had never met showed up and began making toasts about all of the good things that were happening and that God had in store for us. I mentioned I had Champaign and everyone cheered and so with laughter I hurried to grab the bottles.
In the first dream, I was consumed with my values, my goals, my ways of doing things, all that I might accomplish some great promise that I felt God had given me. In the second dream, I simply loved those that were in front of me for who they were and there was a correspondingly explosive release of joy and laughter. I feel God is saying so strongly to trust him to bring us into his promises; he will fulfill it!
I believe the first dream’s large house and the second dream’s smaller, more luxurious house is a clarion call to simplicity. I feel God desires to tell us that our lives should be less about quantity than they are about quality. Another way of saying it is that for this season, less is more.
I also felt that the Champaign itself was a spiritual picture of not allowing a religious mindset hold us back from all of the joy and celebration that God desires to give us. Toasts of good things are good, but toasts with Champaign are even better!
The Anointed ToolA short time later I had a vision of waders, such as you would see used in duck hunting and they were covered and filled with the manifest presence of God.
I feel from this vision that God is saying that we are entering into a season in which he has anointed a particular tool with the power and presence of God. Just as duck season only lasts for a short season, I feel it is God’s desire to let us know that this tool will be anointed only for a season. Practically this means that when it becomes obvious what this tool is, we use it as often and as effectively as we can, but when the season is over, we must lay it down in order to move on to the next thing that God will have in store for us.
The Law is Love
Lastly I had an experience in which I was walking out of our church and found an injured deer laying on our steps. It was as though I heard the words, “The simplicity of the gospel is love, not rules or ways of doing things.” I knew instantly that this injured deer had not received help because of restrictions relating to rules and the teaching of ways of doing things.
I feel God desires to renew within us his heart of love for those who have been injured in so many different ways in this life. The simplicity of the gospel is that we have good news for the hurting; God is love, our provider, our healer, our protector. We are each called to play a role in loving those that are on our doorsteps, those that we see every day. We are each individually the church and God can and will use us. In Summary
• We are more than conquerors and have been equipped to deal with close contact, personal warfare.
• Trust God to bring us into his promises and the destiny we are believing for, he will fulfill it!
• For this season, less is more. It’s about quality, not quantity.
• Don’t let a religious mindset hold us back from the joy and celebration God desires to give us.
• When it becomes obvious what the tool is that God has anointed in this season, use it to the max. However be willing to lay it down when this particular season is over so that we can move on to the next thing God has in store for us.
• Expect God to use you in the lives of the people that are on your doorstep, they need the good news of the gospel.
Warfare close to Home
In the first vision I had a picture of a man who was equipped with a bat in his gear on his back. I instinctively knew that the man was not aware of the bat or of the fact that it was a needed and important weapon at his disposal.
I feel that in some ways this picture symbolizes a need for awareness about personal, close contact warfare. I believe what I was seeing from the vision was that there is a temptation to believe that the enemy is not capable of hitting close to home and that somehow any conflict we experience at a very personal level must be the will of God. However, I feel strongly that God desires to tell us that he is for us and not against us and that he desires us to stand and fight these personal attacks. We are equipped as more than conquerors through Christ Jesus to deal with personal attacks.
God will fulfill his Promise
In the first dream, my wife and I were in a large house hosting a New Year’s Eve Party and one of our guests was a very wealthy, successful business man. In the dream I was excited about talking to this man about what he thought about my values and goals and if he thought they would help me accomplish the great things I believe God had in store for me. When I began asking him questions though, the wealthy business man just looked at me uncomfortably not knowing what to say. When a coworker walked up and began chatting with him about daily life they walked off together enjoying their conversation.
The dream then shut down and restarted all over from the beginning; except this time my house was smaller and much more luxurious, my wife and I were still hosting the New Year’s Eve Party and the wealthy business man was still there. This time instead of asking him what he thought of my values and goals I asked him how he was doing and about a ranch that I knew he had recently bought. Instantly he and several others began laughing and talking about how they had just come from that ranch and how much they loved it. Folks were laughing and having such a good time and an even wealthier newcomer I had never met showed up and began making toasts about all of the good things that were happening and that God had in store for us. I mentioned I had Champaign and everyone cheered and so with laughter I hurried to grab the bottles.
In the first dream, I was consumed with my values, my goals, my ways of doing things, all that I might accomplish some great promise that I felt God had given me. In the second dream, I simply loved those that were in front of me for who they were and there was a correspondingly explosive release of joy and laughter. I feel God is saying so strongly to trust him to bring us into his promises; he will fulfill it!
I believe the first dream’s large house and the second dream’s smaller, more luxurious house is a clarion call to simplicity. I feel God desires to tell us that our lives should be less about quantity than they are about quality. Another way of saying it is that for this season, less is more.
I also felt that the Champaign itself was a spiritual picture of not allowing a religious mindset hold us back from all of the joy and celebration that God desires to give us. Toasts of good things are good, but toasts with Champaign are even better!
The Anointed ToolA short time later I had a vision of waders, such as you would see used in duck hunting and they were covered and filled with the manifest presence of God.
I feel from this vision that God is saying that we are entering into a season in which he has anointed a particular tool with the power and presence of God. Just as duck season only lasts for a short season, I feel it is God’s desire to let us know that this tool will be anointed only for a season. Practically this means that when it becomes obvious what this tool is, we use it as often and as effectively as we can, but when the season is over, we must lay it down in order to move on to the next thing that God will have in store for us.
The Law is Love
Lastly I had an experience in which I was walking out of our church and found an injured deer laying on our steps. It was as though I heard the words, “The simplicity of the gospel is love, not rules or ways of doing things.” I knew instantly that this injured deer had not received help because of restrictions relating to rules and the teaching of ways of doing things.
I feel God desires to renew within us his heart of love for those who have been injured in so many different ways in this life. The simplicity of the gospel is that we have good news for the hurting; God is love, our provider, our healer, our protector. We are each called to play a role in loving those that are on our doorsteps, those that we see every day. We are each individually the church and God can and will use us. In Summary
• We are more than conquerors and have been equipped to deal with close contact, personal warfare.
• Trust God to bring us into his promises and the destiny we are believing for, he will fulfill it!
• For this season, less is more. It’s about quality, not quantity.
• Don’t let a religious mindset hold us back from the joy and celebration God desires to give us.
• When it becomes obvious what the tool is that God has anointed in this season, use it to the max. However be willing to lay it down when this particular season is over so that we can move on to the next thing God has in store for us.
• Expect God to use you in the lives of the people that are on your doorstep, they need the good news of the gospel.
New Year's Day 2011
The following is a list of this year’s 2011 New Years Day experiences.
Increased understanding of existing issues
· I had a picture of drops of water on an apple. As I looked through the drops of water everything I was looking at was greatly magnified as though I were looking through a microscope. I felt the Lord was saying that as his presence touches existing issues and situations in our lives, he would greatly magnify details and bring revelation in such a way that we would gain a fresh and more detailed perspective.
The practical call through this word is to seek the presence of God that he might come and touch all that we have and the result will be a greater understanding and appreciation for what God is doing.
Seeking new things in God
· I heard a closed, limited and religious mindset say, “God doesn’t change.” Then I heard the Holy Spirit say, “We can experience something new in the nature and character of God everyday as he is infinite; our lives and teaching should reflect this.”
The religious mindset was using the idea that God is the same, yesterday, today and forever as a basis for not continuing to learn and grow in the things of God. This mindset was satisfied with existing teachings and ways of doing things. When the spirit of God spoke, it was with joy and life that it communicated the reality that our Creator is so infinitely big and good that our lives and teaching should grow and reflect the limitless, fresh and creative nature of an awesome God.
Pursue and expect to experience God in new, fresh and creative ways this year!
Reorganization will stop the thief
· The Holy Spirit reminded me of a dream I had the previous night. In the dream our church had a large storehouse and would in the future have a much greater one, but we were still working through how best to organize and make available to the members of the church that are not on staff, the existing resources and opportunities to serve. During the mess and confusion of this process, one of the resources that would take us to new places in the future was not brought under the covering of our storehouse and was thus stolen from our parking lot. A couple of our more strategic people saw the thief in action and called it to our attention. I felt the Lord say it is very important to know when a thief is stealing from you.
The reorganization of existing resources and volunteer opportunities was vitally important as current members of the church were increasingly discouraged at not knowing where to access particular resources as well as how to participate in serving in venues that they were passionate about.
This year we should seek the Lord concerning the reorganization of existing resources and opportunities. We can also expect the Lord to highlight a particular ministry/resource to be brought under the covering of the church, so that it's not stolen from us.
Fresh Wisdom
· I heard the Lord say we need fresh wisdom to be people of action whose fruit remains.
Wisdom, the practical application of a matter, is faith in action. It's the details of walking things out. What we have done in the past is not sufficient to facilitate the fruit God desires to give us in the future. Therefore, we need fresh deposits, strategies, ways of doing things so that we might be a people who are not just a people of action, but we are a people of impact whose fruit remains.
This year, take the time to ask, wait for and receive deposits, strategies, fresh ways of doing things so that you might bear fruit that remains in every good work. God desires to impart to us the details!
World Events
· Lastly, in a predictive dream, I saw what appeared to be a very unusual bank robbery taking place in which one or more of the robbers were young. In that dream I also saw a number of other masked men lined up that were going to be robbing places throughout the year.
I felt the Lord was saying through this dream that we will see something unusual and different in regards to robberies this year.
Each year I have found that I typically receive one or more, “predictive” type dreams of this sort each year and I have seen the dreams play out in the world in various ways. I believe the reason why God shares these types of dreams is simply to communicate that nothing catches him by surprise, that he is God, that he is sovereign and that he knows all things.
Each year I have found that I typically receive one or more, “predictive” type dreams of this sort each year and I have seen the dreams play out in the world in various ways. I believe the reason why God shares these types of dreams is simply to communicate that nothing catches him by surprise, that he is God, that he is sovereign and that he knows all things.
All Saints Day 2007
In the first part of the first dream I dreamed I was purchasing a water meter for a new house that we were currently in the process of buying. In this dream the Seller of the meter was pressuring me to sign the contract and move on. However God impressed upon me that I needed to read the details of the contract and through that process I realized that there were a large number of uneccessary fees that I could have removed from the contract. Through this dream I felt that the Lord was speaking that attention to details would prepare us for our next stage of growth in life.
The second part of the dream had to do with world events. In this part of the dream I saw 15 tornadoes out on the earth all very close together and all going in the same direction.
Throughout the course of the following year we actually had record breaking numbers of tornadoes this year. Headlines have been, the likes of “Tornadoes in the Southeast…Again!!!” “Rare tornadoes Tear through California,” and “God’s Punishment?”
The third and final part of the experience was for our church. In this vision a voice spoke to me and said, “it is important to ask the children what they feel God is saying.” I feel that it is God’s heart to impart to us a part of his vision for us through our children.
The second part of the dream had to do with world events. In this part of the dream I saw 15 tornadoes out on the earth all very close together and all going in the same direction.
Throughout the course of the following year we actually had record breaking numbers of tornadoes this year. Headlines have been, the likes of “Tornadoes in the Southeast…Again!!!” “Rare tornadoes Tear through California,” and “God’s Punishment?”
The third and final part of the experience was for our church. In this vision a voice spoke to me and said, “it is important to ask the children what they feel God is saying.” I feel that it is God’s heart to impart to us a part of his vision for us through our children.
All Saints Day 2008
My series of experiences began with a dream in which I was on an island in the ocean that was shaking like an earthquake was happening. In the dream I knew that destruction was somehow coming to this island.
Over the course of the following year I paid attention to the news waiting to see what the practical outlay of this dream would be. According to FoxNews.com, at the end of September 2009, “South Pacific islanders experienced four major earthquakes within 11 hours.” An earthquake caused a tsunami that hit Samoa, American Samoa and other islands and killed up to a couple of hundred people on September 29th, 2009. Later on October 1st, 2009 several quakes hit Indonesia that killed over a thousand more. Another earthquake hit Indonisia on Friday 10-23.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,566280,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,558283,00.html
I awoke from that dream and felt like God said that this year wisdom is going to be a staple for us and that it is going to be over flowingly abundant. I think there are many places in our personal lives, ministries and jobs where in the past we have prayed and asked God for wisdom, but now God is saying to us that over the course of this next year we are entering into a special season where the supernatural wisdom of God is going to be come easily.
God said to me that we could be “united and satisfied” and I felt that this applied specifically to working in teams. I feel like God is desiring to multiply the manifestation of his presence and power through us and that he is saying that if we will team up with others, then the result will be that we will be satisfied in what we see God do through us as a team.
God said to bring our “past and final plans to the light again.” I feel like there are plans that people within our body have been earnestly working on for the last year in personal lives, ministry and in business that God is continuing to restructure and tweak for his purposes. Just as God gave detailed plans for building the temple he desires to give us detailed plans for our lives, businesses and ministries.
I heard God say, “freedom from misperceptions and miscommunications.” I feel this is something that God wants us to be specifically praying for ourselves. I think that as God moves in an increasing measure there will be ample opportunity for people to have a wrong perception or misunderstand what God is doing in our midst. Again I simply feel that if we will pray, God will protect us in this area.
God brought the scripture to mind, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone opens the door I will come in and sup with him.” The picture I get is that there are going to be specific times in which God himself will initiate with us. When we respond to him his presence is going to come in, in a fresh way.
I had a very vivid vision of a bone that was burned and broken. I felt like God was saying through the picture that his fire was going to come and when it did he was going to break open some structures (bone).
Lastly I heard an anxious and stressed out voice say to me, “Chop away with your gifts.” Then a strong, power filled voice said,” No, we have replacement gifts.” The picture I got was that if we continue ministry, business and life expecting to use the same gifts and do the same things that have gotten us this far without improving our skills, then we can expect to become stressed out and tired. But God desires to give us new gifts and new skills for all areas of life that will be much more effective and life giving.
Over the course of the following year I paid attention to the news waiting to see what the practical outlay of this dream would be. According to FoxNews.com, at the end of September 2009, “South Pacific islanders experienced four major earthquakes within 11 hours.” An earthquake caused a tsunami that hit Samoa, American Samoa and other islands and killed up to a couple of hundred people on September 29th, 2009. Later on October 1st, 2009 several quakes hit Indonesia that killed over a thousand more. Another earthquake hit Indonisia on Friday 10-23.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,566280,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,558283,00.html
I awoke from that dream and felt like God said that this year wisdom is going to be a staple for us and that it is going to be over flowingly abundant. I think there are many places in our personal lives, ministries and jobs where in the past we have prayed and asked God for wisdom, but now God is saying to us that over the course of this next year we are entering into a special season where the supernatural wisdom of God is going to be come easily.
God said to me that we could be “united and satisfied” and I felt that this applied specifically to working in teams. I feel like God is desiring to multiply the manifestation of his presence and power through us and that he is saying that if we will team up with others, then the result will be that we will be satisfied in what we see God do through us as a team.
God said to bring our “past and final plans to the light again.” I feel like there are plans that people within our body have been earnestly working on for the last year in personal lives, ministry and in business that God is continuing to restructure and tweak for his purposes. Just as God gave detailed plans for building the temple he desires to give us detailed plans for our lives, businesses and ministries.
I heard God say, “freedom from misperceptions and miscommunications.” I feel this is something that God wants us to be specifically praying for ourselves. I think that as God moves in an increasing measure there will be ample opportunity for people to have a wrong perception or misunderstand what God is doing in our midst. Again I simply feel that if we will pray, God will protect us in this area.
God brought the scripture to mind, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone opens the door I will come in and sup with him.” The picture I get is that there are going to be specific times in which God himself will initiate with us. When we respond to him his presence is going to come in, in a fresh way.
I had a very vivid vision of a bone that was burned and broken. I felt like God was saying through the picture that his fire was going to come and when it did he was going to break open some structures (bone).
Lastly I heard an anxious and stressed out voice say to me, “Chop away with your gifts.” Then a strong, power filled voice said,” No, we have replacement gifts.” The picture I got was that if we continue ministry, business and life expecting to use the same gifts and do the same things that have gotten us this far without improving our skills, then we can expect to become stressed out and tired. But God desires to give us new gifts and new skills for all areas of life that will be much more effective and life giving.
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