“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter 5:8.

It is not very often that I have such a vivid dream as I had last night.  In my dream I was looking out of the window of my childhood home.  In the field below I could see two lions walking about the tall grass.  It was dark out and I kept desperately trying to warn this person about the lions.  However, they nonchalantly kept coming and going in and out of the house.  Finally, I was in the basement and the lions were sniffing around the door.  As they jumped on the door, I realized the door was made of card board.  This scared me so badly I woke up.  Once awake, the Lord immediately reminded me of Daniel in the lions den (Daniel 6:16-23).

“My God has sent His angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.” Daniel 6:22.

Once I dozed back off into sleepy land, along came the lions again in my dream. The exact same scenario, exact same urgency but different person.  The only difference in this dream and the other was we did not go into the basement (the den) and there was no cardboard door.

When the Lord gives you a dream, you best take notice.  When He gives it to you twice…you best behold what the Spirit of the Lord is saying, and I am speaking of myself here.

There are many Christians who are bound, as the person in my first dream.  They are slaves to darkness.  Their eyes have been opened to the bondage but they lack the understanding as to how they are delivered from this bondage.  To overthrow this bondage they will listen to the world, the flesh and yes, the devil to deliver them out of Egypt.  Instead of letting their requests be made known unto God through prayer and supplication (Philippians 4:4-6), they are driven to let their requests be made known unto the oppressor through bitterness and anger.

We cannot reason with the oppressor for relief from the oppression or use the world’s methods for victory.  We must be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let our requests be made known unto God for deliverance (Philippians 4:6).  Our obedience to God’s Word, will reprove and reveal the works of darkness to the oppressor.  It is their decision as to receive or reject.  The Holy Spirit is the Revelator, we plant and we water and we do so by being a living epistle and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe.

“¹² For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

¹³ But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever does make manifest is light.

¹⁴ Wherefore He says, Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.

¹⁵ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

¹⁶ Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

¹⁷ Wherefore be you not unwise, but understanding what the Will of the Lord is.

Then there was the second dream.  The person who seeing, sees not, who hears hear not and lacks understanding.  They have knowledge of much but do not understand the difference in that which they know.

For instance, most know of glass and of diamonds but they do not understand the difference in the two.  It is not until we understand the difference that we seeing see and hearing hear.  Too many are walking about their daily walk with the Lord not understanding the difference between religion and the Truth of the Word of God.  Again, the Holy Spirit is the Revelator.  It is not until they start seeking the Truth that the Truth is revealed to them.  Once the Truth is revealed, they are then able to understand the difference between the Truth and religion.  Until that time, God will allow the delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11).

“Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14.

There is life and life more abundantly.  There is joy unspeakable.  There is strength in our weakness.  There is contentment when we are abased.  Unbelievers do not have the strength to deny themselves but we do through our faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning work on Calvary’s Cross.  Stop carelessly walking in and out among the lions which seek to devour you.  Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and HIS righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).  Stop looking to man and method’s of man for victory over death, hell and the grave.  Look to the only answer God has given us for dominion over sin – Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Be determined to know nothing else among you.  Seek to understand.

-Donna Clark Warren