Dirt, Sand and a Plastic Bag
Hi Everyone,
The Lord was watching over me today. I have to share my story of what He did for me.
I got up this morning a half an hour before the alarm was to go off. I had an early appointment so I showered, got dressed and decided to leave early. I grabbed my hat and gloves and got to the car. However the car’s battery would not start, so I decided to jump it myself. I found the cables and battery starter, but I didn’t know how to turn it on, so I decided to go upstairs and wake my husband. He came down and got the car started, and I still had plenty of time to get there. So I thanked the Lord for waking me early.
I drove out of the garage and went perhaps a ¼ mile to the entrance to the highway. No sooner did I enter when there was a metal clanging sound and suddenly I had no brakes, and no steering. I knew that I needed to get my car to the mechanic that I had just passed not even minute ago. So I tried to turn off the highway, and I was able to climb a rise in the road another ¼ mile up. I had no turning indicators and no steering to get me around the corner, but God allowed me to turn with much exertion on my part. Fortunately the road had a downward slope, so I was able to coast all the way down the hill, then with more effort I whipped it around a corner and coasted to a parking lot of a Church. There were cars in the lot, but I missed them and took a slight right towards an incline which allowed me to stop. Hallelujah! God brought me to a safe place.
Now I was in walking distance to the mechanic, and I was able to get a tow right away. It was a blessing that God had held my hand through this whole experience. Things could have been much worse. We were already scheduled for the mechanic the next day, to do a check up before our Thanksgiving road trip to Ohio next week. I thank the Lord that this did not happen on the road in the mountains of Pennsylvania, far from home. No brakes and no steering on curving mountain roads with trucks and heavy traffic could have been something else! Thank you Jesus! You are my deliverer!
I have two visions to share with you today.
The Visions
The Seam
In this vision, I saw two pieces of fabric that were joined together in a seam. The were lying one on top of the other. Then two hands began to separate them slowly. At the far end of the fabrics were they were jseamed together, I could see fine dirt, sand, and small particles.
Dirt, sand and grit are usually found when taking apart an old upholstered piece of furniture. But the seams are not generally flat, but at 90 degree angles because it is covering a 3 dimensional piece. I think what I was seeing was more like a pocket where the two pieces of fabric lie flat against each other until something is slipped into in the pocket to spread the pieces apart.
But whatever the application, I believe that what is being shown is something that was hidden, was revealed. This scripture came to mind:
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light. Luke 8:17
When we intercede for someone or some situation, we often declare “whatever is hidden in darkness, be brought into the light.” We want every wicked thing to be exposed, every motive to be laid bare, and everything that needs to be made known to be revealed.
I believe that this vision is about exposing the deeds of darkness. The dirt and sand between the two pieces of fabric are not beautiful or pleasant or something that we would want to see. Rather, they are substances which should be removed and discarded.
The dirt can represent a negative memory, a habit, a sin, an open door to wickedness, or anything that brings grief, shame, pain or sorrow. Sand might represent things that irritate us, causing disharmony, division, misunderstandings and broken relationships.
Because we are sinful people, we will have memories that bring shame, or other painful emotions. Because we are willful and prideful we will have discord and dysfunction in some of our relationships.
The wicked one would like to trouble us with emotions that tie us up and keep us in bondage. Habits like drugs, smoking, pornography, over-consumption in food or alcohol, and perverted behaviors can lead to torment by thoughts in the mind. Our enemy knows how to introduce thoughts that produce fear and anxiety.
When we are too ashamed to disclose the sin in our lives, the enemy is given place. He is content to stay and cause trouble, for he knows that people can be too embarrassed or too prideful to let anyone know their secret. It is only when sin is confessed and brought into the light that the enemy loses his foothold and his claim to our open door. When we expose sin we can be set free of his lies and torment. That is why we are told in the Bible to confess our sins one to another.
And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins one to another and pray so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail. James 5:15-16
It is unrepentant sin and rebelling against God that opens the door to demonic activity. What is sin? Sin is anything that goes against what God has said in his word. The word tells us that murder is a sin, because God has said so. If we mistreat the body, either by negative habits, or by joining oneself to another out of wedlock, that is sin, for God has said so. God and his Word is our authority. It is his word that tells us what sin is.
Sin entered the world through disobedience.
Eve, in the garden, knew that God had told her that Adam and she were not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But she decided to believe what the serpent said, and disregard God’s command. Rather than appreciate what God had given them, “every green plant to eat,” she decided that this was better. She was enticed by the sight of the fruit, and enticed by the thought of being like God, knowing good and evil. So she took and ate and gave some to Adam.
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:14-15
What took place in the garden when man sinned is exactly what James said in the above passage. God had said:
“...but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:17
Adam and Eve did not die physically that day, but they died spiritually. They were separated from God and from his garden paradise. They were cursed that day–the serpent, the woman and the man.
The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
To the woman he said, I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:14-19
Sin is rebellion against God’s authority. I am sure that Adam and Eve both regretted their decision, knowing that they wronged the very one that gave them life. They lost the intimate fellowship they had with God, face to face in the garden. That must have caused them great sorrow and remorse.
But at the moment of temptation, Eve had taken it all for granted. She was enticed to try something outside of God’s boundaries. They paid a dear price for it.
God Almighty is our creator, and we are designed to be in fellowship with him, but sin causes separation. Jesus, the Son of God, has made a way for us to be reconciled to the Father. When he died on the cross, he paid our debt of sin, something that no one else could do. He was the perfect sacrifice, so with his own blood he purchased our salvation. We become alive spiritually when we are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. When we repent, we are forgiven our sins, and set free of guilt and shame. We become restored in spirit, and can live at peace with God. This is true life, knowing that we are right with Him.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. John 15:12-14
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
The Lord does not want us to fall into temptation as Eve had done.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
The word tells us to flee temptation – all temptations.
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:9:-11
If instead of fleeing temptation we try to resist it, or entertain it, we can become ensnared by it. God has given everyone a conscience, so that we can turn from sin. And as believers, we have the added benefit of the Holy Spirit indwelling us. He will bring conviction to our hearts when we sin so that we have a desire to repent. However, if there is no godly sorrow over our sins, the Holy Spirit can become grieved, and will no longer bring his convicting power to help us to overcome.
Sin that becomes habitual causes the heart to become calloused to the sin and we make excuses for it: “God knows my heart. This is just the way I am.” We can also justify sin by comparing ourselves to those who sin as we do, or even more so. But we are not to compare ourselves with anyone or anything but God’s holy standard, the Word of God. One of the names by which Jesus is called is “The Word of God.”
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5
The first chapters of the Letter to the Romans are primarily about sin, and how God deals with it. When people continue to sin, God gives them over to that sin, and to a debased mind.
“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because the exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:24-28
Do you see how important it is to fear God? When we fail to repent he gives us what our lustful hearts desire, and we become filled with every form of depravity. When we continue sinning without repenting, we become enslaved to sin, as Jesus said:
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. John 8:34
As believers we need to encourage those that are engaged in a besetting sin, to turn to God and ask for forgiveness. Some whose hearts are hard, will not listen. So with those we simply pray that God will soften their hard hearts and lead them to repentance.
“God’s kindness leads you to repentance.” Romans 2:4
Interceding or praying for others is very important, for God’s judgment awaits those who refuse to repent:
But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will repay each one according to his deeds.” To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger. Romans 2:5-8
Let’s be faithful in prayer and quick to repent. Let’s forgive others as we have been forgiven.
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
The Clear Plastic Bag
In this vision, I saw a clear plastic bag whose top and bottom edges were each sealed by being folded twice. There was a vertical cut down the center of the bag.
I didn’t understand its meaning right away, but after I prayed, I realized that the clear bag represents a person who is like my brother, who opened the door to sin, and rather than repenting became possessed. I was able to get him delivered, but that is not where the story ends.
Let me share a scripture in Jesus’ own words that describes what happened to my brother.
“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” Matthew 12:43-45
The clear bag in the vision was “swept clean.” The top and bottom were completely sealed, but there was a vertical cut in the bag from top to bottom. The vertical cut represents an opening to the wicked one. When the house is swept clean, it needs to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And every door shut.
My brother, after being delivered, prayed a prayer of salvation with me. He was okay while I was with him, except on a few occasions when he was by himself in the hospital. He was recovering from what the enemy had prodded him to do. It was meant to be a fatal crash, but by the grace and mercy of God the plan was thwarted. I could tell that the demon was trying to make a comeback with him. We continued to pray and I instructed him in spiritual warfare and his authority in Christ. After 10 days, it was time for me to leave. And I left him with instructions—the things he was to avoid, and not ever practice again. He promised, but not many days later, he returned to them. He couldn’t walk away from his investment. So his fear of loss and the desire to make “easy money,” was more than he could resist. By his actions, he re-opened the door that was shut. And now his situation is worse than before. He returned to what I call “hocus pokus medicine,” it is divination. He no longer is in his right mind. We continue to pray and believe that God will open his spiritual eyes and change his heart to surrender to God’s will and authority. We want him to be set free and to be able to hold his deliverance. We are waiting to be sent by God. It is in His perfect timing.
The Lord wants no one to be lost. Sin will take us down the wrong road. So we pray for those who do not know Jesus, for he said:
“No one comes to the Son unless the Father draws him.” John 6:44
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to man by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
So let us turn our heart away from sin and the world and all that the world has to offer, and look to the Lord for our healing, deliverance, provision, comfort, salvation and eternal life. Jesus is our all in all!
A Prayer for Salvation
Dear Jesus,
I stand before you today as a sinner in need of a Savior. Your very name means “God saves.” I ask that you forgive me and take away my sins. I want to surrender to you and ask that you write my name in the book of life and fill me with the Holy Spirit. I want to live my life for you and submit myself to your care. I acknowledge that you died in my place, and that you paid a debt to redeem me, so that I can spend all eternity with you in heaven. Thank you Jesus for making me a new creation in you, that I am born again, and filled with the Spirit of God. Thank you for your promise to never leave me nor forsake me. I give myself to you this day. Amen!
Please share this post with those who will benefit, and be blessed by it. God bless you!
