BOUND

I prayed for the box that the enemy had placed him in … to be shattered.

As soon as I woke up on the morning of 6/23/23, I had a prophetic vision with two parts. 

THE VISION PART 1

I saw the face of a man. His face was dirty and his hair was disheveled. He appeared to have been been sweating and was shaking, uncontrollably, it seemed. He was totally enclosed inside a light-colored wooden box that looked like an extremely narrow coffin. All I saw was his face, and I could tell that the box was totally surrounding him, to the point that he could barely move. Even though it seemed as if he had been left to die in a remote landscape where no one could find him, apparently, he was still breathing. The coffin’s planks were maybe an eighth of an inch apart, so he could see outside of the box yet was trapped inside. His skin tone was light, and he had dark hair and features. Honestly, he was very handsome and looked as if he could easily be a model. 

THE VISION PART II

In the second part of the vision, I saw the same man’s face, but this time he was not in a box. His face was clean, and his hair was combed. He was standing upright, smiling and laughing. Furthermore, the man was no longer shaking, or fearful, or anything of the sort. The atmosphere around him was sunny and pleasant, and his countenance was cheerful.

REFLECTIONS

Immediately, I began praying for this man. I initially prayed as if he was a real person who was actually in grave danger. My friend Melinda pointed out to me that perhaps he didn’t have anyone in his family to pray for him and so God chose me to pray instead. Who knows? I prayed first for rescue, for divine favor to be discovered where he was hidden, for healing, and for freedom. 

My second thought was that this entire vision may be symbolic. The face could be real, but the visions may be symbolic, with spiritual meanings—messages from God. The Bible tells of many times when God delivered messages through dreams and visions; He still does this today.

I continued praying but this time from a spiritually symbolic point of view. I prayed for the box that the enemy had placed him in, indicative of affliction, grave trouble, or sickness—forcing his life to be at a standstill—to be shattered. I prayed that whatever was keeping him bound would be destroyed because it was keeping him practically paralyzed in his current position, which seemed dire. I earnestly asked the Lord to bless him such that he would break free, for the chains that obviously held him to be loosed. His enemies had planned his demise, but check this out:

You planned something bad for me, but God produced something good from it, in order to save the lives of many people, just as he’s doing today.

Genesis 50:20 CEB

Perhaps, in the second vision, God was assuring me that He had already freed this man. More likely, He was showing me that the smiling, clean face, along with the brightness of his new atmosphere, represented the situation the man could be in, the results that could be—depending on his or someone else’s prayers. God does not force Himself upon anyone. How would you like it if someone had to force the person you love to love you back? No, that’s not how the Creator of the universe rolls.

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6 NLT

I read something recently that said we should either worry or pray, but not both. God’s instructions make this crystal clear:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.

Philippians 4:6 NLT

Here’s the solution for anyone who feels as if they’ve been placed in a box—discouraged, stressed, bound:

PRAY

God’s word says if my people would humble themselves, and pray … then I will hear … forgive … restore … (II Chronicles 7:14).

MANY MAY RELATE

Whether the man in my vision is real or not, I believe there are many who can related to him and his situation.

Do you know anyone who may relate to this vision? Is it you?

  • Perhaps you feel as if everything is closing in on you, as if you were in a box.
  • Perhaps you feel entrapped, and you don’t see a way out. 
  • Perhaps you are nervous and uncertain about some things in your life. 
  • Perhaps you have been involved in something you are uncomfortable with, or that you know is wrong, and you don’t feel clean, spiritually.
  • Perhaps you look good on the outside, as if you have it all together, but on the inside you are distraught, maybe even depressed.
  • Perhaps you can see beyond your circumstances, but your feet feel mired in their current position.
  • Perhaps you are scared and ‘shaking’ and don’t know where to get help from or how to ask others, or God, for help.

GOOD NEWS

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

I Peter 5:10

God is a restorer. He strengthens you to be a repairer of the breach (Isaiah 58:12). He is a way maker. He parts seas. He raises people from the dead. He heals incurable diseases. There is absolutely nothing and no situation that He cannot handle. 

I pray in this moment that all who find themselves bound would soon be described in the following manner:

  • No longer bound
  • Completely set free
  • With chains broken
  • Surrounded by the marvelous, miraculous light of Christ
  • Smiling, genuinely, more often than not
  • Falling into the arms of the Heavenly Father, over and over
  • Looking to Jesus as both Savior and Lord
  • Rejoicing that the Holy Spirit guides every part of your life

Selah.


What are your thoughts after reading this post? Please comment and let me know, and I encourage you to share with others. Grace & peace.

Photo by Lars Nissen, LN_Photoart on Pixabay

Just Listen

“Some don’t even try to know Me. They think it’s too difficult because they are watching others.”

Be still … 

And listen … 

And know that I am God. 

Some praise Me but they do not know Me. Some worship Me but they do not study My word. Some study My word but they do not apply it to their entire life, only some of it. Some don’t even try to know Me. They think it’s too difficult because they are watching others. Some are strong but only within, not without, so that others might see My glory shine upon them and be saved. Some witnesses are devout, but only in public. Some pray daily to me, but hardly listen.  

If we sometimes find ourselves in these words, let’s correct the course. 

Selah. 

First Dust Then Life 

“… I’m at the bottom of the well with no rope, and no one can hear me. I feel awful and I’m mad at God. Thanks for asking. Bye.”

When you’re down in the dust of life, at your lowest point, in the dirt, a natural reaction is to feel as if there is no hope. You wonder why God is seemingly ignoring you. Your friends can’t help because the depth of the dirt clinging to their feet is just an inch lower than yours. Most of the people at church echo roughly the same thing: “Hello! I’m blessed and highly favored; how are you?” And as you consider your circumstance, truthfully, you should say, “Terrible. I’m at the bottom of the well with no rope, and no one can hear me. I feel awful and I’m mad at God. Thanks for asking. Bye.” But instead, you give the obligatory response: “Wonderful! Doing well. Be Blessed!” And you walk away, dirt cloud wafting up and up and up …

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground …” 

God began His creation of man in the dust. His work of art needed to begin at the root. Dust does not look appealing; consequently, we swish it away and are embarrassed when it’s seen in our homes. It belongs outside, and in fact, in “civilized” societies, most of it is covered by vast concrete jungles. There is a limited amount that remains, only to shelter the grass, herbs and trees. Although unpleasant and messy, dirt is a necessary growth stimulant. When the vegetation, the herbs and the fruit grow, we marvel at the natural beauty and the sweetness—and we eat it! We forget that before beauty, there was dirt, and even mud when mixed with water. When dirt gets in our way, we scoff and clean. If we’re in a big hurry, we may even sweep it under a rug, anything to keep the unsightly from being seen.

Most dust is under your feet. It’s on the ground, down low, constantly trod upon. Just like you may feel sometimes—smashed by humanity emotionally, financially, mentally, even physically. Furthermore, you may feel like God Himself turned His back and shook the dust off His feet, leaving you there to wallow in … the dust.

“… and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life …” 

Just as plants and trees grow and become useful, and therefore have value (that’s been there all along), so too, can you! First you have to be nourished in the dust. Something magical happens there. Perhaps it’s like wine in the fermenting process, clay in a potter’s hand, or a man when God decides to reveal his purpose. So, God singles you out, sees you in your dust—for you have claimed it personally by now—and breathes on you. He gives you favor with man, institutions, governments and kings. Now the dust rolls off effortlessly as you stand taller and your life welcomes increase once again. The breath of life deposited by God within your spirit dances freely,

 “… and man became a living soul.” 

If your current circumstance has you wallowing in the dust, take heart. For that’s where God plants, nourishes, builds, grows … life. Your life—the life you were meant to live—awaits. Be patient and allow this cycle of development, proof perfect since the dawn of creation, to run its course. No, it doesn’t matter what you did to get there, who or what caused your downfall, or under what societal conditions you landed in the dust. God is waiting for you to stop writhing, lest you shake off too much of His nourishment, His wisdom. Inhale slowly and steadily as He breathes into you, learning every nugget and lesson intended for this phase of your life. Do what He says, go where He says to go. And when God decides that His creation is ready, you shall burst forth anew, in full bloom and brilliance, as He intended.

Welcome the dust in your life, for in it, a glorious creation is underway. Selah.

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7