A Dream about the Great Cloud of Witnesses

This morning Ross called me regarding a dream he had last night. He is a seer, with a pastoral gift, who has co-laborered with us in the gospel for over a decade. Throughout the years we've discovered that it was not unusual for God to speak to him about my family or KLI through dreams.

For context, today is April 1st. As per my conviction and practice I believe you cannot lead where you do not go therefore with the 1Church1Day strategy in mind, my ministry takes the 1st day of each month and I'm the first to stand watch which began at 12am last night. Over the last few months we've lost a few churches/ministries and people standing watch.

Disappointment discouragement are a couple of thoughts that many ministers and prayer leaders struggle with. For all are called to pray and we are all called to serve. But generally speaking few participate and fewer still stay the course and follow through. I often think of those who serve as prayer warriors that "never has so much been owed to so few who did so much for so long with so little with such great impact." 

Last night as I prayed the Lord began to speak to me about how much of the Church in America has forgotten the discipline that goes with disciple. In fact, show me a disciple without discipline and I will show you one who is deceived. Our Lord's last command before He ascended into heaven was to go and make disciples. Truly many are called but few prepare for the choosing.

I was awakened this morning by Ross's excited call. He described his dream last night. He saw us at a meeting with lots of people near an intersection on a knoll. There was a church on the downhill side. Then he looked into the night sky and said to me in the dream, "wow, look at all the stars."

As he began to describe the stars I began to sense God's presence. He described how it seemed like the sky was filled with stars, much more than usual. They seemed much closer and it seemed like they were moving like clouds move. They were brilliant. They were awesome!

Ross drew the following from the dream...

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1. The main things God was doing was happening outside the Church building.
2. The Church as we know it seemed to be on the decline.

Before he could share much more I could sense God's presence and see in my minds eye what he saw. It was glorious and God began speaking to me some of the things He showed Ross. I found this very encouraging and realized he probably dreamed this during my watch or right after my watch. This is what I heard the Lord speak to me and I believe it flowed with the interpretation God had given Ross.

3. We are at a cross roads in Church history. God is doing a new thing and it is going to be outside the church building. It's powerful and it is about a harvest like we've never seen. A harvest of people whom we are called to disciple.
4. The stars were especially encouraging to me as it reminded me of the following scriptures.

The Heavenly Host
When Jesus was betrayed by Judas and the disciples scattered Jesus said in Matthew 26:53, "Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?"

When Elisha and his servant were surrounded by a troop of Syrians Elisha said in 2 Kings 6:16-17, "So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."

It reminded me of Hebrews 12:1-2 which speaks of the great cloud of witnesses who witness our race in the faith. It says, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Facts Verses the Truth
Jesus found himself betrayed and apparently abandoned by almost everyone. That may be a fact but the truth is in Christ, we are never alone.

Finally, Ross's dream reminded me of 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 because he spoke of how near these stars were. It says, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

Jesus Christ died in the company of two convicted criminals. He was not esteemed, appreciated nor numbered among the righteous. The religious leaders of His day broke many laws of love in order to falsely accuse and murder the Son of God. Those who loved what He did to heal, deliver, serve and bless them departed. Why his own ministry except for John, a few women and His mother abandoned Him in His greatest hour. Where were the thousands He'd served? Why it was His most difficult hour. It was the culmination of His earthly assignment. It was for this purpose He came.

He died alone but He was the first to rise from the dead. The same manner in which He ascended alone into heaven is the same manner in which He will return. But, He will not be returning alone.

All of Heaven is Watching
My fiends, all of heaven is watching. There is an excitement stirring in heaven over the harvest to come. I sense heaven's excitement His soon return for it is sooner than when we first believed. Therefore, do not become weary in well doing. Stand your watch and see what the Lord will say to you. Proclaim with us His decrees. Let us release His words on earth as it is in heaven. Let us pray that the Lord of the harvest would send laborer so to the harvest. I pray that we'd respond like Isaiah did when he said in Isaiah 6:8.
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Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”