Axles and Drive-lines

Part I

We had parked our vehicle down town in a parking lot that charged us $10.00. When we went to retrieve it my husband and I discovered that heavy equipment operators had completely tore up the parking lot, while our Ford 4×4 all terrain vehicle was parked there. Some cars we saw were disabled and stuck in the dirt. Other vehicles were perfectly fine completely untouched. You could tell that the big equipment just went around the “untouched” vehicles. Those cars had been parked there forever, and were going no where any way. The active vehicles trying to get out were most effected by it all.

As we were granny gearing out of the lot in 4-wheel drive, I said, ” Lord how are we going to get out of this?” The Lord said, “Faith is what brought you here. Faith is the vehicle that will get you out.” I realized that the “vehicle” was equipped to do the job, if any there was. We kept going until we were out of the parking lot. As we drove out, I saw a young man on his knees in the dirt; he was hot and sweaty and trying to get out, but his drive line and axle was broken. He looked at me with despair in his eyes. I promised my self, “When we get out of this we’ll come back for him …”

It’s been years since I had the dream. The dream came true, in that we were called to come out of the city we were dwelling in, and thankfully, the warfare that went along with it. Our leaving was a HUGE leap of faith. We obeyed God into the unknown, and he was faithful all the way.

For a year after that we had prayed for the young man, and those he represented. I asked the Lord, “What is happening to them?” The Lord showed me that there was a “spirit of disparagement” working against this young man and those who were trying to move on an upward call of God on their lives. The root of disparagement is doubt and unbelief. First our faith begins to erode in trials like this, then goes our joy. Then our strength. These have lost their joy believing that God has done this thing to them. And they have despaired in it, and hopelessness has settled in.

When you are built up in your faith it is like an all terrain vehicle, it will drive you out of ruts and off the beaten path. In dreams your car often speaks of where you are going in your life. We can have a lot of ideas and dreams under the hood, but if our drive line and axle is broken those ideas and dreams will go no where. If we believe God, our works confirm it. Have you ever heard of the phrase, Actions speak louder than words?

What faith action do we take when despair is trying to settle in? We build up our faith by declaring to ourselves and those around us what God’s word says about our circumstances. This brings to us peace that passes understanding. The word of God comforts us, and in that comfort comes joy. Our enemy may try to sink us; but, what Satan has meant for evil, God will turn around for Good. In trusting the Lord during dire circumstances, we gain patience, and temperance, and increase in our faith.
You see, patience waits upon God to show himself faithful, when he does it makes us stronger for the next time around when our faith is tested. This is where patience has its perfect work. Don’t give way to despair and allow doubt to break you down! Disparagement is a spiritual paralysis that shows no mercy, and it is nothing short of demonic.

Philippians 4:1-8 (Amplified Bible)

Philippians 4

Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!
Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon].

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].

… So we were crying out for this young man, and who he represented, in the Spirit; and the Lord showed me something:
I saw why God tells us over and over again to pray for one another, and to encourage one another.

As we prayed I began to see a vision of the scene in the dream. The scene changed and I could see the same young man, I saw in the dream. Again he was on his knees beside the car sunk into the dirt. But he wasn’t despairing any more. He was digging in the ground with great strength and determination, and I saw the Angel of the LORD and he was standing over the car, and he was waving a brilliant sword over the young man and the car.

And I heard God say to him,
” If you dig out enough room for it, I will restore what has been broken, and you will drive out of this.”
I realized if he didn’t take the effort by making room for the power-train to be worked on, then the car could never be fixed.
I saw that the presence of the Angel warred back oppressive forces that was making it (almost) impossible for the young man to function. It was as if he had been encased with a thick heavy darkness at times, and he couldn’t see to do anything. But I saw this Angel standing and it held back the darkness, where the young man could see, and work, and his strength and stamina returned to him, and he literally began to dig out room to work under the car.

It was like God was saying, if you do that, I will replace it, and it will be all that you need to get out of this sink hole you are in. Just do that.

I thought of the scripture that says, what ever your hand finds to do, do it with all of your might. What ever challenge comes up; work it! Focus on it, and God will provide whatever equipment you need to accomplish victory. Soon, over all, this vehicle is going to pull itself completely out of every rut and on to open highway! As long as the young man did not give up, but kept plugging along, this whole experience would bring him into another place, with better equipment to handle challenges as he moves toward the prize of the upward call of God.

I remembered the scripture in Mathew 13:44-
“..the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field …”
So this is the Word of the Lord, “Don’t GIVE UP! See your enemy has lied to you, and blinded your eyes. But I am not going to leave you stranded here in this condition, I have interceded for you, I have stood in the gap, DIG! Seek me and you will find me. I will increase in you: faith, wisdom, understanding, vision. And the Lord said, “I will replace in you a new and better power-train then you have ever had before”.

I thought of the scripture in Hebrews 11:6 that says-
Those who come to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. When we go to him searching for answers, we are saying, ” I believe that you ARE God. When we do this diligently, we are saying, “I know that you are faithful and true and because of that I am not going to be satisfied with my circumstances, until I am living in the promises of God.”

This search taps us into the vision where we see what God has in mind for us. It is our own search and it builds up our faith, we begin to see His plan unfold in our lives. But first the old strongholds need to be broken down and cleared out, so that we do not continue to implement man made doctrines and ideologies in God’s work. We stop doubting God’s integrity and embrace the fact that He is true to His word. In the upheaval of Him plucking up to replant we ride through it in faith, to move on to higher levels. How much the enemy would love to get us stuck in a mindset contrary to the truth of God’s word, and what he wants in our lives.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

The work of the prophets is to do just that, and we need that work continuously in our own life.
John the Baptist did just that in the Spirit of Elijah, and the Spirit of Elijah in the prophets of God must not ever be shut down for that anointing is what turns the heart of the fathers towards their children, and the hearts of the children towards their father. It makes straight the paths of the Lord, for repentance, renewal, reform, and finally one day, the millennial reign of Christ .

Jeremiah 1:10
See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” The torn up Parking Lot is an upheaval that speaks of that day when God has given over to the destroyer, the things that our dead. That take up good ground, DEAD WORKS. If we are firmly planted in them, it can completely turn our world upside down. A functional power-train is what we need to overcome many things; broken dreams, broken lives, loss of vision, despair, discouragement, it speaks to all of us in different aspects of our lives; places that we have parked ourselves in, and have not moved on. However if GOd’s people persevere, they will see His faithfulness, He so much wants to show them.
James 1:1-5 (The Message)

James 1

The double minded man is unstable in all his ways…

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believing, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

The Message (MSG)Copyright ©

A new drive-line, I saw this thing God gave to the young man and it was like Gold. He said buy of me Gold tried by fire. It will last. A work that will remain, and stand in judgment in the last day. If you have gone so far to be broken in faith and left in despair, to the point that you’re not even moving around like you use to in your Christian life; don’t give up on the Pearl of Great Price! SEEK and ye shall Find. DIG! It’s time for renewal, it’s time for upgraded equipment, the things that are not working for you anymore, never really belonged. Your life is about to change in a substantial way. Not end!

In The Paradox of Realms

Power-Train
Broken Axles and Drive-lines
Part II

Isaiah 61:1-5 (New International Version)

Isaiah 61
The Year of the LORD’s Favor The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, a garment of praise, instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

Should we not fervently pray for those who are less at ease than we are?

If you are in a place of *peace time be grateful, but remember, your brothers and sisters just like you, may be in a place of war. Some drafted, some enlisted. All of them need our fervent prayer. And this is the paradox of the spiritual realms. They may be sitting right next to you. Whats more, you may be experiencing peace in your life because of their front line operations, in the Spirit! If you do not understand the silent battle, nor see the rising smoke, nor hear the clamor of shield and sword, assume not that their condition is as your own. For even in our own continent we suffer spiritual realms as dark as the continent of Africa, as lawless as stormy seas, as merciless as the cold chains of Siberian prisons. And those who enter these realms whether in prayer, or on foot, need the walls of the Father’s House to surround them. And remember, when they come off the battlefield, do they not have soot on the brow? Dirt beneath the nail? Blood on the garment? Could they be war weary? As it is in the natural, so is it in the spirit, our soldiers need our support. Ground patrol needs, air patrol! But you have put the distance between them and yourself? Perhaps they smell of the sinner? But you have not discerned the source, or the difference, between the one rescued from the dank prison, and the one who has pulled them from it.

There are those who walk among them; who are not of them.
Jesus himself said,”I am in this world but not of it.

In the world of vanity that we live in, in the culture so biased on appearance. How much more so, should we who, as God’s people, look not at the outward man but the inward heart? And to know no man after the flesh, but to (intimately know them) by the Spirit. This is how so many thought to be wise, have erred so foolishly. This is how, the trained heart can instantly in season, and out, mobilize in God’s divine appointments; discerning the fruit because it is a spiritual observance, and not a natural one.
( Looking beyond those things relative to the four walls of the church, and referencing them against the vast Kingdom of God, and His Word.) This is the trained mind and spirit that has spiritual discernment, who can move into the “day of suddenlies”,
seamlessly …

Who is blind but my servant ..?
Isaiah 42:19-23 (The Message)
You’ve Seen a Lot, but Looked at Nothing

Pay attention! Are you deaf?
Open your eyes! Are you blind?
You’re my servant, and you’re not looking!
You’re my messenger, and you’re not listening!
The very people I depended upon, servants of God,
blind as a bat—willfully blind!
You’ve seen a lot, but looked at nothing.
You’ve heard everything, but listened to nothing.
God intended, out of the goodness of his heart,
to be lavish in his revelation.
But this is a people battered and cowed,
shut up in attics and closets,
Victims licking their wounds,
feeling ignored, abandoned.
But is anyone out there listening?
Is anyone paying attention to what’s coming?

Pray to the Lord of the Harvest …

We need those who discern by the Spirit of Wisdom, and not through the natural mind. Our church world, is full of natural plantings, working natural works, discerned by the natural mind, as being qualified; filling the “house” with the works of men! It is of those who abide in the Spirit flow, in God, outside the confines of our four walled churches, that will “move” into the living, breathing, fluid, and fluent army of God; like a river-
flooding out the battlefields of hellish plots, and reaching heights of Holy glory! Seeing those things that cannot be seen, and knowing those things that cannot be known, because revelation knowledge transcends them beyond the carnal mind. And lives are reached beyond the pews.

Axles and Drive lines A Vision by Deana Barnes 2007
Published under same title /webs.com 2010 all rights reserved.