Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Proceed with Caution: Old Man Dreaming Ahead

Joel 2 says that when the Holy Spirit gets His way, even old men have dreams. I used to read that and think in strict categorical terms: Young men get visions…check. Old men get dreams…check. I hope you get the point. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Last week I had the distinct privilege to speak at Youth Alive Camp in Osceola, Wisconsin. The theme God gave me was; “Dream-Why Not?” It was an awesome time of releasing these students to be free to SEE. Old Testament prophets were sometimes called “seers”, because they had a transcendent capacity to look into the heavens and see God’s resources and call it down to the earth. Holy Spirit dreaming is seeing “on earth as it is in heaven”.

Joel 2 also says that when the Spirit is truly falling on us that our sons and daughters CAN SEE and they prophecy! The students at this camp ended up in a torrential outpouring of dreams! It was Psalm 126:1 coming to pass, “When the Lord brought back the captive ones…we were like those who dream”.

Follow me carefully now: I was the “old man” at that camp. They were the sons and daughters. I prophesied, they dreamed. That’s not categorical… it’s a transcending weaving in and out and back and forth as the Spirit is allowed to get BIG. I liken it this way: as the Spirit rises in us He drives our cynical, wooden, rigidity up and out. You know it’s the outrageous power of the Holy Spirit at work when the most likely people among us to be injured by disappointments and frustration are set free of their unholy fixation on the glorious past and the miserable present AND NOW THEY DREAM!

Another Kingdom principle we witnessed last week is hidden in this Joel 2 treasure chest as well. An old man dreamed out loud and that released sons and daughters to prophesy! How many times have we heard the old song and dance, “what’s wrong with kids these days?” I’ll tell you what’s wrong with them—the older generation keeps holding the Holy Spirit in check and the dreams we ought to be releasing for the healing of our sons and daughters is cheating them of their Kingdom inheritance.

I witnessed it first hand last week. Once the spiritual air around these students was cleared with the Word of an old man dreaming, these youth could SEE and became SEERS. When I prophesied they dreamed, when I dreamed they prophesied and the Holy Spirit lived His character among us, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”.

Three weeks ago on a Wednesday evening service I was compelled by the Spirit to prophesy that this summer is the summer of America’s Awakening. Sometimes prophesy is a confirming tool and sometimes prophesy is a “make it happen” sledge hammer. I am welding the latter. Take caution around me these days, I’m in a mood. My dreams are overwhelming me, my eyes have seen the glory. Whether you be young or old and your vision is wilted, I release upon you NOW an all out attack of the Holy Spirit.
I close with this. Here’s an irony. I fought some kind of sickness all week at camp last week. A cold, allergies, sinus infection….what ever it was, I was miserable….physically. Now that I’m home and I’ve had an opportunity to call my doctor, it appears I have an infection not unlike “pink eye”. Hmmm, do you think there’s an analogy here? Is it possible that the prince of darkness (yet another impediment to seeing) knew that he must distract an old man in his divine assignment to impart vision to a new generation?

Hmmm….where’s my sledge hammer…..

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

PRD-
I pray that I have the "MOOD" you have. This is what I want, and I believe what you need God will bring to you. WHAT YOU WANT YOU HAVE TO GO AFTER WITH EVERY THING THAT IS IN YOU. "For I know the plans I have for you says the lord. Plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future. THEN you call upon me and come and pray to me and I WILL listen to you. You WILL seek me and you WILL find me, WHEN you seek me with ALL of your heart. I WILL BE FOUND BY YOU" DECLARES THE LORD. Jer. 29:11-14