The Dream: A Decade Later

I was recently communicating with someone who took interest in my dreams. This person asked me if I would share, so I did. I shared one that has had a lasting impact on me these past 10 years. 
The person claimed to have a prophetic gift. The person read the dream, then proceeded to give me a false interpretation. How do I know it is false? Because it had no mention of Jesus or Scripture or God's Spirit. That person's interpretation was based on their own circumstances, not on Scripture. And if one is to correctly interpret a dream, one MUST have the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and one must also have a mature, living and dynamic understanding of God's Word, the Bible. And... one should also pay attention to the context of one's life. What were you going through at the time you had your dream? Well, here is my context...

CONTEXT: This dream occurred at the time I was being encouraged to step further into local church ministry by taking out credentials. I had this dream about 10 years ago, May 22, 2004. I had just gotten my local licence to minister in Dec 2003, and my promotion from Youth ministry director to Youth Pastor would happen Sept. 24, 2004. I was also dating a woman who would later be my wife.

THE DREAM (May 22, 2004):
While I was asleep, I dreamed that I saw my local church. I heard a call to come and serve. One person beside me made an excuse why they couldn't and left. Others made excuses too. But I did not hesitate to respond. I volunteered myself by walking to the front of the church in this dream. There was music. I stood at the front and watched as my hands were "nailed" to the wall. There was no pain, no gore. But very a strong visual picture of myself volunteering to heed the Call, and being "fixed" in my geographic location.
In addition, someone went before me to volunteer. I was not the first.
That was the dream. Not a long one.

Taking a look at my dream's elements: Three major elements: 1) The Call, 2) The excuse (denying the call) and 3) The response (accepting the call). Applying the Bible to the elements we see in the dream will help us understand what was seen in this dream.

1) There was a call to serve in the dream... the Bible says:
1 Cor 7:17
17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

So we know that the call really comes from the Lord, and it is ordained in local churches ("Churches" in the Greek is "Ekklesia"- public gatherings of believers- called out and assembled. G1577 in Strongs Concordance). The Greek word for “walk” means “walk at large, follow as a companion, to be occupied with.” The Call is in the context of local churches, and has to do with what the LORD wants us to be “occupied with”. First the call to Salvation. Then the call to learn, grow, and serve.

2) There were some that made excuses in my dream.
The Bible says:
Luke 14:18-20
18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

So there are three major reasons Jesus gave in the parable why people don't respond to His call. a) possesions (ground as a symbol) b) work and career (oxen as a symbol of work) c) marriage (and family).
These excuses are used to avoid responding to God's call both to salvation and His call to Serve in the Kingdom. There is nothing wrong with possessions, work, or marriage and family. Where trouble happens, however, is when Jesus is not first above all else in the disciple's life. All these other good things are not so good if placed in top priority over Jesus.

3) The response to the call. I responded to the call and came forward in the dream. The result was I was nailed with arms out as was Jesus when He was crucified. It was a symbolic identification with Jesus. Jesus says this to those who want to be disciples:
Mark 8:34-35
34 And when he had called (there is that word again!) the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

So here we see the call of God is always to lose ones earthly “life” to follow Jesus and further His Gospel. One gains His life by losing their own life. We die to the world and are alive to Christ. This has certainly come to pass in my walk. I am "crucified" to the world and alive to Christ! And as I die to "self", it is Christ in me that lives! (See Gal. 2:20)

What I saw in my dream was myself symbolically responding to the call of Jesus to further the gospel of Jesus Christ in the local church. This interpretation is according to the Word. I am just using pictures found in the Bible to explain pictures I dreamed in bed.

As I contemplate this dream again, I have been thinking. I did get married on May 21, 2005. That was basically one full year later than the date of the dream. I had no idea back in '05 that being nailed to the calling as a disciple would cost me my marriage. I knew the dream, but did not fully realize the cost God was showing me in it.
As it turns out, one of the "excuse makers" in that dream was my wife! She did indeed join our church, and then leave again, less than 2 years later. And, ultimately, I was abandoned for my faith and stance in Christ. It is a privilege to be persecuted for Jesus's sake.

Luke 18:28-30 KJV
28Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
29And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
30Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

As painful as it was, God strengthened me. I have overcome and stood strong. I am divorced as of 2009. Yet, praise the Lord for His faithfulness!! I am still in the ministry, and I await a woman who will answer the call with me! A faithful woman who is able to pick up her cross and walk with Jesus. It is a cross-walk.

So if you dream, write it down, pray to Jesus, and study God's Word. Let the Spirit speak to you, for in these last days, God did promise to speak through dreams and visions (Read Acts 2). Not every dream or vision is of God, so be sure to ask Jesus for discernment and wisdom. Dreams must line up with God's Word and God's Spirit in order to be of God.

As for my dream, it was a prophetic picture of discipleship and following Jesus. We must identify with our Master and bear the same "marks" as He did. We bear the mark of God in our lifestyle and in our thinking, and in our hearts. We pick up our cross, deny ourselves, and follow Jesus!

God bless you!
-Pastor Curtis