4/29/23 Dream...
I turned on music and left the inside of my home to go outside on a deck area of some sort. At some point I met a man who I believed to be a neighbor. He wasn't immediately overtly rude, but pushy. He mentioned the loudness of my music playing. There were people around, but not seemingly central to this moment. I did not notice that I had a lanyard with an ID around my neck until he snatched the ID off. He then went and sat in his wheelchair. I asked and pleaded with him to return my ID: "Please give me my ID" I said. He had the most menacing expression on his face. He was purposefully withholding my ID and instead of giving it to me, he handed me other things. One I recall was a business card of some sort—obviously not my ID. I got upset and while he is in this wheelchair, I began to ruffle through his pockets myself. I was unsuccessful in retrieving my ID from him. Dream ends.
Diving Deeper...
This man being upset about my loud music seems to have put me on his radar. What was the music? I don't recall hearing a sound to be honest, I just knew I was playing loud music. The enemy is a phenomenal lawyer, meaning he is an expert in God's Law. My loud music was the accusation he brought against me: his legal right to steal my ID. Also, I left my home. Home is significant because it is usually a place of safety. I left the safety of my home and was met by the enemy.
This man was a bully in a wheelchair, but before he sat in this wheelchair, he was standing before me as he snatched my ID from the lanyard around my neck.
I believe this man represents satan. I believe this cheapshot from him gave me power over him (his heading to sit in the wheelchair). Although we've been conditioned to be fearful and view satan as all powerful, he isn't. He is not GOD ALMIGHTY The Creator. He is indeed handicapped in many ways—again, the symbol of the wheelchair. He cannot overcome us with Jesus on our side.
God has also given us a treasure chest of weapons in order to combat the enemy: Gearing up. Sometimes however, I find myself in defense mode, rather than on guard. If you can relate, we have to change this.
In this dream, I was shocked that this man stole my ID. This isn't something people just do. We should be careful to never let the enemy catch us off guard. John 10:10a tells us what his job is to: steal, kill, and destroy. 1 Peter 5:8 NIV tells us this: "be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Luke 4:1-13 NIV tells us that after Jesus was tested in the wilderness, the enemy: "left Him until an opportune time." May we not be destroyed for a lack of knowledge regarding who our enemy is and his job description (Hosea 4:6 KJV).
It is important that as much as I will use ID in this post, that we understand this: many of us Christians do not know who we are. Many of us do not know Whose we are. It is a dangerous place to be in when the enemy can warp who God has created us to be. There isn't only an agenda to erase God's original design in this world for men and women, but to also keep us from ever fulfilling God's perfect plan for our individual lives. Romans 8:30 tells us we are predestined by Him: called, and justified for His glory. Revelation 13:8 tells us that the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world. This leads me to believe that before God created us, He created plans for us (Bobby Conner). Moreover, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], And before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own]; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5 AMP)." We can go on and on about God's preordained plans concerning us.
The look of sick pleasure on his face irritated me because I knew this situation wasn't normal. You ever sense deeply that something is off, can't quite place a natural finger on it, but you KNOW? I believe I discerned that his intent was evil. He snatched my ID while standing, then went to sit in his wheelchair. While he was in his wheelchair, I asked him nicely to return my ID. After that request wasn't obeyed is when I physically went to retrieve my ID. The issue with this is, Jesus has said: "Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you (Luke 10:19 AMPC)." There is no being nice to the enemy. They do not submit to us, but to the authority IN us by the power of God's only Son, Jesus. The enemy is certainly not nice to us and this is putting it lightly (Acts 19:11-20). In so, we should use this same authority that Jesus used to rebuke and cast out demons.
He had no desire to return my ID so I began to search through his pockets. I found a business card of some sort and that clearly wasn't as important to him as my ID because he was willing to allow me to have the business card. What was also significant about my searching through his pockets is, this symbolizes me forgetting Ephesians 6:12 KJV which states, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." I was frustrated and upset with this man. Was I justified in trying to retrieve my ID? Yes. Did I go about it correctly? No.
It was at this time that I awoke from this dream.
On Warfare Prayer...
When I woke up, I was shaken. As I began to understand the significance of this dream, I was led into a "pursue, overtake, recover all (1 Samuel 30:8)" kind of prayer. I believe the prayer that I was led into opened up the opportunity in the spirit realm for me to receive from God who I am for Him, who He has created me to be. For years (since 2019) I've been asking God who I am and about my purpose. In roundabout ways, He's given me some breadcrumbs, but it didn't all come together the way it did until after this encounter with this man in my dream who I believe to be satan who stole my ID.
When we are told: "...your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour", it is true (1 Peter 5:8 NIV"). When the Word tells us that the enemy comes but to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10a), understand that Satan takes his job very seriously and this verse is also true. What's even more true is what God's Word has to say:
"And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die (Revelation 12:11 NLT)."
"In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross (Colossians 2:15 NLT)."
"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet (Romans 16:20 NIV)."
"⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV)."
"With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge and superior discernment shall the righteous be delivered (Proverbs 11:9 AMPC)."
...but Jesus has come that we may have life and life more abundantly (John 10:10b).
When we recount what God's Word has to say, doesn't it seem much easier to believe that we have the upper hand, and not our enemy?
As I continued to pray, I brought God into remembrance of Joshua from The Book of Zechariah, chapter 3. This man stood before God in the court of heaven guilty. He had the accuser to the right side of him determined to bring him up on charges. God had other plans. I reminded God that He still has the ability to clean me up, give me new garments, that the Blood of Jesus washes me white as snow. I confessed (1 John 1:9) that whatever the enemy was accusing me of, I was guilty (Matthew 5:25), but that I was seeking His mercy and ability to act on the behalf of my stolen ID like He acted on behalf of Joshua. I may not have retrieved my ID, my proof of who I am in this dream before it ended, but As I mentioned above, in this "pursue, overtake, and recover all" prayer once I was awake, I believe the enemy had no choice but to give back that which he'd stolen from me (Proverbs 6:31). Also, released to me was God's Peace that this prayer was successful. This was subsequently made evident that through this God-led prayer, I'd hit the enemy where he needed to be hit (a strategic and targeted strike) because my ID (identity) in God had been released. Now I have a clearer understanding of who I am for the Lord and can seek those avenues to grow in my calling, gifts, and talents from Him. I am a child of Yahweh who has been given every good gift (James 1:17), benefit, and opportunity that rests with my Father through Jesus Christ and the enemy cannot convince me otherwise.
The Message...
People of God, the enemy is after our identities. I know as Christians some of us know this, but at this point in time, it's personal. Don't give him legal right. Use God's Word because we cannot defeat him on our own or through physical human means. The shield of faith quenches the fiery darts of the enemy, but the sword of the Spirit cuts. Put on The Whole Armor of God and stand (Ephesians 6:10-18). Be BOLD in Jesus Christ's name and in the promise that you, my dear, have been created in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:27).