New Life

The Peaceable Kingdom (1845-46; Edward Hicks). Public Domain

I recently dreamt that I was pregnant and nearly at term. In the dream, my husband and I were living in  a post-apocalyptic, dystopic society, in a city where a state of emergency had been declared. We each worked outside the city, our workplaces in opposite directions but equidistant from the city.

While at work I went into labor. I called my husband and he said to meet him at the hospital in the city, as it should take us about the same amount of time to get there from our respective workplaces. I agreed and rushed to my car, but once on the road I realized that I was stuck in a traffic standstill, with cars bumper-to-bumper in complete gridlock.

I knew I had to reach the hospital ASAP, so I veered off the road into a parking garage that led to a long, dark tunnel. I had no idea where I was going, but at least I was moving, and finally I reached the hospital where my husband was anxiously waiting.

My relief at being in the hospital and in my husband's arms soon gave way to despair as he cried out repeatedly for the staff to get me into a room and get medical help, but to no avail. An overworked clerk told him that we would not be seen without completing many pages of forms. In any event, there were no rooms, and all the medical staff were tied up with emergencies more dire than mine.

After I awoke, I realized that my being pregnant in the dream was a symbol of new life -- not physically, but spirituallly -- and that spiritual breakthroughs can occur even in what seem to be the worst of times and circumstances. Sometimes it seems as if we are stuck in traffic, blind in the darkness, headed the wrong way, and trapped by bureaucracy, but God can use all these trials to lead us to be more fruitful for Him.

This dream reminded me of another dream I had seven years ago, recounted in the blog post below. Taken together, I believe God is urging me to persevere through difficult times, for new, abundant life in Him will follow.

 

I had a dream in which I was pregnant. My husband and I were staying at a lovely manor nestled in a forested country estate. In the dream, we were sleeping when the light of dawn shining through our window awakened me. I could hear God’s voice beckoning me to come outside and let Him speak to me through the beauty of His creation (Psalm 19:1).

Not wishing to disturb my slumbering husband, I quietly arose, got dressed, and tiptoed outdoors. Wispy fog shrouded the valley like a bridal veil, bejeweled with sparkling dew illuminated by the sun’s first rays. Off in the distance, at the edge of the forest, I spotted a fawn staring at me, her ears focused in my direction like antennae.

To my surprise, the fawn began advancing toward me, timidly at first, then transforming into a sleek panther charging past me at full speed with amazing muscular power and grace. Rather than fear, I felt only awe at her beauty, like that of an elegant Art Deco sculpture but with the locomotive force of the Orient Express.

As soon as she disappeared I spotted a huge black bear in the distance, standing upright on his hind legs in a menacing display of lethal strength. Yet as I stood transfixed, unable to move as he approached me, I was shocked that his bold, lumbering strides shortened and became almost playful. When he was within striking distance, he unexpectedly stretched out before me on all fours in a submissive bow, then nudged his head against my legs like a kitten wanting to be petted.

I stroked the velvety nape of his neck and was amazed at the metamorphosis from deadly predator to loving companion. As much as I wanted to remain outdoors and embrace all of God’s creation and creatures, I felt I should return to our room before my husband became alarmed at my absence. Once I crossed the threshold back inside the manor, I realized I had entered a different door from where I had exited the lodge, and that the cozy manor had grown into a palace.

Although I was traveling a circuitous and unknown route through the castle, I was propelled by an uplifting force that sped me past comfortable sitting rooms, well-appointed libraries and lavish foyers, and finally through an ornately decorated grand theatre where I was literally flying through the air, from the rear of the hall, over the mezzanines, across the proscenium and over the stage. Then I mysteriously found that I had arrived safely back to our room, where my husband was still sleeping.

As I awoke and considered the meaning of the dream, I recognized that the main theme was new life. In the dream I was pregnant, even though in reality I am well past childbearing age. It reminded me of one of my favorite verses:

Hebrews 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

When I am going through difficult times, especially in the various ministries God has so graciously appointed to me, I find that the numbers 11-11 keep reappearing, as if God is reminding me of this verse and His faithfulness. 11-11 may appear as the cost of a purchase, the change received from a transaction, on the license plates of cars on the road or street addresses of houses I pass, or on a digital clock or recording counter.

These reminders are to have faith, not that I will have a baby, but that God will plant in me a new sense of purpose, a new ministry, a new desire to follow His perfect will (Romans 12:2). We are never too old to accept a new assignment from God (Joshua 13:1), provided we listen to His direction (Psalm 46:10), follow the Spirit’s guidance, and have faith that He will complete the perfect work He has started in us (1 Chronicles 28:20; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 13:21).

The fawn who grew into a panther was an example of how God can grow us to suit His purpose for our life. The timid person with no natural talent for speaking or commanding authority may like Moses become a bold ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20) and leader in God’s kingdom (Exodus 4:10-12).

Like the bear who turned from formidable to affectionate, God’s child who was once a brutish, mean bully can become tenderhearted through His grace, transforming from feared enemy to loving encourager. In the new heavens and new earth, we will have no need to fear wild animals, for none will cause any harm, and all will live together peaceably (Isaiah 11:6-9).

Saul of Tarsus, who devoted himself to persecuting, imprisoning, and even killing Christians (Acts 7:58-59; 8:1-3), became the apostle Paul after he encountered the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6. As a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), he not only encouraged fellow Christians, but became a missionary, an evangelist to the Gentiles, a church planter, and author of about fifteen books of the New Testament, all through God’s grace.

The Lord Jesus Himself, Who will return to judge the world as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 17:14; 19:16), in His earthly ministry was the epitome of meekness, or great power kept under restraint (Matthew 11:29; 21:5). He submitted to His Father’s will by suffering and dying on the cross (Luke 22:42), even though He could have called legions of angels (Matthew 26:53) and in His own power escaped that destiny (John 10:17-18).

In the dream I marveled at the beauty of the palace and all its marvelous rooms, reminding me that part of the new life I will have in Heaven will be the mansion that Lord Jesus is preparing just for me (John 14:1-3). I was able to travel at supernatural speed and even to fly, perhaps a metaphor of the amazing power of the Holy Spirit we have within us from the moment of salvation onward (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30).

As if we could fly, we can even be seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus while we walk this earth (Ephesians 1:3; 2:6). Once we have our glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42-57), we will be able to experience many new powers and abilities like that of Jesus in His glorified body, Who was able to suddenly appear in the middle of a locked room (John 20:26), and to appear and disappear at will (Luke 24:31).

Of course, none of this is possible until we are saved by placing our faith in the death of Jesus Christ to pay for our sins, his burial, and His resurrection on the third day, proving that He is God (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 1:4; 1 Timothy 1:16-17). Once we experience the new life of the second, spiritual birth (John 3:3-8), we are a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Praise the Lord, old things have passed away, and all things are become new!     

© 2018 Laurie Collett 

Reposted from the archives and expanded 

Salvation’s Ongoing Transformations

Photo by Tamilan pugal 2021

As we saw last week, salvation has an instant rewards program beyond compare! We are positionally justified in Christ, a new creation in Him, and sealed and indwelled by the Holy Spirit Who gives us at least one spiritual gift. We have instant and continual access to God the Father through prayer, and we are His adopted children and joint heirs with Christ.

But that is only the beginning! Throughout our Christian life, from the moment we are saved until the moment the Lord takes us home, we are progressively sanctified, meaning that we become more like Christ and progressively conformed or shaped into His image (Romans 8:29-30). He is the Potter, and we are the clay (Isaiah 29:16; 64:8; Jeremiah 18:6; Romans 9:21), continually molded and reshaped into a vessel of honor increasingly useful for His service (2 Timothy 2:20-21).

The process of progressive sanctification occurs through meditating on God’s Word, through prayer, through obedience, and even through trials causing suffering. God may allow trials into our life to increase our faith in and reliance on Him (2 Corinthians 12:9); to give us compassion and experience to be able to help others going through similar trials; and to help us identify with and understand Christ’s suffering on the cross (Philippians 3:10) as He paid our sin debt.

Beginning at the moment we are born again, the Holy Spirit is there to guide us (Romans 8:9;Galatians 5:25), to teach us from God’s Word, to let us know through our conscience when we are sinning, to comfort us in difficult times and to give us wisdom (John 14:16-26).

As our Guide, the Spirit teaches us to understand and know the Word, both the Scripture and Jesus Christ (John 14:26; 1 Corinthians1:18-31;2:9-15;13:9-12), Who is the express image of God the Father (Hebrews 1:3), Through the Spirit, we know that we belong to God evermore (Romans 8:16; 1 John 4:13-16). The Spirit keeps us in communication with Jesus Christ, and with the Father through Christ (John 14:17,20), allowing us to be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19).

At the moment of salvation, our indwelling by the Holy Spirit gives believers the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5). As we die to our sin nature and yield to the Spirit, we gain more and more access to that perfect Mind, and we are more able to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25). We increasingly subject our body to His will, offering it to Him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and recognizing that it is the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

We receive God’s grace upon grace, in a never-ending stream (John 1:16). Not only did His grace save us (Ephesians 2:8) and justify us (Romans 3:24), but it allows us to serve Him and work to bear fruit for His kingdom (Hebrews 12:28; 1 Corinthians 15:10). His grace strengthens us in our weakness and allows us to endure trials (2 Corinthians 12:9). It is a limitless resource, flowing more abundantly as our need increases (James 4:6; 2 Corinthians 8:7) and as we grow closer to Him in our Christian walk (1 Corinthians 1:3-5; 2 Peter 3:18).

We become His ambassadors through the work of the Holy Spirit! (2 Corinthians 5:20). As the saying goes, we are the only Bible many lost people will ever read, and the only Jesus many lost people will ever see. God has placed every believer in a unique sphere of influence and equipped each of us in a unique way to represent Him and to spread His Word in that community as we fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 19-20).

We grow and have opportunities for service to the community of believers. Led by the Spirit, we support one another in love (1 Peter 1: 22) as a church family, bearing one another’s burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).  As we become more like Christ, we begin to love self-sacrificingly, as He did, showing that love not only toward God and toward fellow believers, but also toward the unsaved and even toward our enemies (Luke 10:27).

Just because we are saved does not mean that our problems will go away. Our health and financial condition may not improve, but our attitude will change toward our life circumstances. The Spirit helps us to realize that our earthly life is temporary and transient (James 4:14), and that we can look forward to eternity with our Lord and Savior! (1 Corinthians 2:9; Revelation 21:23)

Through the fruit of the Spirit, we will have peace that passes all understanding about whatever happens, because we will have faith that God is working it all out for our good and His glory (John 14:27, Romans 8:28). To unsaved people, that peace will be incomprehensible, because they rely on themselves alone to work out problems, and they cannot have peace when there is no apparent solution (Philippians 4: 6-7).

As part of the fruit of the Spirit, we will have joy in the Lord. The apostle Paul told us to rejoice always (Philippians 4:4), and he himself was able to do that despite being imprisoned, shipwrecked, beaten, and suffering from his thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 11:24-30; 12:7-10). 

Happiness is based on circumstances, but true joy comes from knowing that Christ died and rose again to give us the gift of eternal life (John 3:16). Nothing and no one can ever take that away from us (Romans 8:38-39. 

Whatever sorrow we experience on earth will disappear once we are with Jesus in Heaven (Romans 8:18). Earthly sorrow lasts a very short time, but the joy of being in His presence will last forever.

That is our blessed hope (Titus 2:13), of spending eternity with Christ and with fellow believers (Romans 15:13). We hope, not in the sense of wishing for it to happen, but in the faith-filled anticipation that it will come to pass, for He has said it and it is so! Our hope is in all the eternal rewards of salvation, which we shall discuss in a future post!

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

New Life

Photo by Veledan 2005

I had a dream in which I was pregnant. My husband and I were staying at a lovely manor nestled in a forested country estate. In the dream, we were sleeping when the light of dawn shining through our window awakened me. I could hear God’s voice beckoning me to come outside and let Him speak to me through the beauty of His creation (Psalm 19:1).

Not wishing to disturb my slumbering husband, I quietly arose, got dressed, and tiptoed outdoors. Wispy fog shrouded the valley like a bridal veil, bejeweled with sparkling dew illuminated by the sun’s first rays. Off in the distance, at the edge of the forest, I spotted a fawn staring at me, her ears focused in my direction like antennae.

To my surprise, the fawn began advancing toward me, timidly at first, then transforming into a sleek panther charging past me at full speed with amazing muscular power and grace. Rather than fear, I felt only awe at her beauty, like that of an elegant Art Deco sculpture but with the locomotive force of the Orient Express.

As soon as she disappeared I spotted a huge black bear in the distance, standing upright on his hind legs in a menacing display of lethal strength. Yet as I stood transfixed, unable to move as he approached me, I was shocked that his bold, lumbering strides shortened and became almost playful. When he was within striking distance, he unexpectedly stretched out before me on all fours in a submissive bow, then nudged his head against my legs like a kitten wanting to be petted.

I stroked the velvety nape of his neck and was amazed at the metamorphosis from deadly predator to loving companion. As much as I wanted to remain outdoors and embrace all of God’s creation and creatures, I felt I should return to our room before my husband became alarmed at my absence. Once I crossed the threshold back inside the manor, I realized I had entered a different door from where I had exited the lodge, and that the cozy manor had grown into a palace.

Although I was traveling a circuitous and unknown route through the castle, I was propelled by an uplifting force that sped me past comfortable sitting rooms, well-appointed libraries and lavish foyers, and finally through an ornately decorated grand theatre where I was literally flying through the air, from the rear of the hall, over the mezzanines, across the proscenium and over the stage. Then I mysteriously found that I had arrived safely back to our room, where my husband was still sleeping.

As I awoke and considered the meaning of the dream, I recognized that the main theme was new life. In the dream I was pregnant, even though in reality I am well past childbearing age. It reminded me of one of my favorite verses:

Hebrews 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

When I am going through difficult times, especially in the various ministries God has so graciously appointed to me, I find that the numbers 11-11 keep reappearing, as if God is reminding me of this verse and His faithfulness. 11-11 may appear as the cost of a purchase, the change received from a transaction, on the license plates of cars on the road or street addresses of houses I pass, or on a digital clock or recording counter.

These reminders are to have faith, not that I will have a baby, but that God will plant in me a new sense of purpose, a new ministry, a new desire to follow His perfect will (Romans 12:2). We are never too old to accept a new assignment from God (Joshua 13:1), provided we listen to His direction (Psalm 46:10), follow the Spirit’s guidance, and have faith that He will complete the perfect work He has started in us (1 Chronicles 28:20; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 13:21).

The fawn who grew into a panther was an example of how God can grow us to suit His purpose for our life. The timid person with no natural talent for speaking or commanding authority, may like Moses become a bold ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20)and leader in God’s kingdom (Exodus 4:10-12).

Like the bear who turned from formidable to affectionate, God’s child who was once a brutish, mean bully can become tenderhearted through His grace, transforming from feared enemy to loving encourager. In the new heavens and new earth, we will have no need to fear wild animals, for none will cause any harm, and all will live together peaceably (Isaiah 11:6-9).

Saul of Tarsus, who devoted himself to persecuting, imprisoning, and even killing Christians (Acts 7:58-59; 8:1-3), became the apostle Paul after he encountered the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6. As a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), he not only encouraged fellow Christians, but became a missionary, an evangelist to the Gentiles, a church planter, and author of about fifteen books of the New Testament, all through God’s grace.

The Lord Jesus Himself, Who will return to judge the world as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 17:14; 19:16), in His earthly ministry was the epitome of meekness, or great power kept under restraint (Matthew 11:29; 21:5). He submitted to His Father’s will by suffering and dying on the cross (Luke 22:42), even though He could have called legions of angels (Matthew 26:53) and in His own power escaped that destiny (John 10:17-18).

In the dream I marveled at the beauty of the palace and all its marvelous rooms, reminding me that part of the new life I will have in Heaven will be the mansion that Lord Jesus is preparing just for me (John 14:1-3). I was able to travel at supernatural speed and even to fly, perhaps a metaphor of the amazing power of the Holy Spirit we have within us from the moment of salvation onward (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30).

As if we could fly, we can even be seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus while we walk this earth (Ephesians 1:3; 2:6). Once we have our glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42-57), we will be able to experience many new powers and abilities like that of Jesus in His glorified body, Who was able to suddenly appear in the middle of a locked room (John 20:26), and to appear and disappear at will (Luke 24:31).

Of course, none of this is possible until we are saved by placing our faith in the death of Jesus Christ to pay for our sins, his burial, and His resurrection on the third day, proving that He is God (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 1:4; 1 Timothy 1:16-17). Once we experience the new life of the second, spiritual birth (John 3:3-8), we are a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Praise the Lord, old things have passed away, and all things are become new!     

© 2018 Laurie Collett