The River in the Wilderness

In 2008, I had a dream that has been profoundly prophetic to me! The Lord has spoken to me through it, in the same way, that a  mystery movie would unveil a plot within a plot–one layer at a time. It was a dream of the life and calling of a pioneer. It revealed the process of this ’emerging move of God’ and the final outpouring! The dream speaks to this generation of pioneers who have left lush “church field” for the adventure of  pioneering in the wilderness!

The Dream: The Ancient River in the Wilderness

There was a crowd of people standing in rows in a lush green field. I was standing on the outer edge. [ As one would be seated on the outer seat of a row of chairs. But there were not any chairs.] A well-dressed  pastor was addressing the crowd from the front. He was speaking, but at the same time his attention kept being drawn over to me. Now, I was very close to him and looked to him for much guidance. He was not just a leader in my life he was a friend.
As he preached, he would look at me and nod his head as if he were approving of my position. At the first glance, he was in approval of me standing at the edge of the crowd. At the same time, he was a bit concerned as he noticed that my attention was drifting away to the wooded area that bordered the field.

He continued to teach even as he was noticing me, and I continued to listen to him even as I was being drawn to the wooded area. I stepped away from the crowd and walked over to the edge. I noticed a rather wide and rather deep river bed. I looked back over to the pastor, and he again nodded his head at me in approval and kept addressing the crowd with teaching. I looked down at the edge of the wooded area, and there was an opening to a dry river bed.  The mouth of it was where I was standing.

The First Stone

At my feet was a five-sided stepping stone just slightly covered with dirt. I felt the incredible presence of my Father with-in that moment. I began to feel childlike and longed to explore this river bed and discover the mystery of such a phenomenon! It was an ancient place where water previous ran wild. Why was it now dry? How, wonderful it must have been when it was rushing living water! I looked and in my hand was a brush to clean off the stepping stone. I had knowledge that the Father put the brush in my hand. I knelt down and brushed off the stone.

The Second Stone and The Woman

I was quickly drawn to another stone just a foot in front of the one I was standing on. As I was about to kneel down to clean off the next stone, a woman from the crowd ran over and yelled in my ear “get back to the others– you rebellious woman!” I looked back and caught eyes with the pastor, and he again nodded his head as if to say “I see you–it’s OK.” The woman ran back to the front row. My attention was back on the stone, and I was overwhelmed with joy as The Father gave me direction and another tool, a stronger bristled brush, to uncover the next stone.

It was as if I was playing with my Father in the forest, and the work was effortless–and it was adventurous! I continued walking on my knees peering at the newly uncovered stone and then, looked ahead to see the next one in which The Father would lead me.

Suddenly, that annoying woman startled me again. I did not hear her at first for I was caught up in the presence of The Father, but I felt her disapproving presence and turned my head. I realized she was trying to yell in my ear again, but I could only slightly hear her. I looked back at the pastor in the field, and he again nodded his head at me, but this time looked as if he wanted to be in the wilderness as well. But he thought it was his duty to stay in the field. I knew he did not want me to go away from the comfort of the grassy meadow, but at the same time he knew that this was where the Father was leading me. The woman retreated to the field and began to speak frantically to the pastor.

The Third Stone

Again I was overcome with joy and the compelling presence of The Father wisped my attention away to follow Him on deeper still. As I followed, I noticed that the walls of the river bed were getting higher the further we went. I looked and below my feet was the very edge of a third stepping stone. In my hand was the chisel of an archaeologist and in the other was a smaller brush. I excitedly began to uncover this stone as would an archaeologist who stumbled upon an ancient artifact! In all of this the work was not work at all, it was like going on an adventure with My Daddy. The third stone was not buried very deep under the hard red clay; I had it cleaned off in no time.
I felt an annoying presence just a few feet behind me. It was the woman again! I looked, and her mouth was moving and but no sound was coming out. She was mouthing to me “you are in rebellion” and I laughed at her. She was  frantic and angry as she was trying to yell at me! I could hear nothing but the voice of My Father beckoning me still–deeper and further.

She fled back to the pastor in the field. He became dark as he listened to her and began to misunderstand what The Father was doing. He dropped his head in disappointment. He felt alone and noticed the people who were left in the meadow were very few. I, at that moment stopped. I was very grieved for him and prayed him to come into the wilderness with The Father as well.

The Fourth Stone

The Father’s joy and love overcame my heavy heart as He drew me to the slight outline of a fourth stepping stone. This stone was completely covered with approximately  an inch of red clay. I, again on my knees, took the new tools in my hand and began to uncover this fourth stone. It took a little longer than the others but was still enjoyable and exciting. Then The Father stood beside me, and the shadow of His presence covered me as I was on my knees looking at the stones and realizing how far away from the field I was. I realized that the walls of the river bed where almost taller than I. Suddenly I felt entirely alone with Him, and it was wonderful but at the same time I wondered if I was too far away. It seemed to be getting dark in the forest. I knew He was with me, but I realized that all this time I thought I was going back to the field eventually. Just as these questions started creeping into my mind, The Father showed me that He had lead me away. I knew I was not going back. He had called me out from the crowd. I didn’t just wander as a little child would curiously wander away from home. He beckoned me with His presence!I stood upon on the fourth stone and did not look back any longer. The woman did not and could not come past the third stone, and I no longer was aware of her or the pastor in the meadow. I was focused entirely on The Father, and I knew that there was a fifth stone.

The Fifth Stone and The Clogged Pipe

I instinctively calculated the distance that separated the past four stepping stones and knelt down. As I hit my knees the tools I needed to uncover the fifth and final stone were in my hand and placed on the ground beside me. This one took the longest to reveal. It was not a tedious job, but a focused job– for the reality had set in that I was on a mission from my Father. I completely uncovered that fifth stepping stone, and it was perfect! Not a bit of damage from the years of being hidden. It was flawless! And just as the fifth stone was completely visible and clean I, still on my knees, looked and in front of my face was a pipe sticking out from the edge of the river bed. The depth of the river bed was now just over my head. And suddenly in my hand appeared a steel pipe cleaner. I extended my arm to the pipe with the cleaner and with one stroke the dry, hard, red clay came out!

The Out-Pouring, The Platform, and The Tent

Water began to rush out as if it had been building with great pressure. It was as though it was waiting for that one stroke to clean out the pipe! Just then under my feet was a very very broad platform and over my head was a very very full tent. The river was full and flowing under the “platform”, and rain was pouring down all around!

The Dance of All Dances

All around me were people dancing and spinning about on the platform. They had followed along from the meadow as I was uncovering the stones trailing the path through the dry river bed! They were the ones who had left the field and gone into the wilderness after me. The entire time I had no idea that others were following my lead! The whole journey I  thought that  I was alone with ‘My Daddy’ on this adventure!

Seven years ago The Lord gave me this dream and has been revealing layer by layer the powerful interpretation. There are many of us that have been on this journey!  The Five-fold ministry is being uncovered in this emerging move of God. We are crossing over into the promise of all promises!   He has been drawing us and beckoning us deeper; to go away with Him and enjoy the journey of the revelation of His heart! In the next weeks, I will dissect the Word of the Lord revealed in this dream…. To be continued!