Strange Dream

I had a most unusual dream that awakened me early this morning. I feel compelled to share it here. I've had many spiritual dreams, but I think that this one was the oddest one I've ever had. I know it was a dream from the Lord, because of it's vividness and it was quite out of nowhere.

The dream:
I was with a friend back in the frontier days. We had traveled into the deep woods to visit an explorer and his wife who were doing research on this wild frontier. This young couple had built a rustic log home in a clearing, but they would often travel along a path that led to where "the indian camp" was located. They wanted to take my friend and I to look at the indian camp from a distance. As we walked along, it grew dark. I was wondering in my mind several things. First, I was wondering if we were going to spend the night out in this wilderness. Second, I knew that Indian camps always have scouts or lookouts surrounding their camp, so I figured they knew we were there. About the time I had that thought, the wife of the explorer (she was far ahead of us and out of sight) came runnimg back. She said that the indian lookouts had just come to her with a message from the indian cheif inviting us to spend the night in their camp. She said the warriors were drinking around a campfire. At this point, I was thinking several things: first, how it would be impossible for us to decline their invitation as that would be an insult that would make them angry with us. Second, how dangerous it would be to spend the night in a camp full of drunken, indian warriors. We knew we had to go with them, but I was full of trepidation. As we walked along with out "escorts", I was thinking about the effects of alcohol that I know so well. I was thinking about how alcohol separates your soul from your spirit and thus drives one into a state of carnality and poor judgement that is extrememly dangerous. I was thinking to myself, that, of course, I would not drink. I would remain sober. I was picturing in my mind the possible mayhem that could erupt in the middle of the night. I knew they would drink all night and we would be required to sit with them.I knew that they would expect us to drink with them and continue urging us to drink and I was trying to think of a way to look as if I had drank a sip without actually swallowing. End of dream.

I see many worldly parallels, but I just wanted to share this here. If anyone has insight or something to say, please do. Love, Dian.

I think that God may have given me the interpretation of the dream, but I want to pray about it for a while before I post anything, possibly I will post tomorrow or the day after.

Dian, I believe God will give you the interpretation.

This is what i get...The dream represents ministry. You will pioneer to a country that has heard little or no gospel. the lookouts represent the "princes" over that area and the alcohol is the sin of the people. Thinking of a way to "look like you drank the alcohol" represents compromise. But no you wont compromise because God is telling you "you didnt swallow"
The dangerous and nitetime part is characteristic that "light is needed" and God will protect you.
The wife of the explorrer is your intercessor.
{she is aware of the principalities]

If God doesnt confirm this interpretation then .....[file 13]

David

Alright, I am going to tell you what I believe it means. As Joseph said, "all interpretations belong to God." So we ask God for the interpretation and He will give it to us. I have read what others wrote here, and there are some interesting thoughts. Well, here it is.
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I was with a friend back in the frontier days. We had traveled into the deep woods to visit an explorer and his wife who were doing research on this wild frontier.

I believe this is representative of the people of the church in America right now, they are barely beginning to explore the "frontier" or terrain of America. I find it interesting that America was called a wild frontier in years past, and in some places still is.

This young couple had built a rustic log home in a clearing,

Again, significant of what the people have done to create the church. I believe the "rustic log cabin" shows exactly the state of the church in every aspect. It is a building that was built many years ago, but has little connection to the reality of what is taking place today. It is still surviving off of what was built hundreds of years ago rather than being constantly building today.

but they would often travel along a path that led to where "the indian camp" was located. They wanted to take my friend and I to look at the indian camp from a distance.

I believe this shows the common practice of the church, which is exactly to paint a picture of the world from within it's walls, and show everyone what it looks like, "from a distance" without ever really getting involved.

As we walked along, it grew dark. I was wondering in my mind several things. First, I was wondering if we were going to spend the night out in this wilderness.

This is where I believe the dream transitions from being a showing of what the church is, to a showing of what the world is, there are more examples of the church later.

But here it grows dark, and it causes an immediate concern in your mind, as well as the mind of every believer, and that is this, "Is it really necessary, must I go to that place of wickedness, will I die there?"

Second, I knew that Indian camps always have scouts or lookouts surrounding their camp, so I figured they knew we were there.

This is a second concern of most people, "What about the enemy? They know we are coming, they know we are here, what will they do to us?" More than that though, I think it is also an awareness that the enemy knows the people of God are here.

About the time I had that thought, the wife of the explorer (she was far ahead of us and out of sight) came runnimg back. She said that the indian lookouts had just come to her with a message from the indian cheif inviting us to spend the night in their camp. She said the warriors were drinking around a campfire.

I believe this is significant of what is taking place all over the church of america, that is that men have not risen to the position of leadership, and prayer, and holiness, and as a result, God has raised up many women who are far ahead and keep returning with words from the Lord, and warnings. I think it is significant that there was a message from the wife about how "the warriors were drinking". I believe that this is a message from the Lord hidden within the rest of the message, and that is that the warriors of the enemy, whom everyone is afraid of in the church right now are DRINKING, they are becoming drunk with the spirit of this age, drunkenness, carousing, the cares of this life. It is not actual alcohol, it is symbolic of what Jesus said. Now is the time to pray, and take advantage of the enemies lack of awareness.

At this point, I was thinking several things: first, how it would be impossible for us to decline their invitation as that would be an insult that would make them angry with us. Second, how dangerous it would be to spend the night in a camp full of drunken, indian warriors.

This part and the last, are showing the invitation of the world to come and join them in every aspect, their drunkenness with their own selves. The church fears that if they do not appeal to the world by what the world likes, then they will be rejected, and the world will become angry. While at the same time, they are afraid of going to far in that direction, and becoming part of the world rather than reaching out to it.

We knew we had to go with them, but I was full of trepidation. As we walked along with out "escorts", I was thinking about the effects of alcohol that I know so well. I was thinking about how alcohol separates your soul from your spirit and thus drives one into a state of carnality and poor judgement that is extrememly dangerous. I was thinking to myself, that, of course, I would not drink. I would remain sober.

This is significant of the path that the people of God must take, they must go into the world, but not be apart of it's drunkenness. I think the fact that you have such a hightened sense of awareness about the effects of real alcohol was used by God to show you the effects of the spirit of this age, the drunkenness. I believe that that should be the thought of every Christian, that "they would stay sober, and not drink" not drink in of it.

I was picturing in my mind the possible mayhem that could erupt in the middle of the night. I knew they would drink all night and we would be required to sit with them.I knew that they would expect us to drink with them and continue urging us to drink and I was trying to think of a way to look as if I had drank a sip without actually swallowing. End of dream.

I believe God here was showing you the coming crisis that will strike in the "middle of the night" if I'm not mistaken, this ties in to the 3 1/2 year mark of the seven years, I am not incredible with end times stuff, but I know that that is what it is talking about. The fact that you were required to sit there with them is the fact that the church will be required to sit with the world through the tribulation. The whole time they will be calling for us to join them, urging us to join them in their drunkenness.

The last phrase is a warning, you cannot act like the world, abstain from the appearance of evil, you cannot pretend to drink in of their wine "sin" and not drink, you either drink, or stay sober.
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I believe that this is the message of the dream to you, there may be a little bit in the dream that I missed, and I have found with many dreams I have that God will continue to show me things about them as long as I meditate on them before Him.

Take this dream seriously, people all around me are having more and more dreams that deal with the last days that we are living in, I believe the increased amount of dreams about it should cause us to go to our knees in prayer more and more as the time of His coming approaches, it is right on top of us.

Well Ben, your interpretation, I believe, is right on!
My thoughts, as I have meditated on this dream ever since I had it, have been that most of it represents what I believe about the church. In fact, just this morning, my husband and I discussed our present situation. We were a part of a church for about 9 months and then, we left because we felt that the church's strategy for evangelism was far too compromising with the world's way of doing things. We have been out of that church now for about 7 months, but this morning, my husband told me he wants us to return to that church. My husband said to me, "We can't just stay out of church. We have to go somewhere." I feel that I have to go because of my husband's leading (as in the dream, I don't feel I have a choice), but I'm going with much trepidation, knowing that things are probably, pretty much, the same as they were when we left. Now, I picture myself sitting with them "all night" while they drink (the cup of compromise). In fact, after our conversation, my husband called the pastor to tell him of our plans to return and he was elated. My husband told him that our views had not changed, but we felt we wanted to return. I'm going, but I'm planning to remain "sober". I know that many of them are guzzling at the world's trough.

Thank you for spending the time in prayer and for sharing this insightful interpretation here. Love, Dian.

Amazingly enough spitfire, I have had a similar situation over the past few years, I left a church because it didn't witness at all, and it didn't hardly have a prayer meeting.

After two years, God brought me back to that church through one of my friends that attended there. I have gone back quite reluctantly, but what I found to my surprise was that in the time I had been gone, God had been working on their hearts, and they were beginning to really press forward toward seeking what is right.

I do not know what your church situation will be, but just be ready for what the Lord wants by prayer.

Bless you in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.