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Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
I found a dream the other day from years ago and was surprised at how relevant it was in this season. This dream from 2013 not only confirmed the needed clean up in the Church, but suggests several strategic directives for both prayer and action.
In this short night parable, I believe there are some clues regarding what needs to be addressed in this time of cleansing and restoration: 1) We need to rediscover PRAYER as a foundational value in guarding God’s House from compromise. 2) We need to use proper BIBLICAL TOOLS to preserve the purity of the gospel and the holiness of God. 3) We need qualified LEADERSHIP to provide effective oversight in filtering truth from error. 4) We need to WALK IN THE LIGHT and not keep things hidden.
In the dream I saw a small boy sleeping on his bed when his family found out their house was full of spiders. He picks up the rug he’s sleeping on and there is an ornamental grate underneath leading to a sewer. It’s filled with dust and dirt. He knows that’s where they are coming in and I’m wondering why he’s been sleeping on it!
I go through the house to find something to clean with. I realize that I am covered in dust and grime. I can’t find anything, not even a cleaning closet. I look further through darkened hallways and unused rooms. I then come upon a sanctuary with chairs stacked up and furniture scattered around and realize…this is a church! The room doesn’t seem to be used that much because the dust isn’t as bad in there. Though I am covered in fine dust, this sanctuary is relatively untouched from lack of use. I walk past a doorway where there’s a table with things on top of it. I see something move and see a small statuette of the Praying Hands and they’re moving – waving. But, they appear to be more of a gimmick than any article of worship. I continue to look for cleaning materials and when the caretaker finally comes in to give me something, I find the tools very crude and ineffective for the large job ahead. With that, the dream ends.
Here are several insights from this short parable that my shed some light on our condition today:
THE NEXT GENERATION HAS AWAKENED to a neglected House. Though the entire family is awakening to the current mess in the church, it is the next generation that has called attention to this and taking the initiative in the clean-up work ahead.
WEBS OF DECEPTION HAVE TAKEN OVER. Isaiah 59:3-5 speaks of spiders weaving webs of deception in order to lead people astray. It is this unsuspecting web of lies that has slowly infiltrated God’s House and neutralized our discernment.
THE ENTRY POINTS HAVE BEEN HIDDEN. Removing the rug covering on the floor finally revealed how the accumulation of dust and deception entered the house. Whether intentional or not, things have been hidden that are now coming into the light.
THE DIRT AND DUST CAME FROM THE OUTSIDE. Research shows that roughly 60% of dust comes from pollen and air pollutants brought in from the outside. When we allow false teachings and godless ideologies into God’s house, it will dull us to the truth and build an accumulation of carnality and compromise.
THE ORNAMENTAL GRATE was a sleek, but deceptive cover. That which was supposed to properly filter out contaminants was put there for show more than actual protection. And it is those who lead and “cover” a house that will ultimately determine what gets inside.
THE TRUE FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS HAS BEEN NEGLECTED. The Body of Christ is not confined to any physical sanctuary, but our corporate gatherings deepen our fellowship through worship and prayer. When that is neglected, we lose the fear of the Lord, and public platforms and online ministries begin to replace face to face relationships and meaningful discipleship.
WE HAVE NEGLECTED THE TOOLS God gave in us in order to maintain His house. We have forgotten God’s instructions and the standards He has set for those who enter into His holy place. Worse yet, we don’t even know what these scriptural guidelines are, nor have we equipped others in how to use them.
PRAYER HAS BEEN USED AS A MARKETING TOOL more than a means to deeper fellowship with the Father. Prayer cannot be hijacked as a campaign strategy or means to church growth. We must celebrate and champion prayer as a core value in the life of every believer, not just for intercession, but as a weapon to overcome the schemes of the devil.
The dust and grime accumulated in the dream deadened sensitivities and caused slumber to fall on all those in the house. But thankfully, they were finally awakened. And just like the family in the dream, there are now many in the Body of Christ who are waking up to the true state of the Church. But even as we are shocked and saddened by how much dirt has gotten into the house, a collective zeal is arising to clean things up.
And though not all churches, ministries, and leaders have experienced these conditions in the same way, it seems clear that the Lord has designated this time for a corporate clean up. Thus, I want to suggest four directives to see God’s House truly restored.
Regardless of the current turmoil and division in God’s House, He has given us His Word and the power of His Spirit to bring transformation. We must start by acknowledging the dirt and deciding to deal with it. But then we must look ahead to what God’s House will look like once things are made right. This is where me must keep our focus. He is the One who has initiated the process and if we are faithful to do our part, He will be faithful to do His.
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4 Responses
What a timely message Wanda. Our church is currently undergoing a Nehemiah “rebuild”. The healthy remnant is truly seeking to restore the foundation and rebuild the church ( people ) with godly materials – your exact outline/ prayer, the word, leadership. It is okay and even healthy when the dust and “allergens” gossip, carnality etc. are eradicated from a building. Yes, churches have become dirty and even filthy with corruption. I am encouraged and enlightened with this dream and interruption. God Bless you Wanda
I love the image! Is it possible to share where or how you obtain the image for the dream you have drawn?
It’s an AI-generated image from ChatGPT. Have just recently begun to use the app for specific tasks and have been amazed at some of the results. (It all depends on the specific prompts you give it.)
This is so refreshing to hear from a respected leader! I have been in a “charismatic” church for over 40 years that started out in the Jesus movement. The fellowship and worship was amazing. But prayer was a weak spot. Over the years fellowship and worship have slipped into the popular forms of short term groups and entertaining music. Prayer is still lagging. Since covid and ill health, my 70 something husband and I have turned to a traditional conservative Lutheran church on-line that embraces the Word and the Gospel. Prayer is a strong part of the worship service. My kids are struggling with both options, now I know why.