I arrive by my van at a garage, service station and was watching some of the activity. One large thug like guy was threatening others and throwing his weight around. I needed something doing to my vehicle. My vehicle had changed to a kind of quad bike.
He approaches me and starts acting nicely asking if he can have a go on on my vehicle but he begins to take liberties with his thugs urging him on. He takes my drink and spills it.
I have enough from watching his activities. I stand up to him and start pushing him around. I say you…. you…you…you… reeling off his offenses pushing against him with my hands and telling him what will happen to him. I was angry and had enough of being pushed around.
Even I was surprised that I was doing this. He looked surprised too and he gave up and left me alone driving off.
I knew immediately what this was about. I have felt heavy and besieged and have seen what is going on around me and others. Immediately I knew this is about the enemy. We need to let him know that he needs to back off. He has his comeuppance!
Don’t roll over and let him have his way with you. You have the authority to fight back in Jesus.
We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
That word resist is not saying just sit there and let him beat you up, abuse you and a load of other things – stand up to him.
This same word in James 4.7 (above reference) also means oppose. (By the way – you have to submit or subject yourself to God and that’s about ranking. Put yourself lower than God).
In pondering this dream a song by
Joe King about standing up to the enemy came to me (see the link)
In the dream the enemy was walking around throwing his weight around towards others in different ways. Putting them down, dishing dirt on them and trying to look nice but his true colours show through.
I felt righteous anger. I believe it needs to be used in intercession on behalf of others as well as myself.
The fact that I was in a service station reflects the current situation I face. I went from operating one van to another kind of vehicle. This reflects what I do with my life. At a service station you also fill up with fuel and get ready for the next activity. I have been under some flack at this time in finding my place in the world but I recognised where that was coming from in the dream and took action.
It is both about a personal fight in regards to not letting the enemy destroy my business, my purpose, but it’s also about others and defending them.
During the previous day I was led to pray deliver us from evil a few times. The word for deliver used in the Lord’s prayer can also mean rescue. Both are very appropriate. I think the way it’s written is very commanding. It’s not begging or please, it’s ‘do it’! These are the kind of prayers Yahweh responds too.
Isaiah 59:15–19 (CSB): The Lord saw that there was no justice, and he was offended. 16 He saw that there was no man— he was amazed that there was no one interceding; so his own arm brought salvation, and his own righteousness supported him. 17 He put on righteousness as body armor, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. 18 So he will repay according to their deeds: fury to his enemies, retribution to his foes, and he will repay the coasts and islands. 19 They will fear the name of the Lord in the west and his glory in the east;, for he will come like a rushing stream driven by the wind of the Lord.
(A different version to the one above says ‘when the enemy comes in like a flood the spirit of the Lord…’ NKJV
By the way I think the comma or pause in that last verse needs to come after the ‘in’ not the ‘flood’ especially in the light of other translations!)
Jesus has won the victory for us and intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father. He wants us to join with him in this ministry. Through us working with him we are able to push back the enemy.