…And God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27
And Jehovah God said, It is not good for the man to be alone;
I will make him a helper as his counterpart. Genesis 2:18
And the man said, This time this is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called Woman because out of Man this one was taken…Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleve to his wife,
and they shall be come one flesh. Genesis 2:23,24
Some time ago, I had a repetitive dream/vision about a girl. She was adapted or something close to that, and I saw her as an extension of her Father: the One who adapted her. She was so infused with Him that she was like Him. She went to the places that she was sent by Him, but she had spent so much more time with her Father that she was more like Him than she was like the people she moved among. There was talk about it from the people as they tried to understand how she was so identical to Him in so many ways.
It was more than being “like.” I understood that her “likeness” to Him was similar to when certain metal objects interact with a very strong magnet for a period of time. The magnet does not lose its magnetic power, instead the metal objects that have repeated and direct contact with it become magnetized. It is an internal rearrangement of the the very atoms within the metal…all the metal re-composes itself into the order of the strong magnet, so they are internally like the strong magnet they were among…even after they have been removed from the presence of the strong magnet. Once magnetized, they will have the power to also change other pieces of metal into a magnet. But unless made permanent, the magnets will eventually lose their magnetism once removed from the influence of the strong magnet.
In the dream, the girl, had been so infused with the nature of her Father, that she had become changed. She could be among those that were not infused with His nature and yet her nature was attractive to those who were un-like her Father. By being around her, the very natures of those that were un-like her and her Father, were changed to be like unto Him. She did not influence anyone to be like “her.” It was known that she was like her Father… and they would be changed to be like Him, not her. She was an example of what they could be like: Him. Not her. She was such a representation of Him that there was no question of who she was like. She retained no “self-image.”She was in His Image.
The dream was so beautiful! Again and again, although the dream spoke about “her” she was never “seen”. I never once “saw her.” There was never any talk of “her” other than that “She was completely infused with His likeness.”
The Father loved His daughter and was so pleased with her! She was submissive to Him in all things. She did nothing that was outside of His Nature, for she shared in His Nature and in that way, all that He had within His Nature was shared by her, and all that had formally been “her” was infused with Him. She was still “her,” but she had joined in His Nature so totally, that you could see her Father in all that she did and spoke, and even in the way that she moved. She spoke, and it was His grace that flowed from her lips, she moved, and it was where He would have her go. She was the most free among any who were ever around her, for she lived and moved and had her BE-ing within the One who created her. And, because His nature is love and eternal, she walked in love, and there was the Eternal’s nature upon her. She had all things, yet possessed nothing, for her reward was with her.
That is what I want! This is my own heart’s desire! Any identity outside of Heavenly Father is a false one! It is not what He created me to be. I do not want to become “more Victoria,” I want Victoria to become “magnetized, infused” with all that her Father is! I want His identity to be stamped upon my being and nature! I want to live and move and have my being always inHim, to be in His presence whether I go in or come out. No matter where I am or who I am with, I want to always be with Him! The end…
I was brought back to this beautiful vision today after I woke up dreaming of being in a congregation and I began to sing a song… The Old Rugged Cross. I saw the faces of the people as they stood up and began to sing as I faltered… There was one man in particular who was the first to stand and sing. It was towards the end of the song and I was not sure if I should repeat the entire chorus or just some of it. He stood and boldly sang the chorus, and as he did, others stood and sang.
When I got up today, the first thing I did when I sat down, was to go on YouTube and listen to “The Old Rugged Cross”. I listened closely to the words:
“On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross / The emblem of suff’ring and shame
And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best / For a world of lost sinners was slain
So I’ll cherish the old rugged Cross / Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross / And exchange it some day for a crown
Oh, that old rugged Cross so despised by the world/ Has a wondrous attraction for me
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above / To bear it to dark Calvary
So I’ll cherish the old rugged Cross / Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross / And exchange it some day for a crown
In the old rugged Cross, stain’d with blood so divine / A wondrous beauty I see
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above / To pardon and sanctify me
So I’ll cherish the old rugged Cross / Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross / And exchange it some day for a crown
To the old rugged Cross I will ever be true / Its shame and reproach gladly bear
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away / Where his glory forever I’ll share
So I’ll cherish the old rugged Cross / Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross / And exchange it some day for a crown”
As I listened to the words, this thought came to me, “He is King of Heaven, and if we are to be like Him, why don’t we realize we cannot be like Him if we refuse to accept what He Himself told us?” The Song says “I will cling to the old rugged cross, till at last my trophies I lay down!”
We have it backwards! We cling to our trophies and lay down the cross with it’s shame and reproach, it’s pain and suffering, and the stigma of being despised by the world. We want to exchange a crown for a crown! We want to walk in some kind of comfort and status on earth, live a life of blessing, paid for by the King of Glory, and then strut into heaven to claim another crown. Isaiah 53 clearly states that He was despised and rejected; a man, well acquainted with sorrows and grief. Hebrews 4 tells us that though He was GOD, the Son of God, He learned obedience by what He suffered, and being made perfect, (by and through those sufferings) He received all glory and honor and power!
Why do we think that it is okay for God to take off His glorious and spotless robe, His honor, power, position and deity, and that He should to come to earth to be spit on and tortured and lied about, despised and rejected by the very “man” that He formed in the Garden; And yet we do not need to be made perfect? Are we really saying “Only He, who knew no sin, needed to be made perfect through testing and trials?” Everyone seems to think they are, or should be the exception to what the Word of God tells us!
We are outcasts in this world! If we are not like them, then we are rejected. If we are not rejected by the world, what does that imply? If we go around wearing crowns and grasping wealth, power, trophies of respect and leisure; What realm are we more like? —Are we like the One who came from Heaven and was thrown out of His own vineyard? Or, are we like the ones that threw Him out, and refused to “have Him rule us!”
We must be one or the other. Are we like Him who is of Heaven to came to earth to make a way back into the Father’s house for all who will receive and follow Him, or we are like the ones who did not want Him to continue doing great signs and drawing all men unto Himself… out of fear their nation would perish? They killed Jesus BECAUSE He was saving His children from eternal death! The rulers of that nation could not lose all “their” people…The kingdom of hell will not allow those of the Kingdom of Life to take away all their “citizens/prisoners!” A kingdom is not a kingdom without people! Thus, if you are of the Kingdom of Life, which is the kingdom of God, you are identified and persecuted, because your activities jeopardize the stability and population of the kingdom of this world! You will be thrust out! You will be persecuted. They will lie about you, beat you, try to shut you up and shut you down! That. Is. The. Cross!
That is the old rugged Cross! That is the way of the Cross! That is the laying down your trophies of the earth to receive the crown of life! Jesus says in John 12:25, “He who loves his soul-life loses it; and he who hates his soul-life in this world shall keep it unto eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there also My servant will be. If anyone serves me the Father will honor him.” And again, in vs 42,43, it says, “Nevertheless even many of the rulers believed into Him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess Him, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.”
I cannot exchange anything for a crown of life, I cannot be like my Father in Heaven, if I will not be like His Son, whom He sent as His express image and likeness. Jesus says in John 12: 45, “And he who beholds Me beholds Him who sent Me.” If I cannot walk as Jesus walked, accept His cross and the shame and rejection He bore, I cannot be like Him. If I cannot and will not be like Him, then I cannot be like the Father who sent Him. Period.
I was studying John Chapter 12 last night before I went to bed, and I realize this is the essence of what the song is about. This is the essence of the dream about the girl becoming like her Father. The truth is, if anyone becomes like their heavenly Father, the world will recognize it. It cannot be hidden. It is impossible for a light to be hidden in the darkness. You can be an un-lit candle and hide, but if the fire of the Holy Spirit is within you, you will be a torch in the dark dungeons of the world. You will be noticed. You will be hated. The world will try to throw you out, because you do not belong here! You are the alien! You are the pilgrim in a strange land, as Abraham was. But, you will have the protection of the Father and His seal upon you! You are under the blood of the Lamb of God, and you walk in victory over all the schemes and devices of the enemy.
All that can touch you and your life is in the ultimate control of the Father! Nothing can touch you that is not for His ultimate glory! You will have trials and tribulations in this world. But, the trials are about testing your faith in His faithfulness and His promises to you! He said, “I will never leave you or forsake you!”
Do we believe that? When the world is ganging up on us… do we believe that the Father knows the situations we are in? Does He know that you are attacked by sickness and disease, or “lack?” Does He know your car broke down and you have no money in your bank account? Does He really know that you have children to feed and cloth, your husband deserted you and you don’t know how to feed them? Does He know that no one at work will speak to you because they are spreading lies about you? Does He know how lonely you felt as a child who could not seem to find a place to fit in? Does He really know how discouraged you are? Where is He then?
Friend!! This is your trial! It is not the perception of lack, it is this: What is your perception of His faithfulness to you? When you cannot see Him, do you believe He has left you and cannot feed you, your children, provide for your needs and comfort you through the trials? Did He run off like Peter did? That is your trial. It is your faith in HIM that is on trial: not you! When you RESOLVE that you are not alone, that He is right beside you, and He is your refuge, your strength, your fortress in times of trouble and your provision, you will learn to see Him with eyes of Faith!
Then, you will mount up on the wings as of an eagle! Because now you are learning to see from the heights of faith! When you KNOW in your heart that you are never ever ever alone! That He who feeds and provides for the sparrow will feed and clothe you and your children, and He who feeds multitudes with 5 fishes, and millions with manna from heaven for 40 years, who owns the cattle on all the thousands of hills, will provide for you, when you see Him with the eyes of faith, that comes no other way!
You cannot develop film in any other way but in the dark! You cannot develop faith in any other way but by trial. You cannot harden steel except through fire and hammering. You cannot make fine porcelain except through the furnace. All that cannot pass through the fire will be burned up. But clay was made to go through the furnace, and are we not made of clay? The adornments He lavishes upon those who submit to the trial and testing are of the finest gold, silver and all that is precious. How precious in the sight of God are those who trust in Him!
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been manifested what we will be. We know that if He is manifested, we will be like Him because we will see Him even as He is.
I John 3:2 (Revised Version)
Original vision
Monday, September 17th, 2012