Where does my help come from?

I had a dream several nights ago where a sister in Christ and myself were walking down a road together. In the dream we are very tired because we had been walking for a long time and had been through many obstacles. As we’re talking about what we had been through, a little fox scurries up out of the woods on the side of the road. He doesn’t approach us, rather he just sits there and watches us. In the dream it really disturbs me, because he’s watching us like we are his prey.

At first I try to shoo him away, but he doesn’t respond. Next I try to intimidate him, so I jump at him and yell out. He doesn’t even flinch. Unable to get him to leave, I walk off, keeping my watch for him in the corner of my eye.

At some point, I get very tired and sit down. And that’s when the little fox makes his move. He comes running at me full force!

Lacking the physical strength to fight him off I begin to sing “Nothing But The Blood.”

“What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh! precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

For my pardon, this I see,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

For my cleansing this my plea,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus……..

As I begin to sing, the fox starts convulsing, like the song is causing him pain. He never even makes it to me. Unable to stand the pain, he wobbles off back to the woods and disappears. Then I stand up and begin walking again.

Some of you may be wondering “Why is she telling us about her dream?” or “What on earth is she talking about?”

I believe wholeheartedly (and based on the scriptures) that the LORD can speak to us in our dreams. Does this mean that every dream we have is from God? Of course not! You must test them and try them with the word of God and seek His revelation in prayer and/or fasting.

Also, dreams that come from the LORD tend to come with a weighty feeling. They’re not easily forgettable and they give a sense of urgency which always sends me to His word and in prayer seeking for understanding.

This dream in particular felt both personal and “public” if that makes sense. It felt like a personal message to me, but as a child of the Most High God, it is also a message to my brothers and sisters in Christ.

We know from God’s word that we have an enemy who would love nothing more than to destroy us. Satan, the devil, the evil one, whatever you call him, is our foe.

Peter tells us “Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times.

That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

And that is exactly what happened in my dream. But why a fox and not a lion? What does it mean?

A fox is a sly, cunning, sneaky predator. It doesn’t need to be big in size to cause harm. It can sneak up and snatch away what it wants, often without being noticed.

Several times in the bible foxes are used symbolically to describe a form of the enemy:

“Catch the foxes for us,
The little foxes that spoil and ruin the vineyards [of love],
While our vineyards are in blossom.” (Song of Solomon 2:15)

“¹ But when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious, completely enraged, and he ridiculed the Jews. ² He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the heaps of dust and rubbish, even the ones that have been burned?” ³ Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Even what they are building—if a fox should get up on it, he would break down their stone wall.” ⁴ [And Nehemiah prayed] Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their taunts on their own heads. Give them up as prey in a land of captivity. ⁵ Do not forgive their wrongdoing and do not let their sin be wiped out before You, for they have offended the builders [and provoked You].” (Nehemiah 4:1-5)

“³¹ At that very hour some Pharisees came up and said to Him, “Leave and go away from here, because Herod [Antipas] wants to kill You.”³² And He [Jesus] said to them, “Go and tell that fox [that sly, cowardly man],‘Listen carefully: I cast out demons and perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I reach My goal. ³³ Nevertheless I must travel on today and tomorrow and the day after that—for it cannot be that a prophet would die outside of Jerusalem. ³’” (Luke 13:31-33)

Our enemy is constantly looking to take us down! Quite often he watches us waiting for a moment of weakness.

For me, I was getting weary during my walk (race) of faith.

My friend and sister in Christ was with me because I know that she is going through the same thing. Often we encourage one another to keep moving forward and remind each other of the things God has brought us through.

As if scripted, the enemy popped up to watch us during our journey. My error was obviously in trying to fight him and intimidate him with my strength and authority, which we all know does NOT work! A natural fighter, I am often tempted to go in my own strength and my strength is NEVER sufficient. Thankfully has Christ made a way for us to overcome!

Predictably the fox set in to attack when I was at my weakest physically, but he didn’t know that I had the best defense of all….the blood of Jesus!

Paul describes this perfectly in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10:

“⁷ Because of the surpassing greatness and extraordinary nature of the revelations [which I received from God], for this reason, to keep me from thinking of myself as important, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, to torment and harass me—to keep me from exalting myself ⁸ Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me; ⁹ but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your]weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. ¹⁰ So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].”

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus!

“This is all my hope and peace,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

This is all my righteousness,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

I also want you to notice something else from the scriptures that refer to enemy as foxes. The foxes only came around right before something wonderful was about to happen!

In Song of Solomon, the foxes came to steal the ripened grapes (the harvest).

In Nehemiah, the foxes were used to symbolize the enemy tearing down the walls being restored around Jerusalem. The restoration of the walls symbolized a restoration of God’s people.

In Luke, Herod Antipas was seeking to destroy Jesus and stop His ministry before He reached Jerusalem, which is where Jesus would fulfill the scriptures through His crucifixion and resurrection.

Our enemy always has and will continue to try to stop us from serving the LORD as long as we live. Our enemy desires our worship and our lives. Satan would have it that we be devoted to him instead of God.

Be aware that as long as he can deter you, distract you, hinder you, and intimidate you, he has control over you. Do not try to fight him in your own way. You will lose!

Remember that our battle is not physical, though at times we feel physical effects. Paul reminds us who it is we are really fighting and the only way to overcome.

“¹⁰ In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. ¹³ Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious].” (Ephesians 6:10-13)

For those who serve the LORD, we have many promises of His deliverance and help. In Isaiah 54:17, the word says:

“No weapon that is formed against you will succeed;
And every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn.
This [peace, righteousness, security, and triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And this is their vindication from Me,” says the Lord.”

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD! That as long as you serve Him, you will not be overtaken by the enemy’s attacks.

And my dream reflected this perfectly! As the enemy came in to harm me, he was stopped by my devotion to God! My only defense is and will always be the blood of Jesus!

YOUR only defense is and will always be the blood of Jesus!

Jesus promises “⁶ Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6)

In a day and time when the righteousness of God is rejected by so many, we need to dig in ever more! We must remember that it is only through Christ that we can endure and make it to heaven. It is through His strength and His might that we can persevere and it is by His blood only that we are made blameless in God's eyes. So let us hunger and thirst for the cleansing of the blood of Christ that we can be covered in God's righteousness, so we can be in right standing with Him! Because He is coming back for His church! Let’s hide ourselves in the LORD for He is our Shelter, our Refuge, our Strong and Mighty Tower! And NO weapon of the enemy can prevail against our God!

But that protection is only for those who belong to Him!

So stand firmly in Him! Cover yourself with His word, His promises, His provision. God will help us if we look to Him as our help.

“¹ I will lift up my eyes to the hills [of Jerusalem]—
From where shall my help come?

² My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.

⁴ Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber [briefly] nor sleep [soundly].

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.

⁶ The sun will not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your life.

⁸ The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in [everything that you do]
From this time forth and forever.” (Psalm 121:1-8)

AMEN

God Bless you and keep you!

Love,

Kelly