Prophecy
“Oh no! Not My Bible!”
DREAM:
The dream I just recently had was certainly prophetic. Myself, my husband and a team of people were in a foreign country. My impression in the dream was that we were somewhere in the middle east. That spelled Muslim country. Our team had been sent there to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ through prophetic preaching and prophecy. Wherever we were exactly, there was no doubt that we were in some dangerous and unfriendly territory. It seems that the officials of this country were not thrilled about us being there to deliver the gospel. It was obvious to me that they were going to try to stop us somehow (warfare).
Apparently, I had some favor with one of the leaders of this particular country. I had already had one meeting with this leader. Now, I was being summoned to accompany a strange man to meet with someone else higher up than the first leader (confrontation with strongman---ruler over territory).
We came through what seemed like a hotel lobby. It seemed to have a coffee shop in it as well. Part of our group was staying close to me (prayer coverage) but they were dressed to blend in with the culture and the people. It was important not to be recognized. I don’t know if we were in the old, more traditional part of the city or not because I was wearing a casual long dress (I didn‘t normally wear long dresses).
I also followed behind this man instead of walking beside him. It was their custom for women and I was a woman, regardless of status. I had no choice but to do as their custom required if I hoped to keep things peaceful. We were not there to cause undue problems. We had come in peace to preach the gospel.
While following behind this man, we passed a row of small round tables that were to the right of us. This part of the lobby wasn’t brightly lit and then I saw one of the women from our group. She had been keeping up with where I was all day. I’d had no contact with any of our people the whole day until I saw her.
Following behind this man turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it enabled me to lean down to her and quickly whisper, “Follow me.” I needed backup. I didn’t know where my husband was but I knew he was around somewhere taking care of other business.
The subject of the meeting was our plans to minister the gospel in this country and the officials were upset about it. They made it quite clear that they did not want it! I don’t know what else went on in the meeting with this top official. All I can say is that obviously, the favor of God was with me. His delivering hand was always there regardless of what things looked like.
THE SHIP:
Next in the dream, our whole group was being held hostage on board some yacht. The same official I had dealt with in the meeting was there along with several men who worked for him. I assumed the yacht was his. Evidently, we had been on the ship for more than a day because there were rooms we had all more or less settled in. We were heading out to sea but exactly where, I didn’t know. All of our group was aware that we were in a delicately serious situation. We just had to hold to faith and believe that God would deliver us out of it safely.
Directly, one of the body guard’s came to give me a message from the official. We had been put out on a partially closed in deck. We had been locked out of the main cabin. The guard who came to give me the message wouldn’t open the door but a crack---just enough to get my attention and have me come to him. When I came close, he gave me the message in a harsh tone of voice. “He says for you to lay out your garments on the back of that big couch, and he’ll be here shortly.”
This didn’t make sense because we were locked out and couldn’t get to our clothes. I didn’t get the chance to ask why we were to do this. The guard quickly shut and locked the door again and I was left with questions. I relayed the message to the other’s and like me, they didn’t understand the order given. A blond haired woman in our group who was in her mid-thirties, at hearing the message, she totally lost control. She was scared and she started screaming. We were all scared and we tried to get her to be quiet but she just wouldn’t calm down.
Shortly, a different body guard came storming out on the deck and threw the screaming woman overboard. He was a large man, she was a small woman, so she never had a chance. Nor was there anything we could do to help her, for we all were at risk of the same thing happening to us. The guard never said a word to anyone when he came onto the deck, neither did he say anything when he went inside and locked the door behind him. He didn’t have to say anything, the message was crystal clear.
We were all horrified and shaken to our very core at what had just happened to our friend. We knew she was a Christian and she was now with Jesus, but still, it unnerved us. I don’t know how it happened but somehow, part of the woman’s collar bone floated up beside the ship. It was a regular color of blue and by some means, we were able to retrieve it out of the water. As we all looked at it, the reality of her death hit us afresh. Were we next?
I remembered Steven when he was being beaten and stoned to death, how heaven opened up and he saw Jesus. He saw the glory of God. I knew if I kept this before me, I could face being thrown overboard. Other scripture came to mind such as, “O death, where is thy sting, O grave, where is thy victory?” And, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” I felt comforted and encouraged by the precious word of God.
Then, we all heard the door unlock again and several guards came out on deck carrying specific articles of clothing and possessions we all had with us. They layed out our garments on the back of this over-sized couch. I saw familiar pieces of my clothing and my husbands clothing. These guards had gone through our things. We weren’t sure what was going on but we instinctively knew that all this clothing and whatever else they had gotten was designated to be destroyed.
Behind the couch was a long shelf that ran the length of the wall. We watched in silence as the guards began standing our Bibles on the shelf (we had a lot of bibles with us, as well as other material). We were horrified at this turn of events. About this time, the top official walked out onto the deck. He did so at the same time I saw my own familiar bible being stood up on the shelf. My husband’s bible was already there. When I saw my bible, I began to cry. Others were weeping as well. I turned and pleaded with the official, “Oh no! Not my bible!” He never said a word to me but gave me a hard look instead.
Everyone in our group knew that our bible’s, God’s precious word in written form, was about to be destroyed. I wiped the tears off my face as I stood there looking at my bible just out of reach. Because of God’s delivering grace, none of the rest of us were thrown overboard like our team member had been. It seems that the main thing these people were after was our bibles---the prophetic word of God. (the dream ended here).
COMMENT:
As I thought back over this dream the next day, other scripture came to me such as, “Hide my word in your heart.” You hide the word of God in your heart by memorizing it.
There may be coming a time in the future when God’s people will need to have His word hidden in the heart. Satan is out to steal the prophetic word of God, both logos and rhema, any way he can because its truth that tears his evil kingdom down. Praise God!
I heard a well known prophet with a good track record say once that he believed before Jesus returns, there will be an attack upon our bibles. He said, he believed there was a need to ‘stockpile’ them, along with other teaching materials. That we would need them for new converts. This dream certainly shows an attack on the ‘bible’ and the enemy wanting to destroy it. But then, he’s always wanted to do that.
Also, the telling of this dream is not meant to cause fear in anyone. It is meant to bring an awareness of the ‘time’ we’re in and the need to hide the word more and more in our hearts. Its also meant to encourage prophetic intercessors to be interceding and watchmen to be watching to ‘see’ like never before.
Plain As Day Ministries
Shirley Williams
9-2-97
praise [email protected]
UPDATE--2011:
Recently, I heard the news about pirates taking over a yacht with four people on board and holding them hostage. They usually hold people hostage for money (millions). The people on board this yacht were American’s. At least two of them were Christian missionary’s. They had been sailing around the world since 2004, giving out “Bibles” to remote villages and churches. When their ship was seized by the pirates, they were carrying a load of “Bibles.” Unfortunately, the pirates shot and killed these four American’s.
My thoughts soon went to this dream I’d had in 1997 and I know the terrible incident with these people is not the first time pirates have captured and killed Christian missionaries. We just haven’t been hearing a lot about it. Though this was and is a terrible tragedy, I know that when it keeps getting darker (through sin) in the world, the light of God’s marvelous glory shines that much brighter. Praise the name of the Lord!
When sin does abound, God’s grace abounds that much more. So, as a part of the Church, let us get to our posts (callings and commissions) to do what we’ve been assigned to do. Bringing God’s glorious light of love to remote and darkened places where people can be rescued by His grace and set free through the blood of Jesus. Amen.
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