Sometimes a section of a longer spiritual dream reveals much. That was the case with this 61/22 dream about building and living out your faith to stay useful in the things of God.
“I will take my stand at my watch post and station myself on the tower and look out to see what He will say to me.” —Habakkuk 2:1
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READING TIME: 3 to 4 MINUTES.
WATCHWORD GIVEN: An encouraging word from a God-given dream in mid-November 2024
Not everyone has a visible ministry. God uses a lot of us for the moving, behind-the-scene activity to accomplish His magnificent, holy plan. But if we’re honest, we sometimes might feel like shadows, useless, as if we’ll have nothing to lay before the King in Heaven.
This twofold spiritual dream (only relevant excerpt given below) reveals what determines our usefulness in God’s eyes. Take heart and read on.
The dream’s focus was on the word carrying and the number 61. But a week before the dream, the number 22 kept coming to me.
Strange as it might sound, an excitement churned within me. I couldn’t wait for the 22nd. Turns out, I had this vivid spiritual dream just before awaking on the 22nd. Gotta love God’s timing. The numbers and dream were connected.
Three times in the dream, two of my friends (prayer members) and I were carrying things for others. One of them had a heavy, odd-shaped metal item and kept saying, “It’s heavy, it’s heavy, I can’t, I can’t go any further!”
Without warning, she plunked it in my arms. I nearly dropped it but managed to set it down gently. Not, however, without a small part of the leg getting slightly cracked. She sounded as if it had happened before and knew it would cost $61 to repair.
That number dwelled in my mind throughout the dream, where I also questioned my usefulness for the Kingdom. Something I also hear from other believers from time to time.
Let’s stop there for a moment. I believe the word carrying in this part of the dream symbolized lifting the burdens of others, helping them take one more step, serving them in deep intercession before our King. Some loads are heavier on the soul, even for the intercessor. We need to watch that. That’s why we also need one another to manage the spiritual battle waged in intercession. Everyone is a critical link to the war surrounding us . . . the one seen and unseen.
You undoubtedly know this, but it’s shared as a loving reminder: Visible ministries and their teams, the lost, the prodigals, the trafficked, the captives, the governments, the lonely and sick, and others need the hidden ministers of prayer—the intercessors who take a portion of their day or week to enter the holy prayer chamber where Heaven and earth intersect. Where God hears and Heaven moves.
Now, onto the numbers. To be honest, they led me on a biblical scavenger hunt. Nothing I could think of or in my online search seemed to fit right . . . Isaiah 61, Psalm 61, etc. Until I sensed to enter 61st book of the Bible. Then it was clear.
Enter 2 Peter. It’s the 61st book of the Bible—and the 22nd book of the New Testament. And there are a total of 61 verses in 2 Peter.
A few verses into chapter 1 and there it was—how to be and stay useful in God’s Kingdom. And with a sweet ending in the 61st verse of the book: 2 Peter 3:18.
Reading the verses below, I knew it was time to step back and seek His face to learn where my soul needed deeper maturing to build up the verse’s listed qualities, which are foundational to our faith, prayer life, family life, ministry life, and our daily life. All an act of worship before Him.
Maybe it’s the same for you. Look up, your redemption King draws near!
HOW TO BUILD & LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH
commentary is bracketed
2 Peter 1:5-8 & 2 Peter 3:18 (NASB)
(5) Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence
[living uprightly, the 10 Commandments are our foundational moral code for making morally upright decisions before God, your spouse/family, neighbors, community],
and in your moral excellence, knowledge
[growing in the knowledge of God, our Messiah, His character, His will for you],
(6) and in your knowledge, self-control
[choosing what is right in speech and actions vs flying by your feelings and desires; instead considering God and the welfare of others],
and in your self-control, perseverance
[doggedly standing in our faith through the highs, lows, and in-betweens, not forsaking our God-appointed assignments],
and in your perseverance, godliness
[walking through your life devoted to the things of God, mindful of Him in decisions and interactions with others, choosing and walking in a way that pleases God ],
(7) and in your godliness, brotherly kindness
[using our spiritual gifts and sharing what we have to bless and edify others, hospitality, listening, helping, walking in unity],
and in your brotherly kindness, love
[intentional, authentic love, a tall order per 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a but loving God first with all your heart, soul, mind, being and loving others as yourself, bearing in mind the Good Samaritan parable from Luke 10:25-37].
(8) For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor unproductive in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Peter 3:18) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
PHOTO CREDITS
Lighthouse by Michael Krahn on Unsplash.com