Friday, February 10, 2012

The Grid


The Grid
Sharron Long
January 2012

*The names given do not represent any real persons.

I had a dream about four days after we came to Glenhaven Youth Ranch, approximately December 19, 2011.

In my dream, I was standing on a Grid. Each bar of the grid was about six feet long, making squares 6 x 6 x 6 x 6. Each bar was wide enough to stand on, about 10 inches across, and each bar had edges to help keep whoever was standing on them, about two inches high.

The center of each square of the Grid, was a six foot square opening. Each of these holes in the grid were called, “The Area of No Soul.” From the center of each Area of No Soul came fire. It was very apparent that it was much safer to stay on the Grid! It was possible to travel back and forth, from place to place while staying safely on the Grid.

I looked down at my feet and oriented myself on the Grid. I looked up, and I saw a young man, “*Daniel,” standing a couple of sections out from me, also on the Grid. Even though he was on the Grid, he was bending over trying to see what was happening in the Area of No Soul that was nearest him. He really looked like he was going to fall in! I called to him, and I reached out my hand to him. Although he was still quite distracted by the Area he was near, he reached back to me. He grasped my hand, but his grasp was not tight. In fact, I only had him by the fingertips.

While I was holding Daniel, I realized he was still very curious about the Area of No Soul that was off the Grid near us. I asked him if he would like to see it more closely, and he replied that he would. I prayed, and the Grid opened up beneath us and took us down inside the Grid. While we were going down, we were still most definitely on the Grid. An opening formed before us so that we could see what was happening at the bottom of that particular Area of No Soul.

What I saw was a woman with long white hair dressed in a black cloak. I knew her to be a Prostitute and her face was Death. I saw her companions around a fire – the fire that came up through the center of this Area up to the top of the Grid – they were all corpses. However, that was not what Daniel saw at all! He saw a gorgeous young woman with flowing blond hair wearing a luxurious black velvet wrap. She was inviting him to come join her and her companions at the party they were having. Where I had seen corpses, he saw young people drinking and laughing and having a good time. He was looking her in the eyes and beginning to step out of our protective opening. I rebuked him, “Don't engage the Prostitute!” I then prayed, and the Lord brought us back up to the top of the Grid.

When we were back on the top of the Grid, I turned to see what was behind us. There was a fairly small building that looked something like a train station, and there were a few faces looking out of the windows at me.

Then I awoke. My first thought was that I was having a nightmare, then the Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit that He wanted to show me more; so I went back to sleep.

In the next part of my dream, I was back on the Grid. I steadied myself and looked up. This time I saw another young man, “*Cole.” He was alone on the Grid as the first had been, but unlike Daniel, who had been so curious about the Area of No Soul he was standing near, Cole was desperately trying to maintain his balance on the Grid. He was not looking into the Area of No Soul that he was near, yet the flames from it were jumping up and licking his sleeves and fingertips, as he held out his arms intent on keeping his balance. His eyes were steadily on the Grid.

Once I realized his situation, I called out to him. As soon as he looked up and saw me, he reached to me. We firmly locked right wrists. He and I locked our gaze upon each other and the Grid. I encouraged and supported him as he traveled upon this section of the Grid. At the same time as Cole and I grasped wrists, I was grasped by someone on my left. The person had the same strong interlocked wrist grasp as Cole did. I looked and I saw “Cole's Grandmother.” She looked at our interlocked wrists and smiled at me. I saw that her other hands – in the dream we had the ability to have as many hands and arms as we needed – were reaching out all over the Grid. As I realized that we had the ability to have many hands and arms, I realized that my “other” right hand was reaching behind me.

As before, behind me was a building that looked like a railway station. However, unlike before, there were many, many people in the building. There were so many that the building wasn't just a small building behind me with a few people in it. This time, the building was so long going either way, that it was impossible to see the end of it. Also, this time the people were reaching out of the building and grasping my right hand that was extended behind me. All at the same time, hundreds of people were grasping this other right hand. Some were, also, holding the Grandmother's hand. Others were holding many, many people's hands who were elsewhere on the Grid. Some were out actively helping people who were on the Grid, while still being in the station supporting others who were on the Grid, helping still others! It was an amazing network of support and strength and encouragement.

It was then that I awoke. The Holy Spirit shared with me the meaning of the dream:

The Grid is the Father who supports us all. Not only is He the Grid, but the Grid is, also, the Kingdom of God and our walk with God on this earth. It is possible to be many places on the Grid while still solidly keeping our eyes on Him. Jesus was and is the strength in the connections between the people, and the Spirit is the Life that flows between us all.

I think everyone has seen churches and ministries that have functioned properly while others haven't. Daniel represents a child who was part of a system where there was little support for him or the workers. It can apply to any ministry where the workers aren't adequately supported by their superiors and are without adequate prayer support. He was, also, a youth who wasn't fully committed to being on the right track with God. It was as if he had been artificially placed upon the Grid – into this Christian life – but didn't have full intentions on staying there. He was easily swayed by the temptations of the World – the Areas of No Soul – and didn't recognize the danger – the Prostitute – for what “she” was: Death! This shows how important it is for our workers and those they are working with to have support!

On the other hand, Cole represents a child who is part of a system where there is a lot of support for the workers and those with whom they are working. It can apply to any ministry. Cole truly did want God to change his life. He wasn't interested in what the World had to offer, and he eagerly grasped my hand – received the support and mentoring I was there to offer. Then, there is the Grandmother. She represents people who have been there before and others who are still out there working alongside us. They might be his biological family, friends, or other workers who are supporting us but have less contact with him. The train behind us is where the Prayer Warriors reside. These are the folks who pray earnestly for the workers on the Grid. For some of them, prayer is their primary ministry. Their hands are reaching out and holding up folks all over the world doing all sorts of work for the Kingdom of God. Others are actually out there doing Kingdom work and are Prayer Warriors at the same time. Some not only pray, but stay in close contact with the folks “on the Grid” doing Kingdom work and keep them encouraged, so they do not “become weary in doing good works.” This shows how absolutely vital the role of Prayer Warriors and folks who are encouragers are in missions work.