A vision that was received while driving to Sydney from the mid-north coast of NSW in mid to late January 2024.
I am walking in a drizzling rain up a gently sloping hill. I can tell I have been walking for quite some time judging by how wet all my clothes are. The world seems very dim and muted in the low light from the overcast sky and grey wash of rain falling in every direction.
As I reach the crest of the hill my heart feels sunken as my view expands and across the valley immediately in front of me all I can see are tree covered hills and rocky escarpments as far as the eye can see. Even the path or road I have been following seems to disappear somewhere in the valley ahead, between the grey mist and the tall trees, and there doesn’t seem to be any obvious path to cross the hills ahead of me…
I turn for a moment to look back upon the path I have been travelling and it just seems to disappear immediately behind me, closed in by the low-lying cloud and rain.
I turn back and face ahead and take a deep breath. I have come this far, and I know that there is no point in heading back from where I came.
As I begin to take a few steps forward again I feel an urge inside me to look up from the path immediately ahead of me, to look beyond the horizon towards my destination.
At first all I can see is the thick dark clouds laden with heavy rain, but as I continue to step, I can see a small break forming in the clouds where the clouds themselves and the rain seems lighter…
As I take another few steps, I can see a change in the colour of the clouds in just a few small spots, where the clouds themselves look thinner and more like a thin veil between heaven and earth than a heavy blanket of cloud.
It only takes a few more steps and suddenly there are beams of golden light bursting through the clouds and descending through the rain to the earth below.
They look spectacular, not like a thin ray but a tangible thick beam of light. Strangely it doesn’t seem to get weaker as it passes through the falling rain, but the beam itself seems to become more tangible like it’s becoming a solid, physical beam made of light itself.
The area around them seems to light up from the clouds to the treetops and below. Where the world before seemed muted and grey, wherever a beam of sunlight hits, becoming more alive in colour from vibrant and rich greens in the leaves of the tree, and glowing yellow and orange and pinks piercing in, through and around the clouds themselves, almost looking like cotton candy with the rays of light embracing them.
Somehow these piercing rays of light lift my hopes and a small spring appears in my step as an excitement builds of seeing the light pierce the grey and dreary landscape that lay ahead of me just moments ago.
I pick up the pace even more, eager to see what lies at the end of the ray of light.
Before I even realise how far I have travelled or for how long I have been moving, I suddenly find myself standing at the bottom of one of the beams of light, feeling the warmth and vibrancy of the life in the contained within it.
I look up the beam towards the heavens and am struck by just how physically tangible the light in front of me seems and suddenly feel a mixture of two strong emotions conflicting within me. One the desire to step fully into the beam of light, to feel it deeply, and the other let it pass me by and worry about all the things ahead of me… Before I can really process this, I feel the light begin to pull on me, like a tractor beam that wants to suck me up above the clouds.
As I feel the pull in the ray of light trying to draw me upwards, I realise that the pull is not strong enough, there are things holding me back from being carried on the light.
Somehow, I now realise that I’m holding onto something and have been the whole time. I look down at my hands and see that I’m hanging onto some kind of thick cable in each hand.
These cables stretch out into the distance along the path that I’ve been travelling, and I sense that they are like a form of guide rail, something that marks the path and the way forward. I realise that with the storm up ahead that they must have also been designed to act as some kind of anchor and support as well as guide, so that the person holding onto them can withstand the buffeting and brutal conditions of walking through the eyes of the storm…
I also note notice that in addition to hanging onto these giant steel cables, I also have a heavy backpack on, full of supplies and provisions for the journey. Fresh food, preserved food, water, juices and many other supplies for a long and arduous journey.
I feel torn.
And I realise I need to make a choice…
My destination Is beyond where I can see, through the hills and valleys, past forests and plains. Do I keep travelling down that path, holding onto the security of the guiding cables along with all the security of all the provisions in the backpack.
Or,
Do I completely hand over everything to Him and His words, “Trust me!”?
Both paths will lead me to the destination ahead of me, but the question remains what do I surrender?
Do I let go of the security of the old way and embrace the new way, the new wine and the he fruit, to ascend above the clouds and see the beauty of what He has prepared, or do I keep to what I know, walking the path with a guide rail to lead me but having to walk through the storm ahead, battling the elements but clinging to the old ways, the old wine and the old fruit.
I know in my heart that He will be faithful to His promises but one through surrender will lead to a greater fullness of His mystery being revealed, while the other pays the cost in a different way…
It’s time to ascend. Will you surrender, trust me and ascend with me? I will open doors you never dreamt possible. I will enlarge the riches of Your heart, my kingdom will expand in you, through you…
I know you and have known you for all time. I have good plans for you. Plans to prosper you and bless you. Abide in me and I will abide in you. Then we can ascend above the storm…
I will give you the desires of your heart because I have planted them there. It is my seed that grows inside you. I have tendered it and watered it and held you close in the storms, sheltering you when you were the most fragile, shading you in the fiercest rays of the sun. But now I want my Oak to grow even bigger.
Trust me.
I love you
God, you have wrapped me in power and made my way perfect. [33] Through you I ascend to the highest peaks to stand strong and secure in you. [34] You’ve trained me with the weapons of warfare-worship; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. [35] You empower me for victory with your wraparound presence. Your power within makes me strong to subdue. By stooping down in gentleness, you made me great!
Psalm 18:32-35 TPT