I had a very, very peculiar dream the other night. In the dream, I saw an apartment building swaying from one side to the other side. It was swaying like a coconut tree. Those in the building thought it was some kind of earthquake. So, they ran out of their apartment units. I recognized many of these people. They're fellow believers in Christ whom I know. But here's the funny part. After they've come out from the building, they realized it wasn't an earthquake at all! When they went back to the building, much to their shock, they saw many intruders and bad people in their respective apartment units plundering their goods and taking away their goods!
When I woke up from the dream, I realized it didn't make sense to my logical mind at all! I mean how could all these bad people cause the apartment to sway like a coconut tree and thus cause people to think it was an earthquake?
But the Lord told me this dream is to show that the enemy would do anything to deceive God's people! Yes, even causing false 'signs' to deceive, just like what I saw in this dream! This is the perilous and dangerous time that we are living in right now!
As I sought the Lord further, the Lord gave me a vision. The Lord showed me lots and lots of trees. Then came a strong wind and storm. This isn't the wind of the Holy Spirit, but the wind of deception sent by the enemy. As the wind came, many trees were toppled. But the good news is there were some trees that stood firm in spite of the strong wind. These are trees with strong and deep roots!
The Lord then said: "Be planted and rooted in Me and My Word. When many in this world are being deceived and deluded by the enemy, those who stand strong are those who are planted and rooted in Me."
The Scripture says in Ephesians 4:14, '...that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting...'
You see, the enemy can send wind of deception, wind of delusion, or even wind of false doctrine! What is the enemy's purpose? It is to deceive God's people! It is to uproot God's people from where they should be, and from what God has planted in them!
No wonder Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 2:7-8, 'Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.'
The word 'capture' here is 'sulagogeo' in Greek. It can mean 'to cheat, to destroy, to strip, to spoil, to seduce, to lead you away (from the truth)'. Here, the apostle was emphasizing the importance of being deeply rooted in the Lord. Why? Because without being deeply rooted in Him and His Word, a person can easily be deceived, be deluded, and be led away from the truth!
I know some people may say it's so difficult in this world nowadays. They may say: "Well, everyone is doing it!", "Everyone cheats their way up!", "Everyone uses this trick!" These people will manoeuver their way to climb up the corporate ladder, or to get whatever they want in life, even if it is unethical and ungodly to do so.
But I tell you what. You stay strong in God's Word! You stay strong in God's ways! Yes, even if you feel like a 'misfit' among them, or you are one of those very few in the minority who are different! Because you will eventually see good success! God's ways will always be better in the end!
Imagine you are now a strong tree with deep roots. In the Scripture, the Lord often likens us to trees. Now I ask you one question: Is it possible to have strong trees (with great branches that bear great fruits), but you have no deep roots? No! You know why? Because the trees would become 'top-heavy', and when the strong wind comes, these trees will easily be toppled!
The same principle can be applied to us as believers, using this analogy of trees. We cannot be strong trees without having deep roots in Him and His Word! We cannot be strong to withstand every form of 'wind' or 'storm' (including the wind of deception) without having deep roots in Him and His Word! That's exactly what Apostle Paul meant when he wrote to the church in Colosse at that time!
In this world that we live in, there can be all kinds of 'wind' or 'storm' that we are faced with. At times, it can be so strong that it threatens to 'uproot' us! Uproot our principles in life! Uproot our planting in the Lord! Uproot our faith in the Lord! Uproot us from continuing to walk in God's ways!
But as for you, beloved, continue to stay firm in Him, and put all your trust in Him! Choose to be rooted and planted in Him! Choose Him, and not the fallen ways of this world! And that's when you are going to see lasting fruits in all that He has called you to be (and to do). Amen!
