Ok, so this is a rather poor depiction of a prophetic picture I had a while back but, as persecution and spiritual attacks against Christians generally are on the rise, I thought I should share what I believe the Lord was saying…
The “people” you can see are all born again Christians, saved by grace through faith and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The bright white light is where Jesus is, at the centre. As we draw nearer to him we are completely hidden from the enemy. He knows the blinding white light is where Jesus is, but he can’t see him. He knows there are believers with him in the light but he can’t see those who are close to him. The people on the periphery are saved and sealed, but they are distracted by the things of the world, not staying close and not keeping their eyes on Jesus. The further they move away from the Lord, the more visible they become.
The enemy constantly fires arrows at us; lies, fear, discouragement, sickness, affliction… Those darts cannot harm those who are in Christ, BUT the people at the outer edges can be seen and aimed at more accurately and when their eyes are not on the Lord, they can see those darts coming and RECEIVE them!
Let me explain what I mean. Imagine it’s raining and you’re driving carefully through a flood on the road, but someone coming the other way speeds into the water making a big wave that goes right over your car. I’ll bet that even with your doors and windows securely shut and your windscreen wipers going, you still duck! It’s a natural reaction because you see the big wave coming your way and try to dodge it so you don’t get wet – even though you’re protected!
Back to the picture… if you see the arrow speeding towards you, it’s very hard not to receive it!
There is a “positive thinking” saying: What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve. In a positive context, this is how many world class entrepreneurs, scientists and athletes – to name but a few – got to where they are; because they visualised their goal in their minds and then consistently behaved in a manner that would support and realise those goals. This shows us how powerful our thoughts really are!
The mind is also capable of pessimism, doubt and negative thinking, and where this becomes our normal daily mode, can make us ill and depressed, stealing our lives from right under our noses…
If we believe that God’s plans are to prosper and not to harm us and that Jesus came that we should have life in abundance we need to know that this is achieved by keeping our thoughts fixed on the one in whom that life is found.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
That battle rages all around us, but the biggest one is the battle for our minds, for what we believe dictates how we behave. Stay close to Jesus, keep your eyes on him and, if you feel a sting where you have been hit by a stray arrow, DO NOT RECEIVE IT!
The Finished Work 