Sleeping Faith

(On October 8, 2007) I had night vision last night and saw the Lord looking at me as I was up late one night 3 months ago talking to Dr. Robinson.  I saw my spirit confident, sure, and determined.  I woke up from that dream and realized that my faith was still sleeping. 

Where have I been the past month?  My life has been caught up in a whirlwind of busyness.  My spirit man has been covered by the concerns of this world. The Holy Spirit whisphered to me, Romans 1:16.  When I read it, I realized that the point the Lord was tryin to make to me: “The righteous shall live by faith.”  I recognized immediately that I have been living in fear the past 2 months.  Fear in my relationships, fear in my health, fear in my actions.  Fear had overcome me.  In fighting for my dream, I have come to realize that fear is the dominant force working against you.  Seeing the dream or vision is the easy part.  It is walking it out that is difficult.  It seems that when God gives you a dream, there exists invisible handcuffs called fear, anxiety, mental issues, and lack of experience that we have to overcome in order to fulfill our dream.

However, there is a sleeping faith that we must call out of rest.  It is very simple.  Open your eyes to how God sees you.  In my dream, I saw myself as God sees me.  He sees me as a confident, sure, bold, and ambitious soldier.  Simply, you have to flood your eye gates with images of your prophetic image (see previous post). 

James 1:22-24″Be doers of the word and not hears only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

This passage in James so eloquently describes what we often do.  God will speak His word (Logos or A divine expression i.e. Christ) to us telling us who He has called us to be. He shows us who we are in the mirror of faith.  Then, we turn away and not live out who He has called us to be as if the image was virtual and not real.  This is the same mirror described in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For we see in a mirror dimly, then face to face.”  The greek definition of mirror (glass) implies to gaze intently for inspection or to see the purpose of.  Do you really see the purpose of God when you look in the mirror? Do you remember that purpose when you turn away from the mirror?  Here’s what I do when I get a case of sleeping faith or spiritual amnesia: I look in the mirror and say what God sees until I see it myself. 

“I am Dr. James Christopher Ford.” I am a preacher, teacher, and motivational speaker for Jesus Christ.”  I am an entrepreneur.  I see opportunities all around me.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  I am strong.  I am healthy. I am intelligent.  I am wise. I am a great husband. I am a loving father.  I am a good son.  I am a good brother.  I am good friend.  I am a millionaire.  I am wealthy.  I expect good things and good things expect me.  I am blessed and highly favored of the Lord. ” 

I think you get the picture (pun intended).  I get excited everytime I speak those things (as though the were).  I pray this alarms your faith to wake up to He says you are.

 Keep fighting for your dream.