Awakening: The Deep Sleep (The Deep Sleep Trilogy Book 1) (7 page)

Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.

—Matthew 10:16 NLT

AS THE PROPHETIC HOST
left their comfortable subterranean meeting place, motivated by Time to hurry to those still asleep, they shared such a bond with each other that they did not want to be parted. They formed a kinship which only comes from truly understanding one another through the sharing of similar callings and burdens.

With one final embrace to last them for a long while, they left each other and began the long harrowing journey to the place of their calling. Their minds were filled with all they had shared together with the King, and it took great urging to send them on their way.

As Beloved started on her journey, her thoughts were filled with the life-changing joys she’d experienced in the mountain. The remembrances of the tranquility and harmony of the prophetic host she’d just left continued to flood her thoughts with the warmth of true friendship. Her heart wanted so much to stay, for she had found it to be a place of great safety and comfort.

She reflected on all they had shared together
–
of the power they’d experienced and, most of all, the treasured friendships that conveyed such powerful acceptance. Truly, it had been a supernatural acceptance which she had previously imagined could only be experienced in heaven.

Traveling past the sandy coast at the base of the mountain, she eyed again, in the distance, the sunny fields of grace she loved so dearly. But the longer she let her mind dwell on her memories of the mountain’s treasures, the more the loneliness of the fields of grace became an increasingly stark contrast to the joyous experiences she’d had with her friends.

Beloved longed for the companionship she’d left, and her reflection drifted toward the plight of her friends. It suddenly dawned on her she could travel at least some of the distance
with
her friends. “Yes,” she thought, “Why did we part ways so soon? I could travel with them and I would not have to be alone.”

Her mind was decided. She would leave the fields of grace and try to find her friends. Heading back up over the forest-covered hills tapering down the mountain, she ventured in her quest. “That’s not too far from the fields,” she reasoned to herself, “I could surely find my friends there.”

With this thought in mind, Beloved determined to give way to the impulse to leave the path that had become so familiar to her, where the Lord had revealed Himself to her in such marvelous ways.

Veering to the left of the fields, Beloved began her climb up a steep, rocky ridge and over a grass-covered bank. The twists and turns the hills took made her question her decision more than once as she regarded the nice level fields below.

After an exhausting climb, she reached the woods she had seen from below, but there was no one in sight. She was quite positive it was in this direction her friends had headed, but it had taken her too long to climb the rocky hillside.

She considered once more returning to the fields of grace, but reasoned her friends could not be far ahead and was determined to find them.

Her journey was growing more and more unfamiliar to her now, which made her unsure of the next direction to venture. Drawn in by the enchanting forest, she was captivated by the woods brimming over with the lush and awe-inspiring greenery she so enjoyed. Oh, how she loved their beauty, and the element of the unknown beguiled Beloved and captivated her yearning for adventure, drawing her deeper into the woods.

The passion she felt that propelled her toward the sleeping saints had dwindled and she was now becoming dismally sidetracked from her initial quest by her pursuit of her friends. Still, pressing on, she was unknowingly led more and more by the dreadful fear of being alone.

Alone though she was, she relished in the breathtaking scenery that brought her such enjoyment. All about her, the flowers filled the woods with a fresh, earthy fragrance.

Caught up in her thoughts, she contemplated how much longer she should continue her pursuit. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a large man and his wife came running to her. With large eyes and teethy grins they talked smoothly and gave her little time to react or
think. They seemed nice, but Beloved felt uneasy. Yet the couple quickly overwhelmed her fears with the easy friendship she so desired.

They told her they’d been wandering alone in the woods in a quest to find blessedness. The couple seemed to have sacrificed a great deal as they sought the enlightenment they said they desired. A tale of continuous, painful struggles and rejection flowed from them, as a well rehearsed river eventually wears down rock. They said they were longing to find the simple love and acceptance Beloved had found and believed God had miraculously sent her to them to show them His love.

“Beloved,” the man touted, “We’ve been waiting our whole lives to meet someone like you.” On and on, he gushed his flattery. With an overflowing deluge, he continued with his bombardment of flowery compliments. He and his wife repeatedly chimed their postulations, “
You
are what we need!” and “Only
you
can help us, Beloved!” They continued until they had worn down her uneasy resistance.

Before long, Beloved was easily consumed by their need; she felt such pity for them that she quickly lost sight of the reason and importance of her journey. As
they talked with her, her mind grew foggy and she felt unsure of what her true purpose was.

Pressed by the seemingly desperate need of her new “friends,” she did not have time to think or reflect. Beloved continually gave of herself to the couple through prayer and endless hours of listening to their lifetime of unfortunate experiences.

However, unbeknownst to her, a good deal of time was passing in her efforts to assist her new companions. Their needs seemed to far exceed her capabilities and she began to feel inadequate in her attempts to help them.

The shifty couple had tapped into the weaknesses of her heart and placated her anxiety. Without thinking as to why, she felt a reactionary impulse to please them, but again and again she failed their expectations of her as each disappointment bruised her spirit. She didn’t want to let them down, yet she knew she was.

Her imperfections seemed to mount up before her. The tables abruptly turned on her and she realized that those who had originally needed
her
help and guidance were now instructing her.

They started with insignificant trifles, but quickly moved on to begin their overhaul of her entire personality and calling. The more “error” they found in her, the
more she became their captive. Finally, they launched their greatest attack against her: false destiny.

All the Lord found precious in her became an inescapable irritant to the couple.

“Beloved,” they screamed, “there is
something
really wrong with you! There is no way you will ever be used by God for anything unless you first fix yourself.”

Repeatedly, they berated her, treating her as badly as they could manage. With continuous blow after blow, she had no time to consider the Lord. She felt lost and overwhelmed. Emotionally encumbered by the hopeless lies of their betrayal, she started to reason that death was her only escape.

With her soul clogged by the heavy burdens of their condemnation, she felt numb and her thoughts were lured into a state of chilled emotion. Close to giving up, a powerful voice literally broke into her disparaging thoughts. Her well-loved Guide was speaking boldly into her spirit, “Beloved, look closely at your new friends. Can you see what they really are?”

As if seeing them for the first time, her eyes were suddenly opened. Beloved pulled back from them and saw in horror … she had befriended
wolves
.

How could she not have noticed before that their clothing was only a cover-up for their true identity?
They were not friends at all – they were deceivers sent to entangle her in anything other than her true destiny.

Their cruelty had blinded her, yet she could see plainly now how little they resembled humans. Truly, they were employed by another realm – the realm of darkness and deception that had so overtaken those caught in the deep sleep.

All at once the remembrance of the sleeping saints hit her heart like pangs of piercing guilt and fear. While she had been running from her destiny, caught in the deception of the wolves, others had been waiting for her – truly needing her desperately.

A well of panicked emotions erupted inside her and she immediately looked for a way of escape from the grasp of her deceivers, but she feared it would not be easy. She knew they would be relentless in their possession of her God-given destiny.

They would, she thought, continue to successfully delude her. Her panic threw her into a state of anxious despair. Vehemently, she hunted for a place to hide. In her emotionally weakened condition, she felt she could not stand against them on her own – she longed for the Rock of the Lord she’d left in the fields of grace and frantically looked around her for help.

“Hide me, Jesus!” she screamed.

“Is there anywhere to hide in this place?” Her apprehension tormented her. “Lord, where are You?!”

Yet there was no place to hide here. Beloved had left the fields of grace to follow her own way. Now, she needed grace so desperately.

“Would He meet me in this place?”

Suddenly, stilled by an intensely supernatural peace, at last Beloved realized there was no other way to leave except to confront her abusers.

Sighing, she dropped her shoulders. Confrontation was the thing she feared more than anything…

For with fire and with his sword the LORD will execute judgment on all people.

—Isaiah 66:16 NIV

BELOVED’S DESIRE
to pursue her friends from the mountain she loved had diminished. She no longer feared the loneliness she had dreaded. Now, solitude seemed to her something to be relished.

Indeed, all the previous concerns of her heart were overshadowed by the extraordinary yearning she felt for her dearest Lord. She gave way to drifting memories, clung to the remembrance of her cherished times with
Jesus, and felt her strength being renewed in the memories of His love for her.

Resolute passion began to fill her again. She would seek Him anew, bolstered by a supernatural strength that was not her own. He had filled her with His strength, empowering her to face the deception that loomed over her.

She would, indeed, confront the wolves.

She returned her attention to the oppressive presence of her captors, and immediately the wolves sensed there had been a change in their once spiritless prisoner. They stared at her again with their misleading smiles as they assumed a contrived, presumptive guise.

Strengthened by the Lord, Beloved stood her ground. “You have tried to drive me away from my Lord!” she resisted them.

Trying to make her point, she attempted to continue, but was cut off. Erupting like a volcano of relentless, calculated lies, they chose indignant outrage to combat her defiance.

“How dare you speak to us like that,” they hissed like snakes.

Still trying to cover their true identities, they continued their deception. “We are your covering! We truly care about you and you are being ungrateful for
all
we have done for you.”

Had Beloved previously been suffering from any remaining self doubt, her eyes were completely open now. Truly, the wolves themselves were beguiled by their own lies, and she knew nothing she would say to them would move them. Indeed, nothing else mattered to them except maintaining their own deception – they were incapable of empathy.

Beloved stood her ground. Regardless of whether they believed her or not, she would speak the truth for the sake of her own soul. “You are liars and I will not listen to you anymore!” she retorted.

Seeing that Beloved was much stronger than they had previously anticipated, they altered their tactics and fought against her with fear and intimidation. Trying to regain control, they screamed at her. “If you leave us, you will go to hell!” they warned.

“We are going to tell everyone what a rebellious person you are. We will tell it all – we are going to warn the world about you!” They continued to intimidate her.