While attending a church home group on Sunday, June 5, 2016, I began to share with my friend Prince a true story. I said, “Around 10 years ago, when my son was about 12, I was having a problem communicating with him. In my heart, I felt like there might be something in the house, like an oppressive spiritual force, that might be trying to interfere with our relationship, so I began to pray over each room, starting with the dining room. When I had finished praying over the dining room, I started to make my way to the living room, which was right past my father’s picture which was on the wall. As I started to walk past my father’s picture, the Lord then spoke to me clearly and said, ‘Pray over that!‘ So I stopped, and began to pray over it.”

“At that time, my father had already been with the Lord in heaven for about 5 years, for he died in the year 2000. I cried as I prayed over my father’s picture. There were issues in my heart that needed to be cleared up. After that, I felt the presence of God’s peace in the house. All of the oppression was gone. I did not even pray over the rest of the house, because of the overwhelming peace that I felt. Therefore, at that time, I went upstairs and apologized to my son, because the problem I had experienced was due to something that was in my own heart.”

As I shared this story with Prince, he said, “Tell me a little about your father.” Then he asked me, saying, “Do you know why I am asking you about your father?”

I said, “No.”

He said, “Because a few days ago, I had a dream about your father.”

I said, “Really?” I was quite surprised. In the 2 years I had known Prince, I had never once talked to him about my father —or my mother, for that matter. Prince then proceeded to pull out his iPad, for he had written the dream down. Thus, I am able to share with you the dream he had 4 days earlier, on June 1, 2016.

Before I share this dream with you, I would like to point out that Prince is a man who loves Jesus Christ with all his heart, and that the Bible says God will give dreams in the last days (see Joel 2:28-29 and Acts 2:17-18). This dream did not come from him eating too much pizza. The information had to come supernaturally, because Prince did not know this information in advance.

The first line of the dream was:

In this dream, Dan Parkes ushers us into a room and was showing us a picture of his father.

What? That was what I just did when I told Prince about how I prayed over my father’s picture. The dream was prophetic. God had revealed to him what I would be telling him 4 days in advance. What else was in the dream? I wanted to know! The second line of the dream was:

Saying he was not saved that he was practicing a type of Hybrid Christianity mostly from the woman he had married.

This part of the dream was about my father’s belief system, and where he mostly drew that from. He had gotten it mostly from my mother. In the dream, God described this belief system as Hybrid Christianity. What did this mean?

Hybrid Christianity

Most people have undoubtedly heard of hybrid cars. Hybrid cars do not run on pure gas or pure electricity, but use a combination of both. Hybrid Christianity is not pure Christianity, but is a combination of at least two different belief systems. When we mix some other belief system in with real Christianity, that is Hybrid Christianity. It is not pure, but a mix of some other belief system. Jesus said,

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other.” (See Matthew 6:24)

Thus, God calls us to be singularly devoted to him, and to have no other gods. That is the first of the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20:3). At the church I had attended with my parents, they denied that Jesus was God in the flesh who was born of a virgin, who would physically return to the earth one day. Thus, this church was impure, because many foundational teachings were contrary to what the word of God actually taught. This was the Christianity that my mother practiced. In the dream, the Lord called it Hybrid Christianity. It was not pure.

My dad did not always like attending this church, and sometimes said to my mother, “Do these children have to go to church today? I’ve got work for them to do!” That was when he needed windows cleaned, or some other chores done around the house. My father was a very hardworking man. Work was what he knew best, ever since his dad abandoned the home when he was seven years old. Later, before my dad died, he trusted in Christ — not the Christ of the Hybrid Church, but the real one found in the Bible.

On the other hand, what little faith my mother may have had when she was with that church, dropped off completely. As time went by, she refused to reconcile the world that she lived in with any God at all. And she declared, “I do not believe that any God exists.” Thus, the dream nailed it perfectly, inasmuch as God revealed: (1) what I was going to say to Prince four days after he had the dream, (2) the essence of my father’s faith, in that he was genuinely confused as to the nature of what it meant to know God, and, (3) where that confusion, in fact, came from. It came mostly from my mother, who practised Hybrid Christianity. This dream had God’s stamp all over it. It was what you would call a “verifiably accurate prophetic” dream (if interpreted properly). What, then, did the next part contain? I was eager to find out!

The Evangelistic Mission

The third line of the dream was:

We were given a mission to rescue him it seemed in the dream.

This refers to my father, but in real life, my father was already with the Lord in heaven, even at the time Prince received this dream. In this line of the dream, my father was merely a type of person who did not know the Lord. He was a type of “unsaved” person. Unsaved means he does not know the Lord; he is not heavenbound at that point in time. What must we then do with those who are not heavenbound? We must tell them about Jesus! Jesus shared a parable of what we are to do. He said,

“Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” (See Luke 14:23)

The mission is, therefore, to tell them about Jesus. This was the mission, and this is the mission of every believer on earth. This mission can also be found in the “Great Commission,” which Jesus addressed to every believer:

“Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you.” (See Matthew 28:18-20)

Thus, we are to reach people for Jesus. The time is short, and we’ve got to do this now! We are to teach them and train them. In the dream that Prince had, it was a rescue mission. Why rescue? Because people who do not know Jesus will perish unless they find Jesus!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

He who has the Son has the life. He who does not have God’s Son does not have the life. (1 John 5:12)

From these, we can see how important it is to trust in Jesus. It is a matter of “life and death.” Jesus emphasized this, when he said,

Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. (John 5:24)

From this, we see that there are two categories of people in the world. The first can be described as “lost.” They do not know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. The other can be described as “saved.” They are saved from God’s righteous anger against sin. But why would God be angry? The Bible says,

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

All of us have sinned (done wrong in God’s sight). We have all broken God’s righteous laws. But Jesus paid the penalty for our sin when he died on the cross. In order to help people, we need to tell them about God’s love in sending Jesus to die for their sins. Everyone who does this is called an “ambassador for Christ” (one who has been sent by God to tell others about Jesus). Even as we read,

We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

Are you an ambassador for Christ? You are if you take your mission seriously. Please do, because people’s lives are depending on it. This is a serious mission!

The Sci-fi Craft: Our Glorified Bodies

The dream continues:

In the dream we noticed a craft come land in the city. It was such a craft as you would notice in a sci-fi movie.

What is this? We know this dream is prophetic, so we need to pay very close attention. Let us not “miss the point” of this part of the dream! It is about something that is “out of this world.” It is pictured as being like a “craft” from a science-fiction movie. In popular science-fiction movies, spacecrafts are able to travel at the speed of light. This is like the glorified body in the Bible. This glorified body is “out of this world” (it does not come from the earth but comes from a supernatural substance which only God can provide). The glorified body is supernatural. It can pass through walls (see John 20:26). If you were to test its limits, you might also find that it was able to travel at the speed of light (or better!). It is truly “out of this world.”

One day, the Bible says, heaven will be emptied and Jesus will return to this earth. Those who have gone before will follow him (see Zechariah 14:5 and Revelation 19:14). Jesus says that those who are in the graves will rise from the dead (see John 5:28-29). They will be given new bodies (see 1 Corinthians 15:50-57).

We know that when Jesus rose from the dead, many who had died came out of their tombs (see Matthew 27:52-53). This was for a sign. They did not receive glorified bodies at this time. These were regular bodies that died again (see Hebrews 11:35). But when Jesus returns, his followers will receive eternal bodies which can never die! This part of the dream appears to be about the “dead in Christ” (those who have died as believers) returning to the earth in glorified bodies. That is why it is pictured as a “sci-fi craft” — because it is out of this world. It is phenomenal!

The Crowd

The dream continues:

There was a crowd of people around the craft. People were wondering if they were enemies or friends.

Who could this “crowd” refer to? I think it is obvious, but only if you understand end-time eschatology (the word “eschatology” refers to the study of the end-times). In the end-times, those who have died as believers will suddenly appear on the earth. That is what John 5:28-29 teaches:

“… the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice, and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29)

There will be a resurrection. It appears as though people will literally be coming out of tombs (obviously, not all will, since some who have died are not in tombs). I believe that like Matthew 27:52-53, however, some will come out of tombs as a testimony. And I think this will cause a great deal of consternation — would you not agree?! I think this makes good sense. This will be a very troubling sight for many. Many will be bewildered. They will wonder if these people who have suddenly risen from the dead are “enemies or friends.”

A New Zeal for Life

The dream continues:

Dan’s father the object of our mission emerged from the craft waving at us. We noticed a big smile on his face. It was apparent he has had an experience. This experience had changed him exponentially and given him a new zeal for life and a purpose.

This part of the dream reveals the fact that my father actually did come to trust in Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. This he did shortly before he died. This was something that was actually revealed to me in a dream, about 15 years before my father died.^[1] But of course, I never told Prince about it. I never told him anything about my parents! What does it mean in this part of the dream for my father to “emerge from the craft waiving at us”? Because my father is a type of saved person here, this part of the dream is not limited to my father, but to all who have trusted in Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior prior to their death. These have gone to be with the Lord in heaven, and will be given newly glorified bodies.

The craft is the glorified body. It is “out of this world”. It is like something from a science fiction movie. The big smile is due to the fact that my father (and all who trust in Christ) receive eternal life and a new indestructible body! They can never die! And they shall return to the earth to dwell on a perfect earth (which shall one day be recreated). Thus, there should indeed be a “big smile” on every believer’s face!

Negative Criticism

The next part of the dream was:

While we were trying to get a grasp of what was happening with him, the new ship and peoples criticism some saying it was bad.

This refers to the negative criticism of the world and particularly those who are determined unbelievers. Some will try to paint a bad picture, not understanding what is happening! In this passage, the “new ship” refers to the new (glorified) body which believers receive. It is referring to the fact that these bodies will be new indeed!

The War Vessel

The next part of the dream was:

We had a buzz in the atmosphere. And we noticed another war vessel. It appeared to be threatening the lives of all.

To understand the reference to “another war vessel” we need to understand that believers in their glorified bodies constitute “the armies which are in heaven” during the end-times.

I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. … The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen. (See Revelation 19:11-14)

This passage is about believers in the air (that is, in the heavens) following Jesus who is riding on a white horse. These believers are called “The armies which are in heaven.” Hence, the first “new ship” (the glorified bodies) constitutes the first war vessel. What about the second (evil) war vessel, which is threatening the lives of all? From Scripture, it is the “beast” which rises from the ocean, in the book of Revelation.

They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:4)

In the last days, before Jesus returns, a “beast system” will arise and cause great trouble in the world. The “beast system” is a system of (human) armies that are controlled by the antichrist (a world leader controlled by Satan). However, Jesus will defeat this beast, and put an end to it. He will do this through the armies which are in heaven (see Revelation 19:11-14). Satan’s ultimate goal in bringing about this beast system is to prevent Jesus from ruling and reigning in Jerusalem — because it means his own demise. However, he shall be defeated (see Revelation 20).

The dream says that the evil war vessel “appeared to be threatening the lives of all.” Indeed, the beast system, controlled by the antichrist, will threaten the lives of everyone. It will be a global system. (See Revelation 13:4) Understandably, this entire scenario carries with it a real sense of panic and confusion. This interpretation fits in very nicely with what we read in the final part of the dream.

Victory

The last part of the dream was:

In the panic and confusion, Dan’s father and his crew disappeared into their ship and with such swiftness, flew into the air and attacking the menacing craft blowing it out of the sky, to the incredible applause of those that looked on. And there was a sudden gratefulness by all that looked on.

We are now at the end of the dream, where the armies which are in heaven defeat the enemy’s beast system. This is the defeat that happens at the Battle of Armageddon. The imagery presented to us in this dream is of people in glorified bodies ascending into the sky, and winning a great victory at the Battle of Armageddon.

The question is, whose side are you on, and are you ready for the Lord’s return?

[1] Please read https://revivalfire.ca/73-years-of-wisdom/ ↩