Prophetic Dream – Are You Rapture Ready?
By Joanie S. (September 2017)
Intro/Disclaimer
This dream was given on September 19, 2017. Please note that we understand there are many current eschatological positions. AMTM, nor Joanie Stahl, is speaking for ANY particular one of them – whether you are a pre, mid, or post Tribulation believer, this dream does NOT single out any one particular position. It does not matter, and the Lord made certain of that in the dream. This is simply for all who believe in the Rapture itself. “Whoever hath ears to hear, let him hear.” This message is to take to the Lord in prayer. Time is of the essence.
Dream
In my dream, I saw myself standing inside a little shop during the middle of the day. It was like any other day. There was nothing special about it. It was just an average day. The shop was the kind that you would see in an old school strip mall. The front of every shop had all glass fronts. Inside, I was standing near the window talking to a woman. Just then, another woman in the store screamed, Look at the sky! As she yelled out this statement, she was pointing up and ran outside in terror.
Because of the sudden and startling way she shouted, everyone in the shop bolted and ran outside as fast as she did. Their countenances were that of complete shock and fear, while all staring up at the sky. I immediately looked out and up through the window and saw part of the sky changing.
From the little corner of the sky that I could see through the window, was nothing that I had ever seen before, nor ever could, as I knew what I was witnessing was from God. There are really no words to describe it. Only that it was none other than God.
Then it instantly hit me. This is it! The Rapture is here! I bolted outside and rushed past the other women who were all standing, paralyzed in shock and fear still staring up into the sky. I looked up and got a full view of it. My heart was pounding so hard in my chest because I knew beyond any shadow of a doubt what I knew.
The entire sky was full of thick, dark gray clouds; however, another type of cloud emerged within them. It was not like any kind of cloud I had ever seen or witnessed before. It waxed larger and larger as it wound around within itself. It became something like a hole in the clouds. Though it was made of clouds, these were no ordinary clouds. They were powerful, and in a sense terrifying. I knew it was the time. This was the very moment of the Rapture. A hole in the clouds was the entry into heaven.
I ran further, held my hands high, and shouted out, “Lord, I am ready! Take me now Lord! Take me now!”
As soon as I said that, I was well on my way in the air. I rose higher and higher and entered through that hole in the clouds. As I did, the scene immediately began changing the higher I got.
Suddenly there were brilliant flashes of light like crystal prisms and other various lights all around me. As I was passing through them, the light was growing more and more, brighter and brighter. I realized, as I got higher, that I was in a dream and He was showing me the Rapture. I also knew that it was coming soon. Then gently and softly, the Lord placed me back down on my feet.
I then awoke.
Interpretation
When I woke up, I was in awe. I thought about what just took place and the elements of the dream. The shop I was in I think was God’s way of showing me that when the Rapture happens, it will be an average common day. The women represented perhaps something akin to the five foolish virgins.
The way one of the women saw the sky changing and shouting out makes me think of the cry made at midnight, when all the virgins were shocked out of sleep and ran out to meet the Bridegroom, all at the same time.
It marked a moment of time that we need to be made aware of.
All of us ran out similar to the ten virgins. The women I passed through who were standing paralyzed in terror and fear to me symbolize the Body of Christ at the time of the Rapture when they stopped looking for Him – a time when they were shocked that He actually came back and yet, were not at all ready.
“…and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” Matthew 25:10-11, KJV.
I believe that I represented the Bride as a whole. There is no pride by pointing out that I was the only one ready. I am not that way. I am only expressing what I saw and in no way consider myself to be anything special at all. The fact that it was only me, one person, is starkly evident that that is a sad sign of the percentage of the people that will be ready at a moment’s notice. I do not see it as me personally, only a sign so to speak for the entire Body.
The thick, dark gray clouds suggest that this day will be a dark day… a gloomy day… but not for true Believers in Him. Nevertheless, it will be for those in the Body represented by the terrified women who symbolize all who give up waiting for the Bridegroom.
Doubtlessly, the cloud that emerged from within the dark gray clouds was representative of God Himself. Recall I stated it was different in and of itself, unlike any type of cloud I have ever seen. There was a reverent fear in that. There was a sense that this cloud came alive among the ones that surrounded it as it waxed bigger and bigger, twisting of its own devices.
I refer to 1 Thessalonians 4:17 in the portion of scripture that says, “…then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them IN THE CLOUDS to meet the Lord in the air, so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
In addition, “That we are surrounded by so great a CLOUD of witnesses”. (Hebrew 12:1). Remember, those whom have already died and entered into heaven will return with Him “in the CLOUDS”.
I also think of the scriptures where God hides Himself within the cloudy pillar such as Exodus 13:21-22, Leviticus 16:2, Ezekiel 1:28 and 1 Kings 8:10-12. I also think on scriptures of the second coming such as in Revelation 1:7, stating, “Behold, He cometh with the CLOUDS”. This is when “every eye shall see Him”. What I was shown and experienced came when it was least expected and it came suddenly. This is also a separate event spoke of as Jesus Christ coming “as a thief in the night”.
“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that that day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman, and they shall not escape.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, KJV.
“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” ~ Revelation 16:15, KJV.
Let me stop here. I want to make note regarding that last verse and WHY the Lord chooses to use it.
I will share my notes taken from the book, “The Temple – Its Ministry and Services”, by Alfred Edersheim.
The Rounds of the Captain – During the night the ‘Captain of the temple’ made his rounds. On his approach, the guards had to rise and salute him in a particular manner. Any guard found asleep when on duty was beaten, or his garments set on fire – punishment as we know, actually awarded. Hence, the admonition to us, who, as it were, are here on ‘temple guard’.
As ‘Thief in the Night’, the high priest checked on the Levites to see if they were sleeping while on their watch. If he found one sleeping, he would use his torch to singe one’s garments. They had a common nickname for him – ‘Thief in the Night.’ The priest whose duty it was to superintend the arrangements may knock at the door and demand entrance at any given moment. He came suddenly and unexpectedly, no one knew when. The Rabbi’s use almost the exact words in which scripture describes “the unexpected coming of the Master.”
Perhaps this brings to light the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane where the Lord comes to the disciples and Peter three different times during His passion.
“And He cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
“And He came again and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.”
“Then cometh He to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest, behold the hour is at hand….” ~ Matthew 26:40, 43, 45, KJV.
I know I can reference many more scriptures; I only paused for a moment to bring light to scriptures many of us read and have no real knowledge of their true meaning. This was also to show the utmost importance of the use of terms the Lord uses throughout the entire Bible to warn us night and day to be ready for Him at any time.
In my dream, my going forward while raising my hands, and shouting, “Lord I am ready! Take me now Lord! Take me now!”, strikes me so strongly that each of us must prepare our own selves to go with Him much the exact same way a bride has to get herself ready. Moreover, any bride who is betrothed, counts the time down to the last minutes of when to prepare.
Those of us who have been brides understand this. There is a very intimate preparing. We want to do this alone, without anyone’s help or presence. It is a solemn focus on what is about to occur, and the sacred, pure holiness of it. We have to tell Him ourselves that we are ready when that time comes close. I fully believe we will each know it by the virtue and witness of the Holy Spirit within ourselves where He resides.
Also, keep in mind the verse below when it comes to making ourselves ready, and remember who Christ is… ‘The Bridegroom’.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:10, KJV.
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.” ~ Revelation 19:7, KJV.
As soon as I cried out to the Lord to take me and that I was ready was the moment I ascended. I was received up into an open heaven and began to see otherworldly, bright, brilliant lights, and crystal-like rainbow prisms flashing all around me.
The realization in my dream that it was a dream was God’s way of showing me a foretaste of it, and the nearness of it. This also warned me to be ready at a moment’s notice on any common day. Ready people are going to go on with their common, everyday lives, yet within they are ready to go at a moment’s notice.
The moment I realized that I was in a dream, I understood that God was only showing me things that will shortly come to pass and that is when He gently, slowly, and softly, set me down on my feet. I understood further, and exactly why He showed me what I saw – In order for me to warn others right now to be ready at a moment’s notice.
In closing, I want to say to you that no matter what position you take in regards to eschatology, I chose to share this in love, knowing the controversies that have caused great divides in the Body of Christ. Regardless of where you stand on the prophetic calendar, it makes no difference… just get ready. We all have one commonality no matter what our position and that is to BE READY! This will begin as a powerful conviction that must be brought on and witnessed by the Holy Spirit. Be prepared to receive it, and when it happens, you will know it.
“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” ~ Matthew 25:13, KJV.
“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping,
And what I say unto you, I say unto all…WATCH.” ~ Mark 35-36, KJV.