In His kindness, God has given a young person a glimpse of God’s working in these days. The young man was taken to the shore a beach, where he observed many turtles. These turtles have lot of barnacles growing on them. These barnacles are sessile (fixed at one place) animals which are tightly attached to the turtle’s shell and bottom. They secrete cement like substances and gets attached to turtles. These hinder the turtle’s ability to walk, swim, and catch prey. Hundreds of barnacles grow on the turtle’s top and bottom. These developed barnacles cannot be removed by a turtle. These barnacles must be removed with external assistance and support. Because of the barnacles, the turtle’s life span and strength are both falling drastically.
I saw a hand reaching from heaven and getting hold of each turtle. The hand has a really sharp knife. The sharp knife is a single multidimensional knife. The knife has several sharpness and breadth layers. The hand is God’s hand. God the Father is removing all the barnacles that have formed on the turtle’s shell and body. God is removing the barnacles and cleaning the formations with His sharp knife. Some barnacles have become tightly attached to the turtle’s shell and body.
Over the years, these barnacles have grown and formed on turtle shells. The barnacles occupy place and put their weight on turtle shells, regulating turtle’s movement. The turtle is already a slow-moving creature, but with these barnacles, it becomes considerably slower. The turtle became young and free to move after God removed the barnacles from its shell. It had recovered its lost health, strength and was moving quickly.
We are represented by the turtle in this vision. We have hundreds of microscopic barnacle-like particles tightly attached to our souls, just as the turtle has hundreds of barnacles. These particles have become part of our lives. For example, for many years there are some believers who have been telling lies. Their personality has evolved into that of a liar. Telling lie is one barnacle. In the same way, we also have so many barnacle-like particles attached to our souls. We have become lukewarm, have lost interest in God and His promises, have lost faith, and have lost hope in God because of these barnacles. We, like the Turtle, are already slow by God’s and the world’s standards. Barnacles have made us even more slower and rendered us useless to God.
The knife represents God’s Word, and barnacles represent pet sins, doctrines, theology, or out-of-season word. All the teachings, doctrines and theology which are not in God’s will and season have created Christian illness. A person knows Christ but is sick or ill for many years after believing these doctrines and theology. Fresh manna from heaven will keep you healthy, but stale manna will make you unhealthy. Even stale preaching by pastors has made many people sick at church. Preachers must provide manna from heaven’s fresh ovens. These barnacles were also formed by the doctrines or teachings of old great preachers (whom God used once upon a time) who were out of touch or off tune with God.
God is now removing all of these through the sharpness of God’s word. Slowly, the knife removes one lump of little barnacles (one or many barnacles) at a time. God is using a specific sharpness of knife for each lump of barnacles on the turtle. Similarly, God is removing barnacle-like particles in us with a specific sharpness of God’s word. Some barnacles and the corresponding sharpness are shown below.
1) Pet sins of desire, lust, greed, and self-centeredness – sharpness of love, mercy, and service from God’s word.
2) For theology – Sharpness of Christlikeness
3) For doctrine or teachings – Sharpness of Jesus Character and nature.
4) For out of season – Sharpness of in season word of God.
The sharpness of God’s word will pierce and remove – our ego, self-confidence, layers of self, pet sins, and laziness which have formed for many years. The truth in God’s word will remove and free us from the hold of all doctrines (not in God’s will), theology (not in God’s will), and out-of-season word of God. God sends the truth from His word to set us free. Allow God to remove all these barnacles. Allow God to even remove barnacles caused by teachings and doctrines. By removing these barnacles, God is restoring God’s power, faith, and love in and through our lives. We are in the process of being set free by the truth of the word of God.
God’s word still has the power and authority to set you free completely. You will regain your first love for Jesus as well as your health after the barnacles are removed. Your environment and life will be infused with the freshness of Jesus bursting forth. The simplicity of associating with Jesus will return, as will simple faith, sincere love, and so on. Sudden bursts of joy and peace will be found near your dwellings. Your peace will flow like a river once more. We can reclaim the lost health. We don’t need new miracles; God removing all barnacles is the best miracle.
Don’t cling to your teachings, doctrines, or theology. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
Today, if you feel like you have no way out, no direction in life, and are unable to hear God’s voice, ask God to send His truth through His word to create a direction in your life.