Passing the Torch

Reading Time: 8 Minutes

Saturday morning, July 22, 2023, I had a dream that I believe is not only for me but for the Body of Christ– the Bride of Christ. This dream gives us insight about passing the torch of the light of Jesus to the next generation.

The Dream

The Name

In the dream I met a little girl who was around 8 or 10 years old. We were walking together and I asked her name. She said, “Helena,” pronounced “heh-lee-nah.” She was walking to school alone. So being concerned about her safety I decided to walk with her. As we were climbing a little eroded place in the grass, I realized that I had forgotten her name. I pondered it for a moment and asked the Lord to help me remember it. Then I recalled her name– Helena! I helped her cross a busy road and then we walked up to the school.

The School

When we arrived, the front walls of the school were not there, kind of like a doll house. I stood on the front lawn as Helena stepped up into her classroom. It must have been homeroom because she was not there for very long and nobody taught anything. The classroom had long bar-height tables and stools that were arranged lengthwise with the short end facing me. I could see the sides of the students faces and the classroom was packed out! It was darker toward the back of the big classroom. Helena’s stool was the second one in on the left side of her table.

The Bullies

As she climbed up onto her stool I noticed that there were older guys assigned to sit all around her. They must have been 18 to 20 years old. Their faces were oily as if they had not bathed in a while. Otherwise, they were not unusual in any way. In my opinion they didn’t seem to belong in that classroom. Looking at Helena with intimidating glances, they laughed and said unkind things to her. Then they started to poke and shove her.

Intervention

I was disgusted with their behavior and became protective of this little girl I had just met. As I stepped forward to address the situation, the students were dismissed from the classroom. The guys jumped down onto the lawn and began to walk away to my right. I stepped up to the meanest bully and looked square into his face. He stared back. With confidence, I sternly told him not to ever bother Helena again. He and the others never said a word to me. They simply walked away.

The Light of the World

When I woke up, I checked the meaning of the name Helena. It means “torch or shining light!” On a side note, the city my husband and I live in is named Helena.

It’s easy to forget who we are in Christ and what our name means. The Lord wants us to remember who we are. We are the light of the world– a bright and shining light!

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 NLT

Jesus also said that those who believe and follow Him are also the light of the world. That is because we are “in Christ!” We have His Spirit living inside us. Therefore, we are shining lights!

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

Satan’s Intimidation

The little girl, Helena, represents the upcoming generation of the Body of Christ– the Bride of Christ. I believe the enemy is trying to intimidate God’s children and snuff out the torch of our youth! Our nation’s young people are being exposed to so many pressures and expectations from culture, advertising and social media. Their experience in many schools is becoming more and more spiritually dark.

The young generation endured great disruption and anxiety in their lives during the great pandemic of 2020. Persecution is on the rise all over the world and even in America– especially in the schools. The fear of being called out by their peers and even by teachers for “saying the wrong thing” is escalating. Wars and rumors of wars, riots in the big cities, political tension and the celebration of sin are parading the kingdom of darkness for everyone to see.

These kinds of things are Satan’s attempt to intimidate and snuff out the Kingdom of Light. The devil thinks if he bullies this rising generation of God’s children he can stop the great harvest of the end times. To stop that, the older generation must be diligent to protect and encourage the younger generation. Passing the torch on to the next generation is not a passive responsibility. We are still in the race!

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

Protecting the Next Generation

I believe God is giving a word to seasoned believers. In the dream, Helena and I crossed a busy road next to the school and there were no crossing guards. There was no one there to protect the children from the oncoming traffic of life. The “way” was unsafe. Helena went to homeroom and nobody taught anything. She was only laughed at and bullied. The days of trusting the systems of the world to take good care of our children are in the past. I’m not saying that there are not good teachers, daycare workers, doctors and others that will take good care of our kids. But the system is deteriorating fast and it must be recovered for the sake of the precious children and the Kingdom of God.

Encouragement

It is our responsibility to walk along side the young Bride of Christ and encourage them in every way possible. If we care, we will watch out for them, protect them and stand up for them. I am not speaking about only feeling sorry for them or having empathy. Most kind people are already expressing their sympathy over the losses this generation has experienced in the last few years. They need to know that they are not doomed to failure. God has a grand purpose for each one of them! They will shine because of who they are and what God has for them to accomplish in their lifetime!

Standing in the Gap

Each one of us can ask our Father what work He has for us to do on their behalf. They need confidence in the blood of the Jesus to break strongholds and grow in the power of the Spirit. Our testimonies can help them overcome. The love of God in us will give us patience and help us stand in the gap until they are strong enough to stand on their own, armored with the power of God. We can begin on a personal level with our own children and grandchildren– our home rooms. Their minds and emotions have been attacked by the enemy and we can speak truth and life to them. The perfect love of God casts out fear! But I believe there is even more that we as the Body of Christ are supposed to do.

Intervention

The Lord wants us to pray for them of course. We must do battle for them in spiritual warfare. But there will also be practical ways the Lord will have us stand up to the intimidating darkness. What comes to my mind are the 7 Mountains of Culture I have heard Lance Wallnau speak of: Media/entertainment, government, education, economy, religion, celebration and family. But we will not be effective in our efforts to turn things around if we, the 30 year-olds and older, are not bright and shining torches ourselves. We must be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and do things God’s way.

We Are Shining Torches for the Next Generation

Now is the time to shake off all discouragement, get before God and know Him intimately. We must stay close to the Father’s heart and grow in His power. The Lord will fill us with the oil of His Spirit and light our lamps with the fire of His presence. Matthew 25:1-13 We will see the face of Jesus and learn His voice. He will fill us with courage and show each of us the part we must play in bringing the Light to the world. The upcoming generation and every newborn believer is looking to follow our lead! Passing the torch on to our kids and grandkids should be our greatest passion. But there is a whole generation who need to see us shine for Jesus.

God has given us so much grace! It’s time for us to wake up, step up and defend God’s kids against the kingdom of darkness. The only way to do that is to be filled with God Himself– the Light of the World! That happens in the secret place of prayer and surrender. He will show each of us what we must do and empower us to do it. Together we will make a difference!

Hope for the Future

Our children and youth are amazing! Every newborn believer in Jesus, regardless of their age, is priceless! They are the little ones, God’s vessels to shine Jesus around the world. The enemy has worked hard to intimidate them in many ways. But we who have been watching the changes happen for decades can be a source of strength to this wonderful new Godly generation. We can walk beside them and help protect their future if we are willing to pay the price.

I cannot do effectively what God has asked you to do, and you cannot do my part. But together through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will see the Light of the World shine in and through the next generation! And so we say to the younger generation, “Helena, we know how amazing God has created you to be! We will walk beside you and stand up for you! You are God’s bright and shining light to the world!”