See also: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5

 

As we continue forth in Songs, I was given a beautiful Vision of the hidden staircase by The Holy Spirit during my worship and devotion to The Father.

I am walking along a path in the wilderness lined with evergreen trees. Just ahead, there is a break in the trees revealing a stream.

It’s not a large stream, but its flowing north with little ripples where the rocks catch the water. If it was deeper, it could be a river, but no it was a stream.

I could easily walk across it’s shallow depth. I look around, because I hear birds singing and chirping in happiness. I begin to see all sorts of nature living within and around this little stream.

I notice a blue butterfly fluttering by and the wild flowers which are a brilliant colors in bloom. I have a knowing to get into the stream.

As I walk into the stream to sit down, I am engulfed. I am spiritually swept away. I see myself get up out of the stream, however my body stays sitting in the water.

I immediately know this is my spirit walking up the bank leaving my body sitting in the stream. It’s a pleasing feeling as my spirit walks along the bushes touching all the greenery with my spiritual hand.

Just ahead, in a clearing is a large flowing waterfall. I see light shining behind the waterfall and know to follow it.

I walk through the streams of falling water, but do not feel its wetness, instead a sense of warmth and comfort. There is an opening in the rock behind the waterfall.

I know to walk through the cleft of the rock and to my surprise, I find a metal, spiral staircase. I begin to take the first step to climb the stair case. End of vision.

Can I just point out. that I do not have much of an imagination? This Vision is just another example of how The Holy Spirit speaks.

I am amazed! We know how much our Father likes to teach in parables, so let’s take a closer look at what this vision actually means.

The Song of Solomon is literally our spiritual road map for each to follow to find The Father, our Bridegroom and to do so, we must get into His Stream [spirit].

First. it begins with a narrow path, just like our spiritual journey in our wilderness to find the narrow path.

The trees demonstrate being restored to capture hearts and minds, so His plans can be placed within us.

The stream represents the Holy Spirit flowing North where God’s dwells. We are told God can be found in the North in Isaiah and many other verses.

“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north,” Isaiah 14:13.

The beautiful nature in its radiant bloom symbolizes our “best” or righteousness as believers. (Psalm 1:1-3)

The butterfly is a symbol of maturity in our faith walk. While the waterfall symbolizes a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit, “deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterfalls,” (Psalm 42:7).

The shallowness of the stream is meant to describe time? I felt His Out-pouring is coming quickly to His Bride. Hallejuah!

My spirit leaving my body is symbolic of communing with The Father. My spiritual hand touching everything as I walk by is such a beautiful picture of how the spirit moves by touching everything that is alive!

My spirit climbs or ascends the ladder to go seek The Father in His Tabernacle. The point of my body staying-put in the stream is a picture of how our spirit can be busy gaining wisdom from The Father.

What an awesome teaching. We are spirit, soul and body, but when communing with The LORD, we come in spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Now, how does my vision relate to Songs of Solomon? Well, in order to find His Hidden Staircase in our lives we must come blameless and willing to sit quietly waiting on Him.

Once His Spirit begins to flow, we should go sit in His Stream and ascend to Him. It’s perfectly designed just for you and me!

Now, let’s take a look at Songs of Solomon 4.

“Until the day break and the shadow flee away, I will get Me to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense,” Songs of Solomon 4:6.

Here in this verse, we are told a new day arrives in which all that appears as shadows will become clear in The LORD.

Solomon describes the wilderness as a place of barren and desolation and The Bride is about to be separated from everything that has meaning.

During her time of separation, all these things previously meaning so much to her begin to lose their importance. Nothing compares to her new found love of her Bridegroom, Jesus.

“You are all fair, My love, there is no spot on you,” Songs of Solomon 4:7.

The Father sees us as being perfect. As we receive His cleansing power of His blood we can truly become spotless. Each must accept this before He can take us further. He even makes a plea for her to leave all those “places” in her past that have hindered her spiritual growth.

“Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards,” Songs of Solomon 4:8.

How many of us keep going back to the things we know have caused us pain or become our dangerous lions den hindering our spiritual growth? We are stuck! I have previously referred to this place as the merry-go-round. I will link the post here for those trapped in this place.

Our Bridegroom requires our cooperation to further our progress revealing the upward steps on His Staircase.

In Songs of Solomon 3, His love calls her away from the worldly lil gods that entice her (us). Our intent should be to rise-above our worldly pleasures as we become refined by His Fire in our wilderness.

“Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel,” Songs of Solomon 3:6-7.

As we seek or draw to Him, He then seeks His Bride for fellowship. He is using our time of difficulty (wilderness) to ensure each of us come to a place of complete trust in Him.

Where we learn to rely on His Divine way and timing. Immediately after we discover this for ourselves, He quickly makes arrangements for us to be enclosed or separated from outside influences taking us to The LORD Himself. He puts his Bride in an enclosed garden.

“A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed,” Songs of Solomon 4:12.

The Father’s high garden wall hinders all except The LORD Himself. She is separated from friends, family and all those who would attempt to occupy her or divert her attention from Him.

During this separation, her “gifting” fails her. She can’t operate in her ministry and is separated from everything she is dependent on.

“Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices,” Songs of Solomon 4:13-14.

The nine plants mentioned in this garden are nine-fold fruits of the spirit. They represent the quality of the spirit that the Bridegroom desires to develop in her (us) during her separation. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)

Depending on her inner development of each of these fruits determines her time line for exiting her wilderness.

The orchard of pleasant fruits is referring to spiritual maturity that is unfolding with her. She begins to display righteousness, peace, joy as she grows in spiritual understanding, wisdom, patience and faith.

Being shut away for a season, she becomes sensitive to her ability to recognize His Voice and His Presence. He is able to show her where she is lacking in her fruits of the spirit.

She realizes she can answer His prompts when He speaks allowing for a pleasing personal relationship and inner growth!

There are different levels of separation. Most who enter His Garden are only intended to stay for a limited time. But those with deep wounding or unforgiveness tend to linger here longer.

He leads her back out again to become a witness to share what she has learned while in His Chambers to those still wandering in their wilderness.

Reluctantly, she leaves His presence to minister to those who desire more of The LORD, but are not yet ready to be drawn into their own garden experience.

“You are a garden spring, a well of flowing water streaming from Lebanon,” Songs of Solomon 4:15.

As she sits in His flow and warmth of His presence she prays that the wind [The Holy Spirit] would come and blow upon her garden.

“Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden that its fragrance may spread everywhere.Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choice fruits,” Songs of Solomon 4:16.

When the Bride prays, “Awake, O’North Wind,” she encouraging and giving the Holy Spirit permission to bring about a change within her. As He communes with her, she longs to be set free and delivered from every aspect of her flesh.

Her life’s desire now is to be brought into alignment with His to find her purpose. By now, she doesn’t care what the cost might be, she is in full harmony with the Bridegroom and can feel the touch of His presence.

His chastening is truly a blessing when she finally understands His purpose for it. She has confidence to respond to His correction, knowing it will apply and make her life experience better.

She desires her inward developing beauty to become a wonderful fragrance (spices) that will flow-out from her to bring pleasure and satisfaction to the one she has come to intimately love.

Rather than seeking to receive a word or blessing from The LORD for herself, she desires to become a blessing (the spices flowing out) to others and give back to Him, which increases all that He has imparted into her. She is working for The Father now and He blessing her for it!

I wanted to share in my wilderness journey, love was my greatest struggle. I lacked the ability to love unconditionally, finding faults everywhere I looked.

I was raised in a family of conditional love. Therefore, I could not even comprehend the unconditional love of Jesus. But God!

We have a wonderful counselor, teacher and Bridegroom, Jesus. He walked me step by step until my Love for others became natural and virtuous.

First, He showed me love was an action. When we act out love, it penetrates our hearts and the hearts of the others.

You know the old saying actions speak louder than word? This is exactly what I practiced. Eventually through God, my hardened heart began to melt and get all gooey.

I began doing things for others without caring whether they thanked me or not. Did you know, if you give something and expect a thank you that means there are conditions to your giving?

I taught my kids to send thank you’s, but it never occurred to me that I was conditioning them. Not to say, we shouldn’t be thanking others, but love should be given freely, no strings attached.

The other thing, I learned from our wonderful counselor was to love people where they are at! This is very hard at first.

I practiced with my employees and eventually my family. To do so, I would generously give in words, actions [time] and even gifts.

Now remember at first they did not deserve these generous gifts of mine, but in faith one day they might!

You know what happened? The turn-around was amazing in all instances, but one. This one, I am still believing!

Every other person became deserving by my faith ! God showed me that when we love the unloveable and we are all unloveable at times, the darkness in their hearts melts and the enemy flees!

The song by song by Dione Warwick comes to mind, “All the world needs is love sweet love” …It’s true!

Also, you can’t change people’s thinking, only God can, so stop trying!

Just love them, care about them and give them your very “best“ you! You know what? God will begin to give you the very BEST of Him.

I hope you feel the Grace and Love our Glorious Bridegroom today!

See also: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5

Shalom
~ Angela Reese

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Angela is the owner of “Fruits of His Vine” website, to encourage and equip those still in wandering, or in captivity, to find our Savior in His Holy Tabernacle.

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