The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10, NASB.

A few nights ago, I had a strange dream. I was in an amusement park, and one particular attraction caught my attention. It promised a journey to higher ground, where I could take in beautiful views of the park and its surroundings. Intrigued, I eagerly queued up, anticipating my turn. When the door opened, I stepped inside and found myself in a lush park under warm, bright sunlight. A large green overhead bridge stood a few steps ahead. I assumed I was meant to walk across it to enjoy the scenic landscape from above. Excited, I ran up the steps toward the middle of the bridge. Suddenly, something shifted—too faint at first to notice. The bridge looked green not because of paint, but because coiled upon its rails and draped across its length were green snakes, their bodies entwined in silent anticipation. Startled, I froze. I looked down at where I was standing and realized I was just one step away from the bridge landing. Behind me, a stranger had begun to follow. Now I could see clearly—the snakes were draped along the railings. They had seen me. They did not rush. They stirred. I called out, urging the stranger to turn back—to escape what I had walked into. As I looked around, the snakes on either side of the bridge rose up and hissed, while others along the top rail inched closer, moving slowly, almost deliberately—as if they knew I had nowhere to escape. My feet felt rooted to the steps, but I knew I had to act before they struck. I turned, closed my eyes tightly, and ran down the stairs toward the entrance—the door that now felt impossibly far. I reached it, rushed inside, and shut the door behind me.

I have been reflecting on the meaning of this dream, and from my Christian perspective, I have drawn the following insights. The bridge represents my spiritual journey as a Christian—something I walk out daily in my life. Along this path, which ascends toward a beautiful landscape, I am often unable, in the natural, to see the dangers lurking in every direction—the snares, traps, strongholds, and destruction lying in wait for me. Just like in my dream, the snakes seem to bide their time, their gaze fixed on me. As it is written in Psalm 121, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Though I may not see the dangers, God sees them all.

With a dreadful calmness, they inch closer. Yet somehow, they move as if in slow motion. It feels as though they can frighten me, but no matter how hard they try, they can only move at a certain pace—and no faster. This reminds me of 1 Corinthians 10:13, that God is faithful and will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I can bear, but will always provide a way of escape. This was when I closed my eyes and ran from the danger. I realized that the only way to escape is not to focus on the dangerous circumstances around me, but to close my eyes, take a leap of faith, and run quickly to safety. As 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” In my spiritual walk, this means turning my eyes away from my circumstances—and even from myself—and fixing them on Jesus, just as Hebrews 12:2 encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Though the snakes move slowly and do not seem to strike, they can still hurl venom through accusations—that I do not have faith in God, that I cannot overcome, that I will not persevere to the end. Yet Revelation 12:10 reminds me that the accuser has been cast down, and in Christ, these accusations have no authority over me. But the moment I closed my eyes and fled to safety, the Holy Spirit turned my eyes away from myself and toward the supernatural work of the One who saves and delivers—the Lord Jesus Christ. As Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”

Beloved, there are many things that can overwhelm us on a day-to-day basis—things that can trip us in our walk with the Lord Jesus. Perhaps the Lord has even called you to walk an unbeaten and unfamiliar path.

Will we fix our eyes on what we see—or on the One who saves?

True safety is not found in understanding every danger, but in trusting the One who leads you and me through them. The secret lies in walking with Jesus and abiding in the secret place of the Most High. As Psalm 91: 1 says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

This dream reveals that while my spiritual journey leads me upward into greater clarity and purpose, it is not without opposition. The threats I face may appear overwhelming, but they are neither uncontrolled nor all-powerful. Like the snakes, they are restrained and often seek more to intimidate than to destroy.

The true battle is not against what I see, but against what I believe. Fear and accusation attempt to paralyze my walk, but my safety is not found in analyzing every danger. It is found in turning my focus away from fear and fixing my eyes on Christ.

The presence of the stranger reminds me that I am not alone on this journey. Others are walking the same path—sometimes unaware of the dangers ahead—and my response matters. A life of faith not only leads me to safety but can also point others toward it.

In the end, victory comes not by striving, but by trusting—choosing to walk by faith, and not by sight.

“Faith is never the ground of justification but only the means of it. The sinner’s acceptance by God is based not on his or her faith but on the merits of Christ, which faith appropriates.”

Ernest Kevan