Several years back, I had a dream. A friend and I rode horses through a valley headed toward a gradual hill. The only unusual thing about the scene, other than me being on a horse, was that we had large woven baskets tied to the saddles. As we topped the hill and could see down in the valley, we noticed lots of fruit lying on the ground. The closer we got, the more we noticed the fruit rotting quickly. We hurried to the fruit, got off the horses, and placed the fruit in the basket. The rotting would stop when we put the fruit in our baskets. There was so much fruit that it was impossible to get it all picked up; more fruit rotted than we could get into the baskets.

Matthew 9:36-38 (NLT) When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. ³⁸ So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

I had another dream that has stuck with me over the years. Like the first one, it dealt with the lost souls dying and spending eternity in hell. I was standing in a field that had been sporadically planted. The plants were producing, but only a little. It wouldn’t take much effort to pick the veggies in the open field; you would casually walk from plant to plant and get what was ready. On top of that, the veggies were scrawny and unappealing.

A cliff at the edge of the field led up to several large flat spots where I could see plants producing vast quantities of vegetables and other types of fruit. But getting to it was going to be a challenge, to say the least. The rocks were jagged and loose, and all kinds of thorns were growing along the only way to get to the spots where the fruits and veggies were. I also noticed poisonous snakes and scorpions slithering and crawling in and out of the jagged rocks; these demonic animals were peering intently at me, trying to intimidate me and get me consumed with fear so I wouldn’t dare approach the cliff.

So there I was, having to make a choice: take the easy, less rewarding veggies, the scrawny ones, in the sparse valley, or tackle the cliff with the jagged rocks, scorpions, snakes, and seeming impossible terrain and get to where the fruit was ready and bountiful.

Mark 2:17 (NLT) When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Joel 3:13-14 (NKJV) Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow— For their wickedness is great.” ¹⁴ Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

Addiction Was Described in Revelation as a Last Days’ Epidemic

Revelations 18:23b (NLT) For your merchants were the greatest in the world, and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.

Matthew 25:37-40 (NKJV) “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

For when you,

• Saw me hungry; you fed me.

• Found me thirsty; you gave me something to drink.

• When I had no place to stay, you invited me in.

• When I was poorly clothed, you covered me.

• When I was sick, you tenderly cared for me.

• When I was in prison, you visited me.

All of these issues, hunger, thirst, having no place to stay, needing clothes, sickness & jail, typically stem from addiction.

Luke 4:18-19 (ESV) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

• He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

• Sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives.

• Recovering of sight to the blind.

• Set at liberty those who are oppressed.

• Proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NKJV) “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. ¹⁹ Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

Proverbs 14:4 (NLT) Without oxen a stable stay clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.