Dyed4you Art – Grow in Love

Grow in Love (Sow Love) reminds us that the seeds of love we sow liberally always bring a harvest, and as we rest firmly rooted in Divine Love’s firm embrace our roots grow deep and strong and our passion burns brightly. 

  • 1 Corinthians 13:13 (VOICE) But now faith, hope, and love remain; these three virtues must characterize our lives. The greatest of these is love.
  • Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP)But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

A testimony called “Transformed By Love from Elisa Eaton of Waiting in the Wings is connected to this.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV) And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

There was a point in my life when I found myself deeply yearning for the manifest presence of God. During worship at church, I would find myself on the floor in intercession. The Spirit of God would be thick in the air. It felt as if heaven were ready to burst forth with the rain of God’s presence. And even though I felt tiny droplets of the Spirit, even still, my inner being groaned for more of God.

I didn’t understand what was coming over me until I stumbled upon a video about the Brownsville Revival. I listened to interviews with the former pastor of the Brownsville Assembly of God, John Kilpatrick. He described how he would go into his church when it was empty in the weeks leading up to the revival. He would weep, moan, and holler, crying out to God, “I want more!” Much like me, Pastor Kilpatrick didn’t know what had come over him. However, that inner groaning turned out to be intercession for the revival that would come to his church on Father’s Day, June 18, 1995.

Emboldened by Pastor Kilpatrick’s testimony, I continued in intercession until one unforgettable night when I received the baptism of fire. I was worshipping with abandon in our church dance circle one moment, and the next, I was drawn to the side of the room. In the spirit, I saw what I knew was the exact copy of Christ’s Spirit. It entered me with holy fire, and I melted to the floor.

I trembled and wept uncontrollably as the Divine poured into me. In that moment, I knew I was completely loved by the Creator. There were no gaps and holes in this love. God had no doubts about me, no shame, anger, or disappointment. This love was flawless, and I felt Him pouring His perfect nature into me.

Every day since then has been an incredible journey of transformation. While I had been yearning for the indwelling presence of God to come to my church, through that encounter, I understood why Paul says we are the tabernacle of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are God’s temple, built to hold the flawless dwelling presence of divine love.

The fiery nature of God’s love removes every hindrance to the manifestation of His kingdom within us. It burns away images of false love embedded in our minds. And as a result, we are forever changed. We become a door, as it were, in the earth through which the manifest presence of God can flow.

1 John 4:13, 16 (NLT) And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us…. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

{hearing and sensing} Hearing the words “glorious appearing.” Sometimes these words evoke feelings of terror and awe over the coming of the Lord. However, God is love, and perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). The Holy Spirit is inviting you to experience the manifest presence of God and His divine love. You can experience it here and now, today and every day. Let His love overwhelm and transform you. There is no need to fear.

The lyrics to Shane & Shane’s song “Yearn” is connected to this. This song expresses the soul’s hunger and thirst for God. It speaks of the desire that we would burn with passion for Him. In connection with this art piece, we sense God calling you to focus your yearning for Him on His love. Ask, seek, knock.

This yearning for His love isn’t so much about, “God change me so that I can love better!” That perspective presumes that something is wrong with you. In Christ, God sees you as flawless. He desires for you to encounter His perfect love. In the fiber of your core, come to know that you are deeply loved. Because when you live in the overflow of divine love, you won’t be able to resist pouring it out onto others!

A prophetic download called “Fiery Anointed One” from Elisa Eaton of Waiting in the Wings is connected to this.

A common theme in my walk with God is how He uses clothing to symbolize our state of mind, character, and conduct. Ultimately, God wants to clothe us with Himself so that we will reflect His character and nature. One night, I had a dream where He used the clothing I was wearing in it to symbolize a challenging truth.

In my dream, I awoke in a bedroom. I got up and walked over to a dresser that had a mirror on it. As I looked at my reflection, I noticed I was wearing very bright colors. I wore a knit sweater with thin orange and yellow stripes, which gave it a fiery appearance. I also wore a Dyed4you silk around my shoulders in the same colors; the silk felt like a mantle. Even though this was a dream, I asked the Lord which silk this was. He told me that the silk had yet to be created.

When I awoke, God began to download the meaning of the dream. He reminded me that I don’t like wearing knit sweaters, even on the coldest winter day. I easily overheat, and that makes me uncomfortable. Even more, I don’t like wearing bright colors like orange and yellow because they are incredibly bold and cause me to stand out. (I’m an introvert, a petite woman, and have always preferred remaining in the background.) 

God then brought to mind a story Lisa Bevere told. She named one of her sons Arden Christopher. His name means “fiery, determined, anointed one.”

Bringing all these things to mind, the Lord said, “I’ve called you to be My fiery, determined, anointed one. I’ve called you to be on fire for Me and walk in a holy boldness that pushes back the kingdom of darkness. I know that stepping out in My anointing and having attention drawn to you can be uncomfortable. But remember that the light of My presence is upon you so that humanity will see Me through you. Don’t be afraid to shine for Me.”

Through this dream and God’s interpretation, I began recognizing areas in my life where I was holding back and afraid to step out in His anointing. My fiery love for God has been born out of hiddenness and intimacy with Him. I have often felt like King David, who delighted in God while only a shepherd boy, pouring out songs of praise while in the pasture with the sheep. And also like David, the anointing and calling upon my life exceeds my wildest dreams!

However, God anoints us for a purpose. The anointing is like a light in the darkness that shows humanity that He exists. And His anointing is the key to establishing His kingdom on earth. Therefore, God’s anointing is guaranteed to take us far outside of our comfort zones. We must be willing to die to ourselves and, at times, what makes us comfortable to allow God to shine through us.

A crystalline download from Meghan Williams is connected to this. It’s called “Conduit of Love.”

Open your heart, mind, and spirit to receive more love. For the Divine is pouring it out over you that you might be saturated with it. And then from that place of saturated bliss, that you might share liberally with the world at large – for the world is in desperate need of more love.

So love, and love well. In doing so, you’ll find that it tends to multiply back on you – that beautiful principle of sowing and reaping coming back to bless you more than you can even imagine. So give without worry of how you might receive, just give. Love well and unconditionally. Be a conduit of love.

This is a series of Prophetic Nuggets from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams that are connected by scripture / theme. It is a series of six Prophetic Nuggets based on a portion of Matthew 5.

Matthew 5:44-48 (VOICE) But I tell you this: love your enemies. Pray for those who torment you and persecute you— in so doing, you become children of your Father in heaven. He, after all, loves each of us—good and evil, kind and cruel. He causes the sun to rise and shine on evil and good alike. He causes the rain to water the fields of the righteous and the fields of the sinner. It is easy to love those who love you—even a tax collector can love those who love him. And it is easy to greet your friends—even outsiders do that! But you are called to something higher: “Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

The first Prophetic Nugget is called “Hard Choices.”

Matthew 5:44 (VOICE) But I tell you this: love your enemies…

Beloved, if you choose to walk with Me, the path isn’t always easy. However, it is beautiful – sometimes poignantly so. Making the hard choices and dying to your flesh are key parts of the journey. How can you love someone who is your enemy? Seek to understand them. Seek to understand what motivates them. Strive to remember who they are to Me – My creation. 

You can love someone without agreeing with them. You can be “for” someone without agreeing with all their choices. Loving your enemies, beloved, is about wanting My best for them – even if you don’t think they deserve it, because you realize what they should or should not have isn’t your judgment call to make. So you choose to trust Me and yield to My perfect wisdom.

The second Prophetic Nugget is called “Choose Wisely What Your Character Reflects.”

Matthew 5:44-45 (VOICE) …Pray for those who torment you and persecute you— in so doing, you become children of your Father in heaven…

Beloved, when someone wrongs you, you do not have to return it in kind. Instead of stooping to their negative behavior, respond with a heart that reflects Me. One filled with compassion and mercy. For any ill they’ve done or said against you is a greater reflection of them and their character than it is of yours.

Choose wisely what you want your character to reflect. If you want to reflect Me, respond to those who wrong you with forgiveness (even if they haven’t asked) and love (even if they don’t want it). For in reflecting godly behavior, you bless and honor Me, so let that be enough encouragement and resist the urge to rely on any human response.

The third Prophetic Nugget is called “Love Unconditionally with Abandon.”

Matthew 5:45 (VOICE) in so doing, you become children of your Father in heaven. He, after all, loves each of us—good and evil, kind and cruel. He causes the sun to rise and shine on evil and good alike. He causes the rain to water the fields of the righteous and the fields of the sinner.

Beloved, I do not pick and choose which of you are worth loving. I deem you all worthy of love. I don’t withhold sunshine from one while I pour it out on another. I’m not fickle or changing. I AM steadfast and true. 

If you desire to be like Me, you too must be steadfast. You too must love liberally – refusing to withhold it on a whim or as a punishment. To be like Me, requires true sacrificial love.  It requires knowing that even as you choose to die to your fleshly responses, often no one will see or know but Me – and yet that is sufficient. So love unconditionally with abandon, and do so with no desire for recognition knowing My approval is all you need.

The fourth Prophetic Nugget is called “Sacrificial Love.”

Matthew 5:46 (VOICE) It is easy to love those who love you—even a tax collector can love those who love him.

Beloved, it is good to love well those you already love. For all of us have moments where we are unloveable. So be reminded to persist in love regardless of how prickly someone you care about is being. Remember there are moments you yourself will need that same grace extended to you.

However, if the extent of your sacrificial love is only to those you already care about, you are falling short of the mark. Where the real challenge begins is in loving those who you don’t like and don’t agree with, even ones who have been hostile to you. There is the true challenge. People are prone to segregating into safe little groupings where everyone has shared belief sets. This feels safe. 

However, true unity is accomplished when you are intentional to move beyond your safe place and allow yourself to be challenged. Choose to love those you may not like, and choose to seek peace with those you don’t agree with. That kind of love – that kind of harmony, reflects My heart and honors Me.

The fifth Prophetic Nugget is called “Share Your Light with All.”

Matthew 5:47 (VOICE) And it is easy to greet your friends—even outsiders do that!

Beloved, as you encounter people throughout your day that you don’t know, resist the urge to be “too busy” to engage. At the store, buying coffee, as you interact online – everywhere you go, you encounter people unknown to you but loved by Me.

You are called to be My light, My vessel – one who reflects My countenance, and that shouldn’t be something you turn on and off. I’m not saying never rest – for I strongly support moments of pause, but I mean don’t be so busy and distracted that you miss people I have placed in your path. Be aware, listen to My Spirit’s prompting, and shine unhindered – sharing your light with all.

The sixth Prophetic Nugget is called “Saturated in Me.”

Matthew 5:48 (VOICE) But you are called to something higher: “Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Beloved, I have called you to be perfect – complete and wanting nothing. This can only be achieved by being saturated in Me. For you cannot pour out the love of God without being filled with the love of God. So abide with Me and be filled that you might share from your overflow.

When you are overflowing with the joy of My Spirit, it is contagious and blesses all those you encounter. So drink deeply from the waters of My presence and be abundantly satisfied that you might share with many more.

The “LOVE” card from D4Yart Deck 2 is connected to this. The card is based on the “Raining His Love” Dyed4you Art piece, and it reads, “Be wrapped in the arms of Divine Love, and let your consciousness expand from that space. What you focus on, you make room for, so focus on love – expand in love, receive deeper revelation rooted in love, and manifest love. For Love provides, Love protects, and Love is good – so manifest more love and multiply it to those around you.”

A crystalline affirmation from Meghan Williams is connected to this. It reads in first person so it can become your declaration. It’s called “A Well of Love.”

I am a well of unlimited love and kindness, both towards myself and others. I trust Spirit is always at work; therefore, I have no need to fear. So I walk from a place of confidence knowing unlimited bounty and beauty flow to me, around me, and through me. 

{artist note} When I began seeking the Lord about this piece, I heard the word “love.” As I began to dwell on this I sensed a field of flowers – seeds of love having come into bloom. I found it interesting as the image came together that the flowers highlighted to be used were lavender as lavender is associated with peace, but then I realized the prophetic connection because as we sow in love, we reap a harvest of peace. 

As I continued pressing in, God brought to mind our Seeds of Love Dyed4you silk, which is included in this image. As I was thinking of “sowing love” and it immediately connected to a Fruits of the Spirit theme that God seems to be birthing in recent Prophetic “Portraits” I’ve created: first a Grow in Joy, then a Grow in Kindness, and that’s when I understood that this was Grow in Love. As I’ve mentioned in the words for the previous ones, this in no way implies a deficiency in this fruit – only that we are always being called to new levels of fruit bearing. 

And with this piece I also sense it’s a bit of a play on words because as we are planted in Divine Love, that fertile soil grows and prospers us.

Something else God sometimes does as I’m creating new pieces is use elements that have been previously used in other art pieces to denote a specific meaning or theme or to tie it prophetically to a previous piece. This piece utilized the falling rose petals from Raining His Love and His Eye is on the Sparrow. This is how I describe this element in the latter piece, “During the creation of this piece, God had us include falling rose petals in the image. He’s used this imagery before in our Dyed4you Art piece “Raining His Love,” and it was also used in a prophetic piece by David Munoz. As often happens in relationships, certain things take on deeper meanings as they are used as a mutual reference. This is the case with the falling rose petals, which He uses to symbolize His outpouring of love over us. It’s as though we can feel the gentle touch of the soft petals and are surrounded by their heady fragrance. In the same way, His love is overwhelming in the most beautiful of ways – full and experiential.” In this same way, within this piece we experience these in two ways – both as recipients of this rich love and as sowers of it. What a blessing to be a part of this beautifully saturating process!

The name of the silk hidden in this image is Seeds of Love. The colors in it are white representing purity of spirit, gold representing tried and purified, maroon representing love song, and dark teal representing flourishing. The scripture that goes with it is from 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NKJV) “But this [I say:] He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

Father, may be sow bountifully and reap bountifully. May we be so saturated by Your love that it pours off us in waves. May we give Your life-changing love away in critical moments that many may know You simply by knowing us. And in all may we reflect Your heart well.