The woods were particularly haunting , casting ominous shadows of yellow and green as the sun filtered through dew-soaked trees . I cautiously made my way down the trail towards a clearing .
I heard twigs snapping to my left and I knew I wasn ’ t alone . The sky was growing darker and I quickened my footsteps as rustling sounds in the bushes grew closer to me . Was it a bear ? A mountain lion ?
“ Baaaaaa ...”
Sheep ? I stopped dead in my tracks as the bleating grew louder and sheep slowly emerged from the woods , hundreds of them , looking at me with big eyes under bushy wool . They were precious . Yet I couldn ’ t help but notice they seemed nervous , almost antsy with each tender step toward the path .
They seemed frightened , and I too felt afraid , my heart pounding with familiar discernment that an enemy was close by . I began scouring the tree line as their bleating grew louder and louder until something strange caught my eye .
There was a sheep crouched under a large tree , head down , hiding in plain sight . I began walking toward the creature and as I got closer it slowly lifted its nose to expose a long snout , yellow eyes , and large fangs under the pelt of a sheep skin . It didn ’ t growl or do anything to give away its identity , rather it locked eyes with me and wouldn ’ t let go . It knew I had seen it for what it was , and now I was its prey .
I began to run away , to run for my life , but it didn ’ t pursue me .
I wasn ’ t who it wanted .
That wolf was after the entire flock .
I woke up with my heart pounding and sweat dripping down my back , the image of that wolf so masterfully camouflaged among all those innocent sheep seared into my brain . I couldn ’ t help but wonder why prophetic dreams always seemed to wake me at the scariest part of the night .
I didn ’ t need a dream interpreter to tell me what it all meant .
Personally , I knew this dream was a warning from the Lord regarding a church where I was an interim worship pastor at the time . There was a woman in an executive position who craved authority and status and she was doing everything in her power to eliminate anyone in her path who questioned her leadership . I had stepped into the role temporarily while their staffed worship pastor took his sabbatical , however , he chose not to return , and I was on staff indefinitely under her watchful eye . Every time I tried to voice concern regarding this leader , I was told I was the problem . I felt helpless to protect the other staff members and congregants .
That night I laid in bed until sunrise thinking of every wolf I had seen in my lifetime of being a pastor ’ s kid and in ministry . As church goers ,
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