I have learned that God speaks in dreams in ways that bypass our minds and reach straight into our spirit. Some dreams carry the clarity of thunder, and others whisper like wind. But all true prophetic dreams are a conversation, an invitation into interpretation. A few nights ago, a close friend shared a dream that stimulated something deep in my spirit. And as I listened, I knew without a shadow of doubt. God was speaking, not only to him, but to many believers who are stuck in spiritual seasons they do not understand.
He said, in the dream, he found himself inside a mall—but not during regular hours. It was after closing time. The lights were dim. The shops were shut. No salespeople, no customers. Just silence and emptiness. And yet, he was inside, trying to find his way out.
When he said that, I sat up straight. Because many people right now, spiritually, are in a closed season. A season where the doors that used to open don’t open anymore. The connections that used to serve them are no longer accessible. The familiar systems have shut down. You are still inside, but the grace to remain there has lifted. You’re in a place that once served you, but is no longer alive.
That mall represented the place of past provision. A place that once had meaning. But now God had shut the shops, so that the dreamer would no longer try to eat from yesterday’s bread.
When the Season Has Expired
I remember once being part of a network of ministers that had once been fruitful. For years, we held conferences, crusades, and interdenominational meetings. But then, everything dried up. Meetings became routine. The Spirit of God was no longer moving freely. But I didn’t want to leave. I stayed, long past the “closing time,” because it was familiar. But one night in prayer, the Lord told me, “You’re still in a place where I’ve locked the doors.” That was hard to hear.
The mall in the dream symbolized such a place. A realm once alive, now spiritually shut. God has closed it. And when God shuts a door, no man can open it (Revelation 3:7). The longer you remain in that expired season, the more confused you become. You’ll begin to feel stuck, out of place, and surrounded by spiritual silence.
But here’s the beauty: in the dream, just as the friend was feeling lost, he suddenly sees old schoolmates, people he hadn’t seen in ages.
God Sends People From Your Past to Unlock Your Future
When my friend mentioned old friends from school, I knew it was a divine clue. These were not just people. these were reminders of a forgotten identity. The old school friends symbolized past versions of himself. The parts of his walk with God that he had shelved, neglected, or left behind.
Sometimes, to find the way forward, God takes us back—to the original fire, the childlike faith, the hunger we once had when we were “in school” spiritually.
The Bible says in Jeremiah 6:16:
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.’”
These friends knew the way out. They represented the remnant of revelation. The pieces of your walk with God that still carry wisdom. They knew paths through alleys. And yes, those alleys were many. Confusing. Winding. Sometimes even dark. But they were necessary detours out of the mall of old systems.
I remember when God called me into full-time ministry. He took me through alleys too, strange places where I had no clarity, only obedience. Some days I wanted to turn back. But every detour had divine fingerprints on it. I understand now what my friend felt, following people you barely understand, in paths you didn’t choose. That’s how God delivers us from the familiar.
The Escalators That Became Waterslides
The most symbolic part of the dream was when they reached the escalators. Now, escalators are designed for gentle descent. They move slowly, with order. But in this dream, they turned into waterslides, and that’s how he escaped.
When I heard that, I felt the breath of the Spirit rush over me.
This is not a normal descent. This is God shifting you rapidly, and often chaotically, into your next place.
Waters represent the Spirit of God. Escalators represent human systems of order and progression. But in this dream, human systems turned into divine movement. When the Spirit takes over your journey, what was supposed to take years can happen in moments. What you expected to walk down, you slide through. Swift. Wet. And wild.
Isaiah 43:19 came to my spirit:
“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.”
This was no longer about calculated steps. This was about surrendering to the current of God’s will. Many people want control. They want to exit the mall on a map. But God often leads through movement, not explanation. You may feel like you’re moving too fast, sliding too quickly, but trust the river.
The Water Jump—and the Final Stand
At the bottom of the slide was water. And the friend jumped over it, and stood on his feet.
Oh, what a powerful image.
It reminded me of Peter walking on water. Everyone else would sink. But when the Lord invites you to step, even the waters will hold you.
That final jump was the leap of faith. It was the moment the dreamer said, I trust You now, Lord. I will not fall. I will not drown. And God upheld him. He stood. Not floating. Not sinking. Standing.
Ephesians 6:13 says:
“Having done all… to stand.”
Standing is victory. Standing is proof that you’ve made it through the detour. That the water didn’t swallow you. That the system didn’t hold you back. That the alleys didn’t trap you. And that the mall is behind you now.
Conclusion: The Prophetic Path Out
This dream wasn’t about a mall. It was about transition. A holy departure from expired seasons. An invitation into unfamiliar pathways. A call to remember who you were when you first believed. A challenge to follow the Spirit, not logic. And a promise that when it’s all said and done, you will stand.
To my friend—and to every believer reading this who feels stuck in the mall of spiritual stagnation—know this:
The way out is coming. It may not look like what you expect. It may involve old friends, narrow alleys, strange slides, and watery landings. But God is in it all.
Just don’t cling to what’s closed.
Don’t fear the slide.
And when you land—stand.
Amen.
