Mario

& The Fish

By Linda Winters


In a dream on 6/7/14, Mario Batali (chef, cook) chose me to be his
assistant/apprentice. He told me that my first task was to scale a fish.
Mario demonstrated to me how to hold the fishs head, as he scraped off
its scales with a knife.
So next, I held a fish by the head and began to scrape, but I
noticed after a moment that I had also scraped off some of the flesh. I
knew I was to gather up the scraps of flesh and set them aside in a bowl.
Suddenly, the fish began to move...it was alive! As I looked into
its eye I could see tears; it was like seeing into the fishs heart.
I was filled with compassion, but I was also bewildered; I
wondered or said out loud, I know you clean dead fish, not live
oneswhy would you have me clean a live fish? I woke up in tears.

About the dream
Mario Batali is an Italian chef with restaurants, TV shows and cookbooks.
According to Strongs Concordance, the ancient role of a cook was also that of a
guard...a life guardsman over the animal it would prepare for a meal 1
But I was puzzled, why specifically is Chef Mario in this dream? I researched
Batali and learned about many of his enterprises. One day I narrowed my Google search
to Mario Batali and fish, and to my amazement, the second listing was a video: Scale a
Fish|Mario Batali.2 As I watched it, I noticed that Mario narrated as his business partner
did the demonstration.

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1
1Sam. 9:23-24, Strongs Concordance # 2876, 2877
2
http://www.mariobatali.com/videos/scale-a-fish/(Video)
 In this dream, I believe Mario is a type of the Holy Spirit, instructing the
prophetic on a specific message to give the church, which the fish represents.
Underscoring the message is the video of scaling a fish.
The purpose of fish scales is to protect the flesh of the fish, the flesh being our
sin nature. Scales represent pride for Job 41:15-16 says, His rows of scales are his pride,
shut up tightly as with a seal; one is so near another that no air can come between
them.(Amp) Also, in Acts, Saul had a type of scales fall from his eyes.
And, by holding the head of the fish, Mario emphasizes the authority and
headship of Jesus Christ in the church. Colossians 1:18 says, ...He is the head of the
body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He
might be preeminent. (ESV)
Also, the flesh in the bowl signifies repentance. The bowl mentioned in 1Kings
7:50 has a sense of meaning a door or passageway from one place to another. Psalm
103: 12 says, For as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our
transgressions from us.(Amp.)

The Video
In the video I noticed the restaurants name Esca, which means food, fodder, or
bait. Esca is also the name of, a fleshly growth from an anglerfish's head that acts as a
lure. 3 (Italics mine) The Anglerfish lives in darkness, its luminescent decoy attracts the
attention of other fish, which become its prey. (Pause)
Also, the knife used in the video is a double bladed fish scaler...to me this speaks
of a two edged sword, exposing the thoughts and intents of the heart 4 as well as
revealing double mindedness.

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3
http://www.yourdictionary.com/esca,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUVerZsbYiw (NatGeos Anglerfish Video)
4
Hebrews 4:12

The Message
The focus of the above dream is on the fish that have already been caught but
not cleaned or scaled, highlighting the greatest weakness and sin in the church. Pride.
Pride in its various forms, has kept many from true union or oneness with Christ
as Lord. I believe there is a call or movement of repentance coming to the church...a
scaling. Like the fish in this dream, only when its scales were removed and its flesh was
exposed, did the fish wake from death into new life.
And this is the heart of the Father, that we, ...be dead to sin, but alive to God in
Christ Jesus.5
But what is also important, Holy Spirit (Mario) taught me how to scale a fish, not
gut it...the fish was already dead in its sin. It is important for the prophetic to look past
the flesh, to see Gods original intent for a person, or people. Speaking the truth in love
(Eph. 4:15) is a form of compassion and kindness, which leads to repentance.
As well, Im reminded of the story of Jonah. Amittai6, Jonahs family name means
veracious or speaking truth. The truth of Ninevehs wickedness only meant one thing to
Jonah, Nineveh deserved judgment.
Jonah knew about Gods compassionate nature, thats why he ran from Him;
Jonah wanted Nineveh judged, destroyed. Many are waiting like Jonah was, to see what
God is going to do about the sin in the church and even our nation.
Whatever method the Lord chooses to wake or shake up His church, my sense
is, there is also coming a great move of repentance and a demonstration of Gods great
love and mercy toward His people.
For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I
will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it does not
depend on the man who will or the man who runs, but on God who has
mercy. Romans 9:15-16
Let mercy, mercy, mercy be our prayer!
(If viewing on a phone, scroll down to view two short videos related to this word.)
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5 6
Romans 6:1, Jonah 1:1