Dreams and Visions, Part 2

And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. - Acts 2:17-21 HCSB

God has used prophetic dreams and visions in the past and will do so again in a particularly startling fashion toward the End of Days.[1]

Today, God principally speaks to us through His Son[2] Jesus Christ, the living Word of God.[3] The Bible is the Word of God in written form. God the Father gave it to Christ. Christ, in turn, inspired both the prophets and the apostles, and they preserved it for us. The Father's will, commandments, and specific promises are revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures. So, God is actually speaking to us through His Word, the Bible.[4]

It is not always easy to determine the origin of a vision, dream, or premonition which one might experience. Therefore, we must be very careful about ascribing to God any such communication—even if it is supernatural![5] John tells us that any visionary must “confess” Christ. This is more than simple verbal assent, however. Adolph Hitler at one point claimed to be a Christian! The term “confess” in this sense means to live that truth. Anyone can SAY “Jesus is God in flesh”. Many who do, fail to live their lives accordingly. “By their fruit you shall know them” says our Master.[6]

Jude warns that sometimes false ministers use dreams and visions to deceive God's people and create a following for themselves.[7] We must be careful to separate such paranormal activity from the revealed truth of God. God, through the prophet Isaiah, instructs us how to test the spirits.[8]

Unless a dream or vision agrees completely with the Bible in its message and content, we can know it is not of God. Some visions and dreams may simply be caused by mental or physical stress, or the pressures of daily life. The Bible reveals that dreams may result from an upset or overly stimulated mind. If one has had a very troubled or busy day, he might be more likely to have vivid dreams that night. Ill health or memories of unpleasant experiences may also cause such dreams.[9]

In situations where an unpleasant dream or vision causes distress, fear, physical sickness, or any such thing, seek God's intervention and healing. If Satan bothers us with bad dreams, we should ask God to rebuke him.[10]

We should also stay close to God in prayer and Bible study so that Satan cannot bother us.[11]

God will grant us peace of mind if we walk with Him each day[12] but again, it is not the one who “claims” peace (as the “health and wealth” theologians will urge) but the one who has seen, heard, received, learned and DONE the will of God.

[1] Acts 2:17-21; Joel 2:28
[2] Hebrews 1:1-2
[3] John 1:1, 14
[4] 2 Peter 1:20-21; Luke 1:70
[5] 1 John 4:1-3;
[6] Matthew 7:16
[7] Jude 1:8; Deuteronomy 13:1-5
[8] Isaiah 8:19-20
[9] Ecclesiastes 5:3
[10] Jude 1:9
[11] James 4:7-10
[12] Philippians 4:4-9; Isaiah 26:3