Hearing God, Dreams and Visions

Dreams and Visions can be powerful things.

Joseph had Dreams, and interpreted Pharaoh's Dream. Daniel had Dreams, and interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's Dreams. Both Joseph and Daniel received great power and position through this process.

Samuel had his first vision as a young boy. God told him that Judgment was coming upon Eli and his Sons.. The young Samuel was Faithful shared the information as he had seen. So God continued to speak to Samuel through the rest of his life. {1 Samuel 3}

It was in a dream that God gave Solomon the famous offer: "Ask what you wish Me to give you." Solomon chose Wisdom above all.{1 Kings 3:5}

Isaiah had a Dream or Vision that depicted Jesus Himself...

Isaiah 53:

1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and theLord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Then we have Peter's Vision on the Roof top. Where God told him that the Gospel would Save the Non-Jews as well as the Jews. It dealt with Food, but that was the point of the Vision.

Acts 10:9-15

9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,

18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?

22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.

23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and he had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.

28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Again, this is just a short listing of the Dreams and Visions that are in The Word. God can and does use Dreams and Visions often. Now keep in mind, they are not always pleasant Dreams or Visions. Pilate's Wife had a Nightmare and prompted her to send an urgent message to the Governor encouraging him to free Jesus. She saw that Jesus was innocent and that Pilate should have nothing to do with Him.{Matthew 27:19} Then Of course, we have the entire Book of Revelations written by John after haven seen the End Times.

Do not make a mistake here and think that Dreams and Visions have ceased. When Elihu Rebukes Job,,,

"For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings, that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man; he Keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword."{Job 33: 14-18}

In Joel,,,

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:"{Joel 2:28}

And also in Acts

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"{Acts 2:17}

I love Dreams. I always have. I toyed with the idea of getting into Dream Research in my younger years. I've studied the Field. There definitely seems to be a Dream / Reality Connection. Think about it. If you are running in your Dream, say a Nightmare, you wake up, what is going on? Your heart is racing and you are sweating. Why? Because in your mind, you were Running. It was as real to you in the Dream as it would be in Reality. If you are falling? You bounce on the Bed when you wake up. Why? Because in your mind, you were falling.

Some in the Field say that this is where Deja Vu comes from. The word Deja Vu is French, which means "already seen." Some say it is because we have Dreamed it prior. We all have Memories of a Vacation we couldn't have been on, or a Party we never went to, or met someone for the first time and felt like we've known them all our lives. Why? What is it? Is it messages that we are missing.

Why do most people forget their Dreams as soon as they wake? This is why a lot of people keep Dream Journals. This way, they can record their Dream as soon as they wake so they do not forget it. Could it be as Elihu warned about? Dreams are God speaking to us, "though man does not perceive it?" At any rate, I believe that if God gives you a Vision or Dream, and wants you to do something with it, you will remember.

Now of course God needs to do this far less than He did before. Why? Because, just like Angels Visiting and God Speaking to us directly and Audibly, we have His Word right here. If we want to know what God says or thinks about this or that, we can look here. The Bible. Does this mean God will never use a Dream or a Vision to talk to you? No. Of course not. He is God. He can do whatever He chooses. He will do what He knows will best get your attention. If it is Dreams, and or Visions, you will have them.

Next time we will be discussing how God can, and does, speak to us through that inner Voice. The Holy Spirit Himself. After all, Jesus did tell us,,,

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." {John 14:26}

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}