Everyone has an opinion about the meaning and significance of dreams. They are those who highly regard them, on the other hand, they are those who don’t give them a second thought.Today they are hardly any sermons or teachings on the subject of dreams in the Christian Church. This may fact may lead believers to think that dreams and their interpretations are irrelevant to their Christian faith. Before You make any conclusions it is important to find out what the Bible says about Dreams.
On the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter paralleled the occurrence with Joel’s prophecy in the Old Testament.
“Acts 2:14-18
[14]But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
[15]For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
[16]But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
[17]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:
[18]And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:”
Peter was declaring a new dispensation characterised by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and referred to as the ‘last days’. He went on to stipulate the results of this outpouring of the Holy Spirit and mentioned; Dreams; Visions; Prophecy will be the ‘norm’.
God has gradually revealed Himself to Humanity over the ages and each season significantly build on the previous revelation as humanity approaches eternity and this current world gives way to a new world and a new heaven.
Revelation 21:1
[1]And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
God in the Old Testament reveals himself to the Jewish Nation as the all powerful and Perfect Creator. In the New Testament he reveals to man his unsurmountable Love, Care,Grace, Compassion, for the human being and his readiness to save and carry humanity’s sin burden through the Person of Jesus Christ.
In this final depensation referred to by Prophet Joel and Apostle Peter as ‘the last days’, God is revealing himself in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately a large portion of the Christian Church is either not aware or conveniently ignores the ‘move’ of the Holy Spirit. This Christians are unable to personally relate with the Holy Spirit or as a choice refused to acknowledge his presence in their lives.
Interestingly many believers don’t have a problem believing what great actions and miracles God did in the lives of the prophets and Servants of God, of ‘yesteryears’. Most likely they also don’t have an issue believing what God will do in the future for them, the church or the world. Remarkably, we battle with our faith for today. Notwithstanding the Bible highlights that a key element for faith is that it occurs in the ‘now’.
Hebrews 11:1
[1]Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(Notice the description of faith begins with the word ‘now’) . That implies ‘faith now’ should be an very day experience .Romans 1:17
[17]For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. A believers lifestyle should be that faith. The element of faith is not just an ‘abstract’ concept as secular reasoning would have us believe. The writer of the book of Hebrews states categorically that faith is a ‘substance’ and a ‘evidence’. Hence it can’t just be imagined or artificially manufactured from the ‘air’. Since faith is a substance and there must be evidence of this ‘substance’ that makes or builds this faith. Evidently there must be a place or a source to obtain the substance that makes up faith. The Scriptures point to where the believer can find this ‘faith building substance ‘
“Romans 10:17
[17]So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Faith comes from the word of God, which comes in different forms. The written word which is the key and primary source ; other secondary sources include, spoken Prophetic word, Preaching , teaching in the Church; Dreams and Visions. Nevertheless the Secondary sources of the word must always be in agreement with the primary source of the Word.
Humanity loves it independence and naturally resists dependence on anything else. We love to be “our own man”. Sadly for humanity, faith means depending on ‘ God’s word ‘. That means being sensitive to His voice and understanding his preferred modes of communication.
Adrian Peale writes [As Christians we are prone to ‘throw the baby out with the bathwater’ because we see the New Age movement and psychoanalysis embrace dream interpretation for guidance.]
All the same we need not be overly concerned about this non Christian groups embracing dream interpretation. Firstly considering that God is the originator of communication through dreams and the bible is actually a ‘book of dreams ‘ , permeated with dreams from Genesis to Revelation. Beside the fact that without the Holy Spirit who is the author of the dreams Acts 2:17
[17]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:,] the Non Christian Groups are greatly limited in their ability to correctly interpret dreams correctly. Besides the Holy Spirit being the author, he is also the Interpreter [ Genesis 40:8
[8]And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.]
Consequently, the Church of Jesus Christ has ‘an upper hand ‘. When it comes to dream interpretation. Regrettably, we have allowed, new ager’s , diviners, sorcerers, witches, wizards, magicians, enchanters, conjurers, necromancers and other occultist to enjoy a ‘fields’ day, ignorantly giving them relevance, at the expense of Christianity.
The church needs to stop limiting God and metaphorically “putting him in a box”. He is a Sovereign God and he is still speaking to his people through his written inspired word and can also use extra scriptural means to communicate with his people; while maintaining his eternal biblical principals through this additional modes of communication.
[Numbers 12:6-8
[6]And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
[7]My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
[8]With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?]
Adrian Peale explains the word ‘dark sayings’ translated in Hebrew ‘Chidah’ in the above scriptures refers to a puzzle, riddle, parable.
God likes to communicate through ‘dark sayings’ – parables; puzzles; riddles . It is fascinating that dreams occur in similar structures.
[Hosea 12:10
[10]I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.]
Over forty parables are attributed to Jesus Christ in the Gospels revealing is favourite means of communication. God still ministers to us in our dreams through dreams today.
Having served as a pastor for over two decades I am usually puzzled by how believers quickly and readily point their dreams to demonic and satanic forces especially if they are scary. On the other hand they generally find it difficult identify their dreams to God trying to speak into their life’s circumstances.
We need spiritual sensitivity to get the Holy Spirit’s direction for our lives. One of the ways he uses is dreams and visions
Biblical evidence reveal that both Christians and non believers can receive dreams from God. However Godly Visions are exclusively for Christian believers. Notwithstanding non believers can receive both dreams and visions from occultic sources.
In order to interpret dreams and visions appropriately you need a compact and sound knowledge of the Bible.
Doubtlessly they are unseen forces bent on making sure the Church of Jesus Christ does not use this powerful tool of; Dreams and their interpretations , knowing it’s full potential in the body of Christ. The said powers have tried to curtail, defile, slander the place of dreams and visions in the Believers life. We should not give up . Each Believer personally should ‘ soilder on’, expecting God to communicate ‘timely , relevant words ‘ through their dreams.
[Galatians 5:17
[17]For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.]
Adrian Peale concludes [” God has used dreams and visions for more than 4000yrs as a means of guidance, so why should He stop now when he said that he would do it more?”]
Take into account if key biblical personality ignored dreams given to them; we not have Isaac; Israel; Solomon Kingdom; Jesus. Take your Dreams Seriously they have the ability to change history.