On Dreams: Part 1

Throughout Scripture, we see examples of how the Almighty speaks to His people and even unbelievers in dreams.

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“For God speaks again and again though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. He makes them turn from doing wrong; He keeps them from pride. He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death” (Job 33:14-18, NLT).

Throughout Scripture, we see examples of how the Almighty speaks to His people and even unbelievers in dreams. The above passage from Job gives us some reasons: to warn them, to turn them from doing wrong, to keep them from sin and pride. We see examples of this with King Nebuchadnezzar when he was warned of his pride, that if he didn’t turn from it and acknowledge the God of Heaven, he would be struck down with lunacy. Though the wise prophet Daniel exhorted him to turn and repent, we see the king did not and thought he was a donkey for seven years. See Daniel chapter 4.

I have always been a dreamer, and as a child, I suffered from night terrors and nightmares. In fact, it was a number of years after I began to walk with Jesus in high school that I was delivered from the spirit of fear that had been plaguing me since childhood causing me years of restless or no sleep. I was a wife and mother and in a relationship with the Lord for over 12 years before I could sleep in peace and finally understood why. The enemy attacks your destiny and identity. If you never understand who you are or what you were called to do, you will never be a problem for him. It’s genius really.

I hear very clearly from the Lord in my dreams and have been called to connect people to this particular way that Holy Spirit speaks to them by interpreting dreams and by drawing their attention to this Spirit language. There have been many times the enemy and his strategies in mine and others’ lives have been exposed in my dreams. Needless to say, it was a blow to the kingdom of darkness when I was delivered and began to sleep in peace.

When we dream, Holy Spirit has a unique opportunity to bypass our flesh and reasoning and send a message straight to our spirits. It’s our job, then, to:

  1. Pay attention.
  2. Record it.
  3. Pray about the message and seek understanding.

The late John Paul Jackson used to refer to dreams as night parables. We know that Yeshua would often speak in parables in which He would hide truth. Those who had ears to hear were given the ability to understand, not with their intellect but with their spirits.

When the disciples asked Him why He spoke in parables, He explained, “’You are permitted to understand the secrets of the kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge’” (Matt. 13:11-12, NLT).

Like parables, dreams are also very symbolic, and it will take some pursuit to understand the messages behind them. He desires that we pursue truth. Were some actually chosen to understand and others destined to be blind? Well, that’s unfair, isn’t it?! Is it? Or is it mercy?

Didn’t He warn them:

“’But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.’” – Luke 12:48, NLT

There’s something in the pursuit that shows the Father that one is serious in his desire to know and understand truth.

“It is God’s privilege to conceal things and The king’s privilege to discover them.” -Proverbs 25:2, NLT

By understanding our dreams, we have access to keys of wisdom and knowledge leading to freedom, growth, and wholeness in our lives, bodies, souls, and spirits.

In my next article, we will explore in more detail how to categorize and better understand your dreams.

 

 

Featured Image by Clint McKoy

The views and opinions expressed by Kingdom Winds Collective Members, authors, and contributors are their own and do not represent the views of Kingdom Winds LLC.

About the Author

Cheryl is the author of The Waking, her first novel. She is also a business owner, an ordained minister, speaker, and student of the Word. She is passionate about seeing people know God deeply while finding true freedom and wholeness in life through Yeshua.

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