“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” – Joel 2:28
As you read the Bible in general and the book of Daniel in particular, numerous dreams and visions fill the storyline. For many, this raises questions about such supernatural occurrences. Here are four things to understand about dreams and visions:
- Dreams and visions are similar in that someone experiences insight into a future event that is much like watching a movie on a screen. This explains why people who get dreams and visions are often called “seers.” Dreams and visions are a form of visual prophecy that reveals the future that God rules.
- As a general rule, a person who has a dream is asleep, whereas a person who has a vision is awake. This is precisely what happens in Daniel 2. The godless Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream while sleeping that frightens him as he struggles to understand its meaning. The godly believer Daniel is then given a vision, which is the God-given interpretation of the God-given dream.
- Dreams and visions originate from a) God, b) a demonic counterfeit, c) our imagination. One of the major storylines of the Bible is that God creates and Satan counterfeits. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are counterfeit dreams and visions, which are intended to deceive people into following Satan’s vision for their lives rather than God’s. This is why discernment through the Holy Spirit, Scripture, and wise counsel is important to test and approve dreams and visions.
- Some people come to know and trust God through persuasion, while others come to God through power. Those who come to God through persuasion oftentimes need to have a lot of questions answered, conduct a lot of research, and be convinced of the facts surrounding faith. Those who come to God through power are oftentimes simply convinced of God by Him showing up powerfully in their lives or the life of someone they know. Examples would include dreams, visions, healings, and angels.
In tomorrow’s devotional, we will discuss the power of unbelievers vs. believers.
Have you ever had a memorable dream or vision? How did it affect your life, bring you comfort, or bring you to repentance?
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