UNDERSTANDING
DREAMS AND VISIONS (Part III)
Acts 2:17-18
17‘And it
shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream
dreams. 18 And on My
menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
I. UNDERSTANDING VISIONS
“Where there is no
vision (revelation, oracle, perception, forethought, prophecy), the people
perish.” Proverbs 29:18
“Pictures are the language of the Holy Spirit”. Dr.
Yonggi Cho
1.
Types of Visions
A. Natural or day dreaming: an image
in your mind produced by your imagination
(i.)
As you close your eyes, images pass through your mind.
(ii.)
These images can change according to words or circumstances
(iii.)
Pictures pass through our minds 24 hours a day, and many of these
pictures are ignored because our minds are occupied with other thoughts while
awake.
Definition - act are power
of receiving abstract objects is if they were visible
B. Spiritual: eyes closed or to gaze and
inwardly see an inspired appearance or the opening of the physical (or spirit)
eyes and ears to see and hear into the spirit realm.
2.
Purpose of Visions
A. Visions and dreams have the
same purpose, but visions occur during a conscious time and dreams during sleep.
B. Through visions God can make
Himself known (seen).
Numbers 12:6
6 Then He said, “Hear now My words: If
there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a
vision; I speak to him in a dream.
C.
Visions can edify, encourage, confirm, give direction, show future
events, or reveal God’s glory.
Ezekiel 8:4
4 And behold, the glory of the God of
Israel was there, like the vision
that I saw in the plain.
Hosea 12:10
10 I have also spoken by the prophets, And
have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the
prophets.”
3.
When, Where, How and to whom did visions come?
A.
Given to men and women alike
(i.)
While in meditation in their homes.
Acts 10:1-5
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a
centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his
household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About
the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in
and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And when he observed him, he
was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and
your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send
men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.
(ii.)
In worship or prayer.
Acts 22:17-18
17 “Now it happened, when I returned to
Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance 18 and
saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they
will not receive your testimony concerning Me.
(iii.)
Balaam, Peter, Paul saw visions as if in a trance with eyes open.
(iv.)
Jeremiah had visions while in deep meditation.
(v.)
Zechariah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Ananias, John, Jesus with Peter, James
and John, and the women at the tomb had visions during the course of their
everyday lives.
4.
Results of Visions
A.
Lives were changed forever as God’s glory and power was revealed.
B.
People became humble and in awe, were cleansed, filled with
compassion to heed God’s call, and received a burning desire to reach fallen
humanity. ACTS 9:3; Acts 26:19
C. Whether coming out of sleep
or going into sleep, awake or in a semi-trance, when a person saw a vision
(outwardly or inwardly), God’s message was always clear, awesome, shaking. The person knew it was from
the Lord and not just from their own thinking.
D. Visions brought
encouragement, strength, needed direction, and God’s word and covenant were
confirmed.
5.
Are visions for Today?
A. “Where there is no vision
(spiritual revelation which is prophesied), the people perish ” Proverbs 29:18
B. “And it shall come to pass
in the last days . . . prophecy . . . visions . . . dreams.” (Acts 2:17-18)
C. The Lord is the same
yesterday, today and forever!
6. Preparing
for Visions
“Imagination
is more important than knowledge…knowledge is limited, imagination encircles
the world.” Albert Einstein
“I want to know God‘s thoughts the rest
are just details.”
Albert Einstein
A.
Natural visualization necessary
(i.)
Imagination can change the world
(ii.)
Through vision you see ahead,
solve problems and see yourself succeeding
B.
Control your Thought Life
Phil 4:7-8
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses
all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally,
brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are
just, whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely, whatever
things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate
on these things.
II. INTERPRETING DREAMS
A. Natural Dream Symbols and What They Represent
Symbols Definition
Bus or Crowds
Dust Confusion
House Your
own view of yourself
Car Not
only transportation, but male ego
Travel Your
life’s journey
Treasures Ego
part of us
Money Our energy
also a desire for security and Power
Clothes Our
inner feelings
Water (drowning) Source
of Life
Circles Wholeness
Lower floor of tall building Physical
condition
Upper floor of tall building
Mental
State
Basement Inner
man / spirit of man
Sex Thought of committing adultery or balancing of masculine
& feminine natures
Wars / Battles Battle
going on inside
Falling Feeling
helpless, not on solid ground psychologically
Falling MYTH That you will die in
real life if you hit the ground in a dream
Holding on to a ledge Barely
hanging on to a bit of growth
Someone else driving you around You feel you do not have control
of your life
Flying Escaping
real life
Paralyzed Desire
to avoid danger (coming out of REM)
Naked Desire to
release inhibitions / to be a child again
Taking a test Facing a test in real life
Being late Goal
you fear you may not reach
Losing teeth Losing your grip
or bite on a situation, fear of losing looks
Animals
Charging animals or people
chasing you Your emotions, either aggressive part of us
or
raging fear
Other animals Our
emotions, desires, or creative expression
Birds Our thoughts, ideas, even spiritual
beings, such as eagles, doves
Snakes Subtlety,
trickery, danger and fear
Large Animals Imitation
Weather Conditions
Storms Storm going on in your life (look at the
setting)
Colors
Red Passion…Anger salvation and courage
White Purity
holy
Black Fear,
Evil
Blue Hope, healing. Also the blues
Yellow Fear or lack of courage
Green Life
Types of People
Police, Judge, etc. Authority, such
as parents, church, your conscious
Kings, Presidents, etc. Good
quality leadership in you
Criminals, liars, etc. Bad
part of you, part out of balance
Shadows Undeveloped
areas of your life
Babies New
areas of growth
Death in a Dream
Dying Part of
you that is dying out, such as bad habits,
or a good quality dying in you that you
have ignored or self ego is dying
Note: Physical
death is usually illustrated symbolically.
Ex.
Butler and Baker.....
Biblical numerology
Number one is unity
Number two is agreement
Number three is the transit Trinity
Number four represents the earth the four
corners of the earth
Number five represents Grace
Number six represents The number of man
Number seven represents perfection
Number eight represents New beginnings
number 9 represents the gifts of the spirit
manifest
Number 10 represents judgment
Number 11 represents Mercy
Number 12 represents the government of God
Number 13 represents double either double
blessings or double curses
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