Is it Biblical to share dreams & visions? Part Two
Is it Biblical to share with other people the dreams we dream and the visions we see?
God communicates in a variety of ways and I want to preface that the primary ways God speaks to me is when I’m reading my Bible and in prayer.
I’m awake longer than I’m asleep, therefore, I seek to discern the voice of God during the day more than I do in the night. I believe there’s a danger to misinterpreting God’s voice in dreams if we don’t hear God for ourselves during the day.
Friendship with God is a precious gift and I love the thought that He wants to speak to me when I’m awake and when I’m asleep. It’s something I will continue to pray for. You can read more under God-dreams, which provides background how God began stirring my heart to pray for dreams in the night.
This is one way God communicates. God does not change. God chooses how He communicates and if we say He doesn’t speak through dreams and visions, we are basically stating that He changes. Hebrews 13:8
Are they as prevalent today as they were during Bible times? I don’t have the answer to that, but as stated in Part One, God’s word says there will be an increase of dreams and visions.
The more I shared, I still sought God for direction and assurance as to the appropriateness to do so, as if the standard in the Bible wasn’t enough.
In my spirit, I heard God say “There’s no difference sharing your dreams than when a pastor provides an analogy to scripture during one of their sermons.”
It’s common for pastors to provide metaphors and similarities to accounts in the Bible. In fact, I can’t think of a sermon that didn’t include an analogy of some sort.
Each pastor/speaker puts a different spin to an account in the Bible; comparing it to something relatable in today’s culture.
God speaks in riddles, in parables. Dreams and visions are understood in similar fashion, but need to be interpreted by God. Just because God’s Word is given in a different way doesn’t mean we should dismiss Him.
Some believe the story of Jonah is a metaphor, whereas Christians know (should know) the story to be factual accounts of the life of Jonah.
It would’ve been easy to omit the section that he was swallowed by a whale because it seemed strange, even far-fetched. We don’t stop sharing this story because we don’t hear of people being swallowed by a fish and surviving today.
It’s the same for many other accounts in the Bible. Every word recorded in scripture, every story, is for teaching, correcting, rebuking. 2 Timothy 3:16.
The life of Joseph is a good example about dreams. God used two dreams in particular to set the course of his life. When Joseph shared them with his brothers they hated him and it was part of the reason they plotted to kill him. They labeled him a dreamer and it wasn’t an endearing name. Genesis 37
He was zealous with the meaning of his dreams and shared them when he should have kept them close to his heart. However, one takeaway for me is that his dreams, their interpretations, their purpose, and the fulfillment of those dreams are recorded in the Bible.
We are to be prayerful when and if to share what God is teaching us, but I don’t find in scripture we aren’t to record or share them at all. The Bible records dreams and visions.
If each dreamer in the Bible felt it was inappropriate to share their dreams and visions, then we wouldn’t know that God communicated in this way. We wouldn’t have the full story of the birth of Christ.
Our testimonies aren’t meant to boast in oneself, but in God Almighty. If God performs miracles and displays His awesome power, how will people know of God if we remain silent to the variety of His being? They won’t.
I’m not a preacher or teacher, but like you, I’m commanded to share the gospel. I pray God finds me worthy that I’ve shared His Word and not omitted certain parts that make me uncomfortable. Personally, I feel this is one way the enemy is silencing the church and leading people to put their trust in false gods and practices.
We serve a God unlike any other and the wonders and splendor of who He is isn’t meant to be kept in the dark. People all over the world are worshipping idols and conducting pagan rituals and they are seeking dreams and visions.
We as Christians have a great opportunity to lead people to Christ and guide them away from false teachings as God speaks to them through dreams and visions.
We can’t share what we don’t know
“Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly … “2 Chronicles 1:10
We must trust God when He says to speak and when to be silent. If you know God and are prayerful, God will teach you if and when to share your dreams or visions, or any other testimony. Pray for discernment.
- What verses can you share with us to understand your viewpoint on this subject?
- What topics of God do you hesitate sharing? Please share so our community can learn together.
“I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.” Proverbs 8:12
“I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge.” Psalm 119:66
“For the Lord grants wisdom! From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6
