Tuesday, May 17, 2022
What are some Biblical examples of dreams and dream interpretation?
• Daniel interpreted dreams for Nebuchadnezzar
• Joseph interpreted for Pharaoh, the baker and the cupbearer
• BOTH SAID THE INTERPRETATION CAME FROM GOD, NOT THEMSELVES
The Bible doesn’t record any more dreams from Joseph after the first two. Why not?
He couldn’t be trusted with his own dreams. He used them as weapons against his family by glorifying himself over them. Caused a family rift.
Does God still speak to us in dreams today? Why?
• Especially today. We’re so busy and distracted, our sleep time is often the only opportunity The Lord has to communicate with us and call us to Him.
• He desires intimacy with us.
Psalms 74:16 – The day is Yours, the night also is Yours…
DARK SPEECH – THE LANGUAGE OF DREAMS
Numbers 12:6-8 – “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. 7 Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. 8 I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?”
• The Hebrew word for “Dark Speech” here is CHIDAH – riddle, question, perplexing
• Chidah, or “dark speech” is the language of dreams.
WHY RIDDLES, PARABLES AND PERPLEXITIES?
• RELATIONSHIP!
• Proverbs 15:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal a matter…
• Proverbs 8:17 – I love those who love me and those who seek me diligently will find me.
UPGRADE FROM DARK SPEECH IS FACE TO FACE: MOSES
Numbers 12:7 – Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. 8 I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?”
• Faithfulness
• Friendship
• Face-to-face
How do you know it’s a God dream?
• God never speaks to us in fear or terror.
• Warning dreams can be alarming, but not terrorizing.
• God can use a “pizza dream”
Can the enemy use a dream to make you think it’s from God?
Yes. The enemy can hijack a dream to trip you up.
Dreamed I was on a plane and it was crashing. The stewardess said to me, “It’s not fair. I’ve been gone for 3 years and this is my first flight back, now we’re all going to die.” The next day as I was waiting for my flight, the stewardess who was going to be on that flight said those words to me. I almost lost it. I realized God never spoke to me in fear, so I got on that plane and I’m convinced to this day my presence kept that plane from crashing. Any plane I’m on is the safest plane flying.
What does it mean to have a dream inside a dream?
Dream inside a dream is important to pay attention to as they usually have something to do with your PURPOSE.
• Interpret these dreams from the inside out.
• The inner dream – symbolic of the inner court – is the core message God is speaking.
• The outer dream – symbolic of the outer court – confirms the message of the inner dream.
What is dream duplication?
Having the same dream, or a very similar version of the same dream, in the same night or within days or weeks of one another.
• Example: Pharaoh in Genesis 41 tells of two similar dreams in one night. Joseph tells him they are one in the same.
• Message: change coming.
• Both in one night – urgency – coming quickly. Get ready.
• Frequency speaks to timing
(Joseph’s two recorded dreams are an example of dream duplication)
Two people in the same household can have the same dream.
• Example: Cupbearer and baker. Same dream, but different result.
Waking up to knocking is common. What does it mean in the prophetic?
OPEN THE DOOR. LET GOD IN BECAUSE HE WANTS TO TALK WITH YOU!
• Knocking on God’s door signifies using your favor.
• Hearing God knock is a word about faith.
Revelation 3:20 – Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice and opens the door…
John 10:7 – I am the door to the sheep pen
Isaiah 22:22 – The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder. Then he shall open, and no one shall shut. And he shall shut, and no one shall open.”
You say that what you do right after you wake up is almost more important than the dream itself. How so?
1) Note the time. Numbers & timing are important.
2) Write down your dream. Dreams are like manna – they disappear if you don’t employ them
3) Search out the matter
⁃ What are types, shadows and symbols in dreams?
⁃ How do I qualify for God to speak to me through dreams?
⁃ Are you seeing an increase in dreams in these last days?
⁃ Can you tell us about a dream you had that came true?
Visions & Supernatural Encounters
What is the difference between a dream and a vision?
Dreams
• When you are asleep and God is speaking to your subconscious.
• They speak to future happenings as well as referring to the past.
• Speaks of the earth realm, but can include heavenly beings and the spirit realm as they relate to the natural.
Visions
• When you are awake and God is speaking directly to your conscious being – your heart and Spirit.
• Visions are generally communicated “in the Spirit”
• Visions show us what is happening in the Spiritual realm or in heaven itself.
• They are more clear than dreams and speak of the future
• Time in the natural is often suspended while you’re in the vision.
Habakkuk 2:3 – For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry
NOTE: YOU CAN HAVE A VISION INSIDE A DREAM.
• Vision is the main message (inner court). It is likely a look into the spiritual realm
• Dream (outer court) is the natural confirmation of that vision.
• DANIEL HAD A VISION INSIDE A DREAM
Can you give us some examples of visions in the Bible?
• Genesis 15:1-5 God comes to Abram in a vision and tells him he will have an heir of his natural body.
• 1 Kings 22:19-22 Michaiah’s vision of the throne of God. Very similar to Isaiah’s vision of the throne of God.
• Ezekiel 1:1,4-6 – Ezekiel’s vision of the four living creatures
What is an encounter?
It’s literally when God shows up in some form or another and spends time with you.
He can deliver a message, make a promise, give direction, allow for your input on a matter or just get your attention.
Can you give us examples of supernatural encounters with God in the Bible?
• Abram hosting the trinity for dinner (promise of a child from Sarah & allows input on Sodom and Gomorrah)
• Joshua meeting the Captain of the Lord’s armies at Jericho (direction)
• The burning bush (get attention)
• The Road to Emmaus (message of encouragement)
What is the most significant encounter you’ve had with Jesus?
• When he showed up in the Amazon jungle and cured me of malaria. I was about to die and he just showed up, laughed and me, loved on me and I was healed.
How do you qualify for visions and supernatural encounters?
• By seeking His face. This speaks of being a friend like Moses. Requires intimacy.
• The secret place. Intimacy, seeking, reading, praying in the Spirit
• Faith
Resources offered on this subject: All available on troybrewer.com
• Dreams and Encounters conference with special guest Jamie Galloway, 7 p.m. CST, June 10-13. Live stream tickets $30
• Dream Interpretation Guide
• Typology Conference CD/DVD
RESEARCH:
According to the Bible, one of the most common ways God uses to communicate his will to humans is through visions. They are vivid apparitions that are distinct from dreams. Although they usually appear during waking (conscious) hours, the Bible does seem to indicate that a person can experience visions while dreaming.
Visions may involve natural or supernatural settings, and the individual experiencing this miracle may be either an observer or a participant. In the Old Testament, they were considered so importance that their absence was a cause of great concern for the ancient Israelites (1Samuel 3:1, Proverbs 29:18). Some of the great men of the Bible experienced visions, often changing their lives and those of others in a dramatic way.
Visions are often communicated “in the Spirit” and often suspend time. They most often speak of what is happening in the spiritual realm or in heaven.
The English word “visions” and its singular form occurs 86 times in the Old Testament of the King James Bible and 17 times in the New Testament. In comparison, the words ‘dreams’ or ‘dream’ occurs 87 times in the Old Testament and 8 times in the New. The book with the most occurrences of visions (or its singular) is the book of Daniel (32 times) followed by Ezekiel (18).
Dreams, on the other hand, happen at night when the subconscious is at work. Dreams are often not as vivid or memorable as a vision. While visions are mostly communicated “in the Spirit,” that is not true of dreams. While the dream may be from God, often it is seen and understood in the soul realm – the mind’s eye, emotions and subconscious.
Both dreams and visions are used by God to communicate future happenings, though unlike visions, dreams often deal with past happenings.
Dreams and visions have been God’s tool to communicate with mankind’s subconscious and spirit throughout the ages and is still a preferred method of speaking to us today.