Visions and the Supernatural

By Lisa Grace

Visions are one of the primary means of communication from God. The Bible makes it clear that in the later days, it is a form of communication God will use. (And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions  Joel 2:28 KJV and Acts 2:17).

What is a vision and how is it different than a dream?

Visions are mentioned in 73 Bible verses in the KJV. Visions have a clarity and can be had while in an "awake" state, or while in a dream state. You feel you are really there. It is literal, not allegorical. Events that will happen. Dreams are full of symbolism, while visions are the future reality.

Visions as a direct form of communication have less room for being interpreted incorrectly. Dreams require in interpreter. While visions maybe of such a far off future that it seems incomprehensible and almost impossible to understand. For instance, if one of the Biblical prophets saw a helicopter flying in the sky. or an airplane dropping bombs, how exactly would he describe it? Or a TV show, or a cell phone? A bullet train, or Siri?

Seeing into the future hundreds/thousands of years makes explaining an event almost impossible, even if you clearly "see" it. We all need references we understand, or there is no way to explain what was seen.

In some ways visions can be less readily understood than symbolic dreams. Yet at times God will choose to communicate in this way.

Why were visions given?

If we examine the events in which the visions occurred, we can see they were given for very few purposes. One is to strengthen the faith of the receiver. In these cases, they are told not to share the vision.  Another reason seems to be that of a warning. The visions are meant as a way of communicating where to go, what not to do, or who to trust.

The last reason is for the viewer to record what he has seen for future generations, and the viewer is told that while he must write down what he saw, it won't be understood until a much later date.

It's important to remember that visions are not for our own edification, but for God's purpose. Prophecy, visions, and dreams are the primary means God chooses to communicate His will to us.

How do we know a vision is sent from God?

Is it serving as a warning, and is it in compliance with the rest of Scripture? If it contradicts the Scriptures, it's safe to say—it's not from God. Any vision would be in support of what is already known in the Scriptures. If you've received a vision, God would clearly send to you the knowledge of what you are to do with the information.

Lisa Grace is the author of the popular Angel Series which is in development for a major movie. You can reach Lisa at: lisagracebooks@yahoo.com

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

Hello everyone hope you have had a fantastic weekend. I pray everyone is healthy and everyone you love is healthy. This week I'd like to discuss how some believer in their opinion that God speaks to us in dreams. It's not just a time where some feel they are open for demonic attack. Call on God next time you feel this way and see what happens. The bible has examples of God speaking to people in dreams and telling us he will speak through dreams. The following a a few examples of that.

And they replied "we both had dreams but no one can tell us what they mean.”
“Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied.
“Go ahead and tell me your dreams"

Genesis 40:8 (NLT) Jacob Dreamed
11 Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, 'Jacob.' And I said, 'Here I am.'24 But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, "Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad."
Gen 31:11,24 Genesis 2812 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

"And the Lord said to them, “Now listen to what I say:
“If there were prophets among you,I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams."
Numbers 12:6 (NLT)

"He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds."
Job 33:15 (NLT)

"For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness.
Rather, fear God." "And the LORD answered me, and said,
Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables,
that he may run that readeth  it.  For the vision is yet for an appointed time,
but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:
though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."
Habakkuk 2:2-3 (KJV)

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams" Acts 2:17

The facts that you have heard from God does not mean everyone will welcome your dream. People will react differently but most likely not positive at times. Your dream will be opposed just like Joseph’s and Jesus’ and Nehemiah’s or Paul’s. However this should not deter you. If you know your dream is from God, hold on to it, pray it back to God when the storms and wind come storming in. The brothers of Joseph conspired against him. They threw him into the pit sold him into slavery. He ended up in Potiphar’s house as a servant. It was as if his dream bought and brought him trouble.

What I do is keep a pen and paper next to my bed to take notes of any odd dreams so I can remember them because many people, and I am among them tend to forget what they have dreamed the longer they are awake. What took place seems to fade rather quickly upon waking up from these. I'm not sure why that happens. Could be a number of reasons for this but if you write down some notes upon waking that will really up possibly in understanding what exactly took place in the dreams you are having.

Written By Jennifer Auld