Has God ever spoken to you through a dream? While we know God speaks through prayer and Scripture, we also believe that He can still speak to us through prophetic dreams and visions today. Honestly, discerning God's voice in our dreams is probably uncharted territory for most of us. That’s why today, we’re taking a deeper look at where we see this in Scripture.
In 1 Corinthians 14:3, we learn that the purpose of God speaking through dreams is to give us strength when we feel weak, encourage us when we want to give up, and give us comfort in the face of trials. Like everything else, the foundation for understanding prophetic dreams is in the Bible. So, let’s learn from Job 33:14-18 about why God sometimes chooses to speak through dreams.
3 REASONS GOD GIVES US DREAMS
#1) To Warn Us: In Job 33, it says God “whispers in their ear and terrifies them with warnings.” Sometimes God sends us subtle warnings through dreams to help us avoid danger. In the New Testament, we also see God warn Jesus’ family via a dream recorded in Matthew 2:13. King Herod was searching for Jesus to kill him - so an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, to lead their family away from danger.
#2) God Gives Dreams To Guide Us: Job 33 also shows us that God sends dreams to confirm his direction for our lives. In the New Testament, we see this through the example of Paul, who was led by God to share the Good News about Jesus with the world. Paul didn’t know where to start, so God showed him through a dream in Acts 16.
Now, we understand that if God-given dreams are new to you, this all may seem a little strange. But we want to encourage you to ask and expect God to speak into your dreams. Then, to help you discern whether your dreams are messages from God or not, use the below guardrails.
4 GUARDRAILS TO HELP DISCERN IF YOUR DREAM IS FROM GOD
#1) Test Your Dream Against God’s Word: If your dream comes from God, it will compliment, NOT contradict Scripture.
#2) Submit Your Dream To God: Sometimes it may seem more like God is giving you a puzzle piece, not a clear vision. While you do not know what your dream means yet, don’t give up hope. God may reveal its meaning later - your job is to simply submit your dream to Him.
#3) Hold On To Your Dream: The truth is, God may give you a dream now that won’t take place for a long time. Like Joseph in Genesis, you can put your dream on the shelf, hold on to it there, and let God make. your dream a reality in HIS perfect timing.
#4) Share Your Dream With Humility: Last but certainly not least, sometimes God may give you a dream to speak into the life of someone else. If God leads you to share it, humbly ask for permission to share first. Your approach could help leave room for the other person to really contemplate your dream instead of defensively dismissing it.
If you feel overwhelmed thinking about your dreams, don’t be. Remember that the Holy Spirit is at the center of it all, and God wants to speak into your life. Humbly ask him to open you up to learn from Him in new ways this year.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
To learn more from Liquid Church about hearing God's voice and pursuing your dreams, check out these resources:
- MESSAGE: Dream Again - In part 1 of this series, learn how God uses the setbacks in your life to get you where He wants you to be. Click here to watch.
- MESSAGE: God Can Redeem Your Dream! - In part 2 of this series, watch how God can take your lost, broken dreams and transform them into something new for His purpose.
- ARTICLE: Goal Setting As A Christian - What does it look like for followers of Jesus to set goals for themselves that please and honor God? Click here to find out.
- ARTICLE: Learning How To Dream Again - This blog post goes along with part 1 in this series. Click here to read if you want to dive deeper.
- ARTICLE: How God Can Redeem Your Dream - This blog post goes along with part 2 in this series. Click here to read if you want to dive deeper.