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BroMatt
01-24-2011, 09:20 AM
As Joel prophecied, and Peter quoted as he preached the first message on the day of Pentecost, dreams and visions have a place in the New Testament church. What place? That certainly depends greatly where with whom you are, nevertheless, I thought I would share two that I had many years ago.

Act 2:17 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:
Act 2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

The first was a very vivid dream....

I was in a maximum security prison. Yet there were no gates, no bars, and anyone could physically come and go as they wanted to, yet it was a maximum security prison. I was standing (being admitted) and wearing only underwear, and I was handed a uniform (the same that all the other prisoners had on) but I refused to put it on, choosing rather to suffer shame than to identify with the imprisoning garment.

Next I was in the mess hall, being served inedible "food" that I rejected rather than eat. I looked around the dining area, and it was filthy, so I tried to help clean it up. I grabbed a broom and started sweeping, and only a swish or two, the broom was loaded up with sand and tar, completely ruined. Looking around, I spotted a machine in the corner and I turned it on, and brgan cleaning the dining area up successfully, however, the entire floorboards were ripped off, showing the foundation of bright red sand under the dining room.

Stepping outside, I saw guards walking on the wall, and was shocked to see that the guards (in this case) were my pastor (at the time) and his wife.

(this was not about "standards", so don't read into the uniform more than is there, I preached standards also)

What I understand the dream to mean....

As an elephant can be "chained" to a stake that a man could pull up with one hand, people can be "imprisoned" by things they believe. They can be in a situation where they both can leave whenever they want to however they can not leave.

Uniformity can set a person's mind to believing they are one thing when they are something else. Jesus came to set us free, and we are free indeed, however, Paul warned about the efforts to bring us into subjection and submission, which some do, making disciples after themselves rather than healthy ones serving Jesus. We have all seen some of this happen.

Pro 27:7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

Things preached and taught are food to the soul, however, some things should not be eaten, for they are spoiled and rancid, like yesterday's manna.

Exo 16:19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
Exo 16:20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
Exo 16:21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.

The filthy dining room was founded on the sand, not on the rock. Sometimes our facility, our procedure, and our methods to distribute great spiritual truth are founded in the ways of the world, not in the way Jesus himself walked, nor those that followed him.

The guards on the wall were my pastor and his wife. I was not in rebellion to them, and in fact I preached for them regularly, at least twice a month. This speaks to the role of leaders, not intended to condemn them specifically.

The dream was a huge upset to me personally, and I would ponder it for years, praying over it. I knew it was from God, but it was no clearer to me than Peter's vision of a sheet with creepy crawlies and the voice saying "Rise Peter, kill and eat."

Act 10:10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
Act 10:11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
Act 10:12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
Act 10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

Many years later, gathered with some other ministers, we baptized 18 people in Jesus name, and were having a great move of God, signs and wonders happening. Though I was used of God to begin these meetings, I soon called for more seasoned ministers to come and help, and over a 6 week period (of meetings daily) they took over all the aspects of the meetings and I was strictly given to fasting and prayer, which I actually preferred anyway. The meetings soon outgrew the initial facility, and we moved into a huge empty church in a major city.

While in prayer, I suddenly had a vision of two very fat demons, they looked like twins. The Lord spoke to me and said that these two demon destroyed the church that had been formerly in that large building (I met the pastor of the former destroyed work, he was very damaged), and that they would destroy this move of God, except we (the leadership) listened to the warning from God and changed our ways.

The two demons had strange names, the one was called "Inordinate Authority" and the other was called "Rebellion against Inordinate Authority".

I didn't know what "inordinate" meant, so I had to research the meaning...

inordinate [ɪnˈɔːdɪnɪt]
adj
1. exceeding normal limits; immoderate
2. unrestrained, as in behaviour or emotion; intemperate
3. irregular or disordered

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/inordinate

During these meetings there had been angel appearances, legs growing out that were stunted, specific words of knowledge revealing the hearts and delivering people, and a lot of supernatural works from the Lord Himself.

I stood and shared with my brethern the warning the Lord had given in this vision, and they all agreed it was God and gave their amens, but nothing changed and the meetings died a premature death very soon.

In conclusion, I believe that often the best leadership is not micro managing and lording over God's people, but in gentleness and with mercy saving everyone with love plucking them out of the fire.

faithit166
01-24-2011, 11:38 AM
very interesting matt,

Blessed56
01-24-2011, 08:49 PM
Thank you for sharing your dream from so many years ago. God has given me many while in my youth and I now have received understanding. I believe he speaks to many in dreams and visions and gives warnings. but many will not believe and continue on in what they want to believe is right.
My understanding of what God showed you was a bit different, and really in some ways a confirmation to some of those God has given me. So again, thank you for posting this. God bless you.

Lafon
01-25-2011, 04:30 AM
For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

(Job 33:14-18)

BroMatt
01-25-2011, 05:34 AM
Thank you for sharing your dream from so many years ago. God has given me many while in my youth and I now have received understanding. I believe he speaks to many in dreams and visions and gives warnings. but many will not believe and continue on in what they want to believe is right.
My understanding of what God showed you was a bit different, and really in some ways a confirmation to some of those God has given me. So again, thank you for posting this. God bless you.

I would love to hear your understanding concerning the dream and the vision. If you would like to send a private message to me, or care to post it on this thread, I certainly have learned to listen to the opinions of others.

BroMatt
01-25-2011, 05:36 AM
For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

(Job 33:14-18)

Thank you for this excellent word.

BroMatt
01-25-2011, 05:59 AM
I thought I would include one more dream, and also invite if anyone has any dream or vision they have received to please share with us here, if that is ok.

The dream...

I am sitting at a picnic table that is covered with a lot of very good food, and the thing that stands out is the cake with a candle burning in the middle of of the table. Somehow, I upset the entire table, and the food all slides off the back of the table and over the cliff it falls. I go to the edge of the cliff, looking over and see way down there many starving people, that this great feast of food has fallen on, and in the middle of the crowd is a man that the cake has fallen on to his head, and the candle is still burning. They are all shaking their fists at me and cursing me.

I go to the edge of this high cliff, and begin climbing down it to the crowd below, and I hear the Holy Ghost saying "condescend to men of low estate". This high cliff is made up of kitchen utensils, of everything one would use to prepare and serve food. As I get to the base of this high cliff, I turn to face the starving crowds of people, and they greet me warmly and embrace me, including the man with the cake still on his head, and the candle still burning in the middle of the cake.

The Holy Ghost then told me that this great and high cliff represents every method that men do to try to serve the gospel to the lost, and the methods create a high wall and elevate the server, creating an offense to the starving by "dumping" on them from a high position.

Psa 136:23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Luk 1:48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.


Once again, I have meditated on this for decades, and am also open to hearing anyone's opinion on this dream.

I think it speaks to how secret pride can sneak in on us, and successes can make us somehow believe that we are more worthy, and worse, that other's are somehow less worthy. Pride elevates men in their own mind, and the thing I am most aware of at this stage in my life, is that I needed a Saviour then, and I need Him even more so now, or rather am more aware of my need for Him, and for the precious blood He shed for us all.

jen4yeshua
01-25-2011, 10:31 PM
Hi Matt, i was very excited when I read about your dreams, and I have had similar symbolism in dreams and visions over the last 7 years.

One dream I had was of an old school ground, with very old fibro buildings in disrepair (holes in the walls, panels missing), and broken-up bitumen on the ground between the buildings. I was standing among the buildings, alone, and there was a very desolate feeling. I looked across and saw a very ordinary-looking man who I realised was the devil, peering around the corner of a building as he hid from me, hoping that I would not leave the place I was in as he had me convinced that I belonged there.

The second instance I want to mention was during a difficult time in church. I had been asked to help on a team as a co-ordinator, and had major problems when I went through the right channels to try to resolve problems with some of the leaders. I had people talking about me instead of to me, and I felt that I was constantly being "back-stabbed" and that there was a huge double-standard depending on your affiliations with "somebodies". I would constantly get confronted with the suggestion of "Who do you thing YOU are?" fron the spirit realm (like a real mockery). I was crying out to God one day, in the depths of despair, because this church was the most progressive one of the organisation we were in at the time, and I had been convinced that to step outside of the organisation was a terrible thing to do. I had a vision of a bird cage with the door open. I was completely "gob-smacked", and sat there amazed at the possibility that God might just have something for us outside of everything we had been taught was "The Truth".

The other dream I had started with a visit to an old man who I somehow knew was our previous pastor (there had been a church split), but he looked different. He didn't seem to recognise the people I was with, and was very old and frail. Suddenly he looked at me with recognition and smiled. I embraced him like a father. Then the dream shifted to being in a room full of people sitting in "church" rows in a community hall or something, but these people were disfigured and stunted, like little infants. I had a piece of fruit bread and wanted to give it to the people, as they were gazing across at me , desperately hungry. They didn't look capable of eating the solid food, but to my amazement, they took the bread from my hands and devoured it.

i have "pondered these things" also, and was glad when I read your dreams and interpretations.

RandyWayne
01-26-2011, 12:04 AM
In the last dream I had I was eating breakfast on the beach with an old girlfriend from 20 years ago, along with Cornelius from Planet of the Apes.

Don't know what it all meant......

jen4yeshua
01-26-2011, 12:47 AM
I think it's to tell you you're watching too much TV and movies from the 70's, Randy... he he...

BroMatt
01-26-2011, 04:06 PM
In the last dream I had I was eating breakfast on the beach with an old girlfriend from 20 years ago, along with Cornelius from Planet of the Apes.

Don't know what it all meant......

Breakfast on the beach? Watch out for the sand!! :happydance

Fiyahstarter
01-27-2011, 09:36 PM
I posted the below message in 2007 on another site. Thought I'd share:

I tossed and turned last night with situations on my heart. I wasn't even really sure what was bothering me, but something wasn't quite right. So I searched my heart and asked, Lord, is it me? Do I need to know something? Am I missing something? And I knew He was trying to get something through my thick head. So I started going over events of the past days... What is it? What am I not realizing? I knew I was missing something.

And I slept fretfully, and I dreamed about a "long, thin box" being in the corner of my bedroom. It was a box I did not put there. And something about the box was very bothersome to me in my dream. It bothered me because it was there and I hadn't known it was there. I should have known it was there. Where did it come from? It wasn't the kind of box I would have ever picked out ... and I never bought anything that long-shaped before. So why was that box there? What purpose did it serve? And I woke up, and sat straight up in bed, heart pounding. And again, that feeling that "I am missing something." So I prayed, and I asked the Lord to talk me... to show me what I needed to understand. I prayed for revelation. And I waited, and I listened... and I waited... and I waited... and I listened... and nothing came to me ... and I fell back to sleep.

Morning came...Monday morning... I get up. Mondays are NEVER my friend, but this morning, I am especially bothered. I have an urgency about something. OK, here we go again. What is it? Pray for family. Come up against the devil... again. (Mondays seem particularly attractive to the devil... don't know why. Maybe it's because we are all so BLAH about going back to our routines, and maybe the devil sees his opening... so I pray special hard Monday mornings before I go about my business.)

So I'm driving down the road, and I pop in a sermon tape of one of my very favorite preachers (he's from Tennessee...by golly, that has GOT to be God's country down there... I believe I'm moving to Tennessee someday)...but anyway, I'm listening to his message... and he's talking about how one of the problems in the church is that people aren't realizing their worth. He's talking about each saint needing to find their purpose in life and fulfill it, and unless they set their minds on their calling, they will never be happy... they will become bored... and will not know their purpose in church... or even in life. And I'm thinking, and actually saying out loud, "YES... that's what I see, too! That's the very point I am trying to get across... We have to find our destiny or we will never be satisfied. And dissatisfaction leads to boredom... which leads to bickering... which leads to judging... which leads to hating." And as I am sitting there feeling the revelation, then the preacher says... "But everyone has a different calling. And everyone has a different need. And your calling will be to fulfill the needs of some, but my calling may be to fulfill the needs of others. And some of us are called to coddle the new babes in the Lord, and therefore are more sensitive to the youngens. And others of us are called to help those with addictions and spirits of depression. And those are equipped to cast out and overcome. And some of us are sensitive to the needs of the elderly, who may have at one time been strong servants in the Lord, but age is bearing down on them. Some are drawn to the sick and needy, and want to lay hands on to heal. And others of us feel compelled to bring in new souls and our desire is to see large numbers of people come to know God. But everybody's CALLING is different. Everybody's PACKAGE (box) is different."

Our packages look different, are shaped different, and serve different purposes. And you may not even be aware of that package over in the far corner...because you are so busy concentrating on your own package... BUT THAT's OK... because we need all of the boxes to have a full arsenal for a successful church.

The preacher went on to say, "During EVERY ONE of my services, I have to throw out the net. And I have to be able to have something to offer for each type of person in this congregation: Those who don't know the Lord yet, Those who know God but are struggling with a personal crisis; those who need deliverance from addictions; those who are hurting and feel unloved and unwanted; and those who are young in the Lord and need foundation. And each of you, in your different callings and with your different personalities, helps me achieve this goal of reaching all of these types of needs."

WOW! I see, Lord! I see, Lord!

Help us build up our arsenals, Lord. Help us to be sensitive to all types of needs... help each one of us to realize our calling and to do the specific work you have for us. Help us to realize each other's worth so that together our body members will form fitly together for your purpose... I pray this in the name of My Lord Jesus Christ.

Godsdrummer
01-28-2011, 07:18 AM
I just have one question have you allowed the dreams to help you change directions in your life or are you still in the same rut?

BroMatt
01-28-2011, 11:07 AM
I just have one question have you allowed the dreams to help you change directions in your life or are you still in the same rut?

In that I started this thread, I will take that question as though directed to me.

I began a multi-decade search, spending 15 years or so just looking at foundations (as I type this, it still sounds so outrageous to me), and I believe that it took me so long because I was so very THICK! My brain was stuffed full of things I believed, things I was taught, and conclusions based on the teaching and believing.

If God says to you, "You are way off the path, get back on the right path." and then places the burden on you to make efforts to get it right, there was (at least for me) an overwhelming feeling of the job being nearly impossible to accomplish.

Jer 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Psa 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Luk 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Like a man standing in a desert with sand dunes piled everywhere, and the wind has erased your own footprints made just a few minutes before, the task of finding the foundation and building on the foundation was impossible, but it was also impossible to just keep throwing more construction into a building that could not be fixed and must be torn down because it was not properly founded.

If one would "dig deep", certainly it would help to know where to dig. I realised in a brand new way that Jesus was talking to ME when He said to search the scriptures.

Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

I still search every day. I take this as a serious life long project. I will always search the scriptures.

The trouble with digging is what you find, and what it means, and what do you do now?

Dan 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
Dan 9:5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
Dan 9:6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

1Sa 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
1Sa 3:2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
1Sa 3:3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
1Sa 3:4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

We live in a day when the TRUE word of the Lord is precious, and there is very little open vision. Eli is a shadow of a fat ministry that doesn't realise that they are going blind because the process is a slow "waxing".

Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

They will know we are Christians by our condemning them to hell because they didn't obey Acts 2:38, opps, I mean by the love we have one for another.

In the day Jesus came...

Luk 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. (John)

However consider the next verses...

Luk 7:31 And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
Luk 7:32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.

Jesus is saying, "I can't get a response out of you!!! Nothing that I do will get you to respond!!!"

I was the fat, going-blind minister, I am the one that needs to dig deep and found the building of the house on the rock, and I want to hear Him when He calls my name.

Jesus has completely wrecked my plans, dismissed my good ideas, and called me to follow him. I am so thankful now for that which I hated as I was going through it.

This walk begins with each of us bending the knee and bowing the head, and when we stop doing that, we cease moving forward, until we once again obey Him by bending the knee and bowing the head.

Godsdrummer
01-29-2011, 06:41 AM
Matt

I understand, don't belittle the time it took you to get to where you are, thank God that you have. It took me 20 years to be able to release all the teachings and traditions I was raised with and preached and taught in order to let God truely speak to me. Not to say he did not speak to me before, as he speaks to each individual in the place they are in thier walk with him. I thank God we will be judged by the knowledge we have not the knowledge we should have.

I like what you said. "Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

I still search every day. I take this as a serious life long project. I will always search the scriptures. "

Isn't it funny what you find when you change the perspective of how you look at scripture. I found that when I quit looking for salvation and eternal life I found true relationship, I see God.

"They will know we are Christians by our condemning them to hell because they didn't obey Acts 2:38, opps, I mean by the love we have one for another."

This is the problem of many, we are wrapped up in what we call truth we have missed the boat, true relationship with God. We look for a temporal kingdom with a throne and all the trimmings, that we fail to see that kingdom is here right now. We miss the thought of God that he created us just like we are to have a personal relationship with him by choice in this life. Not the life to come.

Blessed56
01-29-2011, 06:48 PM
I am thankful to finds others that have been given dreams and visions concerning religious teachings......my dreams have been to show me just how self righteous my thinking had become, how judgmental my thoughts had turned to those not of the same faith, and to the lost, how blinded and deaf I was to the word of God, and much more. It's been hard to receive and come to understand, but it happened to me. I think the hardest though is to realize that I have not backslid-den, as the church world would consider you. I'm just thankful for the dreams and visions and the hunger to search the scriptures, and to repent daily as I received understanding from the Holy Ghost. I have not attended a church for 4 years, I study at home with my husband. Pray more post what God is showing the church.....please don't think I think you should not attend, that's not what I am saying......many need to go, I just had to come out!

BroMatt
03-03-2011, 11:57 PM
I have recently had a series of dreams involving combines ( a modern machine designed to harvest grains), huge beautiful powerful combines with great ability designed for the harvest, all of them stuck, broken down, or otherwise being unused. Again last night I had a long dream concerning one that was stuck, surrounded by the stupidest people I have ever seen (I don't know how to otherwise relate what I saw).

I tried to advise them how to get the combine unstuck, but the tires were off the machine and it was sitting in mud, which was later revealed to be open sewage running down the street.

I believe that OLD TESTAMENT prophecy speaks of a spiritual combine that God creates that harvests the last day harvest, that we are in it, that we never will believe what we are not taught and preached, and that we should expect stunning supernatural harvest in these final days, and that we should pray for it, and that we (you and I personally) should expect to be a part of this last day work of God.

15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. 16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. 17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. 18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. 19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: 20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
Isaiah 41:15-20 (KJV)

Sam
03-04-2011, 12:24 PM
Over the years I have had several visions. Some I have recorded in writing and shared with others and some that I felt were just for me. I don't remember any visions that had doctrinal impact.

I can't recall any dreams that I felt were "from the Lord" but I have had several that I think came from the other guy.

I retired from General Electric on March 1, 1998 after 32 years of service. I have had recurring dreams/nightmares over the years of being back there. The latest one was just a few nights ago and I awakened exhausted from hours of walking in the dream.

KWSS1976
03-04-2011, 12:49 PM
MLK had visions and dremas...

Sam
03-04-2011, 12:53 PM
MLK had visions and dremas...

and, depending on our various religious, moral, ethical, and political persuasions we may consider that those visions and dreams may have come from various sources.

Godsdrummer
03-07-2011, 07:25 AM
I was taking to my brother this weekend about dreams and visions, as my family has had a couple of dreams in the last couple of weeks. Look at the examples of dreams and visions in the Bible.

Dreams came to tell of future events, events that could not be changed by the way. One set of dreams come to mind those Joseph interpreted in Egypt. The outcome could not be changed but they were given as so the child of God could benifit from them.

Visions came to show forth the glories of the heavenly relm. coming on the heals of or following on the heals of a message from God of the need to change ones ways, or judgment was coming.

The bottom line is this God does not give us dreams or visions concerning things we cannot change. Like death, most times we cannot change what will come to pass but we can change the outcome condering ourselves.

Don't agree study the word, the bottom line is the bible has the answers to your dreams or visions. Not our own understanding.