Things to Know About Dreams and Visions

Daniel 2:1-3 – In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”

As you read the Bible in general, and book of Daniel in particular, numerous dreams and visions fill the storyline. For many, this raises questions about such supernatural occurrences. Here are things to understand about dreams and visions:

Dreams and visions are similar in that someone experiences insight into a future event that is much like watching a movie on a screen. This explains why people who get dreams and visions are often called “seers”. Dreams and visions are a form of visual prophecy that reveals the future that God rules.

As a general rule, a person who has a dream is asleep, whereas a person who has a vision is awake. This is precisely what happens in Daniel 2. The godless Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream while sleeping that frightens him as he struggles to understand its meaning. The godly believer Daniel is then given a vision, which is the God-given interpretation of the God-given dream.

Dreams and visions originate from a. God b. a demonic counterfeit c. our imagination. One of the major storylines of the Bible is that God creates and Satan counterfeits. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are counterfeit dreams and visions, which are intended to deceive people into following Satan’s vision for their life rather than God’s. This is why discernment through the Holy Spirit, Scripture, and wise counsel are important to test and approve dreams and visions.

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Some people come to know and trust God through persuasion, while others come to God through power. Those who come to God through persuasion oftentimes need to have a lot of questions answered, conduct a lot of research, and need to be convinced of the facts surrounding faith. Those who come to God through power oftentimes are simply convinced of God by Him showing up powerfully in their life or the life of someone they know. Examples would include dreams, visions, healings, and angels.