Does God Reveal Things Through Dreams and Visions?
Is God speaking to you through a dream? Has He appeared to you in a vision?
The Bible gives many accounts of God revealing Himself and His will to certain people through dreams and visions.
God gave Joseph, an eventual ruler over Egypt, a dream years earlier that he would one day reign (Genesis 37:5-10). The Lord troubled King Nebuchadnezzar’s sleep with a vision eventually decoded by Daniel (Daniel 2), and in the early years of Jesus, an angel of the Lord appeared three times to His father, Joseph, to direct his path (Matthew 1:20; 2:13, 19). Years later, Jesus Himself appeared to Saul, a persecutor of Christians, as he traveled down the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-6).
That’s just a handful of examples, and God is still capable of speaking to us through dreams and visions today. But we have to be careful how we interpret them.
How do we do that?
- Know where you stand. When you have a relationship with God, you’re better able to interpret what He’s saying to you. The way to have that relationship with Him is through His Son, Jesus Christ, who bridges the gap between you and God. When Jesus is part of your life, He helps you understand God better. He also gives you wisdom to understand the Bible, which is God’s message to you. It comes alive for those who believe in Him. Consider what the Bible says in 2 Peter 1:21: “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
- Investigate. See how the dream or vision aligns with the Bible, God’s Word. Anything that contradicts His Word is not from the Lord. Our minds, and even Satan, are capable of producing great deception.
- Lean on key people. It’s important to seek godly counsel. Mature Christians who study the Bible daily can help search the Scriptures. They can also offer prayer—another critical component—as you wait on direction from the Lord.
While God sometimes chooses to speak to people through dreams and visions, He’s already spoken to you through the Bible. In it, He invites you to know Him and His will through a one-on-one connection with Jesus Christ.
Step 1 – God’s Purpose: Peace and Life
The Bible says:
"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 5:1
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16
"I [Jesus] came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
John 10:10
Step 2 – The Problem: Sin Separates Us
The Bible says:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:23
The Bible says:
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."
Proverbs 14:12
"But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."
Isaiah 59:2
Step 3 – God’s Remedy: The Cross
The Bible says:
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
1 Timothy 2:5
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God."
1 Peter 3:18
"But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8
Step 4 – Our Response: Receive Christ
The Bible says:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me."
Revelation 3:20
"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
John 1:12
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Romans 10:9
Here is how you can receive Christ:
- Admit your need. (I am a sinner.)
- Be willing to turn from your sins (repent) and ask for God's forgiveness.
- Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
- Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior)
We suggest a prayer like this one:
"Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I want to turn from my sins, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe He died for my sins and that You raised Him to life. I want Him to come into my heart and to take control of my life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him as my Lord from this day forward. In Jesus' Name, amen."
Did you pray this prayer?
