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] have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
John 10:10
Step 2 – The Problem: Our Separation from God
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 gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:23
The Bible says:
"There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death."
Proverbs 14:12
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."
Isaiah 59:2
Step 3 – God’s Bridge: The Cross
The Bible says:
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus."
1 Timothy 2:5
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God."
1 Peter 3:18
Step 4 – Our Response: Receive Christ
The Bible says:
"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
John 1:12
"If you declare with your mouth, '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 accept Christ into your life:
- Admit your need. (I am a sinner)
- Be willing to turn from your sins. (Repent)
- Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave. (Be saved by faith)
- Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive him as Lord and Savior)
We suggest a prayer like this one:
"Dear God, I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that You raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord, from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do Your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen."
Did you pray this prayer?
