愛戀 ‧ 情曲 ‧ 神の語

"In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds,  then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction.  In order to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man,  He keeps back his soul from the Pit, and his life from perishing by the sword." (Job 33:15-18)

"Dreams" is one of the topics that many Christians are not aware of. We don't need to avoid it in fear of being related to the occult when we familiarize ourselves with what the Bible has to say on it. Learning what the Word of God has to say on this subject can further equip Christians of all backgrounds.

On one hand, we're never to judge or put down other Christians who don't know much about this truth, but on the other hand, we should embrace what is Biblical and what is of God in humility and diligence. The occults and New Age only took what was of God and perverted it, and misused it with the wrong motivation and purposes. We should never throw the babies out with the bath water. This also applies to many spiritual truths, especially those qualities of Biblical faith, such as visualization, confession etc.

There are just way too much to cover about this subject thoroughly and systematically in limited time and space. However, I just want to focus on the most important principles and practicals on dreams, and zoom in on the interpretation of allegorical (spiritual) dreams, because most (over 90%) spiritual dreams will be in this category (there are exceptions of course).

The Basics:

- There are basically two types of dreams: soulish dreams and spiritual dreams. Soulish dreams, a.k.a. natural dreams (Ecc 5:3), do not carry any spiritual significance, i.e., not every dream is from God. This type is the "dream" that the general people refer to, it comes from the subconscious mind, which is a part of our soul, that's why it's called a "soulish" dream. Most of the time, these dreams are meaningless (such as dreamed about what was seen on TV the night before etc.), they are just random images from daily lives. However, some soulish dreams are good for self-reflection. Some area of psychology has explored this. For e.g., if a person is insecure, this will sometimes show up in his dreams, like dream of being rejected by friends, or being fired at work etc. Hence, a person can sometimes understand himself better via the normal soulish dreams. On the other hand, there are spiritual dreams that do carry spiritual significance (Job 33:15-18; Act 2:17). There are plenty of examples both in the Old Testament (such as Joseph and Daniel) and the New Testament (the birth of Jesus involved at least four dreams as recorded in the Gospels; also the "night vision" could possibly be dreams, cf Act 16:9, 18:9). The source of spiritual dreams is from God through our human spirits, thus, they are a different type of dream than the normal soulish dreams, which are from the human soul. Simply put, the source of natural dreams is from the dreamer himself, his soul, and the source of spiritual dream is from God through the dreamer's spirit (Note: the human soul is different from the human spirit--Heb 4:12, 1 The 5:23). Lastly, there is a rare type of "spiritual dream" different from the God-given spiritual dreams mentioned above. It's different because it's spiritual source is different. And I emphasize that this type is rare, and only among a very small percentage of people with a particular lifestyle. For a detailed write-up on this type of spiritual dream, see Appendix 2 below at the end of this article.

- Spiritual dreams are only a supplement to the main spiritual disciplines such as prayer, reading and meditating on God's Word, worship, and healthy church fellowship. It is never to replace any of these just like a vitamin supplement is to never replace proper food and meals. However, non-Christians and those in the process of coming to know God may also have spiritual dreams from God, it's not only limited to Christians (e.g. Pharoah of Joseph's time had dreams from God, see below).

- Most spiritual dreams function to reveal about the dreamer himself and are not directional; therefore, major life decisions should not be based on dreams alone! And most spiritual dreams are personal dreams, which means that the dream's message and content are about the dreamer himself, and much less often about others. Though they may dream of other people, they're usually symbols to the dreamer, thus not actually about those persons or things they dream about. There are exceptions of course, sometimes the persons or events we dream in a spiritual dream do refer to them, but this is less common. Sometimes spiritual dreams can have dual reference both to the dreamer himself and to the person/events being dreamed. Usually, people with the Revelation spiritual gifts (the Word of Wisdom, the Word of Knowledge, and Discerning of Spirits) of the Holy and/or the Gift of Prophecy (1 Cor 12:8-10) will have dreams about others more often.

- Spiritual dreams may warn us of something, but we should never respond in fear; even when we dream of something bad happening in a spiritual dream (not nightmare), we should respond in prayers as God could change those situations when we properly respond. In other words, dreams do not mean fatalism.

Basic Rules for Interpreting Symbolical Dreams:

(For Biblical references, I have included examples of how Joseph interpreted the butler, baker and Pharaoh's dreams below; it is also very helpful to see how Daniel interpreted various dreams in the Book of Daniel. Finally, I have also written one example from myself. And note I'll sometimes use the simple term "dreams" to refer to "spiritual dreams," the context will tell you that I am referring to spiritual dreams and not natural dreams.)

- The message of the dream will NEVER contradict the Bible and the nature of Jesus (love, joy, peace etc.), which means the message will always come across in a positive way, even in warning dreams, because God is always interested in helping and restoring us.

- Dreams should always be interpreted with the dreamers' life context and his personal life background, that's why the best interpreter of one's dreams is the dreamer himself. But we do understand that in the process of learning how to interpret dreams properly, it is beneficial to ask others more experienced to help one to interpret the dreams more accurately.

- One should always interpret dream symbols according to the Bible usage (Eg. "Snake" is bad, the color white is good etc.). If those objects are not found in the Bible, then interpret according to 1) the particular meaning the objects/persons have to the dreamer; and/or 2) the dominant trait of the object/persons. (Eg. Dreamed about a friend, what does this friend symbolize to you, and/or what is his/her major personality trait) So, some objects/persons may change their symbolical meanings according to real-life situations, and/or as they come to have different meanings to the dreamers. (Eg. A certain person may mean "ministry" to the dreamer at one point; however, over time, that same person may mean "a loving parent" because the relationship between the dreamer and the person has changed in real-life).

The only exception is when something is bad in the Bible usage, but very good to the dreamer, then either interpretation could be correct. In this case, interpret according to the context of the dream. Eg. "Dogs" symbolizes "Judaizers"--legalistic religious folks, not a good symbol (Phi 3:2). However, if the dreamer works with dogs all the time, and loves dogs, then it might mean something good in the dream, but this still needs to be interpreted by the context of the dream and is particular to the dreamer. It's to be noted that a general liking of dogs will probably not change them into good symbols, it has to be something much more deeply involved in order to change its inherent meaning in the Bible. For instance, I like dogs, but in my dreams, dogs have always been bad symbols, most of the time ferocious and barking at me. But remember this is for symbols in the Bible that have clear meanings, for things not in the Bible, they will most likely be good or bad symbols according to the dreamers' preferences.

- Write the dreams down, so one won't forget. Pray for the interpretation, ask the Holy Spirit to give wisdom, as symbolical dreams many times may seem "weird" and not make sense at first (they will most likely defy logics since dreams and pictures are the language of the Holy Spirit to reveal the spiritual world). After the interpretation is clear, one also need wisdom to apply the message of the dream, for this is the purpose why God gave the dream. Sometimes we may not understand the meaning of the dream right away, which is another reason why it's good to write the dreams down, but as we continue to seek God for the interpretation, we can rest assured that the meaning will come as we grow in Christ each day (Gen 40:8).

- Sometimes there will be multiple dreams in a single night. Usually they speak of the same thing, like Pharaoh had two dreams talking about the same thing. Many times the latter dreams would help interpret the former ones. Also take note of recurring themes or words, for they are repeated to emphasize a message.

- Praying in tongues helps to receive the interpretation of dreams (Rom 8:26).

How Joseph Interpreted the Butler, Baker, and Pharaoh's Life-Changing Dreams:

Texts: Gen 40, 41

Butler's Dream:

Notice the butler dreamed of vines, grapes and serving Pharaoh with cups, this is a very clear reference to his employment. So his dream is about his employment. "Vines" is a good symbol in the Bible; however, in this particular dream and with the butler's background, it just simply represents his job. And the blossoming speaks of a new beginning. The "three branches" represented "three days" because the branches are blossoming and growing, and growing speaks of a time process. And it is three days because vines grow rather quickly, so it could not have been three years or months. Lastly, serving Pharaoh means what it means. So putting all together, Joseph rightly interpreted this dream to be that in three days, there will be a restorable of the butler's job.

The Baker's Dream:

The baker's dream is quite similar to the butler's dream, but in complete opposite direction. He dreamed of baskets because he was a baker, so those baked goods speak of his livelihood and life. The birds eating the baked goods therefore speaks about a loss. The fact that Joseph knew in those days, many prisoners were executed by being hanged, and the birds of the air will eat their flesh points that this particular loss of the baker is his very life. Joseph was in prison; he must have especially known those details. Next, the color of the baskets is white, and white usually speaks something good in the Bible (see Appendix 1 below); however, in this particular instance, since it spoke about a death penalty, the white then became a bad symbol meaning death because in those days, people wrap dead people in white linen cloths. And lastly, the three baskets speak of three days because breads don't last for weeks or months, so they logically represent days. So the meaning of the dream is in three days, the baker will be executed.

Pharaoh's Dreams:

Notice that cows and stalks of grains are symbols of welfare in Pharaoh's days and society. The fat cows and grains then symbolizes prosperity, and the thin and blighted grains speak of poverty, and that more severe than the prosperity because the latter swallowed the former and remained just as thin and ugly. "East wind" speaks of "judgment" in the Bible. "River" points to several things in the Bible. Usually it meant the Holy Spirit, life, lives of people, or time. In this instance, Joseph discerned that it spoke about a time frame because a river is something that flows, from one point to another. This is further confirmed by the fact that those cows came up from the river and they represent the welfare of the country. And Pharaoh's standing by the river bank speaks of his position of authority because he was in charge of the country. And the fact that he had two dreams that talk about the same thing speaks of the importance and urgency of the message as Joseph interpreted correctly. Notice God gave Pharaoh these dreams to warn him and he took the right action, by elevating Joesph, and basically neutralized the disaster. This not only saved the Egyptians, but also the Israelites, whom were the covenant people of God, in which the Messiah would come from.

*Note: Joseph was someone whom God had especially anointed to interpret dreams; therefore he could pick up the meaning of dreams rather quickly. In the same way, there are people whom God has given the special anointing to interpret dreams today, but all of His people can still learn and interpret dreams by learning to principles of His word and hearing from the Holy Spirit. It's very important to depend on the Holy Spirit for the meaning of symbols when they're not so clear-cut from the Written Word (Bible).
 

My Personal Dream:

The dream I had today and its interpretation: (it was a rather easy one to interpret)

August 9, 2005 Dream

I was praying about some specific things concerning my future ministry work just before I slept.

I dreamed about the apostle Paul and satan in symbolical forms. I first saw the apostle Paul standing in front of kings in a royal palace, likely testifying the Gospel of Christ. Satan was symbolized by a small ghostly figure (like an evil Casper) that had a funny italicized "M" on his forehead (like the villains in Dragon Ball, notice this was something that I was familiar with). He was flying away, trying to get out of that place. However, he could not fly out because a thick "atmosphere" covered the place and he could not breakthrough it. He knew (we will automatically know things in dreams) that this barrier was caused by prayers by the apostle Paul and others. So he flew back to the royal palace and saw Paul and a few others with him on their knees praying fervently in that royal palace, this time, probably in front of the King of kings. As they prayed, I saw some huge angel statues and found out that the protective atmosphere originated from those angelic statues' hands. The atmospheric barrier got stronger and more powerful the more Paul and his companions prayed. Satan was very mad and agitated, and he was thinking ways to stop those people from praying, for he was bound or trapped by their prayers.

In a second, subsequent short little dream, I remembered how people now could recognize Moses though they've never seen him. Some thought Moses look like this, some thought he looked another form, however no one could be sure. But finally the conclusion is people can know Moses by their spirit, that was how the apostles recognized Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration, though they've never seem Moses and Elijah personally (and no cameras in those days!).

The Interpretation:

The apostle Paul in the royal palace the first time witnessing before earthly kings symbolized "my ministry work." Satan, obviously symbolized all the opposing forces of the Kingdom of Darkness. Paul and his co-workers praying with him before the Heavenly King represents the coming to the Throne of Grace in intercession (Heb 4:16). The angel statues symbolized the work of God's angels involving in ministries (Dan 9:20-23). The "atmospheric barrier" represents the power of prayer and supplication. The fact that satan could not breakthrough that barrier speaks of his evil schemes being thwarted when God's people take up authorities against him through faith and prayer (Mat 28:18-20). The barrier could grow (imply it could also weaken) speaks of the importance of continued fervent prayers in the furtherance of the Kingdom of God; it is foundational in a Christian's life.

The Message/Application:

The dream is a general encouragement to me to keep pressing in, in prayers and supplications in faith, especially concerning the things I was praying about the night before I slept. The second short dream tells me that I cannot use my natural sight to discern all these unseen spiritual battles that are happening "behind the scenes." The spiritual realm is the factor that changes all things in the physical realm. However, I could sense and know the spiritual realm by my spirit, just like the apostles could recognize Elijah and Moses the moment they see them (Mat 17:3-4).

Keep praying hard; keep exercising faith; believing God hears me every time I pray despite nothing may seem to be happening in the natural. Beware that the enemies' main way to hinder the will of God from coming to pass in my life is to distract me from a solid prayer life. Don't look at the outward circumstances to determine God's will for me, but look inwardly and sense His leading by the inward witness, as the "inward witness" is the primary way God leads His children.

Comments:

Just to note that since it's a symbolical dream, hence it doesn't necessarily mean that God's plan for my life includes witnessing before kings (or high political officials in today's term) because it was just a symbol representing something and not itself. It's just like satan doesn't actually look like Casper (^^~!). Then why did God use something resembling to Casper? Many times the symbols in the dream will be particular to the dreamers. As far as the Casper-like satan is concerned, Casper does not have any particular meaning to me, but that Casper-like thing is a type of ghost, so it's proper for it to represent satan, and the italicized M just symbolize to me that he's a bad guy, and "forehead" being he attacks the mind mostly as he is the "father of lies."

Also note that this dream revealed some of my life's conditions, and it didn't tell me to move to a certain place or to marry a certain sister. With this revelation, I might be able to manage my life better, so it could in a sense be a general indirect direction, but never a direct guidance for major life decisions. The most important thing is to obey the message of the dream.

I noticed this is a rather easy dream to interpret, not many tricky symbolisms involved, but the principles for interpretation is still the same.

Lastly, I want to point out that there are direct guiding dreams which no interpretations are needed (like those dreams Joseph had about Jesus, in which angels appeared in real forms, eg Mat 1:20). There are prophetic dreams, and there are dreams about others specifically and even to the whole Body of Christ. However, these types of dreams are less often, and usually they occur to those who function as fivefold prophets (Eph 4:11) or those who function regularly in the Revelation spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit (the Word of Wisdom, the Word of Knowledge, and the Discerning of Spirits) and/or the Gift of Prophecy (I Cor 12:8-10). That's why as a rule of thumb, never apply our dreams to others or classify it in these categories, unless one has those gifts (confirmed not just presumed) or one is very mature and experienced in this subject. Though once in a while, we will have dreams concerning other people; however, this is quite seldom, and we should always try to see if it applies to us first.

It's to be noted that sometimes we will discover that we have some dreams that sort of revealed our future in some general ways. However, this is most probably our spirits picking up things concerning our future instead of the Holy Spirit's gifts working. It's just like we can all prophesy, but not all has the Gift of Prophecy (I Cor 14:31, 12:28-30), and like all believers can pray and believe for a physical healing (Mark 16:17-18; Jam 5:13-16), but not all have the Gifts of Healings (1 Cor 12:11). And in this type of dreams, it's also very important to know the 1) conditions (a promise will not happen automatically, just like prophecies, whether personal or corporate) and 2) timing of the message of the dreams. For example, God showed some events that will take place in some general ways, but we need to hear what are the conditions to bring it to pass, perhaps prayers plus a change of some habit. Secondly, we need to wait on God to see what the timing of the dream is. It could be speaking about something 2 or 3 years down the road, or it could be something that will take place in a couple of weeks. It is also implied in all spiritual dreams that the condition for the positive message of the dream to come to pass is that the dreamer continues in a humble attitude and an openness towards God. God's love and acceptance are unconditional, however, we still have to choose to be blessed because God has given each of us a free will. And it only makes sense that we want to be loved, blessed and live a happy life, don't we?   =)

The other thing to take note is that the frequency of having spiritual dreams does not have a direct relation with one's spirituality. This is because God has different callings for each one of us to relate to him in relation to our unique roles in the Body of Christ. It's like when Paul said that not all of us are the eyes or ears of the body in I Cor 12. However, it is of great profit if we understand more about the area of dreams so we can benefit from interpreting and applying our own dreams, and also help others who are not aware of this subject.

There are many benefits in sharing our personal dreams with the right people for many purposes. Dreams that we think might apply to others and not ourselves require wisdom in how and what we share. Sometimes among fellowship or friends, there will be dreams about others or about family members, sometimes dreams will be both to ourselves and others, but always take it to apply to ourselves first to be safe. But again, dreams about others are comparatively rare compare to personal dreams about ourselves. I personally had many spiritual dreams over the years; however, only about less than 5% of them apply to my friends or family, and usually those dreams also first of all apply to me. (Note: as time goes and the spirit man becomes more mature, and experiences increase, sometimes this percentage is increased in my own life, especially when during times when one is put in a leadership role).

Ok, I've just mentioned the most important points that I could recall now. May God continue to grant all of us to receive the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, in knowing God and in one of His ways to communicate to us through true spiritual dreams (Eph 1:17).

PS: I've also written a similar blog on spiritual dreams in Chinese (see below); the example I used is different. I'll try to put some more real-life dream interpretation examples up (but most of them will probably be in Chinese though; however, I'll also try to put something in English every now and then) as I continue to write blogs, because I find that by examing spiritual dreams and their interpretations, it helps me a great deal in learning to interpret. In the mean time, if you have more questions on Biblical dreams and/or how to actually interpret your own dreams, it would help to ask a friend who is more experienced in this subject. I trust as you continue to earnestly and sincerely seek our loving Father, He will surely teach us through His Spirit all things.

Appendix 1: Numbers, Colors and Basic Objects Symbol List

*This is a list on what these basic objects and number/color mean in the Bible generally, remember always to interpret the symbols in accordance with personal backgrounds, this is just for reference. The way we can know their meanings is by checking how they're used in the Bible.

Numbers:

1: Oneness, unity
2: Agreement, witness
3: Trinity, divine perfection
4: the earth
5: Grace, five-fold ministry
6: Number of Men
7: Spiritual perfection, completeness
8: New beginnings
9: Fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit
10: Judgment; perfection of divine order
11: Disorganization; mercy
12: Divine government of God

40: Trials

Note 1: Numbers can also have literal representations in dreams. For example, Joseph dreamed of eleven stalks of grain which meant the actual eleven people, ie his brothers. So always interpret according to the context of the dream.

Note 2: For a very extensive biblical numerology, see E W Bullinger's "Number in Scripture" here, if this particular link is still working. If not, it may be posted on other websites too, just do searches on Google.

Colors:

Red: Salvation, deliverance
Blue: Son of God, heaven, something positive
Black: Negative symbol
White: Pureness, Holiness
Green: Life, eternity
Gold / Yellow: Divinity; glory, a good color

*It is extremely important to take note that if a negative object is combined with a positive color, the meaning of the object must come first. Use a white snake for an example. A snake is always a bad symbol. However the color white is a good color. Thereofre, a white snake is still a bad symbol because the object "snake" is a bad representation. Snakes usually denote spiritual enemies, and the color white reveals the attribute of the enemy, which is "deception." It's a snake trying to look good, therefore a deception. If a good object is combined with a bad color symbol, then it usually speaks of something good but not working or immature.

Basic Objects / Action:

Houses: Our lives, could be past life, hidden parts, orderly/disorderly parts etc.
Transportations: Directions, control in directions
Peoples: Parts of us, like the "spiritual part" or the "weak part" of us. Sometimes it could also point to the person we dreamed or have both references, but again, these type of cases are less frequent. In some cases, the people we dreamed could also represent a message.

Flying: This usually points to spiritual growth, attaining spiritual height like an eagle

* For other objects and actions, check references in the Bible, usually it is not hard.

Appendix 2: Bad Dreams, Extreme Nightmares and False Dreams

Texts: Deu 13:1-5; Jer 23:28-32; Zec 10:2

In discussing the topic of "bad dreams/nightmares," we need to define it first. As previously mentioned, there are spiritual dreams that are from God (which are conveyed via the human spirit), and there are natural dreams from the human soul that do not carry spiritual meanings. Usually, a "bad dream" or "nightmare" to most people is an unpleasant soulish dream. For e.g., dreamed of being scolded by parents or boss, or failing a test, or car accident etc. This reveals that the person may have insecurity or some emotional issues (like dreamed of being very angry and yelling at people) at that particular time (e.g. just had a big argument with someone the night before) or is a problem that is more deeply rooted from past hurts and long-term (e.g. raised in a broken family which caused the dreamer's life to be insecure). In either case, the cure is always coming to God for healing and love. Meditate on His Word (the Bible) and seek God in prayer. When one finds it difficult to overcome, seek other mature and loving Christians for good counsel and help. There is always hope, nothing is ever too hard for God. Furthermore, a "bad dream" can sometimes also stem from a frightening spiritual dream, which technically shouldn't really be called a "bad" dream in the sense that it is only frightening, but not evil (because it's from God). For e.g., the prophet Daniel dreamed of the four great beasts which represented four great Kingdoms. It was really a scary dream, however, it is not a bad dream in the sense of an unpleasant soulish dream. This is because spiritual dreams are a level of perception into the Spiritual World. And just like when one has eyes to see and ears to hear in the natural world, sometimes some sights are not pleasant to see (such as seeing someone bleeding), sometimes it's because we're not familiar with the language and ways of the Spiritual World.

Thirdly, there is also a type of "spiritual dream" that I would call "extreme nightmares," which is the rare type that I've mentioned that does not have its source from God. This type is different from a bad soulish dream. This type of dreams will come more to those who are heavily involved in supernatural occultic practices, such as Satanism, witchcraft, black magics, spiritists, and spiritual mediums etc. Sometimes it will also come to those who live an extreme fearful and sinful lifestyle for a prolonged period. Occasionally, it may come to those who still have a lot of fear, but this type of extreme nightmares will not be frequent for those who are not in the occults or live in a very sinful lifestyle for a long period of time. These dreams have their source from the evil spirits because some humans knowingly or unknowingly choose to yield to the evil spiritual forces, i.e. the devil and all his cohorts, whether they are demons or fallen angelic spirits, and thus, opening doors for the evil spirits to inspire or influence their dreams. That's why they're also a type of "spiritual" dream that is not a natural dream, but it's obviously different from the positive spiritual dreams that are from God. Again, these demonically influenced dreams are relatively less common and they only happen to those category of people described above. Sometimes people call this type of dreams "nightmares" or "extreme nightmares" where they dream of being tortured or threatened by all kinds of demons, evil spirits and ghosts. (Note: I emphasize this is different from seeing a monster in a God-given spiritual dream, such as Daniel saw frightening beasts but he was certainly not influenced by the Devil). Some would classify bad soulish dreams as "nightmares," which do not have anything to do with the demons, but those dreams that have demons involved are usually quite fearful and extreme, that's why most of them would be extreme nightmares (that have demons involved), rather than a regular bad dream (which does not have demons involved). This is because basically evil spirits feed on a person's fear, that's why only those really into the occult or have been long in a serious fearful or sinful lifestyle will have this type of dreams. The cure is the same, coming to know God, His love and power will set one free. There are many testimonies of people who used to have a lot of extreme nightmares being involved in the occults, but after coming to Christ, they no longer have those nightmares. For some people it's more instant, but for most people, it's a gradual process, where they have less and less frightening nightmares until they are completely gone.

There is also a category of demonically inspired dreams called "false dream" in the Bible. Again, this only will happen to those who choose to seriously yield themselves to evil occultic practices and prolonged grave sinful lifestyles. Its primary purpose besides bringing fear is "deception." Usually those people who are involved in occultic practices may experience these types of false dreams. They may gain some knowledge or direction concerning something or someone, but they're not from God. That's why sometimes these occultic practitioners will be able to give out supernatural knowledge or "foretell" of a person's future because they get their knowledge from the evil spiritual forces. (Note: the devil does not know the future, only God knows, but sometimes the devil and evil spirits are able to manipulate a person's future when that person chooses, may be unintentional, to yield their free will to the evil forces through occults etc.) Sometimes those who have just become Christians that have occultic backgrounds may still experience false dreams, as the process of sanctification is an on-going process. By the blood of Jesus and  a continued fellowship with Him (worship, meditation on God's Word, praying in the Spirit etc.) and His people, one can certainly overcome and never have extreme nightmares or false dreams again. Praise God! It is also noteworthy to mention here that sometimes there could be people who have very sensitive human spirits who may be able to pick up things from the Spiritual World, good or evil spirits, without having to receive God or being involved in the occults. They have a natural openness to the Spirit Realm, perhaps it's their calling to be prophets or function in the revelations but have not yet come to know Christ. It could be potentially dangerous as if this person continues to explore the spiritual world area without having to come to know God, he may be deceived by the devil as he will bring false information and revelation to the person.

One example of false dreams is that there are particular demons that can take on the forms of believers and appear in dreams and try to discredit those believers (II Cor 11:14-15). Those who are in the process of overcoming past problems (whatever it is), and still have extreme nightmares or false dreams, regardless of the frequency, it is very important to take note of this. For example, a strong believer who tries to help this weaker Christian who still have extreme nightmares once in a while and this type of demon might come in his dreams and appear as the stronger believer. The demon would then act out something malicious to him in the dream, hence when the weaker Christian woke up from the dream, he would likely have some doubts or even enmity towards the stronger Christian who is trying to help him. Therefore, it is very vital to have discernment and usually it's not hard to discern. Extreme nightmares and false dreams would usually carry a very evil feeling, even though the demon would appear as a believer. Some also have noted that sometimes those types of false dreams would be black and white in color. No matter how we discern, it is clear from the Word of God that we should never bear any sort of unforgiveness or hatred toward anyone, even believers. The best way to combat extreme nightmares is through the renewal of the heart and mind by meditating on the Word of God and being filled continually with the Holy Spirit and the love and peace of God.

As Christians, we need not be afraid of the devil, for when we continue to draw close to God and resist the devil, he and all his cohorts will flee from us (Jam 4:7). Hallelujah! Victory belongs to Jesus and His people, for the Cross has already triumphed over all dark powers. Hence, a strong, healthy and balanced Christian should not have extreme nightmares, only maybe occasionally unpleasant soulish dreams in the process of growth. Also, when we just first became Christians, in the process of learning, we may still have extreme or not so extreme nightmares (bad soulish dreams) from past hurts, but as we grow in God, they will gradually become less and less, and finally to zero. The way extreme nightmares work is basically demons taking advantage of cracks in the soul, either a hurt, unforgiveness and/or generational curses. These problems can certainly be fixed in Christ's blood, word and power to transform us and heal us, and we must choose to forgive if there are unforgiveness on our part.

In summary, MOST bad dreams and non-extreme nightmares are just unpleasant soulish dreams. Occasionally, one may have a frightening God-given spiritual dream which the dreamer may think it's a "bad dream" because the content may be frightening. But this is not a spiritual dream influenced by the evil spirits and is not a "bad dream" in the technical sense. Lastly, a small percentage of people who are quite heavily involved in evil occult practices may have dreams that are demonically influenced, which the content is always fearful, frightening, evil, threatening and extremely unpleasant (because the nature of the devil is evil). They may sometimes have false dreams that may reveal supernatural knowledge. It is important to NOT call every "nightmare" a "false dream" or dreams that are demonically inspired. However, if one continues to have unpleasant natural dreams for a long period of time, it will eventually open bigger doors for spiritual enemies to attack one's soul, and if it's still not dealt with, extreme nightmares and false dreams may start to manifest in the person's life because that person is now trapped in a very sinful (and hurtful) lifestyle for a prolonged period of time. Note, we're talking about very serious and grave cases here, it does NOT refer to people going through the downs of life that is common to most people. Grave cases are such as people on the verge of suicide or having mental problems etc., but note that not all who have mental illnesses will have false dreams because not all mental illnesses are spiritually caused (many are biologically caused), and not everyone who is contemplating to end his life will necessary have demon-influenced dreams (inasmuch as there are levels of depression from light to very extreme).

Appendix 3: List of Biblical Dreams

I have compiled a list of dreams recorded in the Bible. The actual occurrences of dreams certainly were far more, those only are the ones that were actually recorded down.

Abimelech (Gen 20:3); Jacob (Gen 28:12; 31:10); Laban (Gen 31:24); Joseph (Gen 37:5; 37:9); Butler & Baker (Gen 40:5); Pharaoh (Gen 41:1); OT Prophets (Num 12:6); Midianite (Jud 7:13); one of the ways God speaks (I Sam 28:6, 15; Job 33:15); Solomon (I Kin 3:5); Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2:1; 4:5); Daniel (Dan 7:1); Mary's husband Joseph (Mat 1:20; 2:13; 2:19; 2:22); Wise Men (Mat 2:12); Pilate's wife (Mat 27:19); God's children (Joe 2:28; Act 2:17).

It's is to be noted that sometimes when the Bible says God "reveals" or "speaks" to people, it doesn't specifically mentions the way in which God communicated to people. Therefore, it is possible that some of those times God used spiritual dreams. Also notice that sometimes the Scripture equates spiritual dreams with "visions of the night" (Dan 2:28; 7:2; Job 3:15). Hence, it is possible that when the Bible speaks of visions of the night, it could also actually be dreams (eg. Act 16:9).

I personally think it's the same thing. If someone sees a vision while awake, it's called a vision. When someone sees a vision while he sleeps, it's a dream. Sometimes it happened while a person is half-awake and half-asleep, and most of the time, it's not possible to distinguish (eg. II Cor 12:2).

Ok, that's it for now folks, blessings to all~

With all my love

Another spiritual dream example from one of the co-workers of Chuck D Pierce, taken from his ministry website http://www.glory-of-zion.org/outmail/11-04-05_Dreams_And_Prophetic_RevelationOnline.htm


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Linda's dream had two parts that are very distinct yet connected. To fully interpret a dream, you need to sense and capture the hidden emotion that the Lord is bringing into a visible tangible expression.  You will love this revelation:

In the first part I was in a very old hotel room with Marty Cassady.  It was very dark in the room.  Marty was in bed with the covers over her head and I was trying to pack.  My suitcase was open on the floor and it began to rain inside the room.  The roof was not leaking but it was raining in the room.  I picked up my suitcase and emptied the water out of it and put it under the bed so it would stay dry.  I did the same with a pair of shoes.  That was the end of the first part.

Marty and Linda are key members of the Eagles of God Team.  So being in a hotel room would represent the two of them traveling on a key prayer assignment.  Notice that Marty had the covers pulled over her head.  This could either mean she was trying to block out disturbances and remain in a resting place, or that she was in denial.  When interpreting a dream, you always want to pay attention to the emotion behind certain events.  When I questioned Linda about her emotion over Marty in bed with the covers over her head she knew it was because Marty was choosing to remain in a resting place and not get concerned with menial tasks.  God is saying: This month we will do our assigned tasks, and we will be at rest doing them. 

Linda was packing.  Rain means spiritual blessings.  When it began to rain, Linda did not perceive this as a blessing, and made the (poor) choice to not allow these blessings to fill her vessel that she was taking to the next destination. She even chose to empty out the water and put the suitcase under her bed.  In this season, we must correctly perceive the Lord's blessings so that we do not resist the provision He is bringing.  When He begins to fill our atmosphere, we must open our vessels to allow Him to fill them.

As I mentioned, Linda shared her dream during Tuesday morning's prayer meeting.  When we got to this point of the interpretation, I asked everyone to bring up the vessel that they Lord wanted them to fill.  People brought up wallets, purses, keys, phones, Bibles, notebooks, day-timers and even themselves – lying prostrate on the floor.  The entire center section of our prayer circle was totally filled with "vessels."  We also wanted the Lord to fill our shoes with His blessings, so shoes were removed and placed with the other items to be filled as vessels.  

The Lord began to say, "The next 10 days I am setting you on a disciplined path so I can begin to open up your vessels.  Don't be stopped in getting supply.  Let Me fill your vessels. Do not worry about your shoes. Let Me cleanse your walk from all the details of the past season. Let Me refresh you and fill your shoes with anointing so you will walk into the fullness of My plan. Declare that the Martha portion of your personality will stay at rest and not get distracted this year! Watch for key opportunities to seek Me!"

In the second part I (Linda) was in a very large, old house.  It was Christmas time and most of my family was there along with a few other people I know from Global Harvest Ministries.  Margaret Swaine, a very regal intercessory from California, was sitting on a couch punching out small Christmas ornaments from a big cardboard sheet.  It was making a huge mess.  I told her that I did not think we needed that many punched out but Robert (Linda's husband, pastor of Glory of Zion Outreach, and Dean of the Issachar School) came in and said, "Just punch away.  We can use all we can get." This made me mad. 

Then Robert put on a Santa Clause suit and climbed into the Christmas Tree.  There was an opening in the branches that he could come up through.  This made me mad.  Everyone thought this was great fun.  Someone gave a baby to him and he was holding the baby up for everyone to see.  Everyone was laughing and having a great time, so I thought I should try to have fun with them. I got the camera to take a picture of Robert and the baby, but could not get it to work.  I finally was able to take one picture of some of my nieces and nephews, and then turned to take a picture of Robert.  But he had come out of the tree and taken off the Santa Suit.  He said, "That horse hair was too scratchy.  I had to get out of that suit."  This made me mad again.

This part of Linda's dream is very interesting as well.  Linda's emotions in the dream represent many in the Body of Christ who do not want the "mess" associated with the change of season, new birth, and celebration.  Instead they prefer to keep things in an order that they are comfortable with.  Many are not willing to allow the Lord to do something new or unexpected.  Robert represented the leadership of the Church who is willing to move in a new way with the Holy Spirit.  He fully entered into the emotion of the celebration.  When he was presented the baby, he captured the joy of the moment and celebrated what the Lord was doing. 
      Linda made a choice of her will to try and enter in but got distracted by focusing on her family and missed the opportunity to enter the change of season and the new thing.   Notice Linda's attitude toward leadership - whatever Robert did made her angry.  She became angry if he celebrated, if he allowed a mess, and even when he quit celebrating. The Lord desires to deliver many in the Body from hidden, controlled anger linked with religious spirits.  Do not resist His mood or resist entering the celebration.  Watch how He connects you and who He connects you with in days ahead.

The Lord also began to say, "Many individuals who have had wealth but never allowed Me to use it for My Kingdom purposes are now prepared to be used by Me.  I will be bringing many unusual individuals into My Kingdom so that which they have gained from ungodly means CAN BE SANCTIFIED.  Let the messes begin so I can re-adorn My people and so that they can celebrate the power of My birth."

親眼看見天使－－何漱芳牧師的親身經歷

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