Visions and Dreams

We are taught in the Bible that in the ancient days of Israel…before His revealed word was given…God communicated with His people through the Holy Spirit by the prophets. Normal people…men and women…who lived faithful lives to the Lord and who He picked to speak through using dreams and visions.  This was not something the individual people sought out or asked to be able to do…they were chosen by God.

There were fifty-eight known prophets (forty-eight men, seven women) recorded in the Old Testament…the major ones being Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekial and Daniel.  

Prophecy and visions are spoken of in the New Testament as well, speaking words of encouragement, exhortation, and comfort.  God revealed Himself through the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.  He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophecies edifies the church.
1 Corinthians 14:3-4 (NIV)

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
Hebrews 1:1-2

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.  
Ephesians 2:19-22

As Christians, we understand that when we accept Jesus Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live and dwell within us.  Empowering us to become more like Jesus, gifting us for His service.  This includes not only gifts of leadership, administration, helping, teaching, wisdom…but also healing, faith, discernment of spirits, prophecy, etc.

I think there does need to be a distinction, however, between visions and prophecies given by God through the Holy Spirit…and what is being experienced in through the occult, New Age, mediums, psychics, etc.  The visions and "prophecies" given by people not empowered by the Holy Spirit is nothing more than a demonic deception.  A twisting of God's good gifts to draw people away from the truth of the gospel.

A true prophet or person who sees visions inspired by the Holy Spirit will never present a message that in any way contradicts God's nature or message as revealed through scripture.  Never.  If it doesn't jibe with the Bible…it's not from God.

There are many false prophets, "seers", psychics, and mediums who are receiving messages from spirits pretty much stating the same message in a variety of ways: Jesus was not God; you can be god or like god; the gospel message of the church (and therefore Jesus) is wrong, there are multiple ways to get to heaven, etc.  

This is one reason why Christians are exhorted in the Bible to test spirits…because not every prophet or seer who speaks in the name of God is doing so under the power of the Holy Spirit.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for manyfalse prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 
1 John 4:1-3 (ESV)

I do believe God continues to speak to His people through dreams and visions.  I have experienced this myself while in prayer or worship.  However, if these dreams and visions are contrary to scripture…done in a manner that is out of order or disruptive, is promoting a different gospel, is puffing up the prophet or seer rather than giving glory to God, is an experience "trained" or "sought" by any means other than through prayerful meditation on God's word, worship, or prayer,  is selfishly motivated, etc…then it's not from God.

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