Dreams and Visions

[OsoWeakbutHeIsStrong]

"The Lord spoke to me in a dream!"

Just go to Youtube and type in: "prophetic dream".  You could waste hours watching people tell their accounts of dreams and visions that "the Lord has given" them.  Sadly, these people are confused and deceived.  They don't quite understand how the devil works, so they fall into the same trap that I did before I was born again.  (Believing that I had prophetic dreams that could only come from God)

It's crazy how many people are ready to hear the "word of the Lord" from a cat lady who claims to have had a dream from God rather than going to the Bible.  Some of these videos have tens of thousands of views (I saw one that had 253K views all from just one MONTH ago) and comment sections filled with "Praise the Lord!" and "Maranatha! Jesus is coming soon!"

And all this praise is because of someone's pathetic unbiblical dream.

The most exciting Youtube prophets seem to be the ones that share their "rapture dreams".  These accounts are  most definitely ear tickling fodder for those who lack discernment.  I saw that one of these videos (from 8 days ago) has already been viewed by 6K people.  The woman's channel is called FaithInTheFire777 so you know that with a name like that, she just has to be born again. 

Of course I'm being sarcastic, but it really is sad to see so many deluded people like this who think that they'll be translated into the Kingdom of Heaven.  This is nothing to laugh at, and to hear Jesus say "I never knew you: depart from me" would be the worst thing that anybody could ever hear.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:22-23

Unfortunately, the reality of this verse will become clear to this woman if she doesn't fall to her knees in humble repentance.  If you watch her video all the way through, you can see that her testimony lacks godly sorrow and grief over sin.  Instead, it's all about having a "divine appointment" making a "profession of faith" and "becoming born again".  This is NOT a testimony!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvnizBtUKVY

But this post isn't about a Youtuber's testimony.  (I just wanted to point out the churchianity/easy believism that we see all to often in the world.)  Instead, this post is about the danger and deception of prophetic dreams.

As I was reading in Matthew 27, I came to this passage (vs 17-18 are posted for context):

17. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 18. For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

19. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
Matthew 27:17-19

Some might be tempted to say that this was a dream from God.  I mean, Jesus was a just man!  All that was true, so what would be wrong with someone having a dream that, if obeyed by her husband, would've saved Jesus' life?  The dream seems so innocent and good on the surface, but when you look at it up close, you can see how destructive it was meant to be.

The dream was given to the wife of the governor (Pilate). Not only was she (most likely) able to influence him with her opinions, but this was a prophetic dream that carried even more weight.  Pilate was the one person who had the power to overrule the mob's decision and release Jesus. 

Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
John 19:10

This dream was a warning for Pilate not to be a part of the judgement against Christ, but was it also satan's attempt to ultimately stop God's plan of redemption? Or was this simply a case of Pilate's wife being troubled in her own mind and then eating something spicy before bed?  Why is this dream recorded in the Bible? 

We know that God DID give dreams to certain people throughout the Bible, but we see other instances of vain dreams from the devil. 

For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.
Zechariah 10:2

We also know that satan transforms himself into an angel of light, so these false dreams can seem like they're good.

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14

Before I was born again, I had numerous "prophetic dreams" that really ended up happening.  I used to think that they were a gift from God, but now I know that they were actually a wicked divining spirit.  The dreams were innocent enough, like I dreamed very specific things about people's pregnancies, injuries and other events.  In one case I dreamed that my grandmother hit her head on the fire place and laid there all night.  In my dream I couldn't pick her up or help her, but I stood in her kitchen and just watched over her all night long.  In the morning I called my mom to see if my grandma was okay (because when I would have these dreams about people, I was used to them being true.)  My mother told me that she wasn't okay, she had hit her head on the fireplace and laid there all night...just like in my dream.

Why would I now (since I've been born again) think that these dreams were from a wicked spirit and not a gift from God?  Because they did what they were supposed to do.  They made me feel like I was special, and I took pride in the fact that people were in awe of my "prophetic dreams".  It kept me on the wrong track to hell when I believed that I was going to Heaven because "God wouldn't give me a gift like that unless I was one of His".  Meanwhile, I never picked up a Bible to read God's written word.  My "spirituality" was based on my dreams, experiences, and foolish deceitful heart.

It's a miracle that I received salvation, and I praise God because I was once one of those who was fixated on rapture dreams, feelings and experiences, but now I see that it's complete nonsense.  God's word is the objective standard of truth, and nothing else. 

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 17:17

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:16

The verse doesn't say, All DREAMS and experiences are given by inspiration of God, but so many people look to them as the final authority for all matters of faith and practice.  The woman (in the video) that I mentioned earlier might have read the next verse, but she still puts more faith in her "rapture dream" wherein she heard from an angel that her family was going to be raptured.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:8

When people have dreams about the rapture and then see it as proof that "the believing will soon be leaving" (a cutesy catch phrase I've heard from pre tribbers); I just see it as satan having a hay day with those who follow their heart and trust in their experiences.  These foolish "prophets" are deceiving and being deceived when they boast their rapture dreams.

3. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

6. They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.  7. Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?  8. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 13:3,6-8

Pre trib rapture dreams should be seen for what they are; a "gift" from another god (the god of the dreamer's wicked and vain imagination).

For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
Ecclesiastes 5:7

[creationliberty]

Points to consider about true prophecy/dreams in Scripture:

1. The prophecies were not self-serving. They were almost never about the prophet himself.
2. The prophecies rebuked, corrected, and instructed the hearers of it.
3. The prophecies were very specific, never vague, and not left open to feeling or speculation.
4. The prophecies typically put the prophet himself in danger of violent retaliation from the listeners, and the prophets spoke the prophecies at great risk of physical harm and other losses.

Ask yourself if the person giving the "prophecy" matches any of these descriptions.

[anvilhauler]

Not exactly the same but I wouldn't at all be surprised if this was the same type of lying scenario being played out when in the Pentecostal and other "churches" people who claim to be Christians are prayed for by others who claim to be Christians and they fall over and begin "speaking in tongues".  It seems most unusual that that would happen to people who I could only consider to be a "church go-er" that is clearly unrepentant and has no hunger for the word of God.  And the person doing the "praying" is no better. 

Over time I had watched these people and there had been no growth at all in their lives from what I could see and one of them I met up with at the pool from the "Baptist church" that I hadn't seen for over twenty years still showed no sign of any growth.  Lying spirits is what I put it down to as well as some of those who have dreams. 

[Rowan M.]

It sounds to me like your dreams were coming from some sort of spirit of divination, Annalisa. As you say, one of the key indicators that the dreams were from an evil source was the pride they filled you with. Had they been from God, they would have humbled you.

Interestingly, a passage at the start of Deuteronomy 13 warning about false prophets also refers to DREAMERS OF DREAMS:

If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 13:1-3)

Notice that this talks of signs and wonders coming to pass. That could include something like a "prophetic" dream coming true. Satan can do counterfeit miracles, and I think we are witnessing that in today's Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. They set great store by signs and wonders. Just like the miracles that the Antichrist's false prophet will do, the goal is to lead people away from God. Also, dreaming dreams seems to be a big part of how false prophets operate.

A passage in Jeremiah also references the use of dreams by false prophets:

Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish. (Jeremiah 27:9-10)

I think it's rather significant here that dreamers are lumped in with diviners, enchanters and sorcerers - all practitioners of witchcraft. That shows that the dreams they are experiencing, even if they come true, are not of God, but rather, the Devil or some other demonic source. Another passage in Jeremiah directly associates false visions with divination:

Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. (Jeremiah 14:13-14)

So, they were not prophesying what God told them (even though they claimed to speak on His behalf), but just saying whatever was in their wicked hearts. Again though, it's important to take note of the end goal. It's about turning people away from God, and towards idols, rebellion and suchlike. The false prophets of Jeremiah's day were telling the people that they wouldn't be in exile for long. According to them, a time of peace was coming, not war and suffering. They were all about positive messages, just like the false teachers today. Whereas true prophets of God give messages that, as Chris mentioned, rebuke, correct and instruct. False prophecies often tend to FLATTER people:

For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. (Ezekiel 12:24)

If you listen to a lot of false prophecies today, they often go on about how great the hearers are, or how great their country is, or how God is going to do some amazing thing soon, and so on. The "dreams" that lady had about being "raptured" were kind of flattering to her and her family. ("Hey, you're really special, so you're going to be raptured soon" is the underlying message, IMO.) And of course, flattery puffs you up. True prophecy, on the other hand, is often meant to humble you to repentance. After all, a lot of the prophecies made by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and others were rebuking sin, urging people to repent and warning of dire judgements to come if they did not do so. Even when the prophecies were positive, they were never flattering.

Anyway, those are a few thoughts I had on this subject. Thank you for starting this discussion and sharing the testimony of your own experiences with dreams.

[someguy85]

Umm, basically what Chris said.

Doesn't take much reading in the old testament to see how well the prophets of old were received. Elijah was hunted by Queen Jezebel, one of his prophecies was that she was going to be eaten by dogs.

Jeremiah prophesied the destruction of Israel because of their wickedness.

Isaiah prophesied that God would judge Israel if they didn't repent, (they rewarded him by putting him in a log and sawing him in half.)

Samuel prophesied that Saul would be replaced as king.

None of them had their words accepted with praise and admiration which is what you see all the time in supposed church buildings led by someone who claim to be able to predict the future. And as far as false prophets go, claiming to deliver the words of God Almighty when they weren't God's words is such a grave offense that it was punishable by death in the OT.

And yes, they also love being vague or hedging their bets so well that there's virtually no chance that they could be wrong, funny thing is a lot of witches and divination practitioners do the same thing.