Job gained an understanding that a dream and a night vision are different, as stated in Job 33:15. A dream requires interpretation, while a night vision is direct and seldom needs interpretation. How many have had a dream where they saw something happening, and this thing happened in the exact order they saw in that dream? Though it seemed like a dream, it was a vision.
God, many times in the Bible, spoke to men in dreams. The challenge is that many people forget the things they see while they are asleep, as exemplified by Nebuchadnezzar. However, when I studied the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, I discovered that the events Daniel spoke about happened in the order Daniel had interpreted. Dreams tell a story of your past, indicating issues that need to be addressed ,in the present things that may affect you, and the future things you need to align with.
Many people ignore the voice of dreams because they assume dreams have no impact in life. However, history has proved otherwise, as seen in the story of Pharaoh and Joseph.
So, there are dreams and night visions, but each of them requires a different approach. The challenge is that, as a church, we have neglected these areas, yet dreams are the primary tool used by God to communicate. There is another vital way God speaks, and many have had these experiences, but have brushed them aside because they were never taught.
These are called “impressions,” which are thoughts inspired by God. It’s a vision and can contain details or instructions from God. The challenge with an impression is that your soul is a hive of activities and thoughts. Without the word, it is hard to discern when God speaks. God speaks to every person.
Many people dream, experience visions, and others experience these impressions, but ignore them because they assume they don’t matter. I remember talking to one of my members, and I began to show her the power of an impression. Days before, she had an impression of her child being beaten by her teacher, and when the child came home, she asked what happened because the child was low-spirited and lacked the excitement she usually carried. The child told her mother how the teacher had beaten her. When the Lord showed her, she brushed it aside as just thoughts. An impression can carry God-inspired visions for your life, and every believer qualifies for this level. Without the word, you cannot distinguish your own thoughts from God-inspired thoughts.
Many people have seen visions; remember I said visions need no interpretation, even though they happen in the same way as a dream because they are direct and show events that will happen. Though many people have had these experiences, from dreams to visions, even impressions, many are not even confident it is God showing them these things or speaking with them, so they do not know how to take advantage of the gifts.
If Pharaoh had ignored his dream, the whole world would have died during that famine. So, when God reveals things to us using various modes, it’s to help and equip us, and you need to master His voice through these different vehicles. Remember the Bible says, “In the last days, I will pour out my spirit, and it shall be a generation of seers and dreamers,” but an untrained seer or dreamer can never fully take advantage of the gift they carry. Begin to walk in consciousness of your gifting in Jesus’ name.
- Humphrey Mtandwa is an apostolic teacher of the word of God and founder of Believers Voice of Triumph Ministries. He has authored many books, including The Enoch Generation, Truthfulness, Night Parables and Theophany. If you want to connect with him or have any questions, get in touch on www.apostlehumphrey.com