All About Visions: Discerning the Meanings

So, say that the Lord gives a vision.  He may show you something internally--most likely when in prayer or when your eyes are closed--or give a more external, 'open' vision.  Either type is a blessing! Either type of vision is a way that the Lord conveys His word. (1 Samuel 3:1)

Now, this vision is a message from God.  It tells you something otherwise unknowable--it tells you whatever God wills to reveal.  It's knowledge may be meant to apply to yourself, or to your best friend.  Or maybe God wants you to share it with anyone who has ears to hear.  And receiving this vision is relatively easy--it's a free gift! (1 Corinthians 12:4) Interpreting the vision may be a little more difficult.  Our response to any God-given vision should be to seek Him for the fullness of the interpretation.  A picture is worth a thousand words, and any picture God gives is perfect.  In addition, a general rule is that God speaks with double entendres--double meanings.

"One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard..."          Psalm 62:11

So we need to discern the vision and understand that it probably (not always) has a primary and secondary meaning.  I've found that the two meanings contained in a vision probably relate to each other in one of three ways:

1)  The vision relates to the now and also to some time in the future or past.  It's prophetic in that it carries God's mind for this present moment and it's connection to another point on the timeline.  It's a predictive vision.

2)  The vision relates both literally and figuratively--symbolically--to a certain theme or situation.  It may describe both the physical and spiritual aspects of something. It's a parable vision.

3)  The vision relates to a smaller topic and a larger topic--it contains a theme within a theme. This kind of vision zooms in on an issue--it magnifies and "divides" the truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) It allows you to understand how the initial roots of something are manifested farther down the line. Therefore, this vision might reveal either the cause or effect of an event--or both!  It's an amplifying vision.

Now, these three categories are not the only three, nor are they always mutually exclusive.  There are many other potential interpretations found within the visions that God gives.  But I feel that they provide a general template.  Also keep in mind that a vision may not fit into just one of the categories.  It may be prophetic and also apply to smaller forces that cause larger issues.  Or it may be "parabled"--highly symbolic-- and also prophetically point to the future.  Just look at the books of Daniel and Revelation for examples of that!

With so many nuances, potential meanings, and combinations of meanings found within a vision, it's clear we need the help of God to discern.  And we will receive help, if we seek the Lord for it! Remember that Jesus spoke in parables, and His disciples didn't always understand...until they received the Holy Spirit.  And Jesus told His disciples in advance that the Spirit would be the One who would explain all things to them. (John 14:26)  In the same way, it is a yielding to the Holy Spirit that will lead to the full revelation on any vision God gives.  Let's seek Him as He reveals to us the scope and significance of His truth!

"But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him."              1 John 2:27

Word: Convert All Things to Trust

About a week ago the Lord spoke to me some words of encouragement.  He said,

"Today is a day to convert all things to trust."

And He went on with some reassurance in other areas...but I was still convicted by the wording of that first sentence.  Trust!  He was saying that every characteristic should be drained of itself and transformed into a trusting in Him.  Every anxious emotion should be converted into a hope in the Lord.

"Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD."             Psalm 31:24

Now I couldn't do this.  I can't convert all things into trust.  But the Lord can!  And He wants to.  So let's let Him--let's take from Him courage and hope.  God wants to alleviate us from every unbelieving thing.  He wants us to break out of every layer of fear and timidity and abide in Him.  

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

2 Timothy 1:7

He has given us a Spirit that personifies Christ's love.  He has given us His Holy Spirit, which drives out fear (John 4:18). God has given us a Spirit that works all things for our good (Romans 8:28)--a Spirit that converts all things into trust.

"Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."

Psalm 62:8

Snapshot: Seeing the Words

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"                Romans 10:17

This verse essentially describes in reverse order the way that God progressively and tangibly guides us.  So, we read the Word, which is the bible, God's written word.  That's the first step--the step mentioned last in Romans 10:17, from which the other ones flow from.  God's word is an open door, and we need to read it to know Him better.  Then we hear from Him.  Usually hearing is a three part process--and these parts usually come in the following order:

1) The Word, the Bible, comes alive to us in a new way that relates more specifically to us.  A certain verse may jump out.  For example, I may pray for my family and right after read Luke 1:50.  The Word first begins to come alive in this way.

2) We receive from the Lord a vision that comes from, or by, the Word of God.  The Word of the Lord is often characterized in a vision.  This can be seen in Jeremiah 1:11 and Samuel 3:1.

3) The most evident form of hearing is just that--hearing the audible voice of God.  His audible voice differs from that still, small one.  It comes externally, from heaven itself.  It is like the sounds of roaring thunder or many rushing waters (Revelation 14:2)--majestic!!  This is a rarity, or at least it has been for me.  But that doesn't mean that it will be for you!  Whoever asks with purity receives...

So, these are three ways that God speaks to us--three ways that we hear.  They all flow from the words that are in the Bible, the Word of God.  The Holy Spirit makes that book so real!  And He wants to speak to us in all the ways above, and more.  Why does He speak to us?  And consequently, why do we hear His voice?

Because we are sheep that need to stay in touch with our Shepherd.  Because we need to know Him more.  Because we need the faith, the knowing, that cometh by hearing.  

How can we listen to God on a moment by moment basis if we don't hear Him accordingly? We need a revelation from the Word.  We need a vision.  We need a voice.  We need to have the Word made real and dynamic to us--made alive and active (Hebrews 4:12).

After we have faith from the hearing, that's when we can act.  That's when we can really live abiding in God.  That's when we can have success--our joy--guaranteed.  If God tells me to pray for someone who is sick, then I know He will do the work--which is usually a total healing.  If God tells me to smile at someone, then I know that it blessed someone, regardless if I see any results or not.  If I see in a vision while praying that someone I am not with is being healed, then I need to believe that!

I need faith because I heard God, and I need to hear God, in whatever way works, because I read His Word first.  Wigglesworth said, "consume the Word of God until it consumes you".  This is a place where you have heard and believed.

We need to see God's Word for what it is.  We need to see just what He's telling this.  He has given us so many gifts, and we need to step into the fullness of them all.  

God Speaks to His People

The following are excerpts from the book Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby & Claude King:

"GOD GIVES SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS
A popular teaching says God does not give you clear directives. It says He just sets your life in motion. Then you try to figure out the directions using your God-given mind. This implies that a Christian always thinks correctly and according to God's will. This does not take into account that the old nature is constantly battling with the spiritual nature (see Romans 7.) Our ways are not God's ways (See Isaiah 55:8.) Only God can give you the kind of specific directions to accomplish His purposes in His ways....

The Holy Spirit gives clear directives today. God is personal. He wants to be intimately involved in your life. He will give you clear guidance for living. You may say, 'That has not been my experience.' You need to bring your experience up to the Word of God and now lower God's ways to match your own...

If you do not have clear instructions from God in a matter, pray and wait. Learn patience. Depend on God's timing. His timing is always right and best. Don't get in a hurry. He may be withholding directions to cause you to seek Him more intently. Don't try to skip over the relationship to get on with the doing. God is more interested in  love relationship with you than He is in what you can do for Him. (pgs. 94-95)"

"GOD REVEALS HIS PURPOSES
God reveals His purposes so you will know what He plans to do. If you are to join Him, you need to know what He is about to do or what He is already doing. What you plan to do for God is not important. What He plans to do where you are is very important. God speaks with a purpose in mind.

When God came to Noah, He did not ask, "What do you want to do for me?" He came to reveal what He was about to do. It was far more important to know what God was about to do. It really did not matter what Noah had planned to do for God. God was about to destroy the world. He wanted to work through Noah to accomplish His purposes of saving a remnant of people and animals to repopulate the earth. (pg. 99)"


I was very encouraged by these two sections of this book this morning. Lately, I've begun to lose faith in things that God has told me about what He is doing now and in the future, wondering if I even heard His voice correctly. Doubt has been springing up to snatch away the hope I have in His Promises, even Proverbs Promises like, "...He will direct your path."

Last week I went to the Alumni Service at the high school I graduated from. Something was said that morning over and over again after we read Isaiah 40, which was, "Hold onto the Promises of God. He is who He says He is, and He does what He says He is going to do." In one form or another, this message was really driven home, and I was encouraged.

But then of course, I was shot by another arrow of doubt, and didn't withstand it. So this morning, when I walked into my workspace, this book was laid open with a little clump of pages sticking straight up. On the left side was pages 94-95 (the first excerpt), and on the ride side, page 99 (the second excerpt.) These two specific passages were so refreshing to me. It renewed my mind with Truths from God's Word. I often get confirming scriptures from the Bible for things like this, but often God will use books written by Christians to speak to me as well. Praise the Lord!!

I have listened to Charles Stanley since I was younger, but really "got into" his preaching when I was living in Los Angeles, after I had come back to God. One of his staple teachings on "knowing the will of God" is that we must believe that He has a very specific plan for our life, and that we must seek Him diligently to know His "calling" on our life. I know that He has been revealing His will for me, and I also know that the enemy would love to try to make me doubt again, as to render me ineffective in this world. Let us remember the Promises of God! Promises He has given us in His Word, and also Promises He has revealed to us about His plans for us!