Secrets to Hearing God: Dreams and Visions 1 Corinthians 12:11-14
Can God still speak through dreams and visions? While the inward witness remains the primary way the Spirit leads believers, Scripture reveals there are times when God uses more spectacular methods to communicate direction, warning, and revelation. In this episode of the Light on Life Podcast, discover the biblical place of dreams and visions, why believers must never seek the spectacular, and how God may use these scriptural methods to guide His people. Learn the difference between ordinary supernatural leading and rare spectacular manifestations, and why Romans 8:14 keeps us anchored in Spirit-led living. Secrets to Hearing God: Dreams and Visions, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life Podcast.
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Podcast Notes:
Romans 8:14 (NKJV)14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
In last weeks podcast, we gave you the number one way that God will lead you – by the inward witness.
There are other ways that the Lord will lead you. He is not limited in His approach towards you.
Put your faith, not in your ability but in His ability to get the information to you.
Most of the time God will lead you by the inward witness but there are times that He will use other methods.
He will speak to you in your spirit.You will hear words on the inside of you.This is the number two way that God will lead you.
Sometimes God will lead you through more spectacular methods.
Don't Go Seeking the Spectacular
That’s the reason why folks run to prophecy meetings.
It’s a rush.
It's spectacular.
“Prophecy over me – tell me something.”
The truth is you do not need a prophet to lead you.
God has provided other methods in the New Covenant.
Romans 8:14 did not say as many as are led by prophets.
Many miss the supernatural looking for the spectacular.
The spectacular supernatural is rare compared to the ordinary supernatural.
Never seek visions and dreams on your own.
Do not pray that God will give you visions and dreams.
If the Lord wants to show you some things by this method – fine – but don’t seek these things.
Many people have been led astray in these areas.
Visions 101
The Gift of Discerning of Spirits
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NKJV)4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Discerning of Spirits is not discernment or perception.
Discerning of Spirits is the ability to see into the spirit realm.
The Spirit realm contains
Angels are in the spirit realm
Demons are in the spirit realm
God is in the spirit realm
Jesus is in the spirit realm
Your mansion is in that other realm
There are animals, peoples, buildings, grass, mountains, etc in that other realm.
The Reason We Can't See Into the Other Realm
The spiritual realm moves at a different speed.
Illustration: Guns and BulletsYou cannot see a bullet being shot out of a gun. The bullet is being propelled faster than your eyes can see it. Your eyes don’t see the actual cartridge flying through the sky. What you do see is the effect of the bullet.
The spiritual realm moves at the speed of light.
Light travels at the rate of 186,000 miles a sec.
In the spirit realm, the ‘zero’ on all the vehicles speedometer is 186,000 miles a second and it goes up from there!
The reason you don’t see angels is because they move too fast for eyes to pick them up. But, they are there. Right in your room.
[Tweet "In the spirit realm, ‘zero’ on all the speedometers is 186,000 miles/sec. It goes up from there."]
Visions Are Where God Permits You To See Into The Other Realm
He will either speed your eyes up or slow the other realm down so that you can see.
Elisha's servant saw angels
2 Kings 6:14- 18 (NKJV)14 Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
Angels were there the whole time.
Elisha did not pray that the beings would come from heaven.
He prayed that his servants eyes would be opened so he could see what was already there.
God Gives Direction Through Visions
Cornelius received direction from an angel in a vision - Acts 10:1-6
Peter received direction from an angel in a vision - Acts 10:9-20
Notice verse 19
Acts 10:19 (KJV)19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
Notice he had a vision and then the Spirit said something to him.
He received communication two ways.
Call to Action:
Acts 2:17 (NKJV)17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,Your young men shall see visions,Your old men shall dream dreams.Be open to God's methods of communication. Our supernatural God uses supernatural ways to get our attention. He is committed to leading into life and peace.