Visions and Dreams

[BroMatt]

As Joel prophecied, and Peter quoted as he preached the first message on the day of Pentecost, dreams and visions have a place in the New Testament church. What place? That certainly depends greatly where with whom you are, nevertheless, I thought I would share two that I had many years ago.

Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Act 2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

The first was a very vivid dream....

I was in a maximum security prison. Yet there were no gates, no bars, and anyone could physically come and go as they wanted to, yet it was a maximum security prison. I was standing (being admitted) and wearing only underwear, and I was handed a uniform (the same that all the other prisoners had on) but I refused to put it on, choosing rather to suffer shame than to identify with the imprisoning garment.

Next I was in the mess hall, being served inedible "food" that I rejected rather than eat. I looked around the dining area, and it was filthy, so I tried to help clean it up. I grabbed a broom and started sweeping, and only a swish or two, the broom was loaded up with sand and tar, completely ruined. Looking around, I spotted a machine in the corner and I turned it on, and brgan cleaning the dining area up successfully, however, the entire floorboards were ripped off, showing the foundation of bright red sand under the dining room.

Stepping outside, I saw guards walking on the wall, and was shocked to see that the guards (in this case) were my pastor (at the time) and his wife.

(this was not about "standards", so don't read into the uniform more than is there, I preached standards also)

What I understand the dream to mean....

As an elephant can be "chained" to a stake that a man could pull up with one hand, people can be "imprisoned" by things they believe. They can be in a situation where they both can leave whenever they want to however they can not leave.

Uniformity can set a person's mind to believing they are one thing when they are something else. Jesus came to set us free, and we are free indeed, however, Paul warned about the efforts to bring us into subjection and submission, which some do, making disciples after themselves rather than healthy ones serving Jesus. We have all seen some of this happen.

Pro 27:7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

Things preached and taught are food to the soul, however, some things should not be eaten, for they are spoiled and rancid, like yesterday's manna.

Exo 16:19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
Exo 16:20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
Exo 16:21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.

The filthy dining room was founded on the sand, not on the rock. Sometimes our facility, our procedure, and our methods to distribute great spiritual truth are founded in the ways of the world, not in the way Jesus himself walked, nor those that followed him.

The guards on the wall were my pastor and his wife. I was not in rebellion to them, and in fact I preached for them regularly, at least twice a month. This speaks to the role of leaders, not intended to condemn them specifically.

The dream was a huge upset to me personally, and I would ponder it for years, praying over it. I knew it was from God, but it was no clearer to me than Peter's vision of a sheet with creepy crawlies and the voice saying "Rise Peter, kill and eat."

Act 10:10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
Act 10:11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
Act 10:12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
Act 10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

Many years later, gathered with some other ministers, we baptized 18 people in Jesus name, and were having a great move of God, signs and wonders happening. Though I was used of God to begin these meetings, I soon called for more seasoned ministers to come and help, and over a 6 week period (of meetings daily) they took over all the aspects of the meetings and I was strictly given to fasting and prayer, which I actually preferred anyway. The meetings soon outgrew the initial facility, and we moved into a huge empty church in a major city.

While in prayer, I suddenly had a vision of two very fat demons, they looked like twins. The Lord spoke to me and said that these two demon destroyed the church that had been formerly in that large building (I met the pastor of the former destroyed work, he was very damaged), and that they would destroy this move of God, except we (the leadership) listened to the warning from God and changed our ways.

The two demons had strange names, the one was called "Inordinate Authority" and the other was called "Rebellion against Inordinate Authority".

I didn't know what "inordinate" meant, so I had to research the meaning...

inordinate [ɪnˈɔːdɪnɪt]
adj
1. exceeding normal limits; immoderate
2. unrestrained, as in behaviour or emotion; intemperate
3. irregular or disordered

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/inordinate

During these meetings there had been angel appearances, legs growing out that were stunted, specific words of knowledge revealing the hearts and delivering people, and a lot of supernatural works from the Lord Himself.

I stood and shared with my brethern the warning the Lord had given in this vision, and they all agreed it was God and gave their amens, but nothing changed and the meetings died a premature death very soon.

In conclusion, I believe that often the best leadership is not micro managing and lording over God's people, but in gentleness and with mercy saving everyone with love plucking them out of the fire.

[faithit166]

very interesting matt,

[Blessed56]

Thank you for sharing your dream from so many years ago. God has given me many while in my youth and I now have received understanding. I believe he speaks to many in dreams and visions and gives warnings. but many will not believe and continue on in what they want to believe is right.
My understanding of what God showed you was a bit different, and really in some ways a confirmation to some of those God has given me. So again, thank you for posting this. God bless you.

[Lafon]

For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

(Job 33:14-18)

[BroMatt]

Originally Posted by Blessed56

Thank you for sharing your dream from so many years ago. God has given me many while in my youth and I now have received understanding. I believe he speaks to many in dreams and visions and gives warnings. but many will not believe and continue on in what they want to believe is right.
My understanding of what God showed you was a bit different, and really in some ways a confirmation to some of those God has given me. So again, thank you for posting this. God bless you.

I would love to hear your understanding concerning the dream and the vision. If you would like to send a private message to me, or care to post it on this thread, I certainly have learned to listen to the opinions of others.

[BroMatt]

Originally Posted by Lafon

For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

(Job 33:14-18)

Thank you for this excellent word.

[BroMatt]

I thought I would include one more dream, and also invite if anyone has any dream or vision they have received to please share with us here, if that is ok.

The dream...

I am sitting at a picnic table that is covered with a lot of very good food, and the thing that stands out is the cake with a candle burning in the middle of of the table. Somehow, I upset the entire table, and the food all slides off the back of the table and over the cliff it falls. I go to the edge of the cliff, looking over and see way down there many starving people, that this great feast of food has fallen on, and in the middle of the crowd is a man that the cake has fallen on to his head, and the candle is still burning. They are all shaking their fists at me and cursing me.

I go to the edge of this high cliff, and begin climbing down it to the crowd below, and I hear the Holy Ghost saying "condescend to men of low estate". This high cliff is made up of kitchen utensils, of everything one would use to prepare and serve food. As I get to the base of this high cliff, I turn to face the starving crowds of people, and they greet me warmly and embrace me, including the man with the cake still on his head, and the candle still burning in the middle of the cake.

The Holy Ghost then told me that this great and high cliff represents every method that men do to try to serve the gospel to the lost, and the methods create a high wall and elevate the server, creating an offense to the starving by "dumping" on them from a high position.

Psa 136:23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Luk 1:48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.


Once again, I have meditated on this for decades, and am also open to hearing anyone's opinion on this dream.

I think it speaks to how secret pride can sneak in on us, and successes can make us somehow believe that we are more worthy, and worse, that other's are somehow less worthy. Pride elevates men in their own mind, and the thing I am most aware of at this stage in my life, is that I needed a Saviour then, and I need Him even more so now, or rather am more aware of my need for Him, and for the precious blood He shed for us all.

[jen4yeshua]

Hi Matt, i was very excited when I read about your dreams, and I have had similar symbolism in dreams and visions over the last 7 years.

One dream I had was of an old school ground, with very old fibro buildings in disrepair (holes in the walls, panels missing), and broken-up bitumen on the ground between the buildings. I was standing among the buildings, alone, and there was a very desolate feeling. I looked across and saw a very ordinary-looking man who I realised was the devil, peering around the corner of a building as he hid from me, hoping that I would not leave the place I was in as he had me convinced that I belonged there.

The second instance I want to mention was during a difficult time in church. I had been asked to help on a team as a co-ordinator, and had major problems when I went through the right channels to try to resolve problems with some of the leaders. I had people talking about me instead of to me, and I felt that I was constantly being "back-stabbed" and that there was a huge double-standard depending on your affiliations with "somebodies". I would constantly get confronted with the suggestion of "Who do you thing YOU are?" fron the spirit realm (like a real mockery). I was crying out to God one day, in the depths of despair, because this church was the most progressive one of the organisation we were in at the time, and I had been convinced that to step outside of the organisation was a terrible thing to do. I had a vision of a bird cage with the door open. I was completely "gob-smacked", and sat there amazed at the possibility that God might just have something for us outside of everything we had been taught was "The Truth".

The other dream I had started with a visit to an old man who I somehow knew was our previous pastor (there had been a church split), but he looked different. He didn't seem to recognise the people I was with, and was very old and frail. Suddenly he looked at me with recognition and smiled. I embraced him like a father. Then the dream shifted to being in a room full of people sitting in "church" rows in a community hall or something, but these people were disfigured and stunted, like little infants. I had a piece of fruit bread and wanted to give it to the people, as they were gazing across at me , desperately hungry. They didn't look capable of eating the solid food, but to my amazement, they took the bread from my hands and devoured it.

i have "pondered these things" also, and was glad when I read your dreams and interpretations.

[RandyWayne]

In the last dream I had I was eating breakfast on the beach with an old girlfriend from 20 years ago, along with Cornelius from Planet of the Apes.

Don't know what it all meant......

[jen4yeshua]

I think it's to tell you you're watching too much TV and movies from the 70's, Randy... he he...