The Question:
I have never had a prophetic dream or vision to my knowledge. Most of my dreams are like horrible things happening to my family, dysfunction between me and my mother (that is going on in my real life and has been as long as I can remember), my car getting broken into etc.
I feed my spirit and mind with godly things most of the time, so I am wondering how I can start having godly dreams or learn to hear God’s voice through my dreams. Please give me your input.
– LAG, City Unknown
Part 1: Dreaming and Healing
Part 2: Receiving from God in the nighttime hours
Dreaming and Healing (Part 1)
Remember the fact that we DO dream is a gift and provision from God. Think of dreams like a pressure cooker valve: there has to be some way of releasing all the “gunk” in our lives or we would blow. Dreams do that and I’m sure that is part of what happens for you.
The dysfunction in your family is worked through as you dream. Should healing and healthiness come to you and your mother, I believe that your dreams would begin to change. Therefore, let’s spend a little time figuring out how to work toward wholeness in this area. Then in Part 2 we will discuss receiving godly dreams.
God is always in the business of restoration and recovery. Also, since a mother daughter relationship can be such a beautiful thing I would like to see you experience it. You may get clues to healing in your dreams themselves if you pay attention to the details. I first suggest you begin to write down your dreams in the morning and what emotions they evoked in you.
Do you know the deep root causes of your difficulty with your mother? You mentioned this has been going on for as long as you can remember. Do you have difficulty respecting your mother? Are there jealousy issues between the two of you? Have you felt unloved or misunderstood by your mother? Does she feel that way about you? Each time you think of ways you don’t get along, try to dig deeper and get to the underlying emotions.
You also mention other kinds of disruptive dreams such as your car being broken into. This may represent ways in which you feel “violated” in your life. Your car may represent traveling forward in life and you feel that can’t happen – something stops it. Look at your house in your dreams as representing your life and your car as representing your possessions or your direction in life. If you think of it that way, how do your dreams strike you now?
After you dream, ask the Holy Spirit immediately to show you what is important about that dream and how it can lead you in a healing path. Once some deep emotional issues in your life are understood and dealt with, you will be more open to receiving “God dreams”.
Receiving from God in the nighttime hours (Part 2)
Not everyone has to have prophetic dreams and having prophetic dreams does not say that you are more spiritually advanced than the next guy. However, God uses the common experiences of life for spiritual purposes. Dreaming is common to all men and it is one of the common ways that God communicates with us.
Talking about God’s rich provision, Psalm 127:2 says; “It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.” God is always giving to us, even when we are asleep. He is giving us rest, he is giving us dreams for various purposes and he is often giving us direct information through our dreams.
Before we discuss hearing from God during the nighttime, ask yourself how well you hear from him during the daytime. Do you have a regular communication time with God in which you not only speak to him all that is on your heart but where you also leave some room for listening? And when you do listen, do you feel you hear his voice?
Everyone can hear the voice of God. If that were not true, why did Jesus say; “When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice”? (John 10:4) If you have not had practice in how to listen you may need a little help. As you increase in sensitivity to the voice of God, it will probably follow that you will hear the Lord’s voice through dreams also.
My suggestion for learning how to tune in to God’s voice is to obtain the material by Mark & Patti Virkler called “How to Hear God’s Voice.” I have used it myself and have taught from it and I highly recommend it. The Virker’s website is www.destinyimage.com.
Regarding carrying that over into dreams; don’t forget to ASK. Every night before you go to sleep pray a simple pray inviting the Lord to visit you during your slumber. Also pray a hedge of protection around yourself and around your house and all your possessions. When I get into bed each night I nearly always say; “Lord, please lay over me like a blanket. Post angels at my doors and windows.” Pretty simple but nightmares are almost unknown to me.
Your simple desire to hear more from the Lord must warm his heart. I wish you great success. May you be blessed with ever sweeter dreams!
Read more articles on dreams.
I read your insights after poor sleep for 2 nights, and generally busy pointless dreams for months. I believe these ideas will help. Thanks to the Lord for your efforts.