We all know that feeling — waking up gasping for breath and beaded with perspiration from an intense dream.
We wonder, “Did that dream mean something? Was that from God? Am I being warned of something?”
If I told you that every thought that pops into our heads isn’t always from God, most of you would readily agree. Often, we are more reticent to recognize that the same is true of our dreams. We do have those Holy Spirit-breathed revelations that come to us in dreams. We also have the dreams that bring fear, temptation and distortions from the enemy. Sometimes our own voices also try to process our thoughts — or process that bag of sour gummy worms we ate before bed! So how do we know what, if anything, our dreams mean?
The litmus test for where our dreams come from (and what to do with them) is just four simple questions. First, ask, “How did that dream make me feel?” Even when God sends dreams of warning (think Joseph circumventing Herod), they don’t evoke panic. They evoke a changed course. If your dream is full of doom and fear and doesn’t contain any guidance, insight or message of hope, it’s not God. God is never trying to scare you. He’s the gentle whisper encouraging and confirming you in the right direction.
Second, ask, “Where else is God confirming this?” God is always happy to confirm our questions when our hearts are truly to discern and obey His voice. If He’s given you a message in a dream, ask for confirmation!
Next — this one takes a little imagination — follow the fruit. Ask, “If I let this dream steer me, what is the possible fruit for the kingdom?” God’s purposes in our lives are always for more than just us. Would heeding this dream bring fruit for the kingdom or is it a tactic of the enemy to keep you from something the Lord has?
The final fail-safe is checking the dream against God’s Word and character. Ask yourself, “Is this dream pushing me toward action that goes against God’s Word?” If so, it’s not God.
If the dream doesn’t sound or seem like God, it probably isn’t! But if you’ve prayed through these four questions and all signs point to the Lord as the source, your prayerful conversation with God is just beginning!
Ask the Lord what action or preparation of the heart He’s wanting to accomplish through the dream, and watch the breakthrough your obedience brings! {eoa}
Sara Whitten is an author, speaker, equipper, and the founder of Arrows of Zion Ministry. She and her husband are pastors for the youth of Impact Christian Fellowship in Kerrville, Texas. Sara is a prophetic writer who is featured on the Elijah List, Spirit Fuel, Charisma and more. She hosts Hear God Every Day on the Charisma Podcast Network, a podcast with tools to help amplify the voice of God amidst the noise of everyday life.
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