Agape Life
Ministries Inc.
www.agapelifeministriesinc.com
SCHOOL OF THE PROPHETS
PROPHETIC WORKSHOP
Sessions 15 & 16
by
Elsabe Briers
UNDERSTANDING DREAMS
Introduction
Our dream world take up one third of our existence and is often a
continuation in the sub-conscious of what is experienced in the conscious.
Dreaming
takes place in the second stage of sleep and is called R.E.M.
1. Importance
of Dreams
“enupnion” en-oop'-nee-on
From G1722 and G5258; something seen in sleep, that is, a dream (vision in a
dream): - dream.
It refers
to a message, a vision or a spiritual conscious experience of a direction and
leading of God in the sub-conscious stage
Act
Act
Young men, old men is speaking about spiritual age, not physical.
Old men dreaming dreams it speaks about the depths of God’s
leading and spirit in you being received to the extent that it comes to the
level of your sub-conscious.
It
is important to realize how to understand your dreams for it can have vital
information about your life – past, present and future. “Where” we live will determine much in
our dream-life.
2. Dreams have 3 sources
Dreams originate from God, self or the devil.
We
need to discern between them and have some keys to understand what God is doing
in our dream life.
1)
We can
receive dreams from God:
a)
God can warn us in dreams
against coming danger and seal our instructions in our sleep.
Job 33:14 For God
speaketh once, yea twice, yet man
perceiveth it not.
Job 33:15 In a
dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in
slumberings upon the bed;
Job 33:16 Then he
openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
Job 33:17 That he
may withdraw man from his
purpose, and hide pride from man.
Job 33:18 He keepeth
back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
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a) Warning dreams:
A: In Matthew Joseph was warned in a dream, and the wise men were warned by a dream. In this case it required action to avoid
danger.
B: We can receive
information from God regarding plans of the enemy to disrepute us or the bring
destruction, which can be avoided by taking up our spiritual weapons of warfare
and doing intercession to ward it off.
If we do not
understand that God speaks to us in dreams, we might miss vital instructions.
b) Message Dreams: God can give us instructions or revelatory dreams about real life
situations or even revelatory teachings or Scripture references.
i) Revelatory dreams
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ii) Angelic encounters
in dreams: Matt. 2: 13 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b)
We can receive Prophetic
dreams, telling us about a future events.
Deu 13:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth
thee a sign or a wonder,
Deu 13:2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass,
whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast
not known, and let us serve them;
Deu 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of
dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD
your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deu 13:4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his
commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
Deu 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death;
because he hath spoken to turn you away
from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and
redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which
the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away
from the midst of thee.
A
Prophet is thus also referred to as a dreamer of dreams.
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Also called symbolic or
parabolic dreams (Gen. 40 – 41)
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2)
Dreams
originating from your self:
a)
Soulish
dreams:
Ecclesiastes
5: 3 “,… for
a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words”.
Ecc 5:7 For in the
multitude of dreams and many words there
are also divers
vanities: but fear thou God.
To keep up the fear
of God! Many, of old, pretended to
know the mind of God by dreams, or were
deceived by wrong interpretations. (Jer_23:25,
Jer_23:26).
Soulish dreams will not
increase the fear of God in your life.
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Jer
23:25 “ I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in
my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.”
b)
Self-alalytical
dreams:
1Co 2:11 “ For what
man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of
God.”
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c)Nightmares, coming from demonic
activity.
Isa 26:3 “ Thou wilt keep him
in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
.
3. Rules in Interpretation of Dreams (Symbolic
Dreams)
a)
Learn to know Symbols in
the Bible: (seed, serpent, trees,
etc)
b)
Ask for discernment
regarding the dreamer’s personal attitudes, desires, negative mind-sets,
pre-occupations, etc.
c)
Also ask the dreamer about
his associations of the topic (like a cat).
d)
Ask God to give you wisdom
to interpret and to apply the dream in wisdom. Rely on the Great Revelator!
e)
Symbols not in the Bible
cannot be interpreted with hard and fast rules. (do not use secular dream books for
symbolic meanings)
In a
symbolic dream, look for recurring words and recurring symbols.
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f)
Chronological events in a
person’s life
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g)
Time span between dreams
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h) Dreams are colored by our emotions
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4. How to benefit from your dream life
In order for your dreams to be under the control of Holy Spirit,
prepare yourself before going to bed by reading the Word and meditating on it,
pray in tongues and go to sleep with worship music. Center your mind on Christ!
Rom 8:6 “ For to be
carnally minded is death; but
to be spiritually minded is
life and peace.”
a.
Write it down or draw it – as
detailed as possible (Date, colors, your emotional state in the dream, details
of clothing, direction of movement, who is speaking, where were you in
the dream?, etc. When you wake up
from a dream in the middle of the night, write it down!
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b.
Ask God, who is the Revelator, to give you
understanding
“….there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made
known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the later days.”
c.
Ask someone who has the gift of
interpretation to help you
d.
Wait for further illumination
5. How to increase in understanding of dreams
Dan 5:12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and
knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard
sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the
king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the
interpretation.
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6. Position Yourself by becoming still and Dream.
Job 33:14 “For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.”
Act
This
does not necessarily speak of dreams in a deep sleep. The word “enupnion” speaks of a dreamlike state. Job 33 speaks of dreaming in deep sleep; Jude vers 8
speaks of inappropriate “dreams”.
We need to cultivate ourselves so that
we become dreamers of dreams. Learn to dream beyond the natural and see beyond
with the eyes of faith.