In Your Dreams!

In my last four articles we have learned both the physical and spiritual importance, along with the benefits of constant unbroken fellowship with God.

To read the last four use these links:  1) Have you left God in Bed?  2) Breakfast with God  3) God says, “Let’s do Lunch.”  4) Jesus Invites You to Supper

Make a conscience decision to stay focused on the presence of the Lord. A moment by moment freewill choice to walk with the Lord.

If you have accepted any of my challenges to invite Jesus to spend the day with you, or if you have simply accepted His invitations, ‘to you’ for fellowship in your life. You most certainly will have found purpose and direction in your daily life.

The effects of fellowship and prayer have an astounding impact on the your goals and purpose to life. Most of you have heard the saying, ‘Knowledge is Power.’ The better way to put this is: Power comes from the Knowledge received by God.

Who needs a cheat sheet? Just acknowledge the Fathers wisdom and guidance for your life. God knows what you need before you ever realize you have a need. (Matthew 6:8)

God has a plan for your life. It is still your freewill choice to follow it.

You can say no to His will and continue to struggle. Keep doing it the hard way or, Stop! You can tap into the resources that the Almighty has at your disposal. Just Ask! (James 4:2)

If you call yourself a Christian, jump out of bed and hurry off into the day’s events without prayer, or an invitation to Jesus’ for fellowship throughout your day. You are definitely going about it the HARD WAY.

You are most assuredly choosing your will over God’s will. This is an open invitation by default for Satan to attack you. Your protection from yourself, Satan, and the evil that clearly exists in the world comes from God. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. (James 1:14)

Satan’s Perversion

One of Satan’s most successful perversion on Believers is complacency. So many ‘Christians‘ think that one hour a week or a quick little prayer will suffice for the day or week.

Tell me. When you really stop to think about it, how does that even, really make any sense?

Satan has been around a long time and is very good at sneaking into the cracks in your spiritual life. Satan uses your selfish self will, bending it just enough to redirect your steps into trouble. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)

What does make sense is to stay in constant fellowship, constant protection, constant provision, and constant contact with the Lord!

If you are walking with God Almighty, NOTHING can stand in your way or lead you astray. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

God wants a Relationship not a Religion. Satan can twist your religion, but he can’t touch your relationship with God.

A healthy relationship with God is like a force field around you, deflecting all the fiery darts that Satan throws at you and your life’s purposes. Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (Ephesians 6:16)

I wrote an article called The Subconsciously Conscience Christian that explains how to reshape and wrap your self-conscience-nous around a Christ-conscience-nous. (Romans 7:15-20) You can read this article to help you further develop an intimate relationship with God.

Anatomy of Sleep

A healthy interrelationship with God will lead you into a subconscious awareness to better assist as your guide. This awareness will permeate into your dreams.

As much as on third of our lives are spent asleep. Sleep is a behavioral state that is a natural and necessary part of every individual’s life. A common misconception is that the brain shuts down to rest. This is not the case, sleep is an active dynamic process.

Some common brain activities increase dramatically. Such as the activity of delta waves, which are a type of high amplitude brain wave having a frequency from one to four hertz. These waves can be measured using an electroencephalogram (EEG).

The endocrine system increases secretion of hormones during sleep, such as growth hormones and prolactin. During the sleep stage cycle know as ‘REM’ short for Rapid Eye Movement, many parts of the brain are just as active as any other time while wide awake.

Doesn’t it just make good sense to realize that God will not waist one third of your life and His time with unproductive sleep. This is an opportunity for God to rejuvenate both the spiritual as well as the physical mind and body.

Vision-s

This is a battleground that many Believers ignore. In the bible dreams can also be referred to as “vision-s.”

Here are some names of a few well known men’s dreams in the bible; Job, Jacob, Joseph, King Nebuchadnezzar, King Solomon, and Daniel’s dreams. There are plenty more in the bible to read with new eyes and ears to hear.

In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, (Job 33:15)

Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.” (Daniel 2:1-3)

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.(Daniel 7:1)

The multitude of all the nations who fight against Ariel, Even all who fight against her and her fortress, And distress her, Shall be as a dream of a night vision. It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, And look—he eats; But he awakes, and his soul is still empty; Or as when a thirsty man dreams, And look—he drinks; But he awakes, and indeed he is faint, And his soul still craves: So the multitude of all the nations shall be, Who fight against Mount Zion.” (Isaiah 29:7-8)

This is a repressed battleground waged in your dreams/visions. This is an overlooked backdoor to your conscience. In your minds eye deep into the heart of your thoughts. This is a spiritual battleground the Church rarely (if ever) delves into.

God seeks to guide, teach, talk, and even test us while we slumber.

For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. (Job 33:14-16)

The above verse in Job explains how God will use sleep to broaden our understanding with the wisdom of purpose through instructions. This is also a quite time opportunity, for God to test us.

Tested

King Solomon ruled in approximately 967 B.C. His kingdom extended from the Euphrates River north to Egypt in the south. His most famous crowning achievement was the building of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. King Solomon was a wise and very wealthy man tested by God. So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. (2 Chronicles 9:22)

King Solomon received his test and blessing while he was asleep. Carefully read the following passage with this understanding in mind.

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” (1 Kings 3:5-14)

Your wisdom knowledge to understand is this: We are responsible and held accountable for anything we do. Whether we are awake or while we are asleep. Just a Solomon was tested, we are responsible before God. If we carry out an ungodly act in a dream, it is sin, and we are responsible before God.

Solomon was not a pawn puppet during this test in his sleep. Solomon made a comprehensive decision and presented an entire eloquent speech. Solomon’s speech pleased the Lord so much that he became healthy, wealthy, happy, and wise.

Yet, another quick example: Abraham does not tell the full truth to Abimelech saying Sarah is his sister, when Sarah is really his wife. God visits Abimelech in a dream. Abimelech and God converse just as if it were not a dream at all. Abimelech displays coherent lucid thinking providing an astute response to the Lord; All within his dream.

And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”

But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”

And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid. (Genesis 20:1-8)

While God’s intentions are righteous; Satan’s perversion seeks to interject and present his nefarious ideas and temptations. A very well known; but overlooked example in the bible, is through the testing of God’s servant Job. Job states in his own words the attacks and effects of Satan in and on his dreams.

When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,’ Then You scare me with dreams And terrify me with visions, So that my soul chooses strangling And death rather than my body. (Job 7:13-15)

Wake-up

If you or your children, wife, family, or friends are having sleep issues, nightmares, restlessness, reoccurring dreams, or other non medical sleep disorders; Check-in with God to see if it is spiritual.

Parents and Grandparents wake-up. Do not ignore a child’s nightmares and cry for help. Leave the nightlight on, but most importantly pray together and seek sweet peace with God.

When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. (Proverbs 3:24)

After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me.(Jeremiah 31:26)

Satan does not want you to have ears to hear or eyes to see the perversions inflicted upon the world’s slumbering time. This sleep time for most, is a missed opportunity to rest in sweet sleep with God. Yet, Satan runs rampant terrorizing mankind, with unholy influences while backs are turned and minds wearily sleep.

We have now come full circle in our understanding of the importance of walking in constant unbroken contact fellowship with God. You now know this to mean twenty four hours a day. This includes the unknown forgotten one third of your life called sleep.

A word to the wise: Do not go overboard getting caught up in dreams, the interpretation of dreams, hinging on the metaphysical. Radical or obsessive behavioral activities concerning sleep is unproductive. Some questionable churches get so caught up in dreams as to become prideful and arrogant. (Ecclesiastes 5:7) For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.

The author of the Book of Ecclesiastes eludes us. Some believe it to be an elder Solomon. Some believe that the book has a pseudonymous author. Some are content to just say, “Someone inspired by God.” While the author may elude us, the teaching does not. Vanity and Pride are corrosive to a message given by God, within your dreams.

The Purpose

God can and does use our dreams to enhance our lives and His Kingdom. Bible prophesy teaches us that in the latter days dreams and visions will increase.

(Ecclesiastes 5:7) also tells us to fear God. This is a healthy fear through respect. Love in obedience to His laws and commandments.

If you fill you mind with scripture and let it sanctify your thoughts. Awake or asleep you will be content and blessed.

My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
When you roam, they will lead you;
When you sleep, they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you. (Proverbs 6:20-22)

As time marches on we most certainly advance upon the truths found in the prophecies of scriptures. Whether you believe we are in the last day or not; Will not effect the outcome of God’s word.

The last days are made evident by every prophecy fulfilled. One prophecy in its infancy of fulfillment is found in (Acts 2:17). All over the world God is pouring out His Spirit. We know the spiritual battle is in raging. Seething with the foundational revelations given in God’s Word.

‘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.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’

(Acts 2:17-21)

Sweet Dreams!