God’s Exams and Adjustments
My current job involves speed-reading hundreds of pages of electronic clinical records. When my new prescription eyeglasses arrived earlier this month, I could not see clearly and thought the lenses would have to be remade. The optometrist took a wiser approach. Just a slight adjustment of a few millimeters to the frame was all that was necessary to resolve the issue. Clearly, some things are best handled by a pro!
I was reminded of some repetitive dreams from many years ago, in which I either received a vision exam or new eyeglasses. One dream showed several of us taking a group vision test! Since God speaks in parabolic language, to “see” can mean to “hear.” I knew from the dream symbols that He intended to improve my ability to “hear” Him. (Habakkuk 2:1; Numbers 12:6)
Over time, He did release unexpected keys (revelation) and tools (see Part Two of this post) through dreams and visions, which I hope that you too will find helpful.
Adjusting our Gaze
I was praying about something completely unrelated when Calvary Hill appeared in my living space. Jesus fixed His gaze on me from the cross with Eyes that seemed to say, “I see you; do you see Me?”
Deeply moved that in the height of His unbearable suffering, He would even notice me, my heart melted. His Eyes revealed His love and sacrifice.
From that encounter I learned that dreams from God are more than prophetic images playing on the screen of our minds; they are intentional thoughts of love through Eyes that have searched us and known us, even before we were born (Psalm 139).
Adjusting Our Expectations
True story: Not many years ago, I was in the market for a new car, but the price tag of the make and model that I desired far exceeded my budget. I asked the Lord for wisdom and to bring the right vehicle. Then, I set out to find a lightly used one that I could afford, one not too old and with not too many miles. My efforts fell short.
Days later, a follow up phone call from Rick, a local salesman, urged me to come immediately to look at a vehicle that other buyers were showing an interest in. When I arrived, none of the other salesmen could find the car keys… which Rick “forgot” were in his pocket!
The car had everything that I had desired, with every nice-to-have-if-I-could-afford-it detail, and it was priced for me to drive it home that same day. That was not the only surprise. It happened to be the 8th month, the new car had 8 miles on the odometer (8 means new beginnings), my old vehicle had 77,775 miles and after the test drive, all 7s (7 represents completion). Even the lot number attached to the key fob was meaningful. Such is the work of the Spirit when He is allowed to work freely without our overthinking or over planning or interference.
Later, I exuberantly thanked the Lord for the very welcome gift. His quiet response surprised me, “Why didn’t you ask Me?”
He explained: If you believe when you ask, then you have asked Me. But If you don’t believe when you ask, you haven’t asked Me.
God was right, of course. l had neither “asked” nor “expected” when I decided to pursue a “lightly used” car. (Yet, He is so Gracious!)
Likewise, instead of pursuing dream-lite interpretations, we can ask God about our dreams and expect that He will respond. In fact, many of His responses to my direct questions about dreams, have come through other dreams and visions and unexpected Divine orchestrations.
Sadly, this world trains us to be practical, to temper our expectations – Seeing is believing. On the contrary, Faith requires expectation – Believing is seeing!
To be led by the Holy Spirit means to neither overthink nor to over plan things. Rather, it is to leave room for the unexpected… like serendipity.
Adjusting to Truth
In this world where deception has gone viral, Truth and discernment are indispensable now more than ever.
Who can better teach us to interpret His own language or define Truth than the anointed Speaker Himself (the Spirit of Truth)? (1 John 2:27)
Moreover, according to Romans 10:17, when we hear God’s Word, faith increases in the hearer; confidence in God grows.
Adjusting to The Word
It has been estimated that approximately one-third of Scripture is related to dreams and visions. In Christ (the Living Word), we may see aspects of our lives in the Scrolls of Life, and our spiritual dreams in Scriptures (the written Word) or through different Bible characters. For example:
She left her homeland for a foreign country on a journey of faith (Ruth). He was born under a generational curse with no chance to succeed in life except by Divine intervention (Jabez). They faced execution for not complying with government mandates, but God saved their lives (Daniel, as well as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego).
His employer unfairly docked his wages, until God gave him an infallible business strategy through a dream (Jacob). Though he was faithful and obedient, he was bereaved of the love of his life (Ezekiel). Falsely accused and persecuted, Joseph had a divine appointment with prosperity and favor. These Bible stories and many more are still being told through the lives of others today!
Adjusting to God’s Message
Like daily bread, the written Word of God (the logos) sustains us. However, when that Word leaps off the page as personal revelation or prophesies through a dream to give wisdom, understanding and counsel in the moment most needed, it is rhema.
Who knows the mind of God except the Spirit of God? And Who does the Holy Spirit testify about?
Jesus is often present in our dreams because He is Heaven’s favorite topic of discussion, and we are predestined to be conformed to His image.
We may not initially recognize Jesus in our dreams, but the Messenger is discerned by what He does or speaks, even if He looks like a little child.
To recap:
- When we ask, we should expect God to give us understanding for our dreams and anticipate a change to how we see (hear).
- Whether we find ourselves in a season overflowing with revelation or in a season of dormancy where the Heavens are like brass, we can be assured that God’s love for us and His ability to reach us will never change.
- He speaks His Word to us through dreams and visions, and as we find and hear our dream interpretations in Scriptures, our faith will grow. Faith means having confidence in God (not confidence in self).
- Discernment comes from the Spirit of Truth as we yield to His many optometry exams and “adjustments.”
And finally, when we begin to “see” our dreams through Jesus’s Eyes, to “hear” what He is speaking to us, a good dream interpretation will transform into a God-interpretation. Amen!
