Skip to main content

Sources of Dreams

A dream may be defined as "thoughts, images, and visions that pass through the mind while one is asleep" (cf. Daniel 4:5 (NIV); Daniel 2:29 (NKJV)).

There are at least three sources of dream:
1. The Human Body (The senses being awake to external stimuli while one is asleep).
2. The Soul (Mind, Will, Emotions)
3. The Spirit

1. Body
E.g. (a) A person hears someone calling his name in a dream; he awakes and finds that someone in reality had been calling his name.
(b) A hungry man sleeps and dreams of eating something; he awakes and finds that it was just a dream.

"as when a hungry man dreams that he is eating, but he awakens, and his hunger remains; as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but he awakens faint, with his thirst unquenched." (Isa 29:8 NIV)

2. Soul
E.g. (a) A scientist has been thinking a lot about a particular problem; in a dream, the thoughts converge into a solution.
(b) A depressed person experiences dreams of anxiety.
(c) A man has been watching or thinking of erotic themes and experiences the same in a dream or a series of night dreams.

"a dream comes through much activity" (Ecc 5:3 NKJ)
"If I say, 'My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,'then You frighten me with dreams And terrify me by visions; so that my soul would choose suffocation, Death rather than my pains. (Job 7:13-15 NAU)

3. Spirit
(a) God can speak to a person through a dream. He may speak through a symbolic dream or speak directly in a theophany or speak through an angel. (Gen.20:3; 31:11; Dan.2:1; Matt.2:13)
(b) The Spirit gives dreams (Joel 2:28)

(c) In those who are not regenerated by the Spirit and in whom the Spirit of God doesn't dwell; evil spirits may be able to produce false images (thought-images) as dreams of the mind. The Bible talks of demons being able to inject thoughts in the minds of people (Acts 5:3).

However, there is no proof that the devil can inject thoughts through dreams in the mind of the redeemed. But, it seems from empirical data that evil spirits oppress the not-redeemed in ways that the not-redeemed sometimes experience nightmares.

Few Facts About Spiritual Dreams
1. Symbolic dreams given by God produce anxiety in the spirit to know the interpretation (Dan.2:1)
2. In a spiritual dream, the will of a child of God is not suspended; s/he can usually make a choice (1Kgs.3:5ff) and the choice is honored as if in a dreamless waking state.
3. God may come to us in a dream in order to warn us of something, promise us something, grant us something, or show us something (Matt.2:12; Acts 18:9,10; 23:11 (though this might have been a vision and not a dream); 1Kgs.3:5ff; Dan.2:45).

"And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." (Joe 2:28 NKJ)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Poll Results: Are all Mission Fields Harvest Fields?

On Monday, April 30, I started a poll on the following question: Jesus said: "The fields are ripe for harvest... I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor." (Jn 4:35,38) DOES IT APPLY 2 NON-JUDEO LANDS AS WELL? They don't need preparation and sowing? Rather, they are as equally ripe for harvest as Judea-Samaria was because of previous labor by somebody (local indigenous religions and prophets!)? A total of 18 votes were cast with the following main results: YES = 9 I believe it wherever the gospel is preached and people respond. = 5 NO = 1 I'M NOT SURE = 0 One Scholar responded saying: "I think God's Spirit is at work with all people all the time through various way, and sundry ways as Hebrews says. hence they are ready for harvest... but the church is too slow to go." A Pastor responded saying: "I do believe that even in the remotest areas, the fields are alread...

Rocketing Prices Make Vegetables and Fruits a Luxury in India

Prices of agro-products soar higher in India, making fruits and vegetables almost a luxury. The Times of India reports: "The price of almost every vegetables except onion and potato has gone up to 25 to 30 per cent in the wholesale market and retail price staggering up to 45 to 50 per cent. A random market survey revealed an increase in the price of spinach to Rs 40-45 from Rs 10-15 kg a few days back. "The price of tomato has gone up to Rs 55-60 from Rs 40 a kg and capsicum to Rs 60-80 from Rs 40 per kg at the start of this month. The price of onion has gone up to Rs 20 from Rs 15-18 per kg but still remained steady in the market. "Variation between the wholesale prices and retail prices is staggering between 25%-30%." (Lucknow: July 17, 2009). Lauki (bottle gourd) went from being Rs. 7-10 per kg to Rs. 40 per kg. The price of lentils has shot up to Rs. 85 per kg from Rs. 40-45 per kg. The saying "dal bhat ab ameeron ka khana hei" (lentils and rice are n...

Three Divisions of Philosophical Theology

Also discussed as "God of the Rationalist or God of the Empiricists " at Philpapers.org Philosophical theology can be basically divided into three classes: Rationalist theology, Empirical theology, and Intermediate Theology. Rationalist Theology  includes isms such as monism (e.g. Parmenides and Zeno) and non-dualism (Advaitins of India) whose assertions are usually supported by arguments that rationally dismiss experience as false and irrational. This they do with reference to ultimate concepts such as unity, necessity, infinity, immutability, and transcendence (none of which can be predicated of the things of experience). Thus, God becomes the "wholly other" transcendent reality that can only be talked about  via negativa. Empirical Theology,  on the other hand, is quite the opposite of the previous. It actually brings religion down to the earth. The gods and goddesses are more human like, and earthly; and, of course, positively understandable in empirical categor...