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GOD
SPEAKS THROUGH DIFFERENT KINDS OF VISIONS
The Word says in the last
days the Holy Spirit will be giving many visions and
dreams. “In the last days” God said, “I will pour out
my Holy Spirit upon all mankind, and your sons and
daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see
visions, and your old men dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17 TLB)
Visions are a special and
unique way of hearing from the Lord. Some speak of
vision as a general term, as in visualizing a future
perspective, or goal. However, the Greek and Hebrew
refer to vision as sight.
Vision; gaze, look, behold,
see, sight, and view.
[2375/2377 Heb Strong’s and
3706/3705 Gk Strong’s]
A Biblical vision is a
literal, spiritual and sometimes a physical happening.
It’s not a product of the mind, imagination or logic.
Receiving a vision is a gift from the Lord: an
experience of sight, not the imagination. For purposes
of definitions there are 5 types of visions:
1. Pictures, like a still
photograph, on the screen of the mind. (In my rhema, I
call them PIX:)
2. Visions which are
moving scenes.
3. Visions of gazing
wonder which are like trances.
4. Visions through opening
of the literal eyes.
5. Being carried away in
the Spirit which are revelatory experiences.
HE SPEAKS THROUGH PICTURES
Pictures, in my experience,
contain one scene and usually appear in a flash without
prior notice. I cannot remember seeing a picture when I
was given the time to stop and look. It happens very
quickly, and remains just long enough for me to notice
and then it vanishes. Pictures are usually one screen
snapshots, like a photograph that does not have movement
in them. There are two types of pictures noted here:
PICTURES WHEN ASLEEP
The strongest and most
vivid I see are at night when asleep. Although, it is
not like the vividness of gazing visions, it is the most
vivid of pictures. When it appears, I see, then the
Lord alerts me and I understand with my conscious mind
what I just saw! I also see the same kind of picture
visions when I am at deep rest and communing with Him -
with my eyes closed and not asleep.
One fun example happened
the night after my husband and I had been playing the
game Rummikub. (Pronounced like Rummy-Cube, looks
similar to dominoes, plays like Rummy.) That night in
bed I saw a flash picture of a Rummikub with the number
222 on it. The Lord went on to say something about me,
which I dutifully wrote down in the midst of my
slumberous fog before crashing back to sleep. The next
morning I looked up the number 222 in my Strong’s
Exhaustive Concordance. I was tickled to find that the
number 222 means Alexandria, which is where my name
Sandy comes from. It was a delightful confirmation to
what I heard that night.
PICTURES WHEN AWAKE
The second type of picture
I see is when I’m awake, but with my eyes closed in
worship. It is received like the others, but is more
subtle and less vivid. My eyes are closed, therefore I
see it on the screen of my mind. It’s important to
note, when it is flashed on the screen of my mind, in no
way is it related to thoughts or imagination. We can
have day dreams as humans and some see with their
imagination quite clearly. Artists especially have this
skill. A picture from the Lord is not involved with
our thoughts. It comes suddenly with surprise and is
not a part of us or our mind. It is an experience that
happens TO us, and not through us. (Through us is our
involvement with thoughts of our mind - to us is an
uninvolved surprise.)
As an example of this
particular kind of picture, I was standing in a service
worshipping the Lord with my eyes closed and I saw a
very faint, but definite picture of a pair of angel
wings standing in front of me. Then I saw the wings
enclose me as though in a hug. I was so touched by this
I just stood there in awe. It was a simple picture, but
I was thrilled. When a friend came back to her seat, I
told her the story of how I had always wanted to be
hugged by God. And I had just been hugged by God
through His angel!
As she heard me share this,
she asked a strange question. She said, “Did you see
me?” I had no idea what she was talking about.
Evidently she was in the corner with a pair of white
filmy banner-like flags, moving them back and forth to
the music in the same motion I had seen. While she was
doing this, she was praying for people and said, “Lord I
wish I was an angel so I could fly around and meet
people’s needs like they do.” It was quickened to me
that she was unknowingly stating what the Lord had
already given her, and that was the authority to loose
angels to be dispatched in the meeting in answers to her
prayers. I knew she had asked that one be dispatched
to me and I told her so. She said, “WOW! I wonder if
the Lord would do that for everyone?”
So she got up and stood in
the corner again moving her flags. I watched them glide
back and forth just like angel wings. As she did this,
she prayed over the meeting. Just then, the worship
leader knowing nothing of our conversation suddenly
changed the words in the song he was singing, then
looked over to her corner and sang, “Come on the wings
of angels!” I related this to him later, and he didn’t
even remember doing it. He had been hoping that the
Lord was anointing his singing, especially when he sang
prophetic words that were not written, so this was a
confirmation to him. The whole experience was a
wonderful blessing to each of us and it all started by a
very faint and simple picture.
CLICK HERE TO READ RHEMA
EXAMPLES WITH PICTURES (PIX)
HE SPEAKS THROUGH VISIONS
Another type of vision is
seen on the screen of the mind and can happen with the
eyes closed or open, sleep or awake. They come in the
form of a movie rather than a quick photographic flash,
similar to viewing still slides or a moving movie reel.
Coming through the mind, it is like recalling something
from memory, but what is recalled is a surprise not yet
known. The “movie” floats into the mind, all the while
the viewer is fully conscious and aware of his
surroundings. The difference between this experience
and imagination is that it is a gift: TO, NOT THROUGH
the viewer. Yes, what is seen goes through the mind,
but it remains with the element of surprise like other
visions. It cannot be made-up or forced to happen,
because it is a gift.
I have received this type
of movie visions and also heard people speak in them.
These experiences are just as though you are seeing and
hearing a dream, but you are awake. Anna has a good
testimony of her movie screen picture visions and I have
asked her to share it with you:
“In Home Group, I was
drawn to a visitor named Sarah (name changed). As I
thought about her, I remembered the beautiful double
rainbow I had seen that afternoon. Suddenly I saw a
vision of Sarah standing at the very end of a rainbow
with the beautiful colors surrounding her. The rainbow
and Sarah were very close to me. It was as though the
whole world was in that rainbow. I felt enveloped in it
as I basked in the glory of it. I asked her, “Does a
rainbow mean anything to you?” She was excited and
said, “Yes!” I told her I saw her standing at the very
end of the rainbow and believed the Lord was wanting to
encourage her with the hope of His fulfilling His
promises to her. Then she related that she had seen a
rainbow in the sky that afternoon while walking with her
children and they had all talked about it and what it
meant in the Bible.
Later Sarah was lying on
the floor after being ministered to, and I saw a movie
picture of myself picking up some rose petals on the
table and sprinkling them upon her. I was telling her
that these were representative of the heavenly pot of
gold at the end of the rainbow. They represented the
blessings the Lord was going to pour out upon her. Even
though I procrastinated, and the meeting changed focus,
the movie in my mind would not leave. Finally, I stood
up, gathered some rose petals and said, “I felt I was
supposed to do this, but I procrastinated.” Then I told
her the rose petals I was sprinkling upon her
represented the heavenly pot of gold at the end of the
rainbow and the Lord was going to bless her.
In the following church
service, Pastor knew nothing about any of this. He
suddenly announced that he wanted us to bless someone
financially without our knowing who it was and he took
up an offering. Then to my shock he walked over to
Sarah and said, “The Lord wants you to know you are very
much loved, and this is a representation of it. The
offering was taken just for you.” Then he prophesied
over her. She had just received part of her pot of
gold!”
{End Anna quote}
The previous kinds of
picture-visions are similar to hearing the Lord speak
TO our mind, vs THROUGH our mind. Seeing a picture
through our mind is vulnerable to error and flesh.
There is a fine line between imagination and picture
visions, however the Lord certainly does inspire our
thoughts. But for purposes of this kind of movie
picture-vision, the line is best drawn between
participation and gift. A gift has no personal
subjective participation. There is no alteration of
what is seen through the choice of one’s will and
desire, but it remains a surprise. A gift is WITHOUT
KNOWING if, what, where, when, why, it is to be seen.
If the above lines up, then it can be relied upon to be
untainted by flesh. (This objectivity is only in
distinction of our flesh vs the Holy Spirit. The enemy
can give objective visions as well, covered in another
section.)
The environment for
receiving visions from Him is the same as hearing His
still small voice: being in a place of reception.
Worship, praise, and communion are foundational to being
in a place to receive. When we are in that place of
relationship with Him, our surroundings fade away. The
focus of our thoughts and hearts is turned toward Him,
and all else naturally falls aside in giving Him
priority. Worship, praise, communion, and relationship
are moment by moment decisions of the will. When we
choose those moments, we are able to receive because we
have opened the door to Him.
Because I receive pictures
from Him at night, I used to try to keep a notebook and
flashlight by my bed. Now, I use a digital mini hand
recorder. I have experienced many times seeing a
wonderful picture, even pondering it a while before I go
back to sleep, but cannot remember it when I awaken.
Now my notebook is referred to after many years and my
memory is refreshed. Perhaps if you begin to hear the
Lord in this manner, you will want to do the same.
CLICK HERE TO READ RHEMA
EXAMPLES WITH VISIONS
VISIONS OF GAZING WONDER
“...Peter went up on
the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he
became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they
made ready, he fell into a trance...” (Acts 10:9-10
NKJV)
Peter fell into a trance
and saw the same vision three times about the Gentiles.
(Acts 10:10-16) Obviously God wanted to get Peter’s
attention. Peter had a preconceived opinion about the
Gentiles that God wanted changed. It is recorded again
in Acts 11:5-10. Also Paul had this kind of trance
vision while in prayer in Acts 22:17-21.
I have noticed several
things when the Lord gives me this type of vision.
First, even if it is an experience happening TO me, at
no time has it gone against my will. At any time I am
free to have the vision close down or stop (although it
being Him, I don’t want Him to stop.) It is not
something that takes possession of me and I lose control
over my choice or will. In fact, the liberty and
freedom of my will is such, and the Holy Spirit being so
gentle, that at the slightest hesitation He will stop.
He desires our absolute childlike faith in a Heavenly
Father Who is our Daddy. It is the enemy who binds,
hinders, numbs, and chains up our wills. “Gifts” from
the enemy are without freedom and liberty.
Secondly, these visions
have a lovely common denominator. In some form or
another, He knocks at my door, and I either hear His
voice, recognize His Spirit, or know His Presence.
After I recognize Him, I invite Him and receive Him.
The recognition and invitation are within my heart. My
soul and spirit “leaps” when He is so near, and I either
call His Name, or recognize that it is Him. The
recognition of the Lord gives great joy, perfect peace,
and invokes a strong drawing and longing for Him. It’s
like His Presence is a giant magnet and I instantly
respond to Him.
I have never received Him
without my state of spirit, mind, will, and body being
completely yielded. It’s as though His mere Presence
gives me the desire to yield my every fiber to Him to do
with as He wills. Always, it is in complete childlike
faith in a Father Who is a Perfect Daddy. He knows me
and I have no other need. He is EVERYTHING. Yielding
to HIM, has always been the focus of every experience in
these kinds of visions.
Another detail has to do
with the eyes. It is as though the scales are peeled
away and I see with absolute gazing clarity. The sight
is so real, so vivid, so clear! It is like no sight we
see on earth. It makes 20/20 vision seem dull.
Emphasis should be on the word “gaze.” Webster’s
defines gaze: “to fix the eyes in a steady and intent
look...fixed and prolonged attention...stare.” Peter,
in Acts 11:6 mentions he fastened his eyes on the
sight. That is a characteristic of this kind of
vision. It is an absolute fixed focus on what He is
showing. The concentration of the eyes is absolute and
does not waver, it’s like describing a staring contest.
Balak mentioned he saw a vision and used the phrase,
“having his eyes opened.” (Numbers 24:4 and 16
KJ)
Visions of gazing wonder
are different from picture visions. I cannot remember
receiving a picture vision when I had time to stare.
They happen too quickly. Wonder visions occur by gazing
or staring at the sight for a period of time. Picture
visions do not have the extreme clarity of reality.
Wonder visions are very clear and the sight is three
dimensional as if one is there, but it actually looks
more “real” than real life.
The following is a vision
of gazing wonder the Lord gave me as quoted from my
journal: “When I went to sleep on November 14, 1985, I
had a strong yearning for Jesus. As I slept, He came to
me and opened my eyes. I saw a huge, gigantic banner
unfolding across the sky. It said, “THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST.” Suddenly, I found myself in heaven looking
down upon a vast desert. It was dry, brown, flat, and
immense. As I gazed upon the lifeless desert, someone
was standing above and behind me declaring the scroll of
Isaiah 35:
“The wilderness and the
solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert
shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall
blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and
singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it,
the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the
glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God.
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble
knees. Say to them of a fearful heart, be strong, fear
not: behold your God will come with vengeance; He will
come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be
opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame leap as an hart, and the tongue of
the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break
out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground
shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of
water...” (Isaiah 35 KJ)
After Isaiah 35 had been
announced, I heard the Lord say, “And the desert
shall blossom as a rose. It shall happen all at once,
and it shall happen suddenly.” Immediately I saw
the desert come to life. The sight was astounding and
oh so beautiful! Everywhere blossoms emerged: this dry,
lifeless region became a spacious garden of color and
beauty. Then I came out of the gazing vision. As I
woke, I was still in awe of what I’d seen, because it
was so beautiful. I knew the Lord was speaking a
promise of what He would be doing to our dry desert like
lives. He was going to rain His Presence upon us and we
would emerge with life and beautiful blossoms.”
CLICK HERE TO READ RHEMA
EXAMPLES WITH TRANCES
GOD SPEAKS THROUGH
OPENING OUR LITERAL EYES
Another kind of picture is
with the eyes opened through the actual eye. For me,
this vision is not vivid. It is very hazy and happens
so fast that when I notice it’s there, I have enough
time to blink my eyes to check out what I am seeing and
then it’s gone. When I say the word hazy, it is because
my eyes are not actively pursuing focus. In fact once
my natural eye tries to focus on what it sees, it
disappears. The best way to describe it is, it is seen
in the Spirit although it is seen through the natural
eye.
Like the others, it is
always a surprise, and if I’m not in a place of
reception, it can be missed. Once, in church, I
literally saw an associate pastor as a liberty bell! I
was so surprised I blinked and it disappeared. (Right
after that he announced his message was going to be on
bondage and freedom from captivity. The Lord has such a
sense of humor and is so delightful!)
A close friend of mine was
in the bathroom gazing at her apricot towels. Suddenly
the word PRESS appeared on the towel. That coupled with
other confirmations was the Lord’s encouragement this
book would be printed.
There are times He
literally opens our senses. We encounter the “real”
hearing in our flesh. Elisha prayed for the Lord to
open his servants literal eyes so he might see the real
issue of what was taking place with the angelic hosts.
2 Kings 6:15-17 NKJV
And when the servant of
the man of God arose early and went out, there was an
army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And
his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we
do?" So he answered,"Do not fear, for those who are
with us are more than those who are with them." 17 And
Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes
that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the
young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full
of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
In daily living, man is not
usually gifted to have the eyes to see the angels at
work. Elisha obviously knew what it meant to have the
Lord actually open his eyes so he might see.
I heard a funny story about
a man who was ministering Words to an audience. He said
something like, “No I don’t know. No I don’t know! I
tell you I don’t know!” It turned out that he had seen
an angel standing in the back of the room, pointing to a
lady. The minister asked the angel what the lady’s name
was. Every time he asked, he heard the angel say, “You
know.” So he consequently said, “No, I don’t know.”
Finally the angel spelled with his finger in the air,
Uno. Her name was Uno, pronounced “You know!”
GOD GIVES VISIONS IN
BEING CARRIED AWAY
In Ezekiel’s vision, he
viewed the sights as he was lifted, or carried away,
while in the spirit.
Ezek 8:2-3 NKJV
Then I looked, and there
was a likeness, like the appearance of fire — from the
appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His
waist and upward, like the appearance of brightness,
like the color of amber. He stretched out the form of a
hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and the Spirit
lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in
visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the north
gate of the inner court
Ezek 43:5 NKJV
The Spirit lifted me up
and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the
glory of the LORD filled the temple.
This is similar to the
experience of “flying” in one’s dreams at night. It is
a state where you feel as light and free as a feather,
carried by the wings of angels, all the while gazing at
the sight around you. An example of this is a dream
where I was sent overseas on an intercession
assignment. I was cognizant of an angel carrying me,
and all the while we were flying low so I was able to
see the ocean underneath me and see the islands coming
up. Another time, after I had been taken to see certain
things, I was flying towards earth and I could see the
earth first as a little ball, then it got bigger and
bigger as we approached. I realized I was being carried
by an angel, as I could see our shadows.
Paul spoke of himself in 2
Corinthians:
“... I will come to
visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in
Christ who fourteen years ago — whether in the body I do
not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God
knows — such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
And I know such a man — whether in the body or out of
the body I do not know, God knows — how he was caught up
into Paradise and heard inexpressible words...” (vs 1-4
NKJV).
Whether he knew how, Paul
at least knew he had been carried away!
VISIONS HAVE A PURPOSE
The following is a list of
Biblical references about the purposes of visions:
1. Encouragement, hope,
and promise
(To Abram) Genesis
15:1-6
2.Announcement of judgment
(To Samuel about Eli) 1
Samuel 3:1-18
3.Reveals secrets and an
interpretation of a dream
(To Daniel) Daniel
2:19
4.Announcement of a
servant’s calling
(To Zacharias for John)
Luke 1:22
5.Announcement of good
tidings
(The women saw a vision of
angels announcing Jesus was alive.) Luke 24:23
6.Guidance and explicit
instructions
(To Ananias for Saul)
Acts 9:10
7.Changes an opinion and
gives an assignment
(To Peter about the
Gentiles) Acts 11:5-10
8.Guidance to change
locations
(For Paul to go to
Macedonia) Acts 16:9
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