DREAMS

"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 AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS." (Joel 2:28)

It's strange how for years we can read the scriptures, but never think to desire or believe for God to allow us to personally experience the things that were prophesied or promised to people. Why is that? Probably because many have been taught that, "God doesn't work like that anymore." We have been taught that and so we believe it. Sometimes we tend to believe the words of men over the words of God. I can almost be sure that each one of us have heard at least once from someone that very phrase which I just quoted. If you can't (which you can't) show me in the Bible where it says that God changes how He desires to personally interact with disciples of Jesus, well, I don't want to hear it. I choose to hear and believe the word of God to happen for me, in a personal way and in a real way.

So what about dreams and visions? They sound pretty sweet to me. Have you asked God to allow you to dream dreams or to have visions? Then again, maybe you don't want them, but for those who do, God desires to pour out His spirit on ALL flesh; young and old. I also know, however, that some people are afraid to experience the things of the Spirit. I will refuse the temptation to get on a soap box about how many teach that certain gifts of the spirit are not for today. We tend to fear what we really don't know or understand. The truth is though, when God is in the middle of what we don't know, then there is nothing to fear, so let Him teach.

Over the past couple of years, I have opened myself up more to the idea that God wants to allow me to experience His revelations to me in dreams and visions and prophetic words/prophecies. While there are times when I wake up after a dream stunned, knowing that I just had a dream from the Lord, it hasn't happened a lot, but it's happened enough that I know that God is willing and even wanting to do that for me and for us. He loves us so much that He doesn't want to withhold anything from those who love Him. My wife, Kay and I, have dear friends who often operate in the prophetic, have had God reveal something to them in dreams, or have seen visions. It builds them up in the faith and it helps them build up and encourage others to grow in faith.

Oh and by the way, I expect to be hearing from God a whole lot more by the way of dreams. (And not because I believe I've become an old man yet, even though it seems I'm working on it!!!!) It's because while in Wilmington, NC., after learning of my desire to have this happen more often, our dear friends Larry and Ginger got out the anointing oil, laid hands on me and called out to God to have those things imparted more in my life. If that wasn't enough, they then asked God to do the same thing for my wife! Imagine that! Doing the stuff that the apostles would have done right in their own homes, too. I love doing the stuff!

Last night when I went to sleep,(Sunday night) I wasn't even thinking about dreaming, but GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?? Ha ha ha, you better believe it.......and I loved it. Perhaps in the coming days I will tell you how God took me to an unknown place and the Holy Spirit gave me a really sweet teaching about the richness of God's grace. It was amazing! Perhaps I will do that soon. But for now, I will ask God to now allow me to go back to sleep. What was He thinking by waking me up at 2:15 in the morning, getting me to open the word and then encouraging me to share these thoughts? Could it be that He loves you so much that He didn't mind interrupting me from a couple of hours of sleep so that He could let you know that He desires to share some really amazing things with you and for you? Would He do that at the expense of my sleep? Ha ha, you bet He would and you know what? I really don't mind, because I think you are well worth it, too.

................Ok, Lord, I did it, but it will soon be dawn. Can I shut down this computer now and get some more sleep? Please? Yes, let me shut my eyes; let sleep come.............and by the way, Lord, weren't we just talking about...........dreams....................????? (Wow, I really did just "Laugh Out Loud!" Kind of softly though.

Experience His presence, my friend.