Don't Kill The Dreamer

Don’t Kill the Dreamer

February 10, 2003

Joel 2:28

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

KJV

Perhaps one of the most trusted scriptures in the word of God is the passage that I have read to you this morning. It is a passage that brings to mind hope for the future and a common belief that God was moving on the hearts of men to inspire generations to come.

As Pentecostals, we certainly look to this passage as confirmation that the great Apostle Peter was right on the mark in Acts chapter 2, when he was confronted about the events that were going on at that particular time.

It was when he uttered those words that still ring true today… “This is THAT…” that we know he was holding on to this new found experience with one hand, while reaching back into the Old Testament with the other, thus bringing apostolic balance to the UPPER ROOM EXPERIENCE!

However, the apostle said far more that day than “this is that!” He also went on to say tell about things that would take place in the church, or the “body of Christ!”

He said that… and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

VISIONS

Visions are experiences similar to dreams through which supernatural insight or awareness is given by revelation. But the difference between a dream and a vision is that dreams occur only during sleep, while visions can happen while a person is awake (Dan 10:7).

In the Bible, people who had visions were filled with a special consciousness of God.

The most noteworthy examples in the Old Testament of recipients of visions are Ezekiel and Daniel. Visions in the New Testament are most prominent in the Gospel of Luke, the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.

The purpose of visions was to give guidance and direction to God’s servants and to foretell the future. Daniel’s vision, for example, told of the coming of the Messiah.

Dan 8:1

In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

KJV

Dan 8:17

So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.

KJV

DREAMS

A state of mind in which images, thoughts, and impressions pass through the mind of a person who is sleeping. Dreams have had a prominent place in the religious literature of ancient people.

In ancient times, dreams-especially those of kings and priests-were thought to convey messages from God.

Num 12:6

And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

KJV

Gen 31:10-13

10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

KJV

In the Bible these were sometimes prophetic in nature. Elihu stated clearly his belief that God speaks through dreams (Job 33:14-15).

Job 33:14-15

14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

KJV

In a dream God warned Abimelech, not to touch Sarah, because she was Abraham’s wife. The Lord spoke to Jacob in a dream in which He renewed the COVENANT and assured Jacob of His protection and presence.

I suppose the examples could go on and on concerning various places in the Bible where dreams and visions were used.

However, I truly believe that God was leaving NO ONE out of the equation, in Joel chapter two, when He listed plainly all sexes, as well as, age groups. God was making sure that we all were included into His master plan!