Ways God Speaks 9

Another way God speaks is through dreams. We can see this clearly in scripture and it might surprise you to learn how powerful divinely inspired dreams are when properly interpreted.

Nearly everyone dreams when they sleep even though they may not remember them. Again, as we mentioned in our last post, we think in pictures. Dreams are night visions or mental movies that play in our minds while we sleep. They are often symbolic in nature although they can be literal. We will look at both examples in scripture.

In the book of Genesis, we have one of the most narrated bible stories having to do with dreams and their fulfillment.

5) Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6) So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7) There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf."  8) And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 

9) Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me." 10) So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" 11) And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.  Genesis 37:5-11

Were Joseph’s dreams literal or symbolic? Did they come to pass? If so, by what circumstances and timeline? And did the dreams come to pass as Joseph presumed? The scripture gives us a clear answer to all of these questions.

First, these dreams were symbolic in nature. Joseph did not literally have a sheaf of wheat standing upright while the other sheaves bowed down before it. Nor did the sun and moon and eleven stars actually bow down to him. These were prophetic symbolisms of a circumstance or reality that would come to pass in Joseph’s future.

We will not take the time or space to relay the complete story, but Joseph was eventually betrayed by his jealous brothers, who sold him to a band of Midianite traders who carried him to Egypt and sold him into slavery.

In Egypt God blessed Joseph and granted him favor that brought him into a position of authority. Shortly afterwards, he again was betrayed by the wife of Potiphar, his owner and master. This ended him in prison.

Sometime later, Pharaoh had two dreams but did not understand them. He inquired of his astrologers and magicians and wise men, but they could not interpret the dream. One of Pharoah’s servants then told Pharaoh about Joseph, who had rightly interpreted his dream two years earlier while he was a fellow inmate.

Pharoah immediately called for Joseph, who was hurriedly brought before him. Joseph correctly interpreted Pharaoh's two dreams, giving God credit for the ability to do so. He stated the two dreams were from God, and they had the same interpretation. He then gave Pharaoh advice based upon the dreams, and as a result was promoted to second in command over all of Egypt. Only Pharoah was higher in authority than Joseph.

In the New Testament, we have another Joseph who was given multiple dreams. However, from what we can tell, these dreams were more literal in nature. Most of which were divine warnings.

13) Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him." 14) When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15) and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON."  Matthew2:13-15

19) Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20) saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."  21) Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22) But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 23) And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."  Matthew 2:19-23

Another great example of literal dreams can be found in the life of Solomon. He had two dreams that were appearances of the Lord speaking directly to him.

At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask! What shall I give you?" 1Kings 3:5 

This encounter was very real and overlapped the spiritual and natural realms. Notice, the passage says, “the LORD appeared to Solomon.” It was not an ordinary dream, but a supernatural interaction and involvement from heaven which allowed Solomon to literally encounter the Lord.

Then Solomon awoke; and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants. 1 Kings 3:15 

All Dreams are Not from God

Dreams must make sense to the dreamer or be interpreted, as with Joseph in Egypt to correctly discern what the Lord is communicating. Many of the dreams we have are simply embedded thoughts or emotions stored in our natural mind. I realize this can be argued by those who believe all dreams have significance, but the truth is, just as our minds are not always communicating God’s thoughts, feelings, or will when we are awake, so it is when we are sleeping.

For example, if you watched a disturbing movie before going to bed, you might replay similar thoughts and pictures in your mind throughout the night. This would have nothing to do with divine illumination or revelation. The same is true if you were working through some emotional difficulty and had dreams relating to those struggles. Of course, the Father could speak to you in your dreams about a struggle or challenge you are facing or use a dream to highlight some area of your life that He is refining.

Dreams are a part of God’s plan and will. He ordained them and can use them for His purpose and glory just as we have seen in the life of Joseph the son of Jacob, Solomon, or Joseph the husband of Mary.

On the day of Pentecost, Peter quoted the passage from Joel’s prophecy which highlights the importance of dreams in these last days.

17) 'AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAYS GOD, THAT I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH; YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS. 18) AND ON MY MENSERVANTS AND ON MY MAIDSERVANTS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS; AND THEY SHALL PROPHESY. Acts 2:17-18

At night when you retire, ask the Father for His dreams. Do not be discouraged if you do not remember your dreams, but always try to journal any dream you believe was divinely given. They can be stepping stones of truth and revelation to empower you on your journey in Christ.

We have barely scratched the surface on this topic of dreams but will continue to look at some other ways God speaks in our next post. Until then, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless and keep you!

James Brown CST

08/07/2025