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Tue 7 May 2013
Posted by Helen Calder under Prophetic Teaching
[4] Comments
Whilst not all dreams that we have are prophetic in nature, the Bible does teach that prophetic dreams are one way God speaks to His people. This week, I share an article on ‘what to do when you have a prophetic dream’ that I wrote several years ago, for the benefit of recent readers. [1]
What to do When you Have a Prophetic Dream
You wake up from a vivid dream that you believe had a significant or spiritual meaning. What do you do with it? [2]
As well as a physical body, the Bible tells us that we have a soul and a spirit; we are triune beings made in the image of God (1 Thess 5:23).
Dreaming is a natural process that our bodies carry out, as we are physically refreshed during sleep. But dreaming does not only have a physical function. We are aware that during our sleep our souls (mind, will and emotions) are processing our responses to our past and present, along with our perception of the future.
We are also spiritual beings, created to commune with God. The Bible tells us that one of the many ways God speaks to people is through dreams (Job 33:14-15). These dreams are spiritual, or ‘God dreams.’ A prophetic dream, when tested over time, will prove to be significant.
How to Make the Most of Your Prophetic Dream
If you believe you have had a prophetic dream, what should you do with it? Here are some ideas to start you off:
1. Pray About it
If you think your dream may have a spiritual meaning, pray about it. As the Bible says, symbolic dreams are mysteries; only God is able to reveal what they mean (Dan 2:26-28).
2. Record it
Write your prophetic dream down as soon as possible, or at least jot down some of the key points to help you remember it (Hab 2:2). Your memory of the details in your dream will naturally fade. If you dream regularly (or get great ideas in the night hours) then you might like to keep a notebook by your bed.
3. Remember it
Some other things you can do to help remember your prophetic dream are:
- Replaying the dream in your mind will help you memorise the content of your dream
- Share it. Find someone to tell your dream to who will be interested and draw the details out of you.
4. Reflect on its Meaning
What was it about the dream that made you think it was spiritual in nature? Some questions you can ask to get you started are:
- What was the atmosphere in the dream?
- Who appeared in the dream? A person who appears in the dream may also be symbolic of an attribute in you, a role that you play, a ministry you are called to, or symbolic of something else.
- What objects, places or symbols showed up in the dream? This is where developing knowledge of the Bible and Biblical and prophetic symbols can be helpful. You can also find further helpful information about dream symbols in books from reputable Christian authors.
- How did you feel during the dream?
- What did you sense and what came to your mind when you immediately awoke from the dream?
Remember that a dream in its entirety can be a mixture of both natural and spiritual elements. There may be one factor in a dream that is a revelation from God, but the rest could be from your own inner world.
Don’t discount the value of a dream that is from your soul, not from God. It can still be valuable to show you how you are responding in your inner world to past and present circumstances in your life and it may well be worth taking the time to meditate on it.
5. Seek Help in Interpreting Your Dream
The best person to interpret your prophetic dream is you, as many of the symbols in your dreams are from your personal life. You may like to share your dream with one or more people who can help you understand its meaning. Remember that the principles for checking a prophecy also apply to dream interpretation.
Whilst some people do have specific gifts in interpreting dreams, realise that just as in all prophecy, no one person has all the answers. Never become dependent on a single person with a prophetic gift. Be wary of becoming reliant at ALL on others with prophetic gifts or upon the gifts themselves. God has given you the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth (1 John 2:26) and good leaders in the church for protection (Heb 13:17).
6. Release What you do not Understand (1 Thess 5:21-22)
It is OK to RELEASE what you don’t understand, or anything that is not encouraging. If you are disturbed by a dream, find a caring Christian friend or leader who can pray with you about it.
In the New Testament, the recipient of a dream usually knew what God was telling them. Don’t try and force meaning out of a dream that is a mystery. If you have recorded a dream that you believe is significant, it may take time for the meaning to become clear.
Finally, the Bible illustrates that God uses dreams to foretell His future plans (prophetic dreams, Gen 37:5-11), give guidance (Acts 16:9-10), impart spiritual gifts (1 Kings 3:5-16), warn (Matt 2:12) and even give successful business strategies (Gen 31:10-13) to His people.
Let’s be open to receiving a prophetic dream, for our dream world can be an opportunity to encounter Jesus and receive God’s instruction and blessing for our lives.
[1] The original article can be found here
[2] If you are not sure whether a dream you have had is prophetic, a review of the article 4 Types Of Dreams And Their Meanings may help.
Related Posts:
4 Types Of Dreams And Their Meanings
How Do I Know a Personal Prophecy Or Dream Interpretation Someone Gives Me Is From God?
Do you have any testimionies, scriptures or thoughts about what to do with prophetic dreams that you would like to share? Leave a comment in the box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down. (Note that I do not provide dream interpretations on this blog.)
© Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church
Did you receive this from a friend? Read more from Enliven Blog or sign to receive our weekly prophetic teaching updates at http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog
Mon 16 Jul 2012
Some people dismiss the idea that dreams can have significance. Others believe that there is spiritual meaning in every dream and that all should be interpreted and taken seriously.
I believe that the Biblical viewpoint lies somewhere in between these two extremes.
4 Dream Types
Identifying which type of dream we have had can help us determine whether to consider a potential meaning in the dream, and what—if anything—to do with it.
Here are four dream categories that I have personally found helpful:
1. Ordinary, Processing Dreams
Dreaming is a natural function of the brain, occurring mainly during the REM stage of sleep. [1]
I believe that it is not necessary to seek meaning in the majority of our dreams.
Last night I watched a murder-mystery on DVD before I went to bed—something I usually avoid. Not surprisingly, my dreams contained an element of danger.
I do not remember most of my ‘processing’ dreams—and those that I do recall quickly fade. However, other people I know are vivid dreamers and can recall them clearly. Sometimes people refer to unusual but meaningless dreams as ‘pizza dreams.’
The GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) principle applies to dreams. Whatever we feed our senses and minds with will invariably find expression in our sleep.
‘Much dreaming and many words are meaningless…’ (Eccl 5:7)
If you are unsure about a dream you have had, pray about it. Perhaps it may fit in one of the other dream types.
2. Prophetic Dreams
‘For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men and seals their instruction.’ Job 33:14-16 (NKJV)
From the book of Genesis all the way through the Bible, dreams are one way that God speaks to His people.
However, even those who were gifted in the area of dreams and dream interpretation (Joseph and Daniel, for example) only had a few dreams that were significant enough to be recorded in the scriptures.
Joel and Peter mentioned dreams as one manifestation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, along with prophecy and visions. (Acts 2:17)
There are many ways that God used dreams in the Bible—for example:
- Warnings (Abilimilech, Gen 20:1-8))
- Revealing destiny and the call of God (Joseph, Gen 37:5-10)
- Impartation of a spiritual gift or ability (Solomon, 1 Kings 3:5)
- A strategy for provision (Jacob, Gen 31:10)
- A sign of His Presence (Jacob’s ladder, Gen 28:12))
- Guidance (Paul, Acts 16:9)
The Hunk and I occasionally have dreams that we believe contain prophetic insights from God. I find these dreams have a greater than usual clarity and I awake with a sense of God’s Presence.
Let’s increase our sense of expectation that God will speak to us through our dreams. [2]
3. Soul Dreams
Soul dreams reveal emotions, attitudes or beliefs that we may be trying to deny or repress.
They are a means that God can use for good—to help us bring them into the open and deal with them.
Signs you may be having a soul dream include:
- Actual memories resurfacing in your dreams
- Vivid emotions that you can link to an event, past present or future
- Repeating, or recurring dreams
Soul dreams may indicate a response, such as fear or anger, to an event that is happening at present in our lives, or that we are anticipating in the future. If something from your past is surfacing in a dream, you can be assured that it is ready to be dealt with and that your loving Father is waiting to bring healing to you.
We should never dismiss soul dreams as being unimportant. They give us insight into our inner world.
If you are having soul dreams that you believe are significant, pray about them and ask God how you should respond. If needed, find a leader/mentor or wise Christian counsel to pray with you and help you process whatever is coming to the surface.
4. Spiritual Warfare Dreams
On occasion, I have experienced spiritual warfare during my sleep.
When this takes place, God allows demonic intrusion into our sleep for His purposes:
- To set us free and bring us closer to Him,
- To pray effectively and
- To expose hidden strategies of the enemy.
a. Spiritual Warfare
‘In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.’ (Psalm 4:8)
Dreams can be an alert to pray during times of spiritual warfare. There have been times when I have woken my husband and we have prayed together because I have experienced a demonic confrontation in a dream. We know that our prayers have made a difference.
b. Demonic Oppression
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,’ (Psalm 91:5)
Repeated nightmares can be a sign of having an ‘open doorway’ in our lives for demonic oppression. Those who have experienced trauma, or been involved in occult (personally or generationally), for example, may be vulnerable in this area. Many years ago I had regular nightmares. Through receiving prayer ministry I was able to identify the source of these and gain freedom through prayer. [3]
It is important to remember that God is greater than any other spiritual influence and that as Christians we have power in prayer, using the Name of Jesus, to overcome any spiritual attack.
c. Discernment
Some people who have the gift of discernment may experience conflict in their dreams, or be alerted to a demonic presence or strategy through a dream. [4] The purpose of this may be for a prophetic warning as well as for prayer and intercession.
‘You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4)
We should never be afraid as the result of a dream. If you have a dream that you are concerned about—no matter what type of dream it is—share it with someone you trust and pray about it.
Notes
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream
[2] The following articles may be helpful:
What To Do When You Have A Prophetic Dream.
How Do I know A Personal Prophecy Or Dream Interpretation Is From God?
[3] Prayer Ministry is an extended session of prayer with 2 or more trained prayer ministers in a safe, supervised setting. It should be used in conjunction with pastoral care in the church and if necessary, professional counseling.
[4] See 8 Signs You May Have The Spiritual Gift Of Discernment.
Do you have any thoughts to share on the topic of dream types? Leave a comment on the comments box. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down. (Note that I will not be giving dream interpretations on this post)
© Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church
Did you receive this from a friend? Read more from Enliven Blog or sign to receive our weekly prophetic teaching updates at http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog
Tue 21 Jun 2011
Personal guidance—receiving direction from God for our lives—can hold great power when we hear Him clearly and follow Him fully.
However, as with prophecy, there are some pitfalls if we do not exercise wisdom and care in the process of hearing from God for ourselves and others.
What are these dangers, and how can we make the most of personal guidance?
What is Personal Guidance?
As God’s children, we have a personal relationship with Him and can expect to hear His voice. [1] (John 10:2-5) Personal guidance occurs when we receive and follow instruction from God for decisions relating to our own lives.
A great example of someone who received personal guidance from God and acted upon it is Abraham, who is known as our ‘father of faith.’ Abraham set out from his home town and followed the call of God to Canaan. His obedience to personal guidance from God impacted the destiny of generations to come. (Gen 12:1-5).
The Holy Spirit has a significant role in our lives as our teacher and guide. (John 16:12-15)
You can receive guidance from God in many ways, including:
- Circumstances—for example, doors of opportunity opening or closing
- Scripture—a verse or story speaks to you
- Through Prayer
- Internally—an idea, thought or impression you perceive is from God
- Prophetic Dreams
- Suggestions from other people around our lives
- Through leaders
- An inner sense of peace
- The desires of your heart (Ps 37:4)
- Other prophetic means—a vision or word
When it comes to guidance for decision-making, confirmation is important. The strongest guidance occurs when a number of these things line up together, much like signposts pointing in the same direction.
If you are dependent upon receiving personal guidance through another person—for example a leader or a prophet—something is amiss in your relationship with God.
You can have confidence that God desires to speak to you personally and that you do have the right as His child, and the ability, to hear Him.
Weighing up Personal Guidance
It is amazing how people who understand that prophecy needs to be submitted and weighed up, throw all caution out the window when it comes to personal guidance!
The first test of personal guidance concerning big decisions should be the same as that of prophecy:
- Is it in agreement with the Bible’s instruction?
- Is it consistent with the nature of God?
- Is it consistent with the way God has wired and gifted you?
- What is the fruit—check the projected outcome of your decision?
- Do wise and mature Christian leaders around your life confirm your guidance?
Avoiding Pitfalls when it comes to Personal Guidance
‘But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.’James 3:17
Faith and Wisdom need to work Together.
God has given us minds to consider and process decisions. We need the wisdom that comes from consideration by ourselves and others. As David McCracken says, ‘Hear clearly. Plan wisely. Obey boldly.’
Timing
However clearly God’s direction comes to you, it is important not to forget that there are always variables. And a big one is timing. Does the direction relate to right now, or to a time in the future? Does it relate to a small window of time, or is it relating to long term?
I made a mistake once when God spoke to me clearly about taking on a certain ministry role. I made the error of assuming that His guidance related to long term, when the role was transitional. This resulted in unnecessary personal pain.
You may hear God speak something to you but the timing is not yet. I recommend recording what He has said, along with your response, in a journal.
Guidance Involving Other People
Something to watch out for is if you believe God has spoken to you about something, but the outcome is dependent upon the decisions and actions of others. Examples of this include promotion, vocationally or in ministry, or direction about a relationship such as marriage.
If your perceived guidance relates to a specific person or situation, hold onto it lightly. Consider your guidance unconfirmed until the person responds accordingly.
In the practice of personal prophecy, we have a saying, ‘No dates, no mates!’ In other words, don’t apply specific timelines, or prophesy concerning marriage relationships. I personally believe this guideline should be applied to personal guidance as well. If you sense God is saying something strongly in this area, I recommend that for your own safety and that of others, you take it to a leader or someone who you can be accountable to. [2]
Unity
‘But the wisdom that comes from heaven is… peace-loving, considerate’ (James 3:17)
Following through on your perceived guidance should not result in division—this is especially true of church life [3] or in a marriage relationship.
If your spouse is not in agreement with personal guidance you have received, this should be an orange flashing light warning that something is amiss! It may be a timing issue that will try your faith until it is resolved.
Leadership and Advice
‘For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.’ Prov 11:14
We need to understand that we are not infallible, and we do not stand alone. God has created us to be interdependent upon one another. [4]
Remember that I am talking about big decisions here—not the small daily ones!
The aspect of accountability is so vital that I will spend the next post discussing it.
Don’t Hold on too Tight
Don’t hold on to personal guidance too tightly, or be specific or dogmatic about it—be willing to release it or allow it to be clarified as time goes on.
If you believe you have received instruction from God, or a vision from Him for your life, do not view it as though it is a target bulls-eye that you have hit directly centre. That is a sure way to be disappointed! Remember the stories of Joseph, and David?
Most often, the journey of following God is like the flow of a river. People in scripture who followed the call of God experienced opposition and change, but in spite of these things moved towards their destiny as they kept their hearts right. We need to trust in the sovereignty of God.
Desire of our Hearts
‘Take delight in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.’ (Ps 37:4)
It’s important to distinguish between what our God-given heart desires are, as opposed to desires that are sourced from weakness. Wrong desires can result when we have a deficit in our lives where we are not fully established in God’s love.—this is especially true of desires relating to relationships.
Confusion
Watch out for confusion. It can also be a sign that the guidance is not clear enough for you to act upon—for example the timing may not be right. However, confusion may also be a sign of spiritual warfare.[5]
God’s Grace for our Mistakes
Many years ago, The Hunk and I made a business decision based upon what we believed was guidance from God. Upon review, we missed some practical steps of wisdom and moved too quickly.
When we do make the wrong decisions based upon our interpretation of what God has communicated to us, all is not lost. His grace and mercy prevails. God uses these times to teach us and grow us.
In our case, although we lost a lot of money and learned some hard lessons, our Father delivered us miraculously when we realised, repented and cried out to Him for help. We also emerged stronger and wiser.
The Power of Obedience
Like Abraham’s response to God’s call to go to Canaan, decisions that we make in the will of God have the power to positively impact not only our own lives, but to have a ripple effect that can affect those around us, our families and generations to come.
I recommend that this post should be read in conjunction with next week’s one: Do You Have A Ministry Call?
Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.
Notes:
[1] As I have pointed out in the following post, the Holy Spirit has many creative ways of speaking to us:
How to Recover The Wonder Of Hearing God’s Voice
[2] See next week’s post on The Power of Accountability for Personal Guidance
[3] I have personally made mistakes in the area of division in church life. See my book, Prophetic People in a Changing Church, or listen to my testimony on the podcast page.
[4] Not Word Perfect: Understanding How Prophecy Works In The Church Today
[5] See the following post: 12 Signs Of Spiritual Warfare
© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog
On team with David McCracken Ministries
Mon 11 Apr 2011
Last week I posted my 100th blog article since starting the Enliven Blog in July 2009!
As I reflect back on the journey, one blog post stands out above all others in terms of the impact it had on me personally at the time of release.
That post was, ‘How Your Prophetic Song Can Release The Power Of God.’
In it I wrote,
‘It has been said that ‘desperate times call for desperate measures.’ In God’s Kingdom, however, desperate times call for extraordinary measures.’
The Crisis
What I did not share was that The Hunk and I were facing our own desperate times—a financial crisis.
I had been without paid work for nearly a year, after transferring from a paid role to a volunteer one at our church. Repeated attempts to find a part time job had been unsuccessful. In the meantime, my husband had been valiantly working to support our household on his sole income.
Every week we continued to go backwards, until we could go no further—we did not have enough money for our next house payment. Unless a miracle occurred, we faced losing our home and a great deal more.
In spite of this crisis, our faith remained surprisingly buoyant. We recalled previous times that we had come to the end of our own resources and watched as our Heavenly Father had brought miraculous intervention.
A Prophetic Song of Praise
At this time, I was asked to run a workshop for our worship team on ‘Prophetic Song.’ During the training session, I shared Biblical examples of how prophetic song can be pivotal to breakthrough.
Something happened in my heart as I joined with our team in prophetic worship that Thursday night. I knew that God was calling me to spend specific time praising Him for breakthrough.
My husband was away over the next few days training for a new job. Being a commission-only role, with no set salary, we had no idea how his new job would work out for us financially.
The Hunk’s absence that weekend gave me the time I needed to focus on God. I put together a collection of praise songs on CD. I sat at our keyboard. I spent hours praising my Father, singing songs that expressed faith and gratitude for His love, provision, help and power.
I also wrote what I was learning about the power of prophetic song in the blog post, ‘How Your Prophetic Song Can Release The Power Of God.’ The following Tuesday evening I published it online.
Breakthrough Begins
Wednesday morning following the release of the blog post, I had a vivid dream before waking.
I received a phone call from a minister overseas. He expressed thanks to me for publishing the post about prophetic song and shared that it was of great significance.
As our conversation closed, I asked him, ‘Where are you from?’ He replied clearly, ‘Einstein.’
I woke up aware that I had just received a dream from God. The word ‘Einstein’ seemed to have particular importance, but what did it mean? I wondered if I should look it up on the Internet to find out.
I went to our computer and noticed that a close friend who was one of my prayer leaders had just sent an email.
In the email, she mentioned some signs that spiritual warfare was taking place in her world and closed by saying,
‘You don’t have to be Einstein (to figure out what is going on).’
When I read the word ‘Einstein’ I was electrified. That morning, inspired by an urgency of the Spirit, I hurried to our church to be early for the weekly staff meeting.
As I rushed into our church carpark, our pastor was outside having a conversation when he saw me and called me aside. He shared that an opening for a part time paid administrative role had come up and invited me to take the job.
I now had paid work.
In the meantime, the Hunk was starting his new job and that very day won the first of two prizes of petrol vouchers—a welcome supply to help meet our immediate needs.
Several days later we received a large gift to help towards some family expenses.
And a day after that someone pressed an envelope into my hands at church, saying God had instructed her to give it to us. It was filled with cash.
It was also proving obvious that income from my husband’s new line of work would far exceed what he had earned in his previous role.
Within a week our situation had turned completely around and we were in awe at the love and power of God.
The Power of A Prophetic Song of Praise
A song of praise is a powerful prophetic tool that
- Celebrates victory in the face of apparent defeat.
- Declares God’s ability in the circumstance of your inability
- Thanks God for answers that have not yet been sighted
It is prophetic because it gives voice to the word that God has spoken to you, concerning His outcome for your circumstances and life.
Intimacy and Obedience
I hesitate to share a testimony like I the one I have above, because there is always a danger that people will imitate a method in order to gain a result.
You see it is not about a method. It is not even about a principle (although the principle of prophetic praise is powerful).
It is about relationship with God and obedience to His word.
In 2 Chron 20, King Jehoshaphat responded in faith to a prophetic word that God would route the powerful armies that were coming against the nation of Judah.
Jehoshaphat sent out musicians and singers at the head of his army to praise God. As they began to sing and praise, the enemy armies turned on each other. The prophecy—that God would defeat the enemy without Judah having to fight—was fulfilled.
However, this was the only time in the Bible a battle was won in this precise way.
The key to breakthrough is not about a method, it is intimacy with God. And out of that intimacy, let the faith rise, let the praises start to flow.
If my story inspires you, I encourage you to spend time with God. Ask your Heavenly Father how you should respond in your particular situation.
And then, do whatever He tells you. (John 2:5)
Notes:
For teaching on the topic of prophetic song, I encourage you to view the following blog post:
How Your Prophetic Song Can Release The Power Of God
To leave a note or share your own story, leave a comment at the bottom of this post. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.
© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog http://propheticpeople.com/
Now on team with David McCracken Ministries
Wed 26 Jan 2011
The simple chorus, ‘He Is Lord,’ has been a popular praise song since my early days as a Christian.
My pastor led the song at our church staff meeting last week. It was my final meeting after being on team for nearly 7 years. [1]
In the context of saying farewell to a group that has been like family to me—in order to pursue God’s call to serve elsewhere—the chorus was a reminder of what Lordship means: hearing and obeying God (Luke 6:46).
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once [Peter and Andrew] left their nets and followed him. Matt 4:19-20
As Jesus call to His first disciples illustrates, His Lordship (leadership) means three things:
1. Relationship—and in particular, hearing His voice (in this context, receiving instruction)
2. Releasing—leaving our own agenda in favour of pursuing His priorities
3. Responding—acting in obedience to His word, His call, His will.
Jesus’ Lordship is more than making a one-time commitment to Him, and it is more than asking for His guidance for important decisions in our lives.
The meaning of ‘Lordship’ is that Jesus is our leader. We may call Him Lord, but for Him to actually BE Lord, that means we are following Him—on a moment-by-moment, and daily basis.
The Joy of Following Jesus
I have come to realise that responding to Jesus’ leadership is neither a hardship to be feared, nor a duty to perform.
In the past, I had trouble with the concept of Jesus’ Lordship, fearing Him to be a hard taskmaster, when He has actually promised me a life of rest and joy. (Matt 11:28-30, Rom 14:17) [2]
Now I know that Jesus’ Lordship means following Someone whom I love and want to be with more than anyone else in this world.
Jesus’ Lordship in Our Daily Lives
‘Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.’ Rom 8:14
Recently, I have been meditating on what it means to live a supernatural Christian life. The bottom line is this: empowered Christian living is about relationship.
Our life with God should not just be a devotional appointment, but a dynamic living relationship with Him.
He wants to speak to us: not just in the context of
- Personal prayer, Bible study and devotions, or
- Ministry at our church or from teaching elsewhere
but also as we go about our everyday lives.
He does this through the Holy Spirit, whom He has sent to help us know God’s will. (John 16:12-15)
The Leadership of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit lives in us, and wants to communicate the Father’s purposes to us.
As we follow His leading, we can live like Jesus did—seeing people around us changed and impacted by God’s love.
So, what does this look like in practical terms?
Firstly, we need to remember that the Spirit speaking to us is not like a person speaking.
When we talk about ‘hearing God’s voice,’ we are using an earthly expression to describe a heavenly concept. We simply do not have a framework to understand it.
You and I use words, speech and body language to communicate. However, the Holy Spirit has endless ways that He can communicate with us.
7 Ways the Holy Spirit can lead us in our Daily Lives
Over the past year, the Hunk and I have seen some amazing things happen in our lives and in those around us.
Here are some of the things we have learned to pay attention to, as we go about our daily living:
1. Living in the fruit of the Spirit
It is important to realise that we do not need special guidance to live in the fruit of the Spirit. (see Gal 5:16-25)
In other words, when a situation arises that provides us with an opportunity to respond in a loving (patient, joyful, etc) way, we can just do it—asking for His help.
2. A thought, or ‘urge’ from the Spirit
The Spirit leads us through ‘promptings.’
Sometimes these can be subtle. We may have an urge to go somewhere or speak to someone and it is only afterwards we realise it was the Spirit leading us.
At other times, He is leading us to do something other than what we have planned personally to do. When this happens we need to be intentional about obeying Him.
3. A Difficulty Arises.
When a problem occurs, whether it is in our lives, or in the life of someone around us, it is an opportunity to bring God in on the scene through prayer.
We need to become more familiar with responding to a need immediately with prayer. This may mean offering to pray for someone who has a need.
4. An Opportunity Presents Itself (Col 4:5-6)
This can include:
- An opening in conversation gives us an opportunity to share an aspect of our faith
- We have an opportunity to express God’s love through practical assistance when someone is in need.
‘Seize the Day.’
5. Divine Appointments
A Divine appointment looks like coincidence at first.
We can probe a ‘coincidental’ meeting to test whether the Lord has arranged it.
For example, you meet an acquaintance while out walking, or at the shops and you pause to greet him or her.
It may simply be an opportunity to quietly pray for them as you part ways. But if they express a desire to connect further, or share a problem they are facing—explore the opportunity.
6. Prophetic Revelation
Prophetic revelation can include such things as spiritual dreams, symbols, visions and words and thoughts from God. [3]
7. Unique Ways
Ultimately the ways you hear from God will be unique to you.
In the same way that the voice of a friend becomes familiar over time, as we grow in intimacy with God we learn to recognise His voice.
Even though it can be helpful to look out for the above things, don’t forget that the Spirit will speak to you and lead you in many different ways. It’s not about finding a formula, it is about relationship. [4]
Remember, too, that when it comes to matters of hearing from God, especially in relation to prophetic experiences and decision-making, it is vital to have accountability in place—safe people we can check our guidance with. We never ‘outgrow’ the need for Christian leadership and being in a healthy church community.
When we get it Wrong
‘Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?’ (Luke 6:46)
We won’t always get hearing and obeying God’s voice right. I know that I often miss opportunities to respond to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
When this happens, I can confess my shortfall, receive God’s forgiveness, and move on, secure in His love.
Our walk with God is not one of perfection, but of grace (Rom 8:1-4). What is important is that our hearts are open to respond to Him and to grow in this area.
Do you have any experiences to share on being led by the Spirit in your everyday life? I would love to hear from you. Leave a note in the comments box below.
If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.
Notes:
[1] From 1 February 2011, I will be on the ministry team at David McCracken Ministries. You can read about it here: http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2011/01/20/annnouncement-and-article-by-david-mccracken/
(and yes, while there is a little bit of sadness at letting go of my previous role, there’s a whole lot of joyful anticipation at what is to come. Thank You Jesus!)
[2] This response can be a sign that we are still struggling with an ‘orphan mindset,’where we don’t comprehend who we are or Whose we are. You can read more about it here:
http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2010/11/04/breaking-free-from-an-orphan-mindset/
[3] You can read more about receiving prophetic revelation in the following posts:
http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2009/11/14/how-to-exercise-your-prophetic-gift-pt-2-how-to-receive-a-revelation-from-god/
http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2010/07/27/how-to-recover-the-wonder-of-hearing-gods-voice/
[4] Here is a post about having an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit:
http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2010/11/23/how-you-can-have-an-intimate-relationship-with-the-holy-spirit/
© Helen Calder 2011
Enliven Publishing
http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/
Tue 28 Sep 2010
Posted by Helen Calder under Prophetic Word
[7] Comments
If you are nearing retirement age, or are older, this word is for you.
If you are not, pay close attention. It is vital that those of us who are younger hear what the Father is saying to those who are further on in life’s journey than we are.
Viewing our seniors through the eyeglasses of our culture, we mistakenly see a winter season, a period of life where fruitfulness lies behind.
Our God, however—the God of Abraham and Sarah, and Zechariah and Elizabeth—sees spring, and a season of fruitfulness yet ahead.
Three Women, One Message
It started around 8 weeks ago when I was sitting in our church reception area with a woman in our congregation who is 73 years old.
She told me of how she had recently had a prophetic dream and described it to me in detail. It was a remarkable dream—in it she met the Lord. She also saw an unusual fruit tree.
It was clear that the dream spoke of a new season of fruitfulness in her life.
Several weeks later, she attended Healing Rooms training for the first time at our church. God is breaking open new ministry opportunities to her.
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Three days after this encounter, I was speaking at a women’s breakfast, which was being held at a church over the other side of our city.
I happened to sit with a woman who was around eighty years of age.
She is a gifted artist, who in earlier years had been an art teacher and held exhibitions of her work. However, because of eyesight problems and unsteadiness of hand she had given up her art.
That is until one day recently, when the Lord gave her a prophetic dream in the night. She described the dream to me in detail.
It was clear that the Father was instructing her to pick up her gift of art again, which she has done. She said to me, “I am not sure how it is going to turn out, but I know that the artwork I am doing is prophetic.” [1]
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Days after this, I was in Sydney at a healing conference. A group of us, including an older couple, chatted as we waited for a lift at our accommodation. The husband said to his wife, “Tell them what God has done for you.”
She held out her hand, explaining, “My finger was bent and crippled, but now it is straight.” She said, “I should have known.” The night before in the worship she was worshipping and found herself making a motion with her hands as though she was playing the piano.
She hadn’t played in years because of her crippled hand, but God gave her a prophetic sign that the next day was fulfilled—SHE IS HEALED!
A New Lease On Life
‘They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green. Ps 92:14
Just as Moses, encountered the burning bush of God’s Presence at 80 years old and received a fresh commissioning, THIS IS GOD’S TIME TO VISIT HIS OLDER SONS AND DAUGHTERS.
What have been considered the twilight years of life are becoming the highlight years of life, as the Father awakens dormant callings, revives gifts and bestows new ministries upon His people.
God is holding out the sceptre of His favour to His older children. They will become the ‘unexpected army’ of God’s Kingdom and be a sign and witness to this generation of His grace and power.
Depression and weariness will lift off and gifts of healing will be released as they experiences prophetic encounters and receive from their heavenly Father a ‘new lease on life.’
‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17)
Notes:
[1] For more on prophetic art, see the post, ‘What Is Prophetic Art?’
*Do you have any similar experiences or responses to share with us on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the box below. If the comment box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.
Related Posts:
Prophetic Word for 2010: How You Can Receive Your Own Prophecy
© Helen Calder 2010 Enliven Publishing
Now on team with David McCracken Ministries
Sat 19 Sep 2009
You wake up from a vivid dream that you believe had a significant or spiritual meaning. What do you do with it?
As well as a physical body, the Bible tells us that we have a soul and a spirit; we are triune beings made in the image of God (1 Thess 5:23).
Dreaming is a natural process that our bodies carry out, as we are physically refreshed during sleep. But dreaming does not only have a physical function. We are aware that during our sleep our souls (mind, will and emotions) are processing our responses to our past and present, along with our perception of the future.
We are also spiritual beings, created to commune with God. The Bible tells us that one of the many ways God speaks to people is through dreams (Job 33:14-15). These dreams are spiritual, or ‘God dreams.’ A prophetic dream, when tested over time, will prove to be significant.
How to Make The Most of your Prophetic Dream
If you believe you have had a prophetic dream, what should you do with it? Here are some ideas to start you off:
1. Pray About It
If you think your dream may have a spiritual meaning, pray about it. As the Bible says, symbolic dreams are mysteries; only God is able to reveal what they mean (Dan 2:26-28).
2. Record It
Write your dream down as soon as possible, or at least jot down some of the key points to help you remember it (Hab 2:2). Your memory of the details in your dream will naturally fade. If you dream regularly (or get great ideas in the night hours) then you might like to keep a notebook by your bed.
3. Remember It
Some other things you can do to help remember your dream are:
- Replaying the dream in your mind will help you memorise the content of your dream
- Share it. Find someone to tell your dream to who will be interested and draw the details out of you.
4. Reflect on its Meaning
What was it about the dream that made you think it was spiritual in nature? Some questions you can ask to get you started are:
- What was the atmosphere in the dream?
- Who appeared in the dream? A person who appears in the dream may also be symbolic of an attribute in you, a role that you play, a ministry you are called to, or symbolic of something else.
- What objects, places or symbols showed up in the dream? This is where developing knowledge of the Bible and Biblical and prophetic symbols can be helpful. You can also find further helpful information about dream symbols in books from reputable Christian authors (for examples, review http://www.koorong.com.au/)
- How did you feel during the dream?
- What did you sense and what came to your mind when you immediately awoke from the dream?
Remember that a dream in its entirety can be a mixture of both natural and spiritual elements. There may be one factor in a dream that is a revelation from God, but the rest could be from your own inner world.
Don’t discount the value of a dream that is from your soul, not from God. It can still be valuable to show you how you are responding in your inner world to past and present circumstances in your life and it may well be worth taking the time to meditate on it.
5. Seek Help in Interpreting Your Dream
The best person to interpret your dream is you, as many of the symbols in your dreams are from your personal life. You may like to share your dream with one or more people who can help you understand its meaning. Remember that the principles for checking a prophecy also apply to dream interpretation.
Whilst some people do have specific gifts in interpreting dreams, realise that just as in all prophecy, no one person has all the answers. Never become dependent on a single person with a prophetic gift. Be wary of becoming reliant at ALL on others with prophetic gifts or upon the gifts themselves. God has given you the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth (1 John 2:26) and good leaders in the church for protection (Heb 13:17).
6. Release What You do not Understand (1 Thess 5:21-22)
It is OK to RELEASE what you don’t understand, or anything that is not encouraging. If you are disturbed by a dream, find a caring Christian friend or leader who can pray with you about it.
In the New Testament, the recipient of a dream usually knew what God was telling them. Don’t try and force meaning out of a dream that is a mystery. If you have recorded a dream that you believe is significant, it may take time for the meaning to become clear.
Finally, the Bible illustrates that God uses dreams to foretell His future plans (prophetic dreams, Gen 37:5-11), give guidance (Acts 16:9-10), impart spiritual gifts (1 Kings 3:5-16), warn (Matt 2:12) and even give successful business strategies (Gen 31:10-13) to His people.
Let’s be open to receiving a prophetic dream, for our dream world can be an opportunity to encounter Jesus and receive God’s instruction and blessing for our lives.
Would you like to develop your prophetic gift?
Enter your email address in the subscribe box at the right hand side of this page to receive:
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See also:
How Do I Know a Personal Prophecy Or Dream Interpretation Is From God?
4 Types Of Dreams And Their Meanings
© Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church
Thu 10 Sep 2009
Has someone given you a personal prophecy, or interpreted a dream that you have had? Here are some tests that you can put a prophetic word through, to check whether or not it is from God.
In 1 Thess 5:20-21, the Bible says, ‘Do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good.’
A personal prophetic word, or prophetic dream, has the potential to be a great blessing to you. It can help encourage, strengthen and grow you (1 Cor 14:3), reveal to you that God has you personally on His heart, and remind you that He has a great purpose for your life. When someone shares information about you and your hopes and dreams that only God would know, it is a miracle. You encounter Jesus!
We need to remember, however, that a prophecy should be weighed up carefully (1 Cor 14:29).
Here are some tests that you can apply to a prophecy, or part of a prophecy, to check whether or not it is from God. Note, these principles also apply to dream interpretation when it is given to you by another person:
1. The Character Test
Does the prophetic word or interpretation reflect the character of Jesus? Does it sound like something God would say to you?
He is loving and redemptive (that means He has a good outcome for your life, He has a purpose, He wants to bring you closer to Him). This is true even when a prophecy contains a warning.
2. The Bible Test
Does the prophetic word line up with principles God has laid out in the Bible? A prophecy should never go against what the Bible says—for example a prophecy that you should leave your spouse, cause disunity in the church or commit sin would not agree with scripture!
3. The Heart Check Test
1 John 2:20 says, ‘But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.’
Does the prophecy or message sit well with your spirit, or does it make you feel uncomfortable and give you a warning ‘check’ in response? You don’t have to receive a prophecy if it makes you feel uncomfortable.
4. The Confirmation Test
A personal prophecy should confirm what God has already spoken to you, or be consistent with the way He has wired you. If the prophecy does not immediately bring confirmation, it may over time, so feel free to shelve it.
Do not make a sudden change of direction in response to a personal prophecy. If you feel led to make a change in response to a prophetic message brought through another person, remember that God never pressures you. The following test will be helpful:
5. The Leadership Test
Ask, would my church leadership be comfortable with this word? Submitting a prophecy, along with your response to it, to a leader in the church is a wise way to check prophetic guidance. Having another opinion from someone who is mature in their Christian walk and who also knows you can be helpful.
6. The Time Test
Hab 2:3 says, ‘For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.’
You won’t know whether some prophecies are from God until you have given them time to be fulfilled. If you are unsure about a prophetic word, it is OK to shelve a prophecy, put it aside and review it at a later date.
7. The Prophet Test
Do you know the person prophesying, and are they known to the leaders of your church or recognised in the wider church for their gift? Don’t accept a personal prophecy from just anyone. Jesus said that some people would prophesy in His name but not actually know Him (Matt 7:22-23). He also said to watch out for false prophets (Matt 7:15-16) and that you could tell by their fruit, i.e. their character and what their lives are producing.
If the person who is giving you the prophecy is unknown to you or your church leaders, is not submitted to leadership, or whose life does not reflect the character of Christ, do not receive the prophetic word outright.
A word given by someone who has a prophetic gift but is living an ungodly lifestyle may be partly right, which can be very confusing. If this is the case, the prophecy may contain something that is ‘off.’ It is a bit like emails that come with attachments that contain a virus. The message in the email may be right and good, but when you open it, something that is bad for your computer is also downloaded with the message. So we need to take care WHO we are receiving prophetic input from.
A prophecy that is contaminated by an issue that is out of order in the person prophesying can pull you off the track God has for you unless you put it through the above checks. This is a reminder not to be impressed with an external show of natural charisma or even giftedness, but also to watch for character and integrity.
One time I was listening as a prophetic team brought a prophecy to a young woman at a training session. One of the young guys in the team seemed to have a powerful prophetic gift. However at one part of the ‘prophecy’ he came out with a message that had a suggestive innuendo about the girl’s physical appearance. Although the rest of the prophecy sounded good, I felt that it was probable he had a sin issue that was coming through in his prophecy.
Another thing to be wary of, is prophecy that is flattering or that attracts you to the person prophesying rather than drawing you closer to Jesus. When it comes to personal prophecy, it is OK to ‘eat the meat and spit out the bones.’
Related Posts:
4 Types Of Dreams And Their Meanings
Is Personal Prophecy Biblical
How To Make The Most Of Your Personal Prophecy
What To When You Have a Prophetic Dream
4 Things You Can Do With Your Personal Prophecy
© Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church
