“Listen To Your Dreams!” (How To Hear The Voice Of God pt. 4)

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 07/09/23 (2nd Sunday Message)

hashtags:

#guidinglight #pastorjim #givingthanks #hearinggod #hearing #voiceofGod

#faith #whatdoesGodsay #forgiveness #Godworks #savedtoserve #healer #protector #Godforgives #worry #Springfavor #deliverance #listeningears #Godspeaks

{All scriptures are “NIV84” unless stated}

Message Title:

“Listen To Your Dreams!” (How To Hear The Voice Of God pt. 4)

Memory Verse:

Job 33:14

14 For God does speak—now one way, now another— though man may not perceive it.

We’ve talked about the ways God can speak. God speaks through his word.

God speaks through other people. Last week we talked about:

- God Speaks Himself

How did we discuss how God talks?

• God Can Speak To You Directly

We talked about Samuel last week.

Many Times We Don’t Recognize God When He Is Speaking To Us

• • Samuel 3:2

  • One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

Samuel was in the temple of the Lord. The Lord calls Samuel.

Samuel RESPONDS.

He then runs to Eli asking him what he needs.

God’s voice spoke to Samuel in a way to where he thought Eli was calling him. God was using an audible voice.

Verse 6-8

6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The Lord called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy.

Samuel did not yet know the Lord. Yet the Lord was calling him.

- you might not have the best relationship with God… you might not know his voice at all…

but it doesn’t mean he isn’t calling you.

God Is Calling You To Something, But You Have To Learn To Recognize his Voice

The same thing happens 2 more times…and Eli realizes what is happening.

Verse 9-11

9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.

God may speak to you audibly… God also speaks this way:

• God Can Speak Through Your Thoughts

We talked about how our thoughts are our own until we tell someone. Those thoughts can get us INTO trouble.

But those thoughts can also keep us out of trouble.

We Learn To Control Our Actions Through Our Thoughts

Sometimes we think:

“just keep your mouth shut…don’t say anything.” Sometimes we think:

“today is the right day…say it how you mean it!” But IN those thoughts…

God speaks as well.

1 Corinthians 2:16

16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

We have the mind of Christ… he shares things with us.

He shares HIS thoughts with us. What we should do.

What we should not do.

If you hear it with your ears or in your thoughts… God IS speaking…

But God speaks in other ways.

• God Speaks Through Dreams

Let’s look at our memory verse…and KEEP reading!

Job 33:14-18

14 For God does speak—now one way, now another— though man may not perceive it. 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds, 16 he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, 17 to turn man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride, 18 to preserve his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword.

God DOES speak…how?

- In a dream!

Have You Ever Had God Speak To You Through A Dream?

Did you ever wake up with something heavy on your heart?

You remember something said to you in the dream you never considered before? You’re out and get a sense of Deja Vu?

• you had a dream about something… and someone else brings up the topic.

• that was possibly God trying to tell you something.

God Spoke To Solomon In A Dream

• • Kings 3:5

5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon says, I am the king now after my father David.

I do not know what it is I should do.

Verse 9

9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

God responds back to him.

Verse 10-15

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.

Solomon realized it was a dream… But VERY real!

You Can Ask God For Things In A Dream That Will Happen In Your Real Life!

How many of us have dreamed we won the lottery?

No matter how hard we try…we can’t bring that money with us when we wake up.

But we CAN talk to God…who can give us beyond what we ask for.

God Can Show You Things To Come In A Dream!

Let’s talk about the dreamer!

Genesis 37:5-7

5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

It seemed weird at the time…but God was talking to Joseph.

No one knew it at the time…but it showed itself at the end of the story. Let’s skip to it.

Genesis 42:6

6 Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

It May Take A While, But God Can Prepare You For Your Future Through A Dream!

What are some of the things you dream about?

Have you ever dreamed about something that happened?

Some of you may have dreamed about the things you’re doing today. But we have to work hard to remember what God shows us.

God May Speak To Us Through Dreams, But Sadly We Can Easily Forget Them

How many of us wake up and immediately don’t know what we dreamed about?

Sometimes we DO remember them and they’re so crazy… we think it’s nothing.

Joseph had a dream where his bundle of wheat stood up.

and all the other bundles came around and bowed down to it.

HOW weird is that!? But back up in Joseph’s story.

- Joseph is in prison.

- God spoke to others with dreams.

Genesis 41:1-4

When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, 2 when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. 3 After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. 4 And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

This dream makes no sense. Pharaoh didn’t know what to do.

He clearly didn’t have a relationship with God to ask.

Verse 8

8 In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

Pharaoh was trying to find an earthly answer to spiritual conversation.

God Is Speaking! You Have To Figure Out What He Is Saying!

You may think that dreams are spacey.

You might think that God won’t speak to you through your dreams… But according to Genesis…

Joseph was in prison. His brothers sold him off.

Everyone had forgotten about him.

even those who could have helped him. (Baker, Cupbearer)

But Joseph originally had a dream from God… and to MAKE that dream happen,

God had to give Pharaoh a dream… someone who didn’t know him…

and ONLY Joseph could interpret it.

God may have given you some dreams of what he’s going to do with you.

But you might have had some things to keep you down.

But God isn’t just giving you dreams of your future… He’s making your future dream of you!

Pharaoh didn’t know Joseph…

but because God spoke to HIM… now the king is looking for him.

You don’t know who God is gonna have come looking for you! You don’t know what can happen when you let God work!

God Can Make People In High Places Have Dreams Regarding You!

Dreams are important!

It’s one of the ways God speaks!

If you are looking to hear God’s voice clearer in dreams:

• Ask God For Clarity When He Speaks

• Pray Before You Go To Sleep Each Night

• Ask God To Speak Through Your Dreams

  • When You Wake Up, If You Feel Good About It

• Write The Dream Down

• Ask God To Show You What It Means

• Pay Attention To See What God Does!

Daniel was someone who had both dreams AND visions! Let’s talk about visions.

God Speaks Through Visions:

{Easton’s Bible Dictionary}

Vision - a vivid apparition, not a dream.

Visions are similar to dreams. But the person is awake.

Almost like a daydream.

A DEEP sense of thought.

How many of you all have experienced a vision? God DOES Speak…now one way now another.

Acts 2:17

17 “ ‘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.

God Spoke To Paul Through Visions

Acts 18:9-11

9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." 11 So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

If God Speaks Through A Dream Or A Vision, Pay Attention!

Acts 16:10

10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

After Paul saw the vision…

HE and THOSE with him left.

God does speak…now one way now another.

If you want to make sure that God is speaking to you through a vision:

• Ask God For Clarity When He Speaks

  • If you experience something you consider a vision:

• Write The Vision Down

Habakkuk 2:2 (ESV)

• • And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.

Whatever God gave you… write it down.

• Pray Over What You Saw

  • Ask God for clarity on it!

• Pay Attention To See What Happens!

God does speak…(Job 33:14)

He’s probably talking to you all the time…

But you may be missing it. God WANTS to talk to you.

Let’s start paying more attention.

This Week:

• Review This Message (Today’s Stream, Study Groups, Lunch Recap)

• Try To Pay More Attention To The Things We Usually Ignore (Dreams, Visions, Thoughts)

• Write Down The Things We See, And Ask God To Show Us What They Mean

If we’re seeking God’s word on things… Remember he DOES speak…

But we gotta find ways to hear him better.