By Ira and Judy Milligan
As I travel across the country teaching about dreams and their interpretations, I constantly marvel at the number of Christians who don’t realize God is speaking to them through their dreams. In fact, most don’t believe their dreams are meaningful until someone actually interprets one or more of their dreams for them. There’s far too much skepticism about dreams in the Church, even though the Bible plainly tells us that in these last days God will communicate with us this way: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. [Acts 2:17]
Although the promised outpouring of His Spirit has been widely embraced, the reality of God’s communication through dreams and visions has not. By the way, the “old men” He’s talking about here is not your grandfathers, He’s talking about your unregenerate, “old man.” Visions are received in and by our spirit man (young, born-again man) while praying or meditating upon God’s word, but dreams are usually parables given through our unregenerate, “old man” while asleep. That’s the reason even sinners regularly receive dreams from God!
Dreams come in two basic forms; literal and symbolic. Literal dreams usually come to pass just as they are observed, but symbolic dreams have to be interpreted before they are of any use. It is in this area that most Christians have trouble. Although interpreting dreams is a skill that is easily mastered, not many Christians have tried doing so.
Interpreting dreams is simply a matter of learning a few basic rules and mastering the proper use and meaning of symbols. Although every symbol has both positive and negative meanings, there is usually a basic, fundamental meaning for each one. Although there is no “one” fixed meaning for symbols in general, there is a way of knowing the specific meaning of symbols as they are used in our dreams.
The most common way symbols acquire meaning is through the dreamer’s personal experience. So, regardless of what the symbol is (person, animal, object, action, color, number, etc.), always ask yourself, “What does this symbol mean to me?” Since you’re the one dreaming, you are the final authority on the symbol’s meaning. In other words, when searching for a symbol’s meaning, first ask yourself, “What does this symbol remind me of?”
Our culture will sometimes influence our dreams, too. For example, in America pink refers to girls and blue to boys, while a yellow ribbon has taken on the connotation of “welcome home.”
Our personal experience and understanding is reflected in many of our dreams. For instance, to me mice mean “timid.” I’ve never seen a bold one. But a timid lady might see a mouse as something “terrifying”! If I tried interpreting her dream, my viewpoint wouldn’t be the right one to use. Likewise, she wouldn’t comprehend what my “mouse” meant.
Dreams are very personal. Although our dreams aren’t always from God, they are always important. In many ways, when a dream is from God, it is as though He is whispering in our ear. When He does, He uses terms which are meaningful to us in the same way that we say certain things to some people we wouldn’t say to others.
Because dreams are so personal, one should use discretion when telling them to others. Some things that God tells us are for our ears alone. For this reason, it is important to learn to interpret what He is saying without having to lean on outside help. For one thing, because of the different viewpoints we hold on similar objects and actions, help from without isn’t always dependable, and besides, sometimes God wants us to keep what He says a secret. I’m always conscious of this when I hold public question and answer sessions in my dream seminars. Some dreams just aren’t for public discussion.
The second most common meaning for any given symbol is found in its own, inherent characteristics. For example, in both dreams and visions, a snake usually represents a demon. That’s the way Jesus used “serpents” in Luke 10:19. That meaning fits them well, because like Satan, they strike without provocation and their bite is deadly. Their forked tongue has been a symbol for lying for centuries, and their ability to sneak and hide clearly reflects the devil’s deceitfulness. Nevertheless, a snake can even represent Jesus! In that case, the proper word for the serpent is curse, because Jesus became a curse for us.
Another, similar symbol is a lion. Peter compared a lion to Satan, and everyone is aware that Jesus is known as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Here, the roaring, destroying nature of the lion points to Satan and the powerful, majestic, kingly nature reflects Christ. Notice that in both cases, the primary meaning for each symbol comes from its inherent character. So, when you are searching for the meaning of a difficult symbol and after asking yourself, “What does this symbol mean to me?” you still don’t have the answer, then ask, “What is the character or nature of this symbol?”
For example, unless you are a zoo keeper, you probably haven’t had any personal experience with giraffes, so if you dream of one the only way to arrive at its meaning is to observe its inherent characteristics. Since a giraffe stands high above all other animals, it is exalted. If used in a negative way, this would speak of pride and haughtiness; looking down on others, etc. If it is used in a positive sense, then it may stand for elegant or regal. Another meaning readily observable from its nature is untouchable. Few animals bother it because it is simply too tall for them to kill. The way the animal is used in context determines which definition to use. With a little prayer, mediation and imagination, most symbols readily reveal their meanings through their inherent characteristics. Most symbols used in the Bible obtain their meanings this way, and the way a symbol is used in Scripture is often the way it is used in our dreams.
It is important to know that when deciphering dreams, nothing is more important than correct application. Correct interpretation is always dependent upon proper application. Since most dreams pertain to the person dreaming, trying to understand a dream without knowing the necessary, supporting information surrounding the dreamer’s life can be an exercise in futility. Of course sometimes the dream itself reveals the necessary information, and in those cases a proper interpretation can be given from the action and symbols contained within the dream.
A biblical example of this is Daniel. Although the scriptures clearly show that at times Daniel’s ability to interpret dreams had supernatural overtones (such as when God revealed Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to him in the night), nevertheless, when he interpreted most of the king’s dreams it is clear that he was well aware of the king’s circumstances (see Daniel chapter two and chapter four).
Most of our dreams are but a snapshot in time. Sometimes they portray things from the distant past, or they may even show future events before they actually come to pass, but usually they refer directly to what is going on in the dreamer’s life at the time they are given. For that reason it is important to interpret them right away, otherwise they quickly become irrelevant.
Another helpful question to ask ourselves when interpreting dreams is this: “Is this dream referring to the past, present or future?” To obtain the correct answer, first check out the dream’s setting. Where did it take place? What objects or people took part in it? Often the most important key is in the first scene. If its setting is in the past, it’s probably pointing backward in time. In other words, God is dealing with the dreamer about his past. Past events affect our present circumstances as sure as old spending habits affect our current bank account. Before God can change present conditions sometimes He has to remind us of whatever brought those conditions into existence in the first place.
Since our past is behind us, dreaming of something behind us may be indicative of our past. One’s backyard is another simple way of saying yesterday. Trouble that comes in through the back door is nearly always coming from the past. Although these directions in time are simple, they’re frequently overlooked.
Another purpose God may have for placing something behind someone in a dream is to show that it’s lurking there. It may indicate something that’s hidden from their view. A backroom, all closed up and unused may be something they’re unaware of, but is more likely something they’re avoiding. Sometimes it’s a repressed memory.
Some things are just too painful to willfully remember, so God has to prompt us to bring the past to mind so that He can heal us. If God wants to point to one’s childhood, He may put the dreamer in his early, childhood home. When He wants to point even further back, into one’s distant past, He may place the dreamer into his grandparents’ home. Each place indicates a different period of time. In the case of the grandparents’ house, it may even imply time before the dreamer was born.
Obviously, the opposite of past is future. When a dream refers to one’s future, we usually say it’s prophetic. In the same way that one’s backyard can reflect one’s past, one’s front yard may predict future events. Sometimes these events are current, already in progress; sometimes the dream is showing that they will shortly come to past.
Proper application may reveal another important truth, too. The dream may not be for interpretation at all. As we mentioned before, some dreams are literal and should be applied exactly as they are received. Sometimes God gives both instructions and warnings this way. And sometimes, the only way to know for sure if a vision or dream is a parable or literal is to wait and see!
As we travel, we often have dreams related to us with the accompanying question: “Do you think this dream is from the Lord?”
Although it’s true that all dreams are not from the Lord, those that aren’t are the exception, not the rule. At a recent dream seminar that we held, after the usual question and answer session, I asked the audience, “Did you notice there was not a single dream submitted for interpretation that did not contain a specific message?”– and, I might add, most of the time an important message! There were numerous dreams sited, and every one of them was helpful and informative.
And lastly, we need to know what to do with a dream when it contains a message for someone else. The first thing we should do, of course, is pray for God’s guidance. Always ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in what to do with the information He gives you. If you are married, it’s usually wise to ask your spouse for his or her advice. Always submit your revelation to and through the proper authorities – including a child’s parents or a woman’s husband when it is appropriate. And be gracious; always allow the person to whom you are ministering the message to determine whether it’s actually for them or not. Never try to force your interpretation upon someone else, whether it’s your dream or theirs. To do otherwise is witchcraft.
If you are one of those who are not accustomed to paying attention to dreams (or you simply can’t understand what God is saying through them), you are really missing out! God’s ways are wonderful! Don’t let the deceiver rob you any longer. Start a dream journal. Write your dreams down and get alone with God for a time of prayer and meditation. He is faithful, and no respecter of persons. Jesus said: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. [Matt. 7:7]
If you pray and ask Him for wisdom and seek Him for understanding, He will help you interpret what He has revealed to you. Be consistent and persistent and He will explain all things to you just like He did to His first disciples: But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. [Mark 4:34] Sweet Dreams!
Ira and Judy Milligan have served God since 1962. In 1986 they founded Servant Ministries, Inc.
(www.servantministries.com) They travel and present such seminars as: Dreams and Their Interpretations, Counseling and Inner Healing, Spiritual Warfare, and Prophets and Personal Prophecy. They currently reside in Tioga, Louisiana.
