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Dreams That Influence Our Destiny
Destiny. It is a word tossed about in Christian circles—a lot! Most people believe that they are placed here on earth to fulfill a particular purpose. That is true, but—please hear me—there is much, much more to understand about our destiny. In fact, because everyone has dreams, I believe that God speaks to His children (believers and nonbelievers) in dreams that are designed to empower them to fulfill destiny. Before I get ahead of myself, though, let’s define the word destiny.
The dictionary describes it as “events that will happen to a person or thing in the future.” You will not find destiny in the Bible, and yet Scripture is laced with promises from God that are pregnant with destiny. Jeremiah 29:11, for example, says this: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (emphasis added). Destiny can be defined in this passage as plans that are intended to give us “hope and a future.” The King James Version says it this way: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (emphasis mine).
Biblically speaking, then, destiny is “an expected end” and “God’s plans for our future.” We all have a destiny to fulfill. Each of us has goals that we desire to accomplish—and God has goals for us as well. God has a purpose for each of us, and we can be assured that whatever God promises us, He intends to fulfill it! My purpose in this book is to point out how much our dreams and visions affect our destinies. The potter envisions the finished product even as he or she begins to mold and shape the clay; when God uses dreams to mold and shape our lives, the end result is what He intended all along—His masterpiece, molded and fashioned into His own image. Each of us travels through our life journeys with missing pieces, and we need God’s intervention to fill the void; He uses dreams and visions to complete each of us as a perfected vessel. Precious believer, He will visit us in the night season to impart dreams that empower us to fulfill our destiny.
This is why I like to use the term destiny dreams—God gives us dreams to empower us to be the best we can be, for ourselves and as sons and daughters to Him! As you continue to read, keep in mind that God knows where we are today. He will reveal hidden mysteries concerning our futures, but His heart is also to heal our todays with a plan to keep us moving toward complete fulfillment. All along, He is drawing us closer to Him, while at the same time healing and empowering us with hope, encouragement and divine fulfillment.
This is one reason that we need to pay close attention to our dreams, so that we can experience God’s very best for our lives. Any dream can affect your destiny—depending on your properly responding to the message in the dream. I know I am hammering this in a bit, but it is extremely important to remember when documenting and interpreting dreams that the Holy Spirit is your guide!
In addition, we can benefit from the teaching of many people who have sought after the “glory of kings” in searching out the matter of God’s dream language. I have been on a journey of studying dreams and visions for more than thirty years, and I have studied under numerous teachers. Literally thousands upon thousands of documented dreams have been examined, and most ministers, I believe, have come to the conclusion that dreams fall into common categories. In this chapter and the next, I will draw on much of what I have learned to help you understand your dreams by listing various dream types and suggesting things to note while documenting and interpreting them. This is not an all-inclusive list but a summary of the destiny-type dreams that I personally find to be the most common. (These are not listed in order of importance.) Though my suggestions do not provide everything you need to empower you to interpret your dreams, they will, I hope, serve as a guide as you grow in your understanding of your world of dreams.
Dreams from the Holy Spirit
Destiny dreams and dreams about our future are often prophetic in nature. Whenever the Lord ministers to us about possessing our personal Promised Land, we realize that we, like Israel, have to drive out the previous tenants who had settled in the land. Each of us has promises from God to possess. Certainly, many of those promises have already been accessed in life, but what about those that have not? It is the areas in our lives that still need perfecting, encouraging and fulfilling that God cares about. Dear one, He is all about you being prosperous and successful, having a hope and a future, just as Jeremiah wrote.
Dreams from the Holy Spirit will always impart hope and life. Remember, though, that He cares so much for us that He will also instruct and correct us so that we do not waver or fail. A fundamental principle for operating in dream interpretation is to always remember who the Holy Spirit is (His character) and how He operates in the realm of the prophetic on the earth. The Holy Spirit’s character is described by many names and titles that describe His ministry: Comforter, Counselor, Advocate, Convicter of Sin, Intercessor, Revealer, Spirit of Truth and Teacher. Yet another description is Breath. Thus our dreams from the Holy Spirit are meant to give breath or life to us. Never does the Holy Spirit bring condemnation to a believer. Though our sins may be pointed out, it is always with an extension of grace and a helping hand to lift us up and out of the miry clay.
Dreams from the Holy Spirit reveal God’s ultimate plan for our lives (even though interpretations may take a while!). They counsel us along the way, they speak truth into hidden places that have concealed lies, and they lead us along paths of righteousness. In 1 Corinthians 14:3 we read that the spirit of prophecy is meant for edification, exhortation and comfort. This, then, will be our plumb line for interpreting dreams from the Holy Spirit.
Dreams of Edification
The word translated “edification” means, in Greek, “to build up.” I would label a dream an “edification dream” if it made you feel great about your life. You awake feeling on top of the world, that you have risen above present challenges. Interestingly, the Greek word for edification is related to the word that means “rooftop.” How many times have you felt “on top of the world”? Edification dreams bring about this response.
As I mentioned, 1 Corinthians 14:3 ties the prophetic ministry to edification, exhortation and comfort. Therefore, when God speaks through dreams and visions, His heart is to do exactly that—not to condemn. Even dreams of correction are always meant to bring hope. If you are in a dry season, experiencing despair and depression, you will awake from an edifying dream with hope and renewed encouragement. Even if you do not remember the details of the dream, you will still awake completely refreshed when God gives you a dream of edification. How does this happen? Remember that your dreams and visions bring not only revelation but also an impartation. Isn’t that exciting? An edifying dream imparts edification to your spirit.
Dreams of Exhortation
Exhorting dreams and visions give a message of encouragement. The dream often serves as a call to become motivated to action. I like to refer to these types of dreams as “courage” dreams; while edification dreams produce a sense of hope, exhorting dreams purposefully produce greater levels of faith. Similar to edifying dreams, upon awakening from these types of dreams, you have a renewed motivation to get busy doing the work of the Lord.
I have had many dreams that involve spiritual warfare. In the dreams, demonic forces have actually named themselves. I was not fearful during the dreams, nor did I awake fearful. Rather I awoke knowing the assignment of the enemy, and I felt equipped and exhorted to move forward with spiritual warfare and take authority over all demonic functions. Courage had been imparted to me in the dreams; therefore, I was empowered to strongly engage in the battle with courage and faith.
Dreams of Comfort
Comfort dreams are designed by the Lord to heal us—body, soul and spirit. Many times we carry past pain and painful memories with us, while the Lord’s desire is for us to be completely healed from emotional pain, trauma and anything that might hinder us from experiencing life to the fullest. A comfort dream is not designed to empower someone to remain in his or her comfort zone. I have realized that when I am comfortable, I am settling for much less than God has for me to achieve and do in Him. Rather than letting us remain “comfortable” with past fears and weaknesses, a comfort dream challenges us to believe that God will heal us from the past, comfort us during difficult and dry seasons and minister His love to us whenever we feel at a loss.
While Jesus was still speaking, I woke up! Right away I realized that I did not know what else Jesus said He had come to give me. I was actually angry at myself because I could not remember. As I pressed my memory for the details of my dream, I recalled that the word I could not remember started with the letter c. So I pulled out a dictionary, just to realize how many awesome words begin with the letter c—courage, credibility, certainty, clarity, care, celebration, change, chosen and on and on and on!
I finally understood that Christ had come to give me much more than just comfort. He deliberately caused me not to remember the last word because He wanted me to pray and search out the full meaning of the dream. Believe me, I needed all the other words I found that began with a c!
Dreams with Recurring Themes
Recurring dreams are a strong indicator that God wants us to bring forth something new or cause us to change. If we are ignoring the dream and not responding properly by embracing the change, it might be repeated. Once new behavior occurs, the dream will probably cease.
Dreams of Teachers, Tests and Schools
Dreams of being in school have been among the most common for me. It seems as if I am always learning something! Maybe it has been because I have made so many mistakes (and, in my life, have I ever!). On a good note, however, a dream about school could mean that I am remaining teachable and that my future involves growing and being perfected in Christ. We are always being perfected in God and being tested for promotion, right? I continually praise God for His faithfulness to teach me the error of my ways and deliver me from darkness. I bet you can relate to dreams about going to school, also. Let’s take a look at how to interpret them.
In these types of dreams, the dreamer may be learning something new. Maybe the dreamer is in the midst of a “learning curve.” The dream could represent a current process of taking different types of tests or be an indication that something was not learned the first time around. Tests are often needed for a promotion.
I have had many dreams in which I am in college and I am searching for my next class. This was an indication that I needed guidance—or perhaps that I had graduated and should not feel that I still needed to remain a student! Spiritual maturity may be the answer to remaining in an old pattern of training. Things to consider:
- Note the people present. Was there a teacher, a principal, another classmate or classmates? If you were in the principal’s office, it may mean that God has something specific to talk to you about.
- Were you in high school? This could represent the Holy Spirit (HS) School, and the Spirit is training you or desires to elevate your gifting.
- Are you retaking the same test? This could mean it is time to cycle out of your wilderness (pass the testing phase!) and move forward.
Dreams of Vehicles
Most of the time, dreams of vehicles symbolize someone’s calling, ministry, vocation or purpose in life. Vehicles represent what you are called to do. I have had many dreams in which my vehicle also represented the anointing. Keep in mind that vehicles move you from one point to another; therefore, dreams with vehicles could represent the fact that you are moving forward into another season or point of entry.
- Make note of the type of vehicle. Larger vehicles—a bus, plane or cruise liner—often symbolize larger callings, ministry and influence. A car or a small boat or plane could symbolize an individual calling or smaller ministry.
- Make note of the color, size, style and/or type of vehicle. Think outside the box—unicycles, tricycles, horses, mules and camels are vehicles also.
- Note who is driving. Is it you? Is it someone you know? Does the person have no face or name? Is it someone from your past? Someone from your past could mean that an old emotion or relationship is driving you. Emotions play a huge role in interpreting this type of dream. A past relationship could be “driving you crazy” with negative emotions or influencing your future in a negative way. Most of the time when no face is revealed for the driver, it is the Holy Spirit. This is awesome, for it shows you that the Holy Spirit is directing (driving) your life!
In many of my dreams, I am in my car, and for years I was the one driving. This was an indication that I wanted to be in control. Being a prophetic “seer,” I believed that these dreams indicated that I was the visionary in the ministry. To some degree this was true; because of my control issues, however, I believe now that the Lord was ministering to me about that stronghold. After I was delivered, there came a dream in which I was in the backseat of my car. The driver had no face—a symbol that the Holy Spirit was driving! God had been faithful to move me from one point to the other.
Dreams of Storms
Storm dreams are also very common. They have often been interpreted as negative dreams. Remember, nothing is always! Storms can clear the air and move obstacles out of the way that are not sturdy. Sometimes these dreams are hinting that something is on the horizon. They often encourage us that the future is being unveiled! Here are some other thoughts to consider:
- Storms often result in emotions of fear to the dreamer. If there is fear throughout the dream, it is quite possibly a dream of warning.
- Note the color of the storm. Light and bright colors might mean that God is bringing something positive your way. If they are dark or muted, however, the dream might refer to a destructive force headed in your direction.
- Many times, storm dreams are meant for intercession and spiritual warfare prayer. Those with a keen discerning of spirits have these types of dreams often. Though intercession and spiritual warfare target demonic attacks, these dreams can also represent showers of God’s blessings and are to be prayed through and enjoyed! As with dreams of vehicles, emotions will help determine the direction of your prayers.
Dreams of Clocks and Watches
Dreams with timepieces often reveal a particular season or time in the dreamer’s life. Since many clocks have an alarm, the dream may be a form of “wake-up” call. It often comes as a warning to the dreamer himself/herself. It is possible that we need to wake up to the wiles of the enemy. Satan does not want you to fulfill your destiny!
Sometimes these types of dreams are meant to be an intercessory burden for a nation. This happened to me in South Korea in 2014; I had a wake-up call in the form of a dream/vision. I awoke and experienced an angelic visitation from an “awakening angel” who was sent with a message to the Body of Christ to wake up to their purposes in God.
- Is there a specific time shown during the dream? If it is 11:00, it might symbolize that you are in transition (the number eleven). If the hands on the clock or watch point to 6:00, it might symbolize works of the flesh that the Lord wants to deliver you from. (Numbers carry various meanings in Scripture, and I have listed these meanings in chapter 9.)
- God told Jeremiah He would “watch” over His promises to Him (see Jeremiah 1:12). A dream of a watch might mean that God is reminding you of the same promise!
Dreams of Flying or Soaring
Flying dreams are very common destiny dreams. In a strongly encouraging way, they most often represent an ability to rise above problems and move in the spirit realm. These dreams are highly inspirational and often an encouragement from God to press into the supernatural and revelatory realm.
- Soaring dreams are most always inspirational and are not demonic in nature. Common emotions are exhilaration and feeling closer to God.
- Whenever we are ascending in a dream, we usually awake being inspired and empowered. This type of dream can be an encouraging dream to remind us of our true identity in Christ. According to Scripture, we are seated with Christ in heavenly places and are above all principalities and powers (see Ephesians 2:6). Remember, also, that the Word says in Mark 9:23 that nothing is impossible for us who believe. Therefore, this type of dream makes us feel that we are “above” all challenges.
Dreams of nakedness often point to our need to become more vulnerable and intimate with God and others. On the other hand, they could mean that we feel exposed and too vulnerable. When interpreting these types of dreams, one has to discern the context. Emotions are also very important to document. If during the dream you feel fear and shame, it might be considered a type of exposure, or even vulnerability to past memories, which often stir up shame and guilt. In some cases, especially if the dreamer is in the midst of great spiritual warfare, it can symbolize that the dreamer is not fully dressed in his or her spiritual armor, and it emphasizes the need to put it on. These types of dreams occur very often when the dreamer is in transition. Fear of a new challenge, a new job or spiritual promotion might stir up feelings of inadequacy and a belief that “I am not properly equipped”—hence, naked.
In the past, before I experienced deliverance from generational strongholds, I had many dreams in which I was naked. I would awake from those dreams feeling unclean and exposed. Though I was seeking deliverance from many different strongholds, I was ashamed of my past. I was a “closet person” who attempted to keep everything hidden. And when I came out of that closet, so to speak, and began to confess my problems, the shame grew even worse. I had these “naked” dreams until the day I experienced deliverance. After the Lord set me free, I never had one again. Hallelujah!
- Make special note of the setting. Are you before a large crowd? Are you publicly speaking? If so, you may have a fear of being “exposed” as an unqualified speaker. Surveys indicate that fear of public speaking is the number one fear! If you are fearful in your dream, the Holy Spirit may be speaking to you concerning your identity in Christ.
- Are you in a phase of transition? Transition often brings fear. The Lord may be encouraging you to trust Him more as you fulfill your calling.
Dreams of Being Unprepared
I have had several recurring dreams in which I went to preach in a church but had left my message and Bible at home. Each time I awoke, I felt gloomy and fearful. The interpretation is that I feel unprepared whenever I minister, and I have an underlying fear that I will not make a good impression. This fear goes way back into my childhood, for I often dealt with insecurity. I have learned to trust the Holy Spirit when I minister; this type of dream, however, seems to arise when I am battling intimidation. Many times the dream has been from the Lord—revealing a fear that I need prayer for and deliverance from. At times, though, I have been certain that the dreams were demonically inspired. Remember, the devil loves to intimidate God’s children because it keeps us from stepping out with boldness and confidence as we teach or demonstrate the Word.
- Also make note of the setting in these types of dreams. Are you at your place of employment? Your church? Does it take place in a family setting? Carefully examine your life and determine if you deal with fear of failure. If so, does it occur while you are filling a certain role in a particular place? Your dream may be revealing a deep and emotional fear of not measuring up or feeling intimidated.
- Find specific Scriptures that speak to you positively concerning your identity in Christ. Also, think about your self-talk. Our minds are always chattering away, and if we are going to be saying something, it needs to remain positive. If you are thinking negatively about yourself too much, it may be showing up in your dreams!
I have realized that most of the time dreams concerning teeth reveal the need for wisdom. In the dream, pay attention to the wisdom tooth—is it missing, decayed or broken off? If so, wisdom may be needed. These dreams are often connected with the dreamer’s ability to make wise decisions or the ability to understand a situation. Remembering that nothing is always, I often think of Solomon and how he asked for wisdom, and, because of that, prosperity was his reward. Many times when needing a financial breakthrough, people have dreams about their teeth. I have often counseled businesspeople to “seek first the kingdom” (and kingdom wisdom) . . . and all other things (finances) will be added.
When I was a teenager, I wore braces. I had the most crooked front teeth you have ever seen. I was always embarrassed whenever I smiled. So I was thrilled to get braces! Later in my life, when I was pastoring a local church, I had continual dreams about those two front teeth with braces. I prayed for the interpretation for what seemed like days. I was aware that teeth in a dream often referred to needing wisdom, but, though I understood the wisdom connection, I could not make the dream come together.
I fretted over this very simple dream. It should have been easy to interpret: I need wisdom. Plain and simple, right? And yet I could not get peace about my interpretation. Months later I got it in full: I was to “brace” myself because of a coming situation, and if wisdom was not applied to the equation, there would be a tendency for me to feel ashamed. I am exceedingly thankful that the Holy Spirit spoke this to me; it happened just as this simple dream warned me.
- If teeth appear to be falling out, then it is highly possible that God is communicating the need or inability to properly discern and understand a situation.
- Note which tooth is the main focus. The wisdom tooth deals with wisdom, and the eye (seer) tooth deals with revelation. False teeth represent false teaching or false wisdom received.
Dreams of an Ex or Past Relationships
Dreams of any type of ex—boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband, employer, friend, etc.—are common warnings from God about returning to past behavior or old belief systems. Dreaming about past relationships does not literally mean that an old “flame” or relationship is being rekindled or revisited. Most of our dreams are intrinsic, meaning God is dealing with us directly in motive, heart issues, pain, trauma, etc. An old relationship could be symbolic of an old habit, and God is warning us to not make ungodly covenant with it again! On the other hand, in a positive sense, God might be restoring a relationship that has appeared lost.
As senior pastor of a local church, I have often had dreams about those who have left our fellowship. Pastoring is difficult at times because our hearts become connected to those for whom we care. Whenever I dream these types of dreams, I go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him if there is any unforgiveness to be dealt with concerning the relationship. I also seek His directives concerning the people in my dreams—should I guard my heart in a new relationship that is coming into my life and/or be careful as the relationship develops? It is of utmost importance to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide you in interpreting these types of dreams.
- Note who the person is and what he or she represents to you. Dreaming about an ex may mean that you are having regrets, but it does not necessarily mean you should reengage in the relationship.
- Most likely the Lord is attempting to uncover a certain incident that needs healing in your heart. Examine the relationship carefully; what was positive, what was negative? The Lord will lead you in how to pray.
Dreams of Dead Relatives
Dreams of people who have passed away, especially if the dreams concern parents and/or grandparents, can indicate generational issues that are at work within the dreamer’s life (blessings and curses). The gift of discernment will be required to receive the blessings or cut off the curses. Paying close attention to emotions during these dreams will prove beneficial when interpreting.
Because I have needed so much deliverance due to generational strongholds of shame, fear and control, I have dreamed numerous times about generations in my family—both good things I have inherited through the bloodlines as well as bad things I have inherited. Because I have Creek Indian heritage, I have documented hundreds of dreams revealing generational curses connected to my Native American lineage that had to be broken off of my life. I am eternally thankful to a loving Father who never stopped pursuing me! I am the “freed one” today because of dreams and visions . . . and the cross.
- Being fearful in the dream is a key sign of a generational stronghold of fear. This can be true of other emotions such as shame, terror, trauma, pride and so on.
- A poverty mentality is often prevalent in dreams. Dreams of an old farmhouse with no plumbing, electricity or heat that earlier generations once possessed is a clue that you have a generational curse of poverty that needs to be broken off your life . . . and the lives of future generations.
- Again, nothing is always! For years I complained about my Creek Indian heritage. One day my mother said to me, “Sandie, have you ever thought about the good things passed down through your generations?” Her words stopped me in my tracks—I think I even gasped for breath! She continued, “The Creek Indians were notorious for their courage and bravery. Maybe you should thank the Lord that you have a generational blessing to rely on when needed. You are a woman of great courage, and it probably came from that heritage!” Her eyes pierced right through me as she shook her index finger in my face. It was true, and I needed to hear it . . . from my mom of great wisdom!
Identity Dreams
Identity theft is real! We know about it in everyday life, but during the night seasons the Lord will reveal how the enemy of our souls has attempted to steal our spiritual identities. These types of dreams will usually feature our homes, families, livelihoods, ministries, relationships with God and more. Additionally, these dreams may take place in the past, present and/or future.
According to the dictionary, the word identity refers to “the quality of beliefs or conditions that make a person or a group different from others.” It is amazing to me that most of us spend most of our lives attempting to fit in and not be different . . . yet God has deliberately made each of us different and unique!
My background is rooted in much fear of rejection, and once I was falsely accused by someone who was close to my heart. I prayed to the Lord, asking why people close to me seem to betray me as often as they do. As a result, the Lord answered me with a dream about my wallet being stolen.
It was a very simple dream that needed little interpretation. We carry all sorts of identification in a wallet—personal ID, driver’s license, student ID and so on. The dream meant the enemy was attacking my identity and challenging all that I am in and through Christ Jesus (my spiritual authority, spiritual inheritance, identity as a daughter of God, etc.). Dreams of losing a purse or wallet are very common identity dreams. Most of the time, God is communicating that the dreamer has lost or is looking for his or her purpose, identity and favor. As I was when I dreamed of losing my wallet, most likely the dreamer is in an identity crisis.
Many people have been misled to think that these dreams are about finances . . . either the lack of them or an expectation of financial breakthrough. Once again, nothing is always. When I have had dreams of this nature, they have most often been about my identity. For years I suffered because I did not know my identity in Christ, and I believe that many others have suffered from many of the struggles that I have had to overcome. If God gives you a dream of this nature, the first place to look is within yourself; examine your identity. A lifestyle of rejection, abandonment, pressure to measure up, need to prove oneself through works—all of these are signs that you are in an identity crisis.
It has been my personal experience that many (many!) dreams fit in the category of identity dreams, because the devil does not want us to know who we really are! If we really knew who we were in Christ, the devil would not be as active in our lives (businesses, governments, churches, etc.) as he is. I am working continually on this . . . I know you are, too. Get ready, for God is going to download into you much about your identity in Him. As He does, you will rise up and exercise your spiritual authority over the powers of darkness that have attempted to hinder you from living your life in victory.
Dreams That Reveal Our Hearts
I discussed God’s intent to reveal the conditions of our hearts through dreams in chapter 3. Because King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 was also a destiny-type dream, however, it deserves more time for study and godly introspection.
Dear believer, listen up! We do not know our own hearts. I know, we think we do—but we do not. To fulfill our destinies requires that we continually allow the Lord to tender our hearts. Let’s look at what God says about the lack of our own ability to discern the condition of our hearts:
The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.
Jeremiah 17:9–10 NASB, emphasis added
Notice that God “searches” the heart. This is the Hebrew word chaqar, which is translated “to search (out)” and “to seek (out)”; but interestingly it is a primitive root that means “to penetrate and examine intimately.” This tells me that when God is searching out the conditions of our hearts in His very intimate way, His intention is to penetrate us deeply with His divine love and bring forth transformation. If we look once more at King Nebuchadnezzar’s heart condition, we can completely understand how God desires to give dreams and visions to reveal the conditions of our hearts.
It took me years to understand this dream because I did not understand God’s dream language. Later in life, when I began to go through deliverance, I kept remembering this dream. Whenever we dream of a car, it usually represents our anointing or calling. Notice that I was doing the driving? This meant I was in control, and was I ever a control freak—in every way! The road was twisting and turning, meaning my path was not straight but crooked. The car died in the dream, which represented the death of the old nature. The sin nature of Sandie Freed was going to have to die so that I could put on the new man. The long, black scarf represented a long line of generational strongholds (demonic strongholds represented by the black color) that were negatively affecting me.
When I went through deliverance, I recalled this dream, and we broke off generational patterns of control, jealousy, envy, strife and more. It is clear now that, while God was giving me dreams that revealed the condition of my heart, this dream was also meant to lead me to later deliverance, which I very much needed.
Dreams of Deliverance
Dreams of deliverance are very common. In fact, as I have mentioned, the Word says that deliverance is the children’s bread! (Mark 7:29–30 describes the deliverance of the Gentile woman’s child.) For years, however, these types of dreams have gone unnoticed because too many believers do not recognize their need for deliverance, or they believe they are unworthy to receive it. Because of their importance, and because they involve my personal testimony, I have devoted two entire chapters to the subjects of deliverance and generational strongholds (chapters 11 and 12). This is mainly because God used dreams to save my life, and I was saved through the prophetic Word of the Lord and deliverance.
God is our deliverer! Exodus 3:8 describes His heart to deliver His children from bondage. One of my favorite passages of Scripture is Psalm 18:2, which describes God as not only our rock (our stability) and fortress (tower of protection and strength) but also our deliverer: “The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower” (AMPC).
The Hebrew word for “deliverer,” palat, implies that He wants us to be safe, and also that He wants us to slip out of the clutches of the enemy! The word anointing means “to smear with oil.” I like to tell people that the anointing (oil) on their lives will cause them to slip right out from the yokes of the enemy. If the devil tries to grab them, they will slide out of his grip into a greater outpouring of the anointing. In The Jezebel Yoke: Breaking Free from Bondage and Deception (Chosen Books, 2012), I write about how to break free from the enemy’s yokes. Though I target mainly the Jezebel spirit, you will find this book helpful as you “slip” out from under the oppression of the enemy!
Dreams about Bathrooms
Many times deliverance dreams are revealed through “cleansing dreams” involving flushing toilets and bathrooms. David described the person who was able to ascend to the mountain of the Lord and stand in His holy place: someone with clean hands and a pure heart (see Psalm 24:4). As a destiny dream, dreams of bathrooms (including toilets, showers and baths) indicate that God is cleansing an area of the dreamer’s life in order to empower the dreamer to ascend in his or her relationship with Him. It is also symbolic of God “flushing” something away from the dreamer’s life that might impact the dreamer’s future. There are plenty of people who feel that bathroom dreams are shameful, but they are not! Remember, deliverance is the children’s bread, and many times bathroom dreams represent deliverance. This is because deliverance has a cleansing effect.
One year, while my husband and I were pastoring Faith Christian Center in Bedford, Texas (we are currently pastoring Lifegate Church International in Hurst, Texas), I felt very strongly that the Lord wanted me to begin teaching a series on how to host the presence of the Holy Spirit. As I taught, I emphasized the need to freely express ourselves in worship. Whether it be with lifted hands, closed eyes, dancing or kneeling, we needed to be free and unconcerned about what others thought of us. Each time I released the congregation, most of the people would just sit there . . . as if in some type of stupor. It grew worse as I taught, almost to the point that I could not even get many of them to lift their hands! I became so troubled about this that I would end each prayer at night with God, please do something!
I knew that God was speaking to me about a spiritual cleansing and deliverance. The next time I taught, I led the congregation in a prayer of repentance concerning pride issues and the fear of making a mistake. At the end of the prayer, I had the worship leader lead us in worship, and God’s presence immediately manifested. People were crying, rejoicing, dancing, shouting . . . it was truly a deliverance! If it had not been for the directional dream revealing that corporate deliverance was necessary, we would not have experienced such a remarkable and glorious breakthrough. How glad I am that He is faithful!
Dreams of Direction and Instruction
Directive dreams can be extremely prophetic. Many times, directive and instructive dreams provide solutions when we are being challenged in fulfilling our destiny. I have had people tell me that the Lord instructed them in a dream as to which medications to take when they were ill. Sometimes direction was given as to what a person’s vocation should be. Through dreams I have been given divine instruction as to how to properly lead our church congregation while teaching on certain subjects. I even had a dream that gave me direction for outlining and writing one of my previous books.
At times, these dreams give direction for prophetically praying into the dream and seeing it fulfilled. For instance, my dream of the blue car and the black scarf directed me toward the need for deliverance, with instructions that involved breaking off generational curses. In directive dreams, however, there is more of a sense of urgency.
Some examples of very clear directive dreams are found in Matthew 2, in which God warned the wise men not to return to Herod after visiting the infant Jesus (see verse 12). Clear dreams were also given to Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, to take various routes for their protection (verses 13, 20, 22).
Many times God has given me dreams of direction and instruction when I have ministered in a different city, state or nation. It is not uncommon for me to have dreams like this when I travel. Sometimes they are for intercession and prayer, and other times the Lord uses the dream to insert direction into the ministry time. These directive words usually come packaged with a desire for a greater dimension of God’s presence and glory. Directive dreams help us see further down the road than we presently are and help us avoid many pitfalls along the way of fulfilling divine destiny.
Dreams of Going through Doors/Opening of Gates
One type of directional dream is a dream of doors or gates opening. In most situations, these indicate that a change is coming. It has been my experience that when I have these dreams, I am either experiencing new opportunities or they are becoming available soon. When we dream of a closed door that begins to open, it can mean that advancement and promotions are opening up to us—new opportunities and new ways. New advancements are just beyond a closed door. Doors have a threshold, and when we move past the threshold, we enter a place of enlargement.
On the negative side, however, at every threshold we face the possibility of encountering something called a “python spirit” against which we must contend as we enter into increase. A python spirit is a spirit of divination and witchcraft; the Greek word translated “divination” in Acts 16:16, for example, is actually python. In English, a python is a large, muscular snake that kills its prey by constricting it until the prey suffocates, and this is a good picture of how the python spirit operates.
When a child is birthed, a “squeeze” pushes the baby into the birth canal, a very narrow place; once through, the baby crosses a threshold—an entrance—and is birthed into the world. The python spirit distorts this process by attempting to squeeze the life out of us any time we cross over, enter into a place of enlargement or pass over a threshold. At the place of breakthrough, it tries to wring the breath out of us in order to abort our divine destiny. As I pointed out in my book Breaking the Threefold Demonic Cord,1 both divination and witchcraft move strongly with a Jezebel spirit: “[The python spirit] squeezes life out of hope, breakthroughs, finances and lives. . . . It is one way Jezebel locks us down into our past with no hope for freedom.”
It is important to pay close attention to emotions at open doors or gates in dreams. If you feel fear, you may have to contend with an evil force before breakthrough comes.
- If a door opens and you have a sense of terror, it might indicate that the enemy is blocking your breakthrough. If you have a sense of choking during or after the dream, it is a clue that you may be contending against the python spirit.
- If you feel exhilaration and joy, this is a sign that breakthrough is occurring!
Dreams of Spiritual Warfare
We are all called to pray, but God has a specific purpose for giving warfare dreams and visions. The ultimate purpose is to inspire us with a revelation of our godly authority to defeat the enemy. In fact, it is even more important to remember that because of the cross Satan has already been defeated. Like the Israelites, however, we must still use our spiritual authority to drive the enemy out of our Promised Land.
Worship is a vital part of spiritual warfare, and many times the Lord is simply calling us to a time of worship and, therefore, leaving it up to Him to completely destroy our enemies. As we see in 2 Chronicles 20, Judah—which means “praise”—goes forth and “plows” in the spiritual realm of worship (see verses 21–22) and as a result defeats the plans of the devil. So whenever you get an opportunity to praise and worship Him, know that He is sending angels on assignment on your behalf at the same time!
Déjà Vu Dreams
Have you ever walked into a situation or place, or perhaps had a conversation with someone, and thought, Wait a minute! I’ve been here before! This is weird, but I’ve had this talk before! This is known as déjà vu, but I personally believe that it is confirmation to you that God has been leading you by His Spirit . . . putting you at just the right place and time. So what really happened?
A quick review of Job 33:14–18 instructs us in the many ways God speaks—in dreams, in visions, when man is asleep: “He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction” (verse 16 NASB). When déjà vu occurs, it is as though God gave you a dream or vision and then “sealed” the instructions in that dream. He puts something in a plastic baggie and zips it shut until it is ready to be revealed (and used!).
If you are like me, you have woken from dreams just to almost forget them, even really awesome ones. I can tell the dream is leaving my remembrance—even if I write it down immediately!—and I think, Where did that dream go? Sometimes God takes it and zips it up in His baggie. In a déjà vu experience, He unzips it and unseals His mysteries. Dear one, this is an awesome sign from God that we are being led by His Spirit. Rejoice when this happens, for He is faithful. Remember, Job warns us that God seals their instructions “that He may turn man aside from his conduct, and keep man from pride” (verse 17 NASB). You may forget God’s instruction for you until the time for it to be revealed . . . such as in a déjà vu experience. Again, we do not know our own hearts, so God is protecting us from the mystery of a dream or the instructions therein until we can properly handle it. These types of dreams (mysteries) keep us from pride.
It is all too true: Only through humility can we seek the hidden meanings that are sealed up until the appointed time of revelation. I cannot begin to tell you just how many “this is that” experiences I have had: I dreamed about something, forgot it and later experienced a portion of it, and it hit me—This is that which I dreamed! . . . Déjà vu.
Dreams with Impartation
I take great delight in impartation dreams because of how encouraging and empowering they are. Through impartation dreams (and visions) comes an activation of the gifts of the Spirit, as well as impartations of courage, emotional strength, passion, vision . . . and more! I have heard testimonies of others receiving an impartation of the gift of healing during the heavenly encounters of dreams and visions.
While I was writing this book, I had the most amazing dream . . . and a much needed one! I had been praying, while writing, that the Lord would speak to me concerning His hidden mysteries that come forth in His divine dream language. He confirmed in a dream that He would continue to give me revelation . . . even revelation that is presented in this book!
On that night I fell asleep completely overwhelmed and exhausted. I had been battling a rare form of vertigo and could not find a doctor who could properly diagnose my situation. I prayed before I fell asleep that I might receive some direction from the Lord so that I could be healed. During my sleep time, the Lord answered me powerfully in a dream.
I was excited! I knew that God sent the angels with gifts of healing for me through a divine impartation. My faith arose and I was supernaturally empowered by the Lord to keep pursuing my healing and see it manifest.
Dear one, I am learning to receive impartations and then walk in them. I received an impartation to see my new season of healing, as well as the impartation to seek out what is hidden and discover the mysteries of heaven! God wants to minister to you, also. Have faith now to receive an impartation for all that God has for you, as you continue to dream dreams and have visions!