Introduction to Visionary Revelation
Visionary revelation is manifested in three different ways: visions, trances, and dreams. This lesson will cover an overview of materials on visions and trances.
Visions are closely associated with dreams, but visions occur during the time when the individual is fully awake and conscious. Dreams and visions are signs of God’s last day outpouring of His Holy Spirit. God reveals Himself to man through the use of the eyes of His heart by granting dreams and visions. God greatly desires to communicate to us through the eyes of our heart (Ephesians 1:17-18), but we must first recognize this faculty within us and the importance it can have as we present it to Him to be used by Him.
Since Christianity is a heart-to-heart, or spirit-to-spirit relationship, we would expect to see this faculty used much in our relationship with God. However, it is not often used as it should be among Western Christians, because we have been trained to live out of our mind rather than our heart. We have put logic on a pedestal and neglected the value of “seeing in the Spirit.” So now, let’s consider developing our capacity to discern God’s voice through the benefits of visionary revelation.
Developing One’s Capacity to See in the Spirit
A. Jesus Our Model
1. John 5:19-20 – Our Lord Jesus set the example as He did nothing of Himself, unless it was something He saw the Father doing.
2. Matthew 13:34 – Jesus turned everything in life into a parable, and parables become relatable picture language to communicate the needed message.
B. Scriptures on Looking
Read the following scriptures and ask the Lord for your capacity to see into the things of the Holy Spirit to be increased.
1. Daniel 6:10
2. Habakkuk 2:1-3
3. Revelation 4:1-2
4. John 8:38
C. Suggestions on Becoming Open to Seeing in the Spirit
1. Be still outwardly and inwardly. Learn to quiet your soul before God.
2. Enter a biblical story using vision. Simply see what you’re reading and pray over the scriptures, asking the Spirit of revelation to open them up to you.
3. Focus intently on Jesus and the eyes of your heart will be enlightened and faith will be ignited (see Ephesians 1:18-29).
4. In intercession for others or whatever circumstance, see the person for whom you are praying and allow Christ to enter the circumstances.
5. Ask God to speak to you when you’re awake and when you’re asleep (see Psalm 127:2), then record a summary of it.
6. Speaking in tongues (praying in the spirit) opens up communication with the Holy Spirit and allows images to arise within.
7. Quiet prayer and meditation opens you up to reflective insights which can form a vision.
8. In times of praise and worship, the eyes of your heart may be opened and you can see what you’re singing. Praise magnifies the Lord and He is enthroned by the praises of His people (see Psalm 22:3 and 9:11).
Levels of Vision
A. Internal Vision
1. Zechariah 1-6; 4:1 – Zechariah’s night visions were most likely received this way (internal visions), as the prophet was awakened in preparation for the visions.
2. Daniel 7:1,13-14 – These profound visions were called “visions in the mind.”
3. When the face of a friend or relative pops into our mind, then we know we must pray for them. These snapshot picture forms of revelation from the Holy Spirit are used to urge us to pray.
B. External Vision
1. Elisha saw the hosts of God encompassing the city of Dothan in II Kings 6:17. He then prayed that the servant’s eyes would likewise be opened.
2. Stephen gazed into Heaven and saw the heavens open and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God in Acts 7:55-56.
C. Visions While in a Trance or a Dream
1. Peter received a vision while in a trance (see Acts 10:10-23).
2. Paul received a vision in the night as he slept (see Acts 16:9-10).
Detailed materials are available on this subject in the study guide Understanding Supernatural Encounters.
Visions of the Canonical Prophets
The following is a partial listing of visions recorded in the Old Testament prophetic books.
A. Isaiah
1. Vision of the Lord and His glory – Chapter 6
2. Vision of the valley – Chapter 22
B. Jeremiah
1. Almond rod – 1:11
2. Seething pot – 1:13
3. Two baskets of figs – 24:1-2
C. Ezekiel
1. Glory of God – 1:3,12-14,23
2. Vision of the roll – 2:9
3. Man of fire – Chapters 8-9
4. Coals of fire – 10:1-7
5. Dry bones – 37:1-14
6. Jerusalem and the temple – Chapters 40-48
7. Visions of waters – 47:1-12
D. Daniel
1. Secret vision – 2:19
2. Four beasts – 7:1-8
3. Ancient of Days – 7:9-27
4. Ram and the goat – 8:1-14
5. Angel – Chapter 10
6. World powers – 11:2; 12:4
7. Man clothed in linen – 12:5-13
E. Amos
1. Grasshoppers – 7:1-2
2. Fire – 7:4
3. Plumb line – 7:7-8
4. Summer fruit – 8:1-2
5. Temple – 9:1-3
F. Zechariah
1. Horses – 1:8-11
2. Horns and carpenters – 1:18-21
3. High priest – 3:1-5
4. Golden candlestick – Chapter 4
5. Flying roll – 5:1-4
6. Mountains and chariots – 6:1-8
G. There are No Recorded Visions in the Books of the Following Prophets:
Hosea, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Malachi.
Greek Words for Visionary States
The following are ten different Greek words that each describe a different aspect of visionary revelation.
A. Onar – Matthew 1:20; 2:12,13,19, 22; 27:19 – It is a common word for “dream.” It is a vision seen in sleep as opposed to waking.
B. Enupnion – Acts 2:17; Jude 8 – It is a vision seen in sleep. It stresses the givenness, almost surprise quality of what is received in sleep.
C. Horama – Matthew 17:9; Acts 7:31; 9:10,12; 10:3,17,19; 11:5; 12:9; 16:9-10; 18:9 – It is translated “vision.” It can refer to visions of the night or sleeping experiences, as well as to waking visions.
D. Opasis – Acts 2:17; Revelation 9:17 – This can signify the eye as the organ of sight, an appearance of any kind, even a spectacle.
E. Optasia – Luke 1:22; 24:23; Acts 26:19; II Corinthians 12 – It is translated “vision.” It has the sense of self-disclosure, of “letting oneself be seen.”
F. Ekstasis – Mark 5:42; Luke 5:26; Mark 16:8; Acts 3:10; 10:10; 11:5; 22:17 – We derive the English word “ecstasy” from this. It literally means “standing aside from oneself, being displaced or over against oneself,” and ordinarily there is a sense of amazement, confusion and even extreme terror.
G. Ginomai en pneumati – Revelation 1:10; Matthew 4:1; Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1; Luke 1:41 – This is translated “to become in Spirit.” This refers to the state in which one could see visions and be informed or spoken to directly by the Spirit.
H. Ephisteni, paristeni – Acts 23:11; 27:23; Luke 1:11; Acts 10:30; 16:9 – This simply refers to the fact that some reality stands by in the night or in the day.
I. Blepo and eido – Revelation 1:2,11; Mark 9:9; Luke 9:36 – It means “to see” or “to perceive.” These words are used to mean “see” in the normal outer sense, yet are also used to refer to seeing in the spiritual sense.
J. Apokalupsis – Revelation 1:1; I Corinthians 14:6,26; II Corinthians 12:1,7; Galatians 2:2 – Translated “revelation,” it literally means disclosure, divine uncovering or revelation.
Let Us Learn to Use the Supernatural Tools the Lord Has Given Us
Let us each pray that the eyes of our heart will be enlightened that we might see. Dr. David Yonggi Cho has stated, “The language of the Holy Spirit is dreams and visions.” Watchman Nee said, “The picture is the Holy Spirit’s memory.” Let us learn to use the natural and supernatural tools the Lord has given us and see what God is doing.
Blessings and Peace,
James W. Goll
Encounters Network
Email: info@encountersnetwork.com
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