Today, I am speaking on “Learning to recognize the voice of God through visions.” One of the secondary ways God speaks to man is through visions.
One of the fulfilments of Joel’s prophecy concerning the outpouring of the Spirit was that “…your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28).
The Amplified Bible puts it this way, “…your young men shall see divinely granted appearances…” (Acts 2:17). God makes Himself known to people through visions. He speaks to them in a dream.
In Numbers 12:6 God said, “Hear now My Words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will (1) make Myself known unto him in a vision, and will (2) speak unto him in a dream.”
What is a vision? According to the Oxford dictionary, (a) a vision is an image or series of images seen in a dream or trance, often interpreted as having religious, revelatory, or prophetic significance. (b) It is also the ability to anticipate possible future events and developments. (c) It is a mental picture: an image or concept in the imagination.
A vision is like watching a television programme, with or without the voice. A vision can be spectacular but must be properly judged with the Word of God and not idolized. Your spirit-man is what is involved in visions. Both Christians and non-Christians can receive a vision because everyone has a spirit-man. Visions are not seen with your physical eyes but with the eyes of your spirit-man.
In visions, sometimes, things are symbolic. In Peter’s vision, the things he saw were symbolic. He saw all manner of creeping things, both clean and unclean. He had to think about the vision in order to understand it (Acts 10:19). The Spirit of God spoke to him as he thought upon the vision and bade him go with three men to Cornelius’ house. Peter still did not know exactly what the vision meant. But when he went, things happened, and he began to understand that God had called the Gentiles unto salvation as well as the Jews.
A vision usually contains a specific information, which can be verified.
For instance, Acts 9:10-12 says, “And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11 The Lord said to Ananias, "Arise and (1) GO TO THE STREET CALLED STRAIGHT, and (2) INQUIRE AT THE HOUSE OF JUDAS FOR ONE CALLED SAUL OF TARSUS, for (3) BEHOLD, HE IS PRAYING. 12 And in a VISION he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight."
You can see how verifiable this information is. Ananias was told the very street to go to. He was told which house to go to and whom to inquire for. He was told what Saul was doing at the time and even what he was receiving in his prayer. Ananias obeyed the voice of the Lord and found things happening just as he was told.
A vision can be received while asleep or awake. That vision which is received while asleep is called a closed vision. The one received while awake is called an open vision.
A vision is received in the spirit-man and then transmitted to your mind [subconscious mind] where it is interpreted before it is sent to your hard drive – your memory [conscious mind] so that you can understand it.
Visions are received at the moments of quietness.
We have two major types of visions: (1) Closed Visions and (2) Open Vision. There are three
types of closed visions: (a) Spiritual vision, (b) Trance, and (c) Dreams. We have only one type of Open Vision. In closed visions, only spiritual vision and trance belongs to visions in the real sense of visions.
Dreams are different and will therefore, be handled differently in another chapter.
Real visions include (A) Spiritual vision, (B) Trance, and (C) Open Visions. Let’s now consider them:
A. Spiritual vision: In spiritual vision, the person involved sees something in his spirit-man. This lowest type of vision and the highest type of revelation are very similar.
An example of a spiritual vision is Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus. Paul was headed for Damascus, determined to persecute the Christians, when suddenly a light brighter than the noonday sun shone around him, and Paul, then known as Saul, heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest…” (Acts 9:4-5).
When relating this experience, Paul said that when this happened, his eyes were shut: “And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were OPENED, he saw no man….” (Acts 9:8).
Here, Paul did not see the Lord with his physical eyes; he saw in the spirit realm with the eyes of his spirit-man. When Paul saw the Lord in Acts 9, it was a spiritual vision. He did not see Him with his physical eyes; else others would have seen him also. But they did not see Him. They only heard the voice of the Lord.
In Acts 9:12 the Bible says, “And in a VISION he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight." This is also a spiritual vision because at this time Saul was already physically blind.
Also in Acts 9, the Lord spoke to Ananias, who was a layman in the city of Damascus. The Lord told him to go to the street called Straight and inquire for Saul.
Acts 9:11-12 says, “And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.”
So we see that Jesus appeared to Saul, even though Saul’s physical eyes were blinded. This was a spiritual vision. Saul saw Jesus with the eyes of his spirit-man. This is the first and lowest type of vision.
B. Trance: God speaks to people through trance. What is a trance? This is the second highest type of vision. Trance is like an open vision in its seeming reality, only that your physical senses are suspended. You are not conscious of your body when in a trance.
Trance happens when you are in between being asleep or awake. It comes when you are semi-conscious. When one falls into a trance, his physical eyes are suspended for the moment. He is not aware of where he is or of anything that contacts the physical realm. He is not unconscious. He is just more conscious of spiritual things than he is of physical things.
We see an example of this type of vision when Paul went to Jerusalem the first time. Notice that Paul says that he was in a trance.
Acts 22:17-18 says, “And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance...”
c. Open vision: The third type of vision is the open vision. It is the highest type of vision. It often involves the physical visit of an angel. You can hear, touch, feel and clearly see him with your physical senses.
In an open vision, you are awake but suddenly the Holy Spirit opens your spiritual eyes to see things. You are conscious of yourself and your surroundings while you are seeing TV-like pictures.
You can see whether your physical eyes are open or closed. However, the pictures are often clearer with your eyes closed. Here, your eyes will be wide open. Your physical senses are intact; they are not suspended.
You will see into the realm of the spirit with your physical eyes open. He still possesses all his physical capabilities, yet he still sees and hears in the realm of the spirit.
In open visions, you see with the eye of your spirit-man [not with your natural eyes with which you can see things in the physical realm only]. Your physical senses are not suspended.
An example is that of Cornelius (Acts 10:1-6). Although God does lead us through visions and through some other supernatural manifestations, I encourage you not to seek a vision because you could get beyond the Word where the devil could deceive you.
Visions just happen without anyone in the Bible seeking them. Be content, if that is all that you ever have, to follow the “Inward Guidance” [Inward Voice plus the Inward Witness]. But educate, train and develop your spirit-man so that Inward Witness can become more and more real to you.
Then, if God sees it fit for supernatural visitations and manifestations, just thank Him for them. A word of advice: do not place your own interpretations on things God shows you.
Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!
- Your friend: I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor).
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