Throughout history, God has revealed Himself to people in various ways. The Bible records many instances where God gave people dreams and visions to communicate important messages, call them to repentance, or reveal His plans. This phenomena continues today, even in countries closed to the gospel.
In Acts 2:17, the apostle Peter quotes the prophet Joel who foretold of the last days: “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” God promises He will reveal Himself through dreams and visions leading up to Christ’s return.
Here are some biblical examples of God giving people dreams and visions:
- Joseph – God gave Joseph dreams that revealed his future leadership and saved nations from famine (Genesis 37:5-11, 40:5-23, 41:1-36).
- Jacob – Jacob had a vision of a stairway to heaven with angels ascending and descending, revealing God’s presence (Genesis 28:10-22).
- Solomon – God appeared to Solomon in a dream asking what he desired, and Solomon asked for wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-15).
- Daniel – God gave Daniel the ability to interpret dreams and receive prophetic visions (Daniel 1:17, 2:19, 7:1).
- Joseph (Mary’s husband) – An angel appeared in Joseph’s dream telling him Mary’s conception was from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20-24).
- Wise Men – God warned the wise men in a dream not to return to Herod after finding baby Jesus (Matthew 2:12).
In the New Testament, God continues using dreams and visions in the growth of the early church:
- Ananias – God called Ananias in a vision to pray for Saul to regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:10-19).
- Cornelius – God gave Cornelius a vision telling him to invite Peter to preach the gospel to his household (Acts 10:3-6, 30-32).
- Paul – God spoke to Paul in a vision calling him to Macedonia to preach the gospel (Acts 16:9-10).
- Peter – God gave Peter a vision to reveal that salvation was opening up to the Gentiles (Acts 10:9-16).
Throughout history we find examples of God speaking to people through dreams and visions, including leading Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and atheists to faith in Jesus. Here are some modern testimonies:
- Nabeel Qureshi (former Ahmadiyya Muslim) – Had a vision of Jesus that started leading him to the gospel.
- Muslims – Many Muslims in the Middle East are claiming to see Jesus in dreams and converting.
- Hindus – Hindus report seeing visions of a man in a white robe, subsequently learning it is Jesus.
- Communist countries – Many underground believers have been called to faith through dreams and visions.
Why would God use dreams and visions to reach people, especially in closed countries? Consider a few reasons:
- No access to Scripture – In countries where Scripture is banned or limited, God supernaturally overcomes the barriers to communicate His truth.
- Personal revelation – Dreams and visions are a powerful, personal way for God to reveal Himself and speak intimately to people.
- Bypass skepticism – People may be skeptical of the Bible or gospel, but dreams/visions can get past their intellectual defenses.
- Discernment of spirits – Dreams from God have a different quality and bring conviction, repentance, and transformation of heart.
- Reach Muslims – Muslims are often very open to dreams/visions since Mohammed received revelation this way.
We must test any dream or vision carefully against Scripture. Not all dreams are from God (Jeremiah 23:25-32). But we should not reject them all either. God promises He will pour out His Spirit in the last days, speaking through dreams and visions. As people in closed countries testify, Jesus appears Himself or they see a man in white saying “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The Holy Spirit then leads them to someone with a Bible or an internet connection to hear the gospel.
Below are several examples of revelations from God drawing people to salvation in closed countries:
Middle East – Muslims encounter Jesus
Author and apologist Nabeel Qureshi shared in his bestselling book Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus that he had a vision about Jesus when he was a young Muslim that started leading him to the gospel. After sincerely seeking God, he had a dream about being in a loft with Jesus. Jesus reached out his hand, saying “I am the way, the truth and the life.” His friend David also had a dream in Saudi Arabia where he literally met Jesus.
There are reports across the Middle East of Jesus appearing to Muslims in dreams. One woman in her 50’s who had served in a Muslim jihadist organization met Jesus in a dream. She shared, “One night, Jesus appeared to me and told me to follow him.” Many decide to follow Christ at the risk of their lives.
Hindus encountering peace in Christ
Visions of Jesus are drawing Hindus to Christ. One Hindu man saw a vision at night of the Hindu god Vishnu telling him to find the God who gives peace. After years of seeking he saw a picture of Jesus and God said “This is the God that you are searching for.” Another Hindu woman had a vision of a white robe with bloodstains. Then she had a dream of Christ on the cross. She later met two Christians who explained her vision was Jesus.
Radical Hindu groups persecute Indian Christians, but God is overcoming. One leader had a vision of a shining man with wounds that said “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” The vision so disturbed him that he left Hinduism and became a pastor. God bypassed the ignorance and hatred to reveal His Son.
God reaching atheists/communists
In communist countries and places unreached with the gospel, Jesus Himself is appearing from China to Russia to the Middle East. Su was an atheist starting a secret house church in China. He was arrested and tortured by police. In prison, he had a vision of Jesus shining brighter than the sun telling him not to fear.
Brother Andrew smuggled Bibles into communist countries during the Cold War. He shares the story of a Russian youth leader and hardened atheist named Sergei. One night Sergei had a dream that he was clinging to a cliff, losing strength. Suddenly a radiant man gently helped him up. Sergei asked, “Who are you?” The man answered, “I am that which you have been seeking your whole life.” Sergei knew it was Christ and decided to follow Him.
God used dreams to reach Nehemiah too. Living in exile in Persia, in a heathen culture, God gave Nehemiah a vision about restoring Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 2:12). God bypassed barriers of physical and spiritual distance to call Nehemiah home. And God still speaks through visions today, even in the most closed countries.
Modern missionaries called through dreams
In restricted nations, dreams and visions are often the catalyst for missionaries to go. Loren Cunningham had a vision of waves of young people bringing God’s love around the world. This birthed Youth With A Mission (YWAM) which now has thousands of missionaries.
Katya had a dream about a beautiful field of golden wheat after praying about where to do missions. She later realized her vision was about the harvest in Ukraine. She moved to Ukraine where she feeds the homeless and shares Christ.
Bruce van Patter saw a vision of Jesus laughing joyfully while angels passed treasures from heaven to earth. Jesus then said “The kingdom is coming.” Bruce took this as a call to frontier missions and now trains believers how to partner with God for community transformation.
Hell is real
In visions of heaven we see God’s beauty and promises. But visions of hell show the reality of judgment and urgency to redeem the lost. Jesus described hell more than heaven, warning there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:42).
Mary Baxter had visions of hell after praying to truly understand it. She describes hell as a real place of fire and burning torment, demons and lost souls. She challenges readers to repent and avoid ending up there.
Bill Wiese saw the searing flames of hell and demons in his 23 Minutes in Hell vision. He recalls the hopelessness as he cried in terror for God to take him out. Yet not even a drop of water could cool his tongue. He awakens with a new passion to warn people.
These modern testimonies align with biblical warnings about hell. Visions offer an urgent call for all believers to share the gospel while there is time. Just as God still speaks through His Word, He also reveals Himself through dreams today.
How should Christians discern modern dreams and visions?
We must carefully test dreams and visions against Scripture (Acts 17:11, 1 John 4:1-3). Not all dreams come from God. But we should not dismiss them all either. Here are some biblical principles for discernment:
- Examine the fruit – Does the dream encourage repentance, holy living, draw people to Jesus, align with God’s Word?
- Test with Scripture – Does the vision contradict God’s revealed Word or lead people away from Him?
- Consider the character – Does the person tend to be deceptive or dishonest? Are they weighing gain over godliness?
- Assess the motive – Does the dream seem manipulated or coerced? Is there underlying selfishness?
- Listen for conviction – Dreams from God have an impact different from our imagination. There is a strong sense of conviction, reality, urgency.
While we must be discerning, we should avoid scoffing like Festus who told Paul, “you are out of your mind, your great learning is driving you out of your mind” (Acts 26:24). Paul replied that he was speaking a true and rational message from God. The gospel can sound foolish, yet we know God speaks through the weak things of this world (1 Corinthians 1:25-29).
How should Christians respond to dreams and visions today?
There are several biblical principles for responding to dreams and visions in a balanced way:
- Earnestly desire spiritual gifts – We are told to eagerly desire gifts of prophecy and not quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21). God still speaks through dreams today.
- Test everything, hold fast to what is good – Test dreams and visions, only embracing what aligns with Scripture. Reject what is false, but hold fast to what is from God (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).
- Pray for discernment – Ask God for wisdom to understand His communications today. Wait on the Spirit to confirm His true revelation (James 1:5, Psalm 25:4-5).
- Walk in love – Approach dreams with humility and grace. Do not condemn others’ experiences, but gently test them (1 Corinthians 13, Galatians 5:22-23).
- Seek God wholeheartedly – If we seek God with our whole heart, He promises we will find Him and He will reveal Himself to us (Jeremiah 29:13).
Like Paul, we cannot – and should not – try to hinder God speaking through visions and revelation today (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21). His Holy Spirit moves wherever He pleases. At the same time, we must test everything carefully against His Word with sound wisdom (1 John 4:1-3). When handled in a balanced, biblical way, God can use dreams and visions to advance His kingdom.
Conclusion
Throughout Scripture, we find God revealing Himself through dreams and visions to call people to repentance and faith. He supernaturally communicates to both the lost and His children. Today, Jesus is appearing from China to the Middle East to atheists to call them to salvation. God overcomes barriers to reach people through these powerful, personal revelations. We must carefully test them, being wary of counterfeits from the enemy. But we cannot dismiss them all either. When handled in a balanced way, dreams and visions can help advance God’s kingdom to the ends of the earth, even in places closed to the gospel.