Dreamer Of Dreams

July 30, 2002 PM
Pastor Chris Abernathy
Columbus, Georgia




If you would, turn in your Bibles with me to the book of Acts chapter two. The book of Acts chapter two. When you reach the book of Acts chapter two, please signify by saying amen. And please stand for the reading of the Word. Acts chapter two. We’re going to start with verse sixteen and read down to verse twenty-one. Verse sixteen through verse twenty-one.

16. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

17. 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:

18. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

19. And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

21. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Let us pray.

Most holy and gracious heavenly Father, we thank You for who You are and for what You do. Father, hide Your son behind the cross, that Your people would see You and not me. And as I decrease, I ask that You would increase. Dear Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, oh Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

You may be seated in the house of God this evening.

One of the things that it said in these Scriptures was that your old men would dream dreams, that your old men would dream dreams.

I think that I might need to come down. Because I might need to ask some questions this evening, have it more of a teaching. Amen?

He said your old men would dream dreams. What is a dream? What is a dream? In your own words what is a dream? Somebody tell me. Somebody tell me.

Yes, sir? I mean, it’s up to you. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Anyone else? Anyone else? A spiritual state of mind that you’re in. Amen.

Anybody else this evening? What is a dream, in your own definition? I’m not looking for right and wrong answer. I’m just looking for some interaction and feedback. Anybody else? What is a dream? It’s... Amen. Amen. Glory to God. Amen.

All dreams don’t come from God. Webster says this about a dream. It says, “A dream is a series of thoughts and pictures or feelings occurring during sleep, a dream-like creation of the imagination.” But the Scriptures let us know that some dreams are divinely inspired.

And just like all of you said... You said things that were right answers. Dreams are not always from God. And when we’re in a prophetic ministry, many times you will find that you will have dreams. But you have got to understand that some of these dreams are from God and some of these dreams are not from God. Amen?

In early patriarchal times God often appeared in what they call theophany to Godly men. And that word “theophany” means a visible appearance of God, generally in human form. But from the time of Jacob and onward His revelations were more often in dreams.

God spoke to men and women of God in dreams. And many of us, God is speaking to us with dreams. But it’s one thing to be able to dream. But it’s another thing to be able to interpret the dream. Amen? Amen.

Because a lot of times we... Even with prophecy a lot of times it’s easy to give a prophecy in tongues. But it’s another thing to interpret the prophecy in English. Amen? Glory to God.

So God reveals His will today, not only by His Word but through dreams. He said the Bible said that your old men would dream dreams.

And the reason why I’m ministering on dreams tonight is because a lot of you are dreamers. Amen? A lot of you have a lot of dreams. But you don’t understand your dreams. But see, the Bible says in the book of Proverbs, with all of your getting, get understanding.

And so what we need to start doing is, when we have dreams we need to write them down. And we need to ask God what is the relevance of this particular dream that I have had?

Not only did God divinely give dreams to those that were chosen of the chosen families. But He also gave dreams to those that were not of the chosen family.

Go with me to Genesis chapter twenty. Genesis chapter twenty. Amen.

We’re talking about dreams. Because a lot of you even come to me and say, “Pastor, you know, I had this dream. Or I had that dream.” And I give an interpretation of the dream. But the Bible also tells us to pray that we might interpret. That’s not only talking about prophecy. Amen? Amen. Because a dream can be a prophecy, can’t it, when it comes to pass?

In Genesis chapter twenty. Let’s look at your Bibles in verse one.

1. And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

2. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

In other words, God was giving him what? A warning.

You see, there are dreams that will give you warning, won’t they? And just because somebody is not saved... Listen to what I’m saying to you. Just because somebody is not saved does not mean that God cannot give them a warning dream for you and for me. Amen? Praise the Lord. Or even for themselves.

This is what we call a dream of warning. God spoke to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “Wait a minute, if you take Sarah for your wife you are a dead man.” And it gave Abimelech understanding that this woman belonged to another man.

But see, God will give us warnings, won’t He? But see, a lot of times we look for God to come one way and He comes another way. Amen?

Go with me to Genesis chapter thirty-one. Dreams of warning. Dreams of warning. This is another man that was not of the chosen families. God is speaking to Laban. Look at Genesis chapter thirty-one. And look at verse twenty-two.

22. And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

23. And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

24. And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent...

And it went on to talk about what Laban was saying to Jacob. But then he went on to say that God had warned him not to say anything good or bad to him.

This is another what? Warning dream. This is a dream of warning that God is warning him, “You’re going to bring destruction upon yourself if you do not take heed to what I have warned you with in a dream.”

Now go with me to Matthew chapter twenty-seven. Matthew twenty-seven.

Many of us have had warning dreams, but we did not understand what God was saying to us.

In Matthew chapter twenty-seven, it talks about Pilot’s wife, how she had a dream. And the Bible said that she was troubled by this dream. And she told her husband. She said to her husband, “Have nothing to do with this just man.” Because this dream troubled her. In other words, this was a dream of warning.

But it was not given to Pilot. It was given go his wife. Just like I was saying to you. God can give a dream to somebody else, but it can be dealing with you. Amen? Amen.

Listen. Listen to this tonight. Because a lot of you are going to start dreaming. And a lot of you are dreaming already. But see, I’m telling you this tonight because you don’t just want to brush your dreams off. Because a lot of us have had dreams that we have brushed off and we’ve brushed aside. And then when they come to pass we remember, “Oh, yeah. I dreamed that.”

And a lot of times if God gives you a warning dream for somebody else, He will require their blood at your hands. If you do not warn them...

This is what He told Ezekiel. He told Ezekiel, “If I tell you to warn them and you don’t warn them, I will require their blood at your hands. But if you warn them as I have instructed you to, then their blood will be upon them.” Amen?

So I’m saying this to you because a lot of you are having dreams. But you’re not telling me what the dreams are. And a lot of them are concerning the church. But we’re telling other people. But we’re not telling the leadership or the pastor. Hello, somebody. Amen.

And a lot of times... You know, just because I’m a prophet, I’m a seer, and I can see, God will give me eyes all around me. And I can’t put God in a box and say, “You know, well you don’t see the way I see, so then, you know, I’m not going to acknowledge your gift.” Because a dreamer of dreams is a gift. You will find people that dream dreams all the time. And their dreams do come to pass.

Look at your neighbor and say, “Write them down.” Write them down. Write them down.

This was another warning dream, a dream of warning, a dream of warning. Glory to God.

Go with me to Daniel chapter two. I know we used to me just preaching. But we going to go through this tonight. Amen. Daniel chapter two. And Daniel chapter two is talking about king Nebuchadnezzar. Amen. Are you there? Amen. Let’s look at... Let’s look at verse one of chapter two. Let me get there. There we go.

1. And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.

God was trying to get his attention.

2. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

3. And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

4. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever...

Now here’s where he’s going to, you know, bust their bubble.

4. ...tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.

5. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

The Bible said that he forgot the dream. But he was saying to them, “Now, not only are you to interpret the dream, but you are to tell me what the dream was. Because I forgot the dream.” Amen?

But see, they worked with the darkness. They worked with the dark side. Magicians, astrologers. They didn’t operate from the Spirit of God. Amen. Familiar spirits are what they operated from. So he told them that in order for, you know, “You to know the dream, you’ll have to tell me the dream. Plus I want the interpretation, or else I’m going to destroy you.”

But see, there was a man of God that was in the camp. And not only could he tell him the dream, but he could interpret the dream. Why? Because he knew that God was the Revealer of secrets. Look at your neighbor and say, “God is the Revealer of secrets.”

See, you don’t need me or somebody else to interpret your dream. Because Daniel, what he did was he went into a place of prayer. If you have a dream and you don’t have someone that can interpret the dream, all you got to do is go into prayer. And God is the Revealer of secrets. And He is able to give you the interpretation of that dream that you have had. Amen?

But see, the thing is that I have got to take time out to pray. God knows all things that are in darkness. For the Bible says He created the darkness, and He created the light. He is the God of the what? The unknown. He knows things that are hidden in the unknown realm.

But see, these are dreams that are what? Divinely inspired by Him. So He gives the interpretation.

Whenever there is something that happens to you supernatural, just don’t disregard it. Write it down so you don’t forget it. And go back and pray over it. I’m telling you this today because I don’t want you to be lazy with the things that God gives you. Amen? If God shows you something, then God will reveal it to you.

There was a time when I first started to prophesy. And I would just prophesy all the time. (Tongues.) Just prophesying, prophesying. But I never gave the interpretation until I was put on the spot. And then once I was put on the spot I didn’t prophesy as much any more. Do you hear what I’m saying?

I was more cautious with just busting out and speaking in tongues. Because I knew my pastor was going to say, “Now you interpret what you just prophesied.” Amen? Amen. And he wasn’t doing it to be spiteful and mean. But he was doing it to get me to a place of maturity.

You see, when God begins to give you spiritual things you cannot just be laxidazical and nonchalant about them. You have got to get into that thing and get an understanding of what God has placed on your life.

“Why are you teaching this, pastor?” Because a lot of us are having spiritual things happen to us, but we’re disregarding them. Or we’re allowing other novices to try to interpret what God is doing with me spiritually.

And that’s not a negative thing that I’m saying. But you can’t allow people that are not seasoned in the Word of God to interpret what God has given to you. Come on, somebody. Talk to me. You’ve got to have somebody that’s seasoned in God to interpret the things of God for you, with you, to help you.

I’ve heard people say, “Well, I know what that means.” You know, but they’re going by a lot of times what they heard somebody else say. Do you hear what I’m saying tonight?

See, you can’t give those spiritual blessings to people that don’t even know how to handle their own yet. I need to say that again. You can’t just give it to folks that don’t know how to handle it. You’ve got to find somebody seasoned in God to help you with the things of God.

See, because before you know it, the dream, or whatever, the vision or whatever you’ve had will be interpreted all kinds of ways. And it could have been something positive. But by the time everybody’s finished with it it’s something negative. And it could have been a blessing for the church. And now it’s a curse for the church. Oh, come on. Talk to me.

I’m talking about dreams. He said your old men are going to dream dreams. I’m not a dreamer. But when I dream I know I better look out. If you’re not a dreamer... You know, if you just don’t lay down and dream, and then you just start dreaming on something, you need to play close attention.

And you know sometimes at night it’s true. You can be real late at night and go to bed on a full stomach. And you dream stuff like it’s a movie. And don’t none of it mean nothing.

But if you’re someone that doesn’t normally dream, pay attention to it. Pay attention to it.

You know, and I notice a lot of times when I teach certain things, you know, a lot of times people begin to... You know, they go through their natural mind like, “Pastor, you know, something, you know, what to...” I’m trying to teach. That’s what I’m trying to do. That’s what I’m trying to do tonight. I’m trying to teach.

Write it down. Don’t be so quick to speak it. The Bible says be slow to speak, quick to hear, and slow to wrath. That’s what the Bible says. Don’t be so quick to release it.

And even when God uses you in sight ministry, don’t be so quick to release it. “Well, God showed me this. And God showed me that.” Don’t be so quick to release that thing. You might release it too early. Amen? Praise the Lord.

In these dreams that these people had, the meaning were clear enough that they did not need an interpretation except for King Nebuchadnezzar. And in that event God supplied someone that was able to give the interpretation. He supplied it.

God doesn’t just do anything just to do it, without reason. So all of those dreams that you had that you didn’t write down, they could have been from God. And God could have been saying something to you, something that could have changed your whole life, your destiny.

I remember when I was at AT&T in Atlanta. And my wife was pregnant. And she was getting ready to have the baby. And they didn’t give maternity leave with pay to men. But you could take off for a week to help your wife. You know, they had all kinds of benefits up there.

But my manager told me, she said, “You know what? I’m going to pay you.” But then she went to her boss. And she came back to me and said, “My boss said I couldn’t pay you.”

Well, lo and behold I had a dream. And that night I dreamed that there was a cubicle. And it was dark in the cubicle. But there was a computer there. And there was a light that shone down on the computer. And I heard a voice say, “Who’s going to get paid?”

And in my dream I said, “I am.”

And when I got back to work the very next day my manager said... My boss said, “I can’t pay you, but I told you I was going to pay you. I’m going to pay you anyway.” You better give God a handclap of praise. Now that’s what I call a dream? Don’t you?

He showed me in a dream. But you know what I did when she first told me that afternoon that I wasn’t going to get paid? I went outside on the balcony. And we... It was a beautiful buildings up there in the office space. And there was water with a fountain outside.

And I just went out there. And I just began to praise the Lord. And I prayed to the Lord. I said, “Lord, You know, now, you know, I got these children now. You got to take care of me. And you promised that You would.” But I praised Him and I worshiped Him.

And God gave me that dream. And He showed me. But even in that dream I had to participate. My faith had to leap forth in the dream. Do you hear what I’m saying? In an unconscious state I still had to operate in faith. Now that’s amazing.

He spoke to me and said, “Who’s going to get paid?”

And in my spirit I leaped and said, “I am.” When God shows you a dream, don’t just disregard it. Watch it manifest. Watch it manifest.

And those of you that have ideas for inventions, don’t just think that, you know, you just got this out of the clear blue. The Bible says that He will give you ideas. You’ve got to take that idea and write it down and pray over it. And say, “Lord, this is the idea that has come to me. Show me, Lord, God. Is this You speaking to me? Is this one of the ways that You are going to prosper my hands?”

God will speak to you in different ways, in different ways, in different ways. Sometimes you’ll interpret your own, and sometimes someone else will interpret. But you have got to be diligent about it anyway.

Remember it’s one thing to dream a dream, but it’s another thing to interpret the dream.

Now listen at this. Listen. When the symbol is in the natural realm, the interpretation is in the human realm. And I’m going to take you to a Scripture. Listen again. When the symbol is in the natural realm, the interpretation is in the human realm.

Now go with me to Genesis thirty-seven. We’re almost finished. Okay. Look at Genesis chapter thirty-seven. Look at verse five.

5. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

6. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

7. For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

8. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us...

They knew the interpretation immediately, didn’t they? Look at verse nine.

9. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

11. And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

He dreamed a dream of them bowing down to him. And immediately they knew the interpretation of that dream.

Now listen again. When the symbol is in the natural realm, when you look at these symbols, the sheaves, the stars, the moons, they were all in the natural realm. But what happened was, the interpretation came into the human realm. Listen to this. Because you need to learn this. You need to understand this.

The interpretation was in the human realm. It had something to do with them humanly. Amen? Now when the symbol is in the human realm, the interpretation is in the spiritual realm.

Now go back with me to Daniel. I’m teaching you about interpretation of dreams. In Daniel chapter seven. Let me get there. Okay. Look at verse... Look at verse eight.

8. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Remember now, if the symbol is in the human realm, the interpretation of it is in the spiritual realm. These requires a spiritual interpretation. Do you hear what I’m saying tonight?

So if it’s in the realm of the natural realm, as we discussed, the interpretation is in what? The human realm. Okay. When the symbol is in the natural realm, dealing with the stars, the moon, the different things that are natural, the interpretation is in the human realm.

But when you’re dealing with the things... Glory to God. When the symbols are in the human realm, the eyes and all of these different things, the interpretation is in what? There we go. Give God a handclap of praise.

In Jude eight... And this is our last Scripture. Because I don’t want you all to go to sleep on me this evening. In the book of Jude. That’s right before Revelation. Look at verse eight. It says,

8. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Now you know those dreams that are not of God, that are unclean? The Bible calls those defiled dreams. And just because you are in a state of unconsciousness, you are still responsible for your state of unconsciousness. You need to know this. The Bible calls them filthy dreamers.

So if you are having sexual dreams, then the Bible is calling that what? Filthy. That’s filthy. That’s why what we must do is, when we even lay down to sleep, we need to ask God not only watch over us as we sleep in the natural, but watch over us as we sleep in the spiritual. Do you hear what I’m saying? Watch over my dream. Because Satan can give you a dream.

You see, if you are battling with a spirit of lust, then Satan can’t... He might not be able to get you to go out physically and touch somebody. But he’ll get you in your dream. Come on, somebody. He’ll get you in your dream.

Because you see, he knows that you might have a desire for somebody that you know you better not touch. But see, you know you better not touch them in the natural. But when he bring you that person in your sleep, you better not touch them then either. Do you hear what I’m saying?

You’ve got to pray over your dreams. Pray over your unconscious state. Say, “Lord, even keep me in my dreams. Keep me in my dreams.” Somebody needed to hear that.

The Bible calls them defiled dreamers, filthy dreamers, that defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Tonight understand that some of your dreams have meanings. And don’t just disregard them.

And if you have a dream... And I’m going back to about being filthy dreaming. If you’re having a dream that’s filthy over and over and over again, then you’re battling with a spirit of lust. And you’ve got to bind that spirit.

See, because God not only watches what you do when you’re awake. He watches what you do when you’re asleep. And we’ve got to be holy when we’re awake. And we’ve got to be holy when we are asleep. Do you hear what I’m saying?

Because Satan is waiting to attack you, especially when you are exhausted. When you are exhausted, you better pray before you hit that sheet. And say, “Lord, watch over me, even in my dreams. And then go to sleep. It’s important. It’s important.

And I know there are a lot of single people. And you say, “Well, pastor, you just don’t understand.” I used to be single too. Amen. I’m saying this for a reason. Our dreams are important.

If you think that you are a dreamer of dreams, then you need to get you a little note pad. This was taught to me. You need to get you a little note pad and pencil. Put it by your bed. So when you get up, if God has shown you something in a dream, you can write it down, detail by detail.

Because if you say, “Well, I’ll just remember it,” you’re going to begin to forget about different parts of it, different parts. It won’t be exactly the way He showed it to you.

My wife is a dreamer. She is a dreamer. She’s a dreamer. She dreams things that happen. She dreams things about people. She dreams them. And she tells me what she dreamed. And I say, “Okay.” And I’ll pray about it, you know.

But if you’re a dreamer, write them down. Write them down.

Come on. Give God a handclap of praise.





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