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After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."
Genesis 15:1 As believers, the Lord wants to speak to you and me. You may be wondering, though, how does God speak? As we see here, one way God can speak is through visions and dreams, just as He spoke to Abram here through a vision. In fact, Joel 2:28 tells us that in the last days, the Spirit of the Lord will be poured out on all flesh, and "your old men shall dream dreams, [and] your young men shall see visions." A vision is like a snapshot, whereas a dream is more like a movie. Many times, a vision will come in an instant -- you don't have all the details, but you have a picture of what God wants to do. When I first came to San Diego, I had a vision of what God wanted to do, and more than 35 years later, I've seen God do wonderful things here; I still work toward that vision everyday. A dream, on the other hand, tends to feel longer and have more details -- it tends to be a more complete picture. I believe that as the Lord inspires the younger, more active generation with visions, He also gives the older, more experienced generation a bigger picture so they can train up the younger generation. But God does not just speak through dreams and visions; He can speak to us in many different ways. Sometimes the Lord may simply move you through the Scriptures. Other times, a friend may give you a note, or you'll hear something said by your pastor. However God speaks to you, it's important to realize that He will never contradict His Word. He will never lead you to do anything that counters the Bible. If you find yourself asking, "How do I know if I'm hearing from God?" then ask yourself, "What does His Word say?" Most importantly, when we hear God speak to us, we must act. Notice the first thing the Lord says to Abram: "Do not be afraid." Even though the Lord may not give you all the details now, don't be afraid to take action. Be obedient to what you do understand. And as you step out in obedience, by faith, the Lord will be faithful to guide you. It's part of living an active faith, and there's no greater thrill! | |
