As I journey further down the road of living out being a disciple like in the days of Acts, I get intrigued watching how my faith grows, how doubts enter and how God enters to encourage me and build me up along.
I’ve grown to really love this Scripture I stumbled across. As I dive deeper into understanding God, I have been able to use it to help me stand strong against others who say God doesn’t speak to us in these ways today. God has shown me how He’s spoken to me all throughout my life to teach me, encourage me, explain things to me, to build my faith, and communicate what He desires me to know. I’m grateful that He has aroused me to see how He has always done this in my life and continues to allow me to notice His activity today in my life.
“. . . I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” ~ Joel 2:27
Dream To Teach of Spiritual Warfare
One of the first dreams I remember is a recurring dream when I was younger that was used to teach me about spiritual warfare. I would have terrifying dreams of ghoulish entities that were trying to break into my home while I ran around making sure all the doors were locked and windows were shut tight . . . they could NEVER come in. I hated these dreams. I was tormented by them constantly. No one around me understood them. They also didn’t believe in, or perhaps contemplate, the reality of God speaking to us through dreams. Therefore, I was told these were nightmares because I had watched something scary or had eaten something that bothered me. I have come to view this as the worldly explanation given to me. Many years later God enlightened me and explained what was really happening. God revealed to me that I was shown in my dream the spiritual battle that was trying to come after me, after us. He assured me that I was being shown that my home was secure. There was no access that the enemy could break in by. I was God’s and the evil one could not have me. These experiences left feelings deep within me that still stick with me today. Often when warfare activity is present I can sense it in a similar manner. I just know, that I know, that I know. Because of this experience, I am a prayer warrior for our family, our kids, our grandkids.
Dream To Build Faith Stronger
At different times in this new journey into healing and deliverance I have come up against strong doubts. Doubts that I was given authority by Jesus to do what He asked of the original disciples in Acts. Doubts that I would be able to deliver anyone. Doubts that I would know what to do in the moment that I found my self in. Doubts that the enemy would listen to me. At the depth in this valley, I had a dream. The dream was of a creature that looked similar, yet vastly different from our yellow lab Nala. She stood before me and behind her was a tall bookcase full of colorful books displayed in vivid color. As the creature stood before me on a stage, I was looking intently into her deep black piercing eyes. I could sense the presence of evil, I felt it all over me and I KNEW a demonic presence was there. I immediately began addressing the entity that I could sense, but not physically see. I began giving commands, “Come out! Be Silent! Leave now! in the name of Jesus.” The creature went limp and gently curled into a lump on the floor. I awoke and remember thinking, “I could tell it was there. I knew what to say. The demonic presence listened. I need not fear. I will be able to deliver anyone from the hands of the enemy when God brings them to me.” My faith was built stronger by this dream.
Dream To Encourage, Build, Correct and Teach — Don’t Doubt Denise
Erroneously, I thought that I would wrestle less with doubts the further down this path of healing. I didn’t think about the fact that the deeper I go into this calling the enemy will fight against me and throw all kinds of questions and criticism my way, trying to deter me. During these years, I have been allowed to be a vessel that God heals through. I have experienced God removing pain from a girlfriends arm as I prayed for her and it entered into my arm. As I prayed for a man to commission him on mission, I felt God’s presence and He healed his knee that had pain for 15 years that I knew nothing about when I laid my hand on his knee and prayed for him. As I prayed for a young woman’s elbow that had been hurting from possible dislocation, I prayed and the pain left, her eyes went wide in amazement. My husband woke up with his back in extreme pain, I laid hands on his back, prayed and the pain decreased from level 8 to 2. Even though I have personally witnessed people get healed through my hands and my prayers, I still wrestle with doubts as I live among those who doubt this happens today. I was in a really dark place recently saying, “God doesn’t really want to use me this way. This isn’t for everyone, especially me. If God desired me to do this I wouldn’t have fear of stepping out in faith, fear of looking weird to others, fear of making those around me uncomfortable as I pray for strangers . . . I would just step out courageously on fire and pray for anyone and everyone I see that is ailing.” I was ready to walk away from the four years God had opened up to me through this adventure. All of a sudden, I had a dream. There was a man’s face that looked to have light green tree moss growing all over it, Lichen. As I came to him, I laid my hands on his face and prayed for healing. His face healed and the texture that resulted was soft, smooth skin. Everyone around us was cheering and excited. Chanting my name. I corrected all of them and said, “Why are you speaking like this? This is not of me. This is of God. The kingdom of God has come near. Praise His name He has healed this mans face.” I woke up feeling my faith had just received a booster shot. My faith was increased and I was encouraged to continue on the path He had awakened me to. The thoughts flooding my mind were now, “Why do you doubt this is for you to do?” This was the beginning of me coming out of this time of doubting. I was exhorted to believe what God was calling me to.
Visions — Not Yet
I have yet to have visions like a movie playing out before my eyes while I’m awake. One day I hope I will be able to write about that and share this type of encounter with God.
Prophesying By Images or Words From Name
In regards to prophesying, the typical way I receive these words from God is through a picture or image that is placed within my thoughts. As I see the image, I begin to ask God questions about what I see and what He wants to say. That is when I receive the words God wants to speak. God has always spoke to me like this, I just never really knew what was happening . . . I had not been given any words to explain what was going on. I had no grid to explain it. By understanding how He speaks to me I have been empowered to hear from Him more easily. I can be like a watchman and look for where God is going to speak. One other way I have come to hear Him speak to me is when I ask Him to give me special words for each letter in a person’s name. As I look at a person’s name in my quiet time, I ask what the Lord would like to say to this person through their name. Then I sit, waiting until I receive pictures or words for each letter and then I ask Him what He would like to share about that image or word. The communication flows from there. I must say I’m usually timid that I have heard accurately. I often share with each person by saying, “This is what I felt impressed upon my heart for you. If it does not resonate with you simply toss it away.” However, usually through a healing prayer appointment God has confirmed in my heart that what I heard in the morning hours is exactly right on and I’m encouraged to share the word I have for the person. Connecting with God like this and being able to share with others what I feel God has impressed upon my heart has been a huge blessing along this adventure.