How can we tell if a Vision is from God

BQ NO 88 - HOW CAN WE TELL IF A DREAM OR VISION IS FROM GOD?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

How can we tell or determine if a dream is truly from God?

In a world where self declared prophets claim that God directly spoke to them concerning all manner of things in visions and dreams, many are left in confusion regarding the validity of such dreams or visions. Many well meaning Christians have lost their money to conmen who purport to speak the mind of God yet they are self seekers who are out to enrich themselves in the name of God.

Does God use dreams and visions to reveal important information concerning the church today? Should we expect God to constantly employ dreams and visions to reveal His mind to believers?

Whereas I do not wish to doubt or limit the power of God in revealing His mind by whatever means at His disposal, I must admit that I seek to be guided by the truths of Scripture and nothing more.

Yes, God regularly does speak to us, His elect in Christ, and to the world at large.

How does He speak to us?

Evangelical tradition holds that the teaching of Hebrews 1:1-2 is the conclusive evidence that God spoke to us through the prophets in the past but NOW, in the Dispensation of Grace, His voice is exclusively heard through His Son whose message is recorded in the Bible.

The authority of Scripture in revealing the full and final counsel of God is the cornerstone of Evangelical theology.

Evangelical Christianity therefore firmly holds that God cannot speak to His people by any other means than by what is written in the biblical Scriptures (Psalm 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Finally, Evangelical theology proclaims that the Holy Spirit affirms the truths of the word of God and will by no means add to or reduce from the canon of Scripture.

Sections of the Charismatic/Pentecostal movements on the other hand claim that God speaks to the Church through the word of God and by the Holy Spirit and that new revelation can be given by God from time to time IN ADDITION to what is taught in the Scriptures.

This claim fails the test of Scripture. My conviction is that we cannot add to or subtract from what is sealed in the 66 Books of the Bible. The Bible forbids it (Rev 22:18-19).

The Bible further teaches in 1 John 4:1-2  that we should test every spirit or prophecy to determine if they are from God.  It further warns that many false prophets have gone out into the world. Their mission is to deceive many and to attempt to dissuade the people of God from the path of truth.

1 John 4:2-6 describes the doctrinal basis for validating prophetic truth in that it should be consistent with the revelation of God in Christ which is recorded in the Bible.

How then can we tell if a prophecy, dream or vision is not from God?

The first sign of false prophecy which is common with trinitarian cults is the denial of the incarnate coming of Christ and His humanity (1 John 4:2-3). Many false teachers misrepresent the fundamental truths of the word of God. They deny the divinity of Jesus and the efficacy of His finished works of the cross.

Secondly, false teachers and their followers do not obey the message of the gospel. They often follow doctrines and teachings of their founders which are often held to be equal to or above the authority of the word of God.

This is the obedience test. False teachers are often rebellious and obstinate in upholding and teaching error and in rejecting legitimate biblical correction! (1 John 4:5-6).

Many Christian cults are identified with this kind of cultic rebellion.

CONCLUSION

In the light of the forgoing, I wish to return to the question: How do we tell if a dream, vision or prophecy is from God?

If someone claims that God spoke to them through a dream or vision, the first thing to do is to confirm if the vision is consistent with the truths Scripture. This is the Berea test.

We need to examine the vision against what is expressly taught or implied in the word of God. Where the dream and its objects is materially inconsistent with or contradicts established truth, it should be rejected forthwith

Secondly, we need to test the moral character of the claimant or vision bearer.

If a person claiming the vision does not walk in a manner that is consistent with the moral principles of the word of God, we should reject their prophetic utterances. They are possibly self seekers who are targeting our wallets!

Finally, we should establish if the vision glorifies God. If the dream is intended to draw the attention of men to the preacher or prophet rather than to God, then the vision is decidedly false! The claimant is possibly a fortune seeker!

Notice that the angel who spoke to John in Rev 22 disclaimed any glory for the revelation. He was merely an agent of God. He warned John never to bow and worship him because God alone is worthy of worship.

Rev 22:9 says "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant and your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."

Here is my closing statement:

True followers of Jesus should worship no other but God and through no other but Christ and by the leading of no other but the Holy Spirit and submit to the knowledge of His eternal word in the Bible.


©Ezekiel Kimosop 2018