What Does The Bible Say About Visions And Dreams?

Joel 2:28-32, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.”

There are some very important observations that we need to first make, and then from those observations form our conclusions:

1. GOD ONLY SPEAKS THROUGH THE INSPIRED WRITTEN WORD OF GOD TODAY - We know that the Bible says Hebrews 1:1-2, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" The Bible very plainly tells us that in the Old Testament God at various times, in different manners, speak to men by the prophets. In one case, God even allowed a donkey to audibly speak in human language to Balaam. But in these "last days," which includes the entire Church age, God only speaks to us through His son, that is, the Word of God (John 1:1-3, 14; Revelation 19:13).
2. THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS PROMISED TO COME AFTER JESUS' RESURRECTION - The Bible plainly teaches in Joel 2:28 that in the future, young men would see visions, old men would dream dreams, young women would prophecy (preach the Gospel), and God's Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh. Acts 2:17 wasn't the complete fulfillment of this prophecy, but certainly was a partial fulfillment, as the Holy Spirit was now present since Jesus had risen. The Holy Spirit is called "the Spirit of promise" in Ephesians 1:13-15, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." John 16:7, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." The Holy Spirit came, just as Joel 2:28 foretold, and which Jesus promised, and He is available to anyone who believes upon the name of the Lord.
3. VISIONS AND DREAMS ARE PROPHESIED IN JOEL 2:28-32 FOR THE END TIMES - Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:17-21, "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: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
4. THE PURPOSE OF VISIONS AND DREAMS IS SOULWINNING - Please notice Joel 2:32, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call." In BOTH Scripture passages from Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:17-21 we see that the goal is soulwinning! A "vision" is something seen while a person is AWAKE; a "dream" is something seen while ASLEEP. The Bible mentions these supernatural revelations of the Holy Spirit, as being during the time when the sun and moon shall be darkened, during the time of Great Tribulation.
5. THE BIBLE NEVER SAYS THAT THESE VISIONS AND DREAMS WILL BE INTENDED FOR ANYONE OTHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL TO WHOM IT IS GIVEN - Since we know that Hebrews 1:1-2 teaches God only speaks through His Son in these last days, we KNOW that the visions and dreams are not God's way of communicating with men. In Acts chapter ten we learn about an unsaved religious man named Cornelius. He was an Italian centurion, a good man who prayed, fasted, feared God, and gave alms to the poor. So the Lord sent Cornelius a vision. Acts 10:3-6, "He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." In Acts 10:44 Cornelius got saved, when he believed the Gospel that the Apostle Peter preached unto him. So here we clearly see that the purpose of the vision was to get Cornelius saved. I believe this will be the reason for the visions and dreams, to aid in getting people saved. Anybody who claims to be speaking for God is a liar!
6. BEWARE OF PEOPLE WHO CLAIM THAT GOD IS SPEAKING THROUGH THEM - In this heretical YouTube video, a woman named Christa Elisha claims to have received a vision from God. She claims God told her that the Rapture is coming, and she is supposed to warn others for God. In the video, she cries and says repeatedly that God gave her “a word” (a term used often by Charismatics). A friend drives by on his motorcycle, and she says this is “a word” from God to her (and she says the purple color of the bike is also significant). This is Satanic superstition! Here's another woman who claims that God gave her a dream, and she says it is her job to spread the 
7. THE PURPOSE OF VISIONS AND DREAMS IS TO LEAD MEN TO GOD'S WORD - Abraham said in Luke 16:19-31 to the rich man in Hell, concerning his five living brothers, that "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" (verse 31). The purpose of God sending visions and dreams, is for people like Cornelius who didn't understand the Scriptures. God sent an angel in a vision to Cornelius, telling him to go find Simon Peter in Joppa. When they met, Peter preached the Gospel and Cornelius was saved. We know from the Bible that this is the purpose of the visions and dreams, because in both Joel 2:32 and Acts 2:21 we read "that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." That is so beautiful and wonderful! Revelation 19:10, "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." The focus of all legitimate Bible prophecy is faith in Jesus Christ! Carefully notice that God didn't send the vision to the Apostle Peter (the soulwinner), but to the unsaved man who needed to hear the Gospel. 

On the Day of Pentecost, the apostles didn't speak in tongues; but rather, the several thousands of people present (from every nation - Acts 2:5) HEARD in Tongues. Peter preached in Greek, but the people heard in their own native tongue. Acts 2:4-6, "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language." So the miracle of visions and dreams will be for the unsaved to hear the Gospel. I do not claim to understand it all, and from reading dozens of Bible commentaries I see that very few theologians comment on the subject. I do not claim to have any special insight, but as a soulwinning Christian I see truths that non-soulwinning Christians often overlook. Matthew 11:29, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." A yoke is a piece of wood or iron placed across the shoulders of two oxen, or some animals, to pull a load to get the work done! The Lord said if we become fishers of men with Him, we will LEARN from Him. I wouldn't give a dime for some deeper-life theologian who never shares the Gospel.

Pastor Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) said these helpful words:

There is a great deal in the prophecy (FROM JOEL 2:28-32) which yet remains to be fulfilled, but Peter is saying that that same Spirit which was working on Pentecost that day is the Spirit which by and by will be poured out upon all flesh. Joel says, "It shall come to pass in the last days I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh." Notice the universality of this. This is something for the whole world in that glorious millennial day, and today this coming of the Holy Ghost, this Pentecostal blessing, is for the whole world. I wonder sometimes at those who tell us that God endued only Israel with such power. He was contemplating the untold millions of Gentiles — those already born and those to be born down through the centuries— when the Spirit of God had come with the message for all of them. "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." The coming of the Spirit of God takes hold of a man or woman and gives them an illumination they would not ordinarily have; He opens up to them the Old Testament and reveals the things to come and gives them an understanding of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ and its effects upon human sin and human needs. (Dr. Harry A. Ironside, Commentary – Acts)

So we see that the prophecy given by the prophet Joel in Joel 2:28-32 began to be fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (with the arrival of the blessed Holy Spirit), and we see the Holy Spirit at work throughout the New Testament, and He will continue to work throughout the Church age, continuing to the end of the world. I could be wrong on this matter. This is simply my humble opinion as a Bible student. I believe the purpose of the visions and dreams will be exclusively for winning souls to Jesus Christ, as we see in the situation with Cornelius in Acts chapter ten. Our God is a miracle-working God, who loves people and sent His only begotten Son to die on a cross for all humanity (Romans 5:6-9; 1st John 2:2).

A Word Of Caution And Clarity

I don't want anyone to go away saying that I endorse visions and dreams. As far as I know, God doesn't send visions and dreams to anybody nowadays. I don't like the whole idea. God sent Cornelius a vision, telling him to go meet with Peter, to learn how to be saved. I am 100% convinced that ALL YouTuber claims of dreams and visions are false. There is no reason for visions and dreams today. We have the complete inspired Holy Bible available in multiple languages. Preachers and churches are everywhere. I think all YouTube claims of visions and dreams are a hoax. The Word of God is very clear that God only speaks through His Son, that is, the Word of God (Hebrews 1:1-2). This video of Christa Elisha is of an emotionally unstable woman, not some vision that God sent her. She is talking strange. A guy on a purple bike drives by and she assumes that is “a word” from God. Listen, God does not send visions to confirm his Word! 

According to my understanding of the Scriptures, when God sends dreams and visions in the future, it will be to help that person get saved. Carefully notice that in both Joel and Acts that visions and dreams were mentioned along with preaching and getting people saved. The Bible specifically mentions the Great Tribulation period, not today. I am not endorsing visions and dreams. We have a bunch of nutcases running around today claiming that they had a dream. I always tell them not to eat such heavy meals before going to bed at night, and they won't have so many dreams! When God gave Cornelius a vision, it was for him alone, and no one else. I don't find even one Scriptural example where someone received a vision, and God wanted them to tell it to other people. I am against people claiming to have seen visions and dreams. They are of the Devil. The problem is that if someone claims to have a vision or a dream, there is no way for anyone to disprove their claim. For example: Evangelist Bill Wiese claims that he died and went to Hell for 23 minutes, and that he saw a vision. Mr. Wiese preaches a false gospel as well. The Bible says God does not speak privately to anyone. 2nd Peter 1:20, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” We all have the same inspired Holy Bible!

I am careful not to limit our great God's miracle-working power. We do know that God only speaks through his Word (Hebrews 1:1-2). When the angel appeared to Cornelius in Acts chapter ten, the angel could have preached the Gospel to him, but he didn't, he sent Cornelius to Peter. That is important to see. This proves that God does not speak to people through visions and dreams; but rather, guides them to the truth. In America we are surrounded by truth, so there is no need for God to use visions or dreams to get people saved. But if God did, it would be for that individual alone, and not to put on YouTube. During the Tribulation period, the Church will have been removed from the world at the Rapture. I hold firm to a pretribulation Rapture doctrinal position! So with the Church gone, people will need God's help to get saved during the Tribulation. It is my personal belief that this is why Joel said there would be visions and dreams in the end times.

I do not believe visions and dreams are for today. Every time someone claims to have seen a vision or a dream, they always start providing additional information not found in the Bible, and foolish and naive people put that on par with the Bible. The whole idea of visions and dreams is dangerous, because the cults and Charismatics, and drug addicts, and drunks, speak of them frequently. I am leery of people who have an infatuation with visions and dreams. We all like the supernatural. They are dangerous because when someone claims to have a vision or a dream, it gets them special attention, and they become an instant celebrity online, and people definitely abuse it (many for money). That is the same as demonic speaking in tongues, which is unbiblical. Also, Beware of Near Death Experiences (NDE's). Thousands of shysters have become rich and famous overnight, claiming to have seen something that we have no way of proving. Isn't it much better to believe the Word of God that we can see, right in front of us? Of course it is my friend.

So I think when God sends visions and dreams, it will be for the Great Tribulation period, for the sole purpose of getting people saved, not for show and tell on YouTube. I hate the Charismatic movement. I hate Ellen G. White's 2,100 visions! Miss White was a demonic lying nut. I hate Joseph Smith's alleged vision of an angel who handed him The Book Of Mormon (which Smith allegedly plagiarized from another book called, “Manuscript Story,” by Solomon Spalding). I am not aware of one person who claims to have seen a vision or a dream, who is not a nut, a crook or a liar from the Devil. So beware my friend.

I just want to be clear on this subject, that I do not think we should seek or look for, nor expect to have dreams or visions in the Church age. We should do as the Lord commanded and "SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!" (John 5:39). It is sinful to seek visions and dreams, because the Lord didn't tell us to do so. Likewise, nowhere in the Bible are we taught to seek to speak in tongues, which is a pagan practice. Visions and dreams were for times when the Word of God was missing in the land, which I believe will be the case during the Great Tribulation, when billions of people will die during the Apocalypse. Please don't quote me as an authority on dreams and visions, I am not. I am simply giving my humble opinion, that I think they are always given for the sole purpose of getting people saved. I could be wrong, but that is my conclusion based upon Joel 2:32 and Acts 2:21.