Acts 2:16-18 NKJV Acts 2:16-18 NKJV "But this is what was spoken by the prophet "But this is what was spoken by the prophet

Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

Your young men shall see visions, Your old Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. men shall dream dreams.

And on My menservants and on My And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy."And they shall prophesy."

Question:Question:1.1.Where did Dreams and Visions Where did Dreams and Visions originateoriginate??

Our God, the One who envisioned and artistically Our God, the One who envisioned and artistically shaped, formed and colored the world that we are shaped, formed and colored the world that we are to enjoy, and moreover since we are made in His to enjoy, and moreover since we are made in His image, then image, then Dreams and Visions Dreams and Visions were an element were an element that God Himself placed within His creation.that God Himself placed within His creation.

Genesis 1:26 NKJV Genesis 1:26 NKJV

""Then God said, "Let Us make man in Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, Our image, according to according to Our likenessOur likeness; ...“; ...“

Whether man was made this way in Whether man was made this way in experiencing experiencing Dreams and VisionsDreams and Visions is hardly worth is hardly worth the time to debate, however, there is nothing better the time to debate, however, there is nothing better certified in the Bible than that God has often certified in the Bible than that God has often communicated His messages with mankind in this communicated His messages with mankind in this manner. manner.

2. What are some of God's 2. What are some of God's purposespurposes or or reasonsreasons for for Dreams and Visions?Dreams and Visions?

According to According to Job Chapter 33Job Chapter 33, God uses dreams , God uses dreams and visions in various ways: and visions in various ways:

Job 33:15 NKJVJob 33:15 NKJV"In a "In a dream, in a vision of the night,dream, in a vision of the night, When deep When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, "beds, "

• InstructionInstruction

Job 33:16 NKJV Job 33:16 NKJV "Then He opens the ears of men, "Then He opens the ears of men, And seals And seals their instruction." their instruction."

Matthew 1:20 NKJV Matthew 1:20 NKJV "But while he thought about "But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him to him in a dreamin a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do , saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit."which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit."

• GuidanceGuidance / / DirectionDirection

Job 33:17a NKJV Job 33:17a NKJV "In order to "In order to turn man turn man from hisfrom his deed,"deed,"

Matthew 2:12 NKJV Matthew 2:12 NKJV "Then, being divinely warned in "Then, being divinely warned in a dream a dream that they should not return to Herod, they that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country departed for their own country another way.another way.

Acts 16:9-10 NKJV Acts 16:9-10 NKJV And And a visiona vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.called us to preach the gospel to them.

• DisciplineDiscipline

Job 33:17b NKJV Job 33:17b NKJV "And "And concealconceal pride from man," pride from man,"

About a year later while in his palace, King About a year later while in his palace, King Nebuchadnezzar in his arrogance fails to credit God Nebuchadnezzar in his arrogance fails to credit God for amassing such a great kingdom under his rule for amassing such a great kingdom under his rule and is and is humiliatedhumiliated to living and eating the grass of to living and eating the grass of the field like an animal.the field like an animal.

• DeliveranceDeliverance

Job 33:18 NKJV Job 33:18 NKJV "He keeps back "He keeps back his soul from the Pit,his soul from the Pit, And his life from And his life from perishing by the sword."perishing by the sword." Matthew 2:13 NKJV Matthew 2:13 NKJV "Now when they had departed, "Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, His mother, flee to Egypt, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”to destroy Him.”

3. Where do I go to find the 3. Where do I go to find the interpretationinterpretation of a of a Dream or Vision? Dream or Vision?

First, First, let's discover who or what it let's discover who or what it is not. is not.

Daniel 2:26 (NKJV) Daniel 2:26 (NKJV) "The king answered and said to "The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name Daniel, whose name waswas Belteshazzar, “Are you Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and seen, and its interpretation?”its interpretation?”

Daniel 2:27 (NKJV) Daniel 2:27 (NKJV) "Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and "Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise wise men,men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers soothsayers cannot declare to the king."cannot declare to the king."

Second,Second, now let's see who it is. now let's see who it is.

Daniel 2:28 (NKJV) Daniel 2:28 (NKJV) "But there is a "But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed,visions of your head upon your bed, were these:" were these:"

4. What is 4. What is youryour Dream or Vision? Dream or Vision?

In our Scripture text today, in In our Scripture text today, in Acts 2:17Acts 2:17, it , it says, "Your young men shall says, "Your young men shall see visionssee visions"..."...

Never lose the Spiritual Dream! Never lose the Never lose the Spiritual Dream! Never lose the God’s Vision! God's Word instructs us:God’s Vision! God's Word instructs us:

Colossians 3:17 NKJV Colossians 3:17 NKJV "And "And whateverwhatever you do in word you do in word or deed, or deed, dodo all in the name of the Lord Jesus all in the name of the Lord Jesus,, giving giving thanks to God the Father through Him."thanks to God the Father through Him."

And to continue And to continue Acts 2:17, Acts 2:17, "Your old men shall "Your old men shall dream dreams."dream dreams."

"Where "Where there isthere is no vision, no vision, the people the people perish..." perish..." Proverbs 29:18 KJV Proverbs 29:18 KJV

"Where "Where there isthere is no revelation,no revelation, the people the people cast off cast off restraint...restraint..." " Proverbs 29:18 NKJV (NIV)Proverbs 29:18 NKJV (NIV)