Dreams of Destruction
Have you ever had a dream and upon waking up the main theme was “destruction is coming.” Or perhaps you saw a city obliterated and you got a sense the end is coming from your dream. Have you woke up and asked, “what is this?”
I had a dream once where there was no other way to categorize the dream other than “Apocalypse Dream.” It was a God-dream and there was something in my spirit that knew something devastating was forthcoming.
Time and again I receive inquiries from people who have dreams and visions with similar themes. They highlight war, Christian persecution, destruction, and even total desolation in some areas. If we were to look at these kinds of dreams strictly from a human perspective they do cause alarm and will instill fear. The truth is, if we look at them as just a dream, apart from God, they are alarming. However, when we take a dream and we look at them from the point that God might be trying to convey something to us, there is no place for fear. Embrace all God wants to reveal to you and know that his will is always perfect and good.
When God is our focus, peace ushers in and our confidence is in Him, not in the uncertainty of the world, no matter how dark our surroundings. Satan wants us to live in constant fear and anxiety. In fact, living in fear and anxiety comes easy, almost naturally, when we remain fixated on what is uncertain, scary, hopeless, and dark. These are all the attributes of who Satan is and that’s what he throws our way. If we dwell on them, we will live in those emotions and operate by our feelings. Whereas, the Bible shows us how to think: Philippians 4:8-9 states “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Verse nice provides further instructions: “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me — practice these things, and the God of peace WILL be with you.”
It will not serve you well to remain fixated on the outcome of a dream that involves a theme of war, a volatile stock market, death, or anything else that causes you hopelessness. God will always fill us with joy and if the dream is from the Holy Spirit, we can find the joy every message. If it’s not of the Lord, rebuke it immediately. Give it no more thought. End of story.
If you can’t get the dream out of your thoughts and you know without question the Lord gave you that dream, then take it to the Lord in prayer and ask him what you are to do with the dream. We can always find hope in God and his Word, and he will always guide us, day and night. I don’t believe he will ever leave us hanging from a message in the night no more than he would when he speaks to us during the day. God cares about the details in our lives and promises to guide our footsteps. Psalm 32:8
Jesus came so that we would have life and have it abundantly, (John 10:10). Jesus also said, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” We never have to fear the future. One day, Christ will appear and we will be with him, forever. I John 3:2-3.
In my process of learning how to interpret my dreams, the Lord has taught me a few tools how to take what many consider nightmare or scary dreams to the Lord. You can live in peace and joy and the hope of Christ after receiving a dream of destruction by being intentional with the content of the dream. Here are Five Steps to turning your nightmare, destruction dreams over to the Lord:
Turn it “upside down: If your dream is alarming or it instills fear, anxiety, or hopelessness, turn the dream around, and ask God: “Lord, how does this dream work for good in my life?” Romans 8:28
Dream example: See Forest Ritual Dream - Vietnam. When Tabitha woke up from this dream, she was quite alarmed. Read carefully how God used this dream to reveal how she is walking in her spiritual gifts, is a witness for the Lord, and how he used this dream to encourage and motivate her to press on in her walk with Him.
What’s this dream about: If you are wondering “why did I have this dream” simply ask the Lord before you spend too much time pondering it and getting more upset about the dream. A dark dream will weigh more on you over time. Follow the instructions laid out in scripture and take it to the Lord in prayer, immediately. Philippians 4:6
Read the Word of God: Look for scripture that aligns with your dream? When we seek God during the day, we often are looking into the Bible for the Lord to direct our steps. I believe it’s no different with dreams and honestly, because they are mostly symbolic, seeking the Lord for validation o their meaning and purpose in critical. He is always faithful to do this when I ask him to.
Be patient. It may not come immediately. It may take weeks or months, but you must be faithful with your devotions and time communicating with the Lord. If you want to hear God, you need to talk and listen to him on a regular basis. “Listen to hear.” Learning to interpret dreams comes from hearing the Lord. When we try to manufacture the meaning of our dreams, our human reasoning can cause us to fret all the more. Take it ALL to the Lord in prayer. Don’t assume the meaning of your dream.
Journal your dreams: I highly suggest you write them down, record them on an audio recording app if you aren’t one to do a paper journal, or type it into a document on your computer or tablet. Don’t assume you will remember all of the details. You may be one to remember the main points of the dream, however, so often most of us will fail to remember the littlest of details from a dream. Many times those little details can be what is key to understanding and interpreting your God-dreams. Journal the main points, but also include the following:
Pay attention to emotions, feelings, colors, and directions, i.e., left, right, north, south, east, or west. Many times the scene of dreams that are dark will have subtle things taking place that actually reveal and usher in a sense of calm and peace. You may not immediately recognize that in you dream you were in control, peaceful and hopeful. It’s a time to see how God is using you and what you can do to nurture your current relationship with the Lord. In time, he will reveal the purpose of the dream.
Were you an observer in the dream or an active participant? See Military Camp Dream and Nina’s & Flags Dream
Journal numbers that were in your dreams. God loves numbers and it’s easy to forget them. See the following God-dreams that reveal the power of numbers in dreams. See God Speaks Through Numbers; Number 432 Miracle. Did you receive my e-book How to find the Joy in Journaling? If not, write me and I’ll send it.
Acronyms: Include abbreviations or letters that are standing out in isolation in the dream and pray about them.
Pray: If you want to hear from the Lord to understanding your God-dreams, you can’t do it without prayer. I guess you can, but I think that is a very dangerous, spiritual habit. Overtime, you are guessing and relying on your own human efforts. We need the Lord to guide us and prayer is Christian to living the Christ-life. The Bible warns us about psychics and to not trust spirits, only the Holy Spirit. Satan wants to get you off track, he wants to put you on a course other than the one the Lord has you on. Without prayer, everything is a guessing game. Dreams are like puzzles and with God’s help, he provides the pieces to put it together and when it’s complete, he has helped us put a beautiful picture together; even the dark ones. We see his plan unfold in our lives. I John 4:1 states, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” If you want to know what God is saying to you with certainty and you want to gain insight and revelation from the Lord on how to interpret those dreams, you must be in His presence, hearing His voice.
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
If you have had troubling dreams and are still uncertain about them, make a Comment below. I’d love to hear from you. Let’s learn together.
