Most parents have a hard time getting their young children to bed each night. But from what I can remember, I have always loved and enjoyed sleeping. I have always been equally fascinated with sleep: its different cycles, the necessity for a healthy body and mind, and the fact that I’ve always had vivid dreams. From a young age, it has always been one way the Lord has communicated with me. Dreams, I believe, are just as much a part of the supernatural as prophecy, angels, and visions. They are like night visions, just another language of communication God uses with us.

And just like everything supernatural, there is both a light and a dark side. My first memorable dream was a nightmare when I was just 4 years old. From that moment on, I held my dreams with weightiness but what I desired even more than the dreams themselves was to interpret them. One reason I believe this was an area of difficulty for me was because I was never taught that I had the authority and power to interpret my own dreams. I would rely on other people’s gifts to tell me what the Lord was speaking through the dream. Not being in a community quite like Bethel’s, where I could ask other dreamers their insight, I spent the rest of my adolescence recording my dreams and learning this particular language of God. It was only through that process of really leaning in, waiting on Him to reveal himself, and comparing my own interpretations to what had actually come to pass that I learned to recognize and interpret this language.

Sleep is like a blank canvass. As your mind drifts into sleep and your spirit-man is still alert to receive, the Lord can use your dreams for a variety of messages. However, in my experience sometimes lots of things I’ve encountered throughout the day or have been dwelling on can make their way into my dreams. When you have those “pizza dreams,” it’s always a great opportunity to compare the way those felt with previous dreams where you know that you know that you know the Lord has spoken to you through them. That way, you can more clearly (and quickly in time) discern which dreams are important and which ones are just “pizza dreams.”

That being said, interpreting your own dreams can be a tricky thing if you don’t have the right perspective of God the Father. In any case, whether you feel that way or not, it’s always a great idea to share your feelings and insights with a community of believers, two or three trusted people in whom you can see the fruit of their perspective in their life is positive and healthy. That way, if there’s anything you didn’t catch, they can be that second pair of eyes to help you grow closer to understanding what the Lord is saying.

In review, some great tips to interpret your own dreams are: record your dreams every night and give a simple summation of what you think it’s about, wait to hear confirmation from the Lord, stay accountable to your community by submitting your personal revelation, and watch to see how the Father uses this gift to grow you closer to Him!

“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.” (Joel 2:28)

By Amy Muller