“All the nations fighting against Jerusalem will vanish like a dream! Those who are attacking her walls will vanish like a vision in the night. A hungry person dreams of eating but wakes up still hungry. A thirsty person dreams of drinking but is still faint from thirst when morning comes. So it will be with your enemies, with those who attack Mount Zion.” Are you amazed and incredulous? Don’t you believe it? Then go ahead and be blind. You are stupid, but not from wine! You stagger, but not from liquor!”
Isaiah 29:7-9 NLT
Visions or dreams? What goes on in our minds when we sleep at night? Sometimes we wake up with no recollection of a nighttime event. At other times, we wake up exhausted by the imaginary events that took place. Sometimes our dreams connect to something that happened the day before. But mostly, our subconscious mind sorts itself out. According to experts, dreams are mental, emotional, or sensory experiences that occur primarily during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when brain activity is nearly as high as when awake, but the body is temporarily paralysed to prevent us from acting out our dreams. They help integrate recent experiences with past memories, strengthening learning and skill retention. Sometimes they allow the brain to process emotions, reduce stress, and work through unresolved feelings, which may explain why nightmares often reflect anxiety or trauma. But whatever, dreams are part of our sleeping experiences and often the subject of conversation the next day, starting with “I had a funny/scary/strange dream last night. I was in a …”. I’m sure we can all add our own experiences.
But would we recognise it if we had a vision? After Paul’s encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, we read what happened next. “Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied” (Acts 9:10). Many years before “ … the boy Samuel served the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon”. Reading on, “Suddenly the LORD called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?”” (two verses from 1 Samuel 3). Even earlier, we read, “Some time later, the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great ‘” (Genesis 15:1). My favourite visionary account has to be in Isaiah 6:1, “It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple“. To these people, three men and a boy, God appeared, visually or audibly, in a clear and indisputable way. There was no doubt that it was God speaking. But what else must have been present in these lives? There was present a close relationship with God. Otherwise, the vision would have been missed, or ignored or even denied. Perhaps the portion of cheese eaten for supper the night before would have been blamed. Or our minds would have rationalised the experience away. Where would Paul have been if Ananias hadn’t been obedient to the vision? What would have happened with Isaiah’s ministry if he shut his eyes to the amazing vision of God unfolding before him in the Temple?
In his Day of Pentecost sermon Peter quoted the prophet Joel when he said, “‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams'” (Acts 2:17). We note three things from this verse. Firstly, in these last days, God’s Spirit will be poured out on everyone. The Holy Spirit is no longer limited to prophets, priests, or kings. Instead, it is poured out on all people, meaning every believer, regardless of age, gender, or social status, can experience God’s presence and empowerment. There would not just be occasional and rare visitations on particular men for a particular purpose. All of us pilgrims have had an experience of God’s Spirit being poured out becaise we have been Baptised in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5, “Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptised with water, but in just a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit”“). Secondly, God communicates with His people in three ways: by prophesy, through visions and through dreams. These gifts symbolise a deeper spiritual awakening, hope, and purpose in believers’ lives. Thirdly, Acts 2:17 emphasizes that the Spirit’s outpouring is an invitation for believers to participate in God’s plan. It encourages faith, boldness, and active engagement in spreading the gospel, reflecting a shift from selective Spirit-giving to universal access. We pilgrims today are called to seek the Holy Spirit for guidance, empowerment, and spiritual gifts, and to continually pray for an infilling with the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). And in all this, we remember, Acts 2:17 reminds Christians that spiritual gifts are meant for service, encouragement, and building God’s kingdom, not personal gain.
Visions or dreams? Manifestations to the young or old? In faith, we ask God for more of His Spirit in our lives because we need Him and His perspective as we navigate this bad and sad world in which we live.
Dear Heavenly Father. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit today, not for our gain but for Your glory. Empowered we can realise what Paul wrote, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think”. Help us to think and act outside the “box” so that we can accomplish great things for You. Amen.
