It can be dangerous to discuss the spiritual gift of visions. After all they are purely subjective. There is no way for me to validate or deny someone else’s vision. I can certainly contest the Biblical nature of a vision (pointing to its alignment or disagreement with Scripture), but I can’t deny that someone had such an experience. The Bible invites us to acknowledge visions but not to elevate them to the level of supreme importance.
Within the New Testament, visions are said to be a common feature of the New Covenant age of the church. So, preaching at Pentecost Peter quotes the prophet Joel, saying:
And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; (Acts 2:17)
Seeing visions is to be expected in the church age, the age of the outpouring of the Spirit of God.
The Bible records a number of visions. We could look at Peter’s vision of the sheet with the unclean animals (Acts 10). Paul had eight visions recorded in the Scriptures:
- His first vision was his encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-19)
- In Galatians 2:2 Paul tells us that a vision sent him up to Jerusalem
- On one of his missionary journeys he had a vision of a man from Macedonia calling to him (Acts 16:9-10)
- Later, the Lord appeared to Paul in a vision instructing him to return to Corinth (Acts 18:9-10)
- In Acts 22, Paul fell into a trance and the Lord instructed him to quickly leave Jerusalem for the Jews would not accept his testimony
- In Acts 23:11 Paul is given courage and informed that he will testify of Christ in Rome, again through a vision.
- While en route to Rome Paul also had a vision of an angel informing him that he must stand before Caesar (Acts 27:23-24)
- Finally, in 2 Corinthians 12 Paul describes a majestic vision that he is not allowed to repeat
The visions each had a specific purpose to strengthen and/or guide Paul. Visions from the Lord serve the recipient in those specific ways. So, visions are revelatory manifestations of God, given in visible form. While there are many types of revelations (audible words, internal impressions, a word of knowledge, etc.), visions emphasize the visible manifestation.
The Bible encourages us to acknowledge the existence of visions and to celebrate the special blessings they can provide.
At the same time the Bible does not want us to make more of visions than is appropriate. Visions do not, for example, prove the legitimacy of someone’s ministry. When Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12 about his own vision this is exactly the point he wants to make: visions don’t validate ministry to others. Paul says it this way:
I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me
Paul indicates that there is no value to the Corinthians in his “boasting” of “visions and revelations of the Lord.” In fact, he is very clear that they should judge and evaluate Paul based on what they see in him and hear from him. Paul’s point, then, is not to minimize visions entirely, but to hold them in a proper place. Visions don’t prove the validity of a ministry.
God may choose to give visions as He has done in the past. Joel’s prophecy indicates that it was to one day be a common experience among the people of God (Joel 2:28-29). Presently we see this sort of thing happening particularly among Muslims whom the Lord is bringing to faith all over the world (see this article in the Christian Post as just one example). God may use visions for any number of reasons: warning, encouragement, guidance, intimacy, communion, revealing the future, commanding, and evangelism. As with all gifts, however, visions are subject to the Scriptures. They do not hold more authority than God’s Word and are required to be interpreted, understood, and responded to according to Scriptural truth. Any vision that is contrary to Scripture is not of God. The subjectivity of this gift requires us always to be on guard against abuse and misuse. Visions are to be celebrated but not elevated to unbiblical statures.
Pastor Dave Online 
Dear Pastor Dave,
Greetings from Singapore and Australia.
Just wanted to share with you. The visions are extremely vivid, more so than real life. I used to think that it is a lucid dream being promoted by New Age pseudo-religions, trying to take control of the vision until recently I just submit into it instead of trying to manipulate it. Just yesterday I had a vision of a clock with changing random numbers – God’s way of saying “in His own time”.
just some background about me, I have been a believer most of my life but never stepped into a church / never baptised in water. Just a normal working man.
Mike
Hello,
I think I am going mad. At a young age I started having visions and/or dreams. A little past over a year I dreamed about a family member being pregnant with a young fellow. That we had to wait outside because for some reason we all could not be inside at the same time. When we went inside the house we had to see the baby boy through and ipad that was live through the camera in another room. This year I was doing something and a vision just came into me that that was the day that the couple was announcing the they were expecting. Later that day it happened and I knew it was a boy. Baby is almost here, I keep saying a certain time but I do not know.
I have had other dreams/nightmares of things that happen in the world and it is scary. I explained to my mother but she does not want to talk about it much. We know that sometimes God gives gifts.
I have had other dreams that have come true as well but this one with the boy makes it out of this world and I do not know why I knew and what am I suppose to be doing.
As a person who has had dreams and visions which have come true as well as other gifts, am empathetic to others feelings and need to determine sometes what are my feelings and those of another. Also have had verbal communication without knowing the individual personally. I have felt spirits moving around me as well. I was never involved in any particular church and have had some interesting encounters with those in church, including family members. I won’t bore you with details but I am trying to find like minded people who have experienced the same. I have been dealing with this for many years and probably even before I realized what was going on with me. For the last 12 years I have made some theories regarding these encounters and am looking to help those who have been effected and diagnosed having mental issues because of it. I have serious proff of being affected during the deaths of or to occur which pushed me to be verbal as a math physical science major in college. If not handled as real and from an external entity it is my opinion that many are being treated incorrectly and being harmed by the psychological profession and drugging these people. I am a Christian and do not subscribe to any particular religion and am aware that adversarial spiritual contact is also a danger to those seeking understanding of their experiences. I personally advise persons who indicate their experiences to be careful what spirits that are communicating with and have indicated those who want to possess you via weaken of your innate spirit are different from a teaching spirit. Anyway, if you have any reading or groups I could look into to that have serious experience in these matters I would appreciate the input.
I’m not sure who to talk to I’ve been having these since I was young than things came true my mom told me to quit telling her about my dreams
dont think too so, just do you much.