Is it biblical to have a “dream?”
Oooh. That’s a good one. We all have dreams, and we all love dreams. Especially in America. Disney sells dreams to kids. Insurance companies sell them to grown-ups. Professional sports sell them to everyone. As a frequent speaker on college campuses and at ministry conferences, I bump into a lot of people who are nursing dreams. Movie-making dreams. Ministry dreams. Family dreams.
The young folks nurse their dreams with wide-eyed enthusiasm and gee-whiz optimism. “Only a matter of time!” they say. “If you dream it, you can do it!” they say. Some of the older folks nurse their dreams more like aging minor league baseball players, yearning for the glory years that never quite came to pass, hoping for one more chance at the big leagues.
In a church or ministry setting, quite of few of them preface the formal presentation of their dreams with a line that always gets my attention: “God gave me this.” God gave me this dream. It is from God. For me.
Obviously, if God has given you a dream, it will come to pass. We see this in the Bible repeatedly … Joseph, Nebuchadnezzer, Daniel, Peter. They all had dreams and they’re dreams came true. Joseph’s dream was so big and exciting it became a Broadway musical and inspired us all to follow our own dreams and wear our own multi-colored coats.
But are our dreams really from God? Is God in the dream business? At least in the modern, American sense of the word?
There are, in fact, dreams in the Bible, and they do come from God. So is YOUR dream from God? In the biblical sense? To find out, ask yourself these four questions:
1. Did you receive your dream while asleep and/or in a trance?
In the Bible, this is when people have dreams. Daniel was asleep. Joseph was asleep. Peter was in a trance. If you were awake and were suddenly struck with a really good idea, that’s not a biblical dream.
2. Do you talk about your dream in the present tense?
As in, “I have a dream to win a gold medal in figure skating.” No one says “I have a dream” in the Bible. They say, “I had a dream.” As in, “I had a dream last night. While I was sleeping. Let me tell you what it was.” Any statement that starts with “I have a dream” isn’t a referring to a dream in the biblical sense. It’s a dream in the Martin Luther King Jr. sense.
3. Is your dream literal?
For example, “God has given me a dream to build a chain of quick service restaurants all across the eastern United States.” That is highly literal. Dreams in the Bible are not highly literal. Joseph’s dream involved corn stalks bowing to each other. Peter’s dream was about animals in a sheet. John’s visions in the book of Revelation were about – heck – I don’t even know what they were about. Unless the quick service restaurants are symbols that represent churches or saints or the twelve disciples, that dream isn’t a biblical dream.
And finally…
4. Are you excited about your dream?
This is a big one. I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone tell me about their dream without excitement in their voice. This is a problem. In the Bible, NO ONE is excited about the dream God has given them. When God gives someone a dream in the Bible, they are either A) confused, or B) terrified. Peter wasn’t running around saying, “Yay! A sheet came down from heaven filled with unclean animals and a voice said ‘kill and eat!’ What fun!” No, Peter was saying, “WHAT THE ____ WAS THAT???” John wasn’t excited about his apocolyptic visions either. He was terrified. AND confused. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be excited about your dream. But if you ARE excited, it most likely isn’t a dream in the biblical sense of the word. It’s something else.
So if you haven’t run off to watch Frozen one more time to restore your faith in dreams, you’re probably concluding that I don’t believe many of the things we call “dreams” are from God, at least in the biblical sense. Why do I believe that? Because the way we use “dream” today is completely different than the historical, biblical usage. A “dream” in the Bible is a revelation. An image or sequence of images revealed by God, during sleep or while in a trance. That is a biblical dream. A “dream” in our culture today isn’t a revelation at all – it’s a desire. It’s something we want very badly to see come to pass. That desire can be for something good. World peace. Clean water for African villages. An end to poverty. But at the end of the day it is still a desire, and human desires are inherently fallible. Even the good ones.
My desire to bring clean water to African villages could cause me to abandon my family or to defraud donors and investors. Speaking very personally, my own desire to build the “Christian Disney” and be the “Christian Walt” almost killed me. Just because I want it doesn’t mean it’s good for me. Anyone who has visited the candy aisle at a grocery store understands this profound truth all too well.
So what’s the solution?
Simple. Change your language. The word “dream” in our culture, I believe, has been elevated to the point of being idolatrous. We, quite literally, worship our dreams. We sacrifice our lives for them. We sacrifice our children to them, just as the Israelites did at their very worst. And when we discuss our dreams, we’re almost never using the word as it’s used in the Bible. We’re using the word as it’s used in our culture.
So ditch it. If you have a burning desire to win the gold medal in figure skating, call it what it is. A burning desire. If you have an exciting idea to build a chain of quick serve restaurants or dig wells in Africa, call it what it is. An exciting idea.
I have lots of ideas. But once I pick one and call it my dream, I’m holding on to it too tightly. If God actually gives me a dream, I’ll let you know. (Though I don’t expect to be at all excited about it.) In the meantime, God has given me the ability to generate a whole lot of ideas. Some good, some terrible. I put them on the wall – I pray about them. If an idea starts to “bubble” – generate energy in me and in others – I’ll pick it up and run with it. But I’m always ready to put it down if it becomes clear it isn’t the right idea or the right time. And I’ll never, ever call an idea my “dream.” Heaven is my dream. Everything else is just a fun idea.
How do you describe your own desires and goals? Is there something you’re hanging onto a little too tightly? Pastor Tim Keller says “An idol is a good thing that has become an ultimate thing.” Anything that competes with God for your affection is an idol. Even a very, very good thing. Can you let it go?
There’s a part 2 to this story, involving me and a tiny, tiny car. Read it here.
Hey Phil! Thanks man. This is exactly what came up at youth group last Tuesday. They had brought in an outside speaker and he had give a whole message about how if you’re a Christian actively seeking God then all your dreams are, not only legitimate, but “given to you by God.” I had read your book and listened to all of your podcasts (I think, I’m pretty sure ;P) and hearing you and Skye talk about it made me in a position to debate, saying that that’s not a biblical dream. It might’ve of just been one of my friends and I who disagreed with the outside preacher (as far as I know, all the people I’ve talked to thought he was AMAZING) but if it weren’t for you, I would’ve bought into it also. Thanks for all you do man! 😀
Alex – 14 year old living in cold Canada
Way to go Alex! You’re like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, refusing to bow to an idol! Hope you don’t get thrown in the furnace… 🙂
Haha, I don’t know man. It’s like 30 degrees (Celsius) over here. Seems hot to me. ;P
Another awesome post.
We always tell the story of ,Joseph like it happened in a week. He was a slave for 16 years (and who knows how much longer) before his ‘dream’ came true. We come up with plans and schedules for our plans and if they don’t work perfectly, we ask why God hates us.
Even though Joseph wasn’t against the dream he had had, it wasn’t his focus. When my dream is my focus, then it’s all about me and my plans and my decisions and then I want to fit God into that…after all He gave it to me (right?).
I love how you said ‘my dream is Heaven’. The more my trust and focus becomes all about my relationship with Jesus, the more my desires (etc.) shift and then fall into place. ‘The fullness of time’ – that’s God’s time, not Jason’s time – when my focus is on Him, my goals and desires hit at the exact right time…His time.
Beautifully written Jason. Truly you are spiritually mature. Your words hit home for me…”the fullness of time” – that’s God’s time…
Taking the focus off the dream and putting it on the giver of dreams is what I have just come to realize. Suddenly everything fell into perspective for me…eye-opening.
You have a knack for observing things that most of us never even think about. Great read! Thanks
Thanks, Justin!
I came here from a link in Phil’s Twitter feed, just to see if he would give the right answer. I think you nailed it, Phil! I’ve always considered “following my dreams” akin to “my will be done”.
Thanks, Tim!
I agree with your point, Phil, but do want to point out that Joseph’s first dreams, about his family bowing down to him, apparently did make him excited. Why else did he share them? (Especially the second one, after his brothers responded so poorly to the first one.) But rather than disagreeing with your point, I think those dreams actually undergird it. In other words, I think it’s possible for dreams from God to become idolatrous also (sort of like the bronze serpent God told Moses to make, later became an object of idolatrous worship). I think Joseph had a pride issue and needed those years as a slave and prisoner in order to be ready for God to use him as a great leader.
Becky
I agree, Becky – Joseph was excited once he had the interpretation of his dream. But initially the dream (some wheat stalks bowing to another wheat stalk and some stars bowing to another star) would have been simply confusing. (Wheat stalks? Stars? Huh?) This shows that what he received was revelation, in the form of a nighttime dream. Too often today when we say “God gave me a dream” we really mean, “God has given me a desire.” Which may in fact be true, but dying to self includes dying to my desires. As God sanctifies and purifies my thoughts, I spend very little time thinking about my desires and very much time thinking about my Savior. What I want becomes less and less relevant to my happiness, because relationship with God becomes what I want, and I’ll have it! Hope that makes sense. Joseph wasn’t excited at the idea of closer communion with God, he was excited at the idea of being elevated above all his brothers. I agree with you, definitely not a model for us as believers.
Hiya, Phil!
Fantastic article; really profound and thought-provoking.
I love all these new blogs (and the Trump video) that not only make you laugh when appropriate, but also really make you think hard about your relationship with God. You’ve long been among my biggest influences both creatively (I have a “burning desire” to work in film–God-willing) and spiritually.
Keep up the fantastic work and be blessed!
–Clayton
Thanks, Clayton! Really appreciate the encouragement!
You gave 4 questions
1. yes
2. no
3. no
4. very confused
What confuse`s me most is in the dream. A man show`s up. Then a name of some one from a long time ago comes to mind. This man that showed up really,,,,,,, they don’t look the same just a little. Every thing around the man was just space, a pretty white a soft white. When the man showed himself to me all I said was ( God knows me ) he smiled and looked forward. I awoke right away and had tears in my eyes. I have never woke from a dream crying. I don’t understand,
Hi Phil, no disrespect but this post seems extremely naive and not particularly well thought through. How can one possibly suggest that if a dream you believe is from God is ‘exciting’ then it’s not likely to be from him?? How on earth did you come to that conclusion? I find that a dangerously generalised and frankly random opinion that I almost took to be a joke upon first reading it. I had to read the post twice just to make sure it wasn’t a spoof. It’s clear you love God and have a fine background (my children love veggie tales) but honestly, it doesn’t seem as if you have researched or understood dreams in the Bible at all. Did God honestly not give literal dreams to people? Even the ones who were warned in dreams to leave a particular place to save their lives?
I find it worrying that this kind of article is posted as it could genuinely do damage to those sincerely seeking answers. Please consider things more carefully.
I’m trying to think of an example of a dream in the Bible that was literal, and I’m coming up blank. Do you have an example? Love to hear it.
Hi again, well here’s 4:
1. Abimelech’s warning (Genesis 20)
2. The Magi’s warning (Matthew 2:12)
3. An angel telling Joseph to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13)
4. An angel telling joseph to return to Nazareth from Egypt (Matthew 2:19)
Any thoughts? Many thanks again!
Good catch – I didn’t think of these “warning dreams.” The typical biblical dream needs interpretation, which is why having the ability to interpret dreams made someone so valuable. But these “warning dreams” don’t seem to need interpretation. Overall, though, my point is that when we Americans say, “God has given me a dream,” we’re seldom talking about messages we’ve received while sleeping, warnings or otherwise. We’re typically talking about ideas or desires, which are very different than the Bible’s “dreams.”
Hey Simon…I think we’re getting sidetracked by the word ‘dream’. Phil’s post is talking about seeking God’s will in the direction for your life vs. coming up with your own plan (goal/aspiration/dream) and saying that it’s God’s.
Phil, I may be wrong, but I don’t think that you were attempting (with a mere 1,200 words) to decipher how God works through dreams with a clean cut, 4 point system. NOBODY is going be able to make a formula for ‘how God works’…for anything. Simon, you’re point is well taken, there were literal dreams in the Bible of clear warnings, but not clear laid out plans (dreams). God wants us to trust HIM one step at a time, while focusing on HIM, not focus on the ‘end goal’ or our own made up version of what ‘should’ happen.
It sounds like you’re asking Phil to explain exactly how God uses the tool of dreams (a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person’s mind during sleep). That’s like asking asking Phil if God created the world in 7 literal human days or if a day is like a 1,000 years, was it 7 thousand years, etc.? I want to trust God at his word and not get caught up in semantics.
So Phil, actually from the start of your post your actually referring to ambitions…..why does it not say that? Joseph was GIVEN dreams he didn’t create, contrive or harbor an ambition.
You seem to be using dreams (visions of the night) that God has actually initiated and given to argue against fleshly ambition which is a completely different thing.
Thanks too Jason for your comment, makes sense. Though my point is that the post invites the reader to consider their actual dreams ( received in the night during sleep, hence the first point Phil makes) then turns tables and says ‘well you shouldn’t be so ambitious!’ These are two separate things. Again, Joseph, like many other Biblical dream receivers doesn’t appear to selfishly drum up his own ambitions/goals/desires as much as deal with what was spoken to him by God albeit clumsily in Joseph’s case- hence his spell in a pit.
I think Phil does a good job of answering the questions you’re asking in your comments. It’s just not laid out at the very beginning of the post because this is well written and it evolves. He grabs your attention at the beginning, has you do some deeper thinking with the 4 questions (see next paragraph for more on this), then follows up with the ‘solution’. It’s engaging writing.
When Phil asks, ‘So is YOUR dream from God? In the biblical sense? To find out, ask yourself these four questions:’, he’s referring to ALL FOUR questions, not pulling just one out of context. Those 4 questions help layout a plan for you to step back and take an objective look on something you may not have thought about.
To your last point, were you saying that God clumsily communicated to Joseph? I would tend to disagree and will always assume that God knows exactly what He’s doing. However, when God gives us (like He gave Joseph) glimpses of His plans for us or what could be, we have a decision to make: Do we focus on that end goal (or again) focus on the ‘next step’ from God. Joseph was clumsy with how he relayed his visions to his brothers. I’m sure because he was excited about his imagined grandeur. His focus was skewed, but that didn’t change what God had in mind. When Joseph’s focus corrected – it still wasn’t and easy ride – but God’s plan came to fruition.
Being bold, excited or ambitious aren’t wrong or out of place in what we’re talking about, but these need to be focused properly. It goes hand in hand with the end of Matthew 6 – Seek God first. Don’t worry about tomorrow. God knows what you need wait on and trust in Him, not dreams in the night or an ambitious goal.
That’s exactly what I’m saying. When we say “dream” today, we mean strong desire or ambition. A “dream” in the Bible is divine revelation during sleep. That’s been the point I’ve made in my book and public speaking over the last decade. This blog post perhaps summed it up too quickly.
Ah, I understand. May I offer my apologies for almost completely misreading this article. I have to say it genuinely confused me. My confusion is possibly a case in point. Thank you for unpacking that. P.s yes, it was Joseph I was referrung to as clumsy (immature, egoic possibly) which irritated his brothers.
No response? Oh, Never mind. Guess my apology wasn’t enough.
Sorry – I don’t always have time to respond to every comment due to travel and production work. I do appreciate the apology and apologize in return for not responding sooner.
So then what do you do when you have multiple dreams (while sleeping) that repeatedly come true within 24 hours? Are those from God? Did He send those? Or was that the enemy trying to lead you astray? Can the enemy do that? Moreover, the dreams were cryptic but literal at the same time. I’ve had horrible nightmares all my life of monsters trying and almost succeeding in killing me or my loved ones. Finally after a few years of praying and begging for no more dreams, I pulled a “woman and the well” prayer on God reguarding my dreams. I told him that if I dreamed that night, I’d know it was from Him. That night I had no dreams at all, which was a blessing in itself. It was that way for 3 nights, then I had a dream that I had randomly received 600 dollars. The next day, I received exactly 600 dollars as a gift. Fast forward two weeks or so, and I had another dream about a head on collision with a silver truck, the next day, I just missed a head on collision with a silver truck, mostly because I was looking out for one. Low and behold, one came barreling around a blind corner on a one lane road I was just about to go down, and something told me to wait. I almost didn’t wait. Thank God I did.
Ever since then, it’s been radio silence, but miraculously, no nightmares either.
Please help me understand. Is God going to use me as a modern day prophet of something? Or was that just our Good Lord taking care of His daughter?
I look forward to your response, God bless you!