I Just Had the Worst Nightmare! Was It From God?
There has always been an interest in dreams, but in recent years the topic of understanding a dream or a nightmare has exploded. Resources are seemingly everywhere that claim to give us insight into why we are dreaming and what those dreams mean.
Recently, while I was visiting with someone the subject came up again. This person was having nightmares and was looking for relief and peace. I know from my past experience that nightmares can affect more than just your nights! It can be hard to know what to make of it all.
Do nightmares come from God? Is He trying to tell me something?
Warning dreams from God are not frightful in the way that nightmares are
One way to know if a dream is from God or not is to ask yourself, “Was I afraid during or after the dream”? If the answer is yes, it probably wasn’t from God. Warning dreams from God are not frightful in the way that nightmares are, warning dreams tend to bring heightened awareness without the fear. He also wouldn’t include the typical content that a nightmare contains.
Once you have determined that the dream wasn’t from God, there is really no point in trying to interpret it. The enemy is a liar (John 8:44) and wants to confuse us. The Bible tells us that. To attempt to pick out what is an outright lie, what has been slightly twisted and what was sent to confuse or cause concern would be futile.
Just for the record, God says He wants us to experience “sweet sleep”!
“When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”
Proverbs 3:24.
As for dreams in general, there are a lot of resources out there on dream interpretation. Since dreams are subject to the supernatural realm, it really is best to find resources that use the truth and principles from the Bible. There needs to be a solid foundation to the answers or they aren’t really “answers” at all.
It is God’s desire that we live peacefully in every area. He gave us this instruction on how to get peace and how to keep it!
Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message)
“ Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”
