CRYSTAL THOMAS MINISTRY

REVEALING THE VOICE OF GOD TO THE NATIONS

The Basics of ‘Visions’

GOD USES A VARIETY OF WAYS AND METHODS TO COMMUNICATE. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON WAYS HE USES TO CONVEY HIS WILL IS THROUGH VISIONS. VISIONS MAY INVOLVE NATURAL OR SUPERNATURAL SETTINGS. GREAT MEN OF THE BIBLE EXPERIENCED THIS PHENOMENON, OFTEN CHANGING THEIR LIVES AND MANY OTHERS ( 1 SAMUEL 3:1 , PROVERBS 29:18)

VISIONS OCCURS 86 TIMES IN THE KJV IN OLD TESTAMENT. VISIONS OCCURS 17 TIMES IN THE KJV IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. THERE ARE 3 OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS WHO MENTION THE WORD ‘VISION’ MORE FREQUENTLY THAN OTHER PROPHETIC BOOKS.  THEY ARE ISAIAH, EZEKIEL, AND DANIEL.
1. ISAIAH – MENTIONED IN 7 VERSES
2. EZEKIEL – MENTIONED 13 TIMES
3. DANIEL – MENTIONED 22 TIMES – MORE THAN ANY OTHER PROPHET

4 DIFFERENT WORDS

IN DANIEL THERE ARE 4 DIFFERENT TYPES OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENT METHODS BY WHICH A VISION CAN BE RECEIVED.

  1. CHAZOWN – MENTAL SIGHT, DREAM, REVELATION, OR ORACLE. FOUND IN DAN. 1:17, WHERE IT STATE DANIEL HAD “UNDERSTANDING IN ALL VISIONS AND DREAMS”  (ALSO FOUND IN DAN. 8:12,13,15,26,AND OTHERS)
  2. CHEZEV – SIGHT OR VISION. FOUND IN DAN. 2:19, WHEN DANIEL RECEIVED A SECRET FROM THE LORD IN A NIGHT VISION AND WAS LATER BROUGHT BEFORE THE KING AND INTERPRETED THE FAMOUS DREAM OF THE METALLIC IMAGE.
  3. MAR’AH – VISION. FOUND IN DAN. 10:7-8, AND IS USED TO DESCRIBE SEEING A REFLECTION IN A MIRROR
  4. MAR-EH – SIGHT OR APPEARANCE . FOUND IN DAN. 10:1, WHERE DANIEL RECEIVED A VISION BUT DID NOT HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING UNTIL FASTING TO BREAK OFF A SPIRITUAL OPPOSITION.

THESE VARIOUS WORDS IN SCRIPTURE INDICATE THAT VISIONS OCCUR IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

EPHESIANS 1:18

18 And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the [a]hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the [b]saints (God’s people)

PAUL PRAYS A PRAYER HERE THAT THE EYES OF THE HEART OR THE SPIRIT WOULD BE OPEN. THIS PRAYER WASN’T JUST FOR THE EPHESIANS BUT EXTENDS TO YOU AND ME.

THREE SOURCES TO PULL INFORMATION FROM

  1. NATURAL MAN
  2. DEMONIC SOURCE
  3. GOD

AVENUES OF VISIONS:

  • MINDS EYE
  • IMAGINATION
  • OPEN VISIONS
  • AUDIBLE MESSAGES
  • ANGELIC ENCOUNTERS
  • OPEN HEAVENS
  • TRANCES
  • BEING “CAUGHT UP” IN THE SPIRIT
  • HEAVENLY VISITATIONS

IMAGINATION

  • A MAIN WAY THAT BELIEVERS SEE – SMALL IMAGES
  • DON’T BE CONCERNED WITH IF IT SEEMS FAINT – GRAB THOSE THINGS AND FOCUS ON THEM
  • WRITE IT DOWN
  • MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN SEEING IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM BUT YOU’RE JUST NOT BELIEVING IT

OPEN VISIONS

  • YOUR EYES ARE OPEN AND YOU’RE SEEING THE VISION IN FRONT OF YOU
  • AN OPEN VISION IS NOT MORE POWERFUL OR CARRY MORE AUTHORITY – ITS JUST A DIFFERENT WAY TO SEE. REMEMBER, YOU HAVE TO YELL LOUDER WHEN KIDS ARE FAR AWAY AND WHEN KIDS ARE CLOSE YOU GET A STILL SMALL VOICE.

TRANCE VISIONS

  • INSIDE THE VISION
  • LIKE A DREAM, BUT AWAKE
  • YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS INSIDE THE ENCOUNTER IN VISIONARY FROM

BEING ‘CAUGHT UP’

  • IN THE SCRIPTURES, THE PROPHETS WOULD BE IN EXILE NEAR A RIVER WHEN SUDDENLY THE INSPIRATION OF THE SPIRIT WOULD OVERCOME THEM, AND THEY WOULD BE “CAUGHT UP” IN SPIRITUAL ECSTASY.
  • ANOTHER EX WOULD BE JOHN WHEN HE WAS ON THE ISLE OF PATMOS, WHEN HE WAS “IN THE SPIRIT” ON THE LORDS DAY (REV. 1:10)
  • WHEN EVER THERE IS A STRONG OUT POURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE AN INCREASE OF SPIRITUAL REVELATION.

EXAMPLES OF VISIONS IN THE BIBLE

THE BIBLE RECORDS FAR MORE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED REVELATIONS FROM GOD USING THIS TYPE OF COMMUNICATION METHOD THAN THOSE WHO RECEIVED DREAMS.

SOME WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE REVELATIONS INCLUDE:

  • ELIPHAZ ( A FRIEND OF JOB, JOB 4 )
  • ABRAHAM ( GEN 15 )
  • JACOB ( GENESIS 46 )
  • FALSE PROPHET BALAAM ( NUMBERS 24 )
  • MICAIAH ( 1 KINGS 22 )
  • YOUNG SAMUEL ( 1 SAMUEL 3 )
  • EZEKIEL WAS GIVEN VISIONS OF GOD, HIS GLORY, AND HIS THRONE (EZ. 1), WAS INFORMED OF THE ABOMINATIONS COMMITTED AT JERUSALEMS TEMPLE (CH. 8), WS TAKEN BEFORE ISRAEL’S ELDERS (CH. 11), SAW A VALLEY OF DRY BONES REPRESENTING ISRAEL REGATHERED (CH. 37) AND WITNESSED GOD AT THE TEMPLE CALLING FOR HIS PEOPLE TO REPENT ( CH. 43).
  • DANIEL SAW SEVERAL VISIONS, INCLUDING ONE SHOWING 4 GREAT WORLD EMPIRES (DAN. 7), THE ANCIENT OF DAYS SITTING ON HIS THRONE (DAN. 7:9-10), A PROPHETIC RAM AND A HE-GOAT (CH. 8), AND THE EVENTS WHICH WILL OCCUR IN END TIMES (CH.10).
  • ISAIAH WAS TOLD OF FUTURE EVENTS TO OCCUR TO THE KINGDOMS OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM (ISA. 1, 22) AND BABYLON (CH. 21). §MANY OLD TESTAMENTS MINOR PROPHETS RECEIVED VISIONARY REVELATIONS, INCLUDING OBADIAH, NAHUM, HABAKKUK, AMOS, AND ZECHARIAH.
  • IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN SAW TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS AND THE APPEARANCE OF MOSES AND ELIJAH (MATT. 17:1-9).
  • STEPHEN, JUST BEFORE BECOMING THE 1ST CHRISTIAN MARTYR, SEES IN VISION GODS THRONE WITH JESUS STANDING AT HIS RIGHT HAD (ACTS 7:55)
  • A BELIEVER NAME ANANIAS HAS JESUS TELL HIM TO VISIT A REPENTANT SAUL AND HEAL HIM (ACTS 9)
  • A ROMAN CENTURION NAMED CORNELIUS IS TOLD TO REQUEST THAT PETER COME AND BAPTIZE HIM JUST BEFORE PETER IS MIRACULOUSLY SHOWN A SHEET FILLED WITH UNCLEAN ANIMALS (ACTS 10).
  • APOSTLE JOHN HAD THE ENTIRE BOOK OF REVELATION REVEALED TO HIM THROUGH VISIONS.
  • PAUL EXPERIENCES SEVERAL REVELATIONS, FIRST ONE IS SEEING A MAN NAMED ANANIAS COMING TO BAPTIZE HIM (ACTS 9). HE SEES IN HIS MIND A MAN FROM MACEDONIA ASKING HIM FOR HELP (CH 16), BEING TOLD TO SPEAK BOLDLY TO CORINTH (CH. 18), AND INFORMED TO LEAVE JERUSALEM (CH 22) ALSO TO SEE IN HIS MINDS EYE THE ‘THIRD HEAVEN’ ( 2 COR 12).

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF VISIONS

  • TO CONVEY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE NEAR OR DISTANT FUTURE (PROPHECY)
  • TO TEACH SPIRITUAL TRUTH
  • TO STRENGTHEN
  • TO REVEAL THE POWER AND MAJESTY OF GOD
  • TO CONFIRM PUNISHMENT FOR SIN
  • TO INFORM SOMEONE OR A GROUP OF GODS WILL §TO ENCOURAGE AND PROVIDE HOPE
  • TO CONFIRM A BLESSING OR PROMISE §TO REVEAL GODS PLAN FOR MAN

JOHN 5:19

19 So Jesus answered them by saying, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the Son [a]can do nothing of Himself [of His own accord], unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever things the Father does, the Son [in His turn] also does in the same way.

SCRIPTURE DOES NOT REVEAL EXACTLY HOW JESUS SAW ALL THAT HIS FATHER WAS DOING, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT HE AND HIS FATHER WERE ONE.  MY SENSE IS THAT JESUS MOVED MORE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVING HIM KNOWLEDGE FOR WHAT HIS FATHER WAS DOING, HE MAY HAVE ALSO HAD DREAMS AT NIGHT, AS WELL AS VISIONS IN TIMES OF CONTEMPLATION OR PRAYER. REGARDLESS, JUST AS JESUS MADE TIME TO BE ALONE WITH HIS FATHER AND SPENT TIME IN PRAYER, SO SHOULD WE.  THE  MORE INTIMATE WE BECOME WITH GOD, THE MORE WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT HES DOING, MAKE THE LORD YOUR FOCUS AND PROPHETIC REVELATION WILL FLOW.

SEER ANOINTING

  • WATCH DREAMS AND VISIONS OF A CHILD. THEY COULD REVEAL GIFTS.
  • JAMES GHOLL’S ‘SEER’ GIFT STARTED OUT AS APPARITIONS
  • REST (QUIET) IS THE INCUBATION BED FOR REVELATION
  • PLAY WORSHIP MUSIC AT BED TIME / SOAK IN HIS PRESENCE
  • IN ORDER TO SEE THE NATURAL ONE MUST OPEN THEIR EYES, THE SAME ASPECT WORKS FOR THE SUPERNATURAL. PAUL SAYS “I PRAY THE EYES OF YOUR HEART ARE OPENED..”

VISIONS ARE A MAJOR KEY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PREPARE GROUND, OPEN PEOPLE, AND BUILD FAITH

  • I WILL GIVE YOU THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM.
  • EVERY BELIEVER HAS KEYS.
  • HEAVEN WILL RESPOND TO HOW WE USE OUR KEYS

WHAT KEYS HAS HE GIVEN TO YOU?
HE HAS PUT KEYS IN YOUR HAND!
LOOK AND SEE!