1. DREAM SNATCHERS

    There are many reasons why dreams appear to be lost after they have been caught. Let’s keep things simple and clear. We have an enemy waiting to snatch away and steal the revelation that the Holy Spirit brings.

    1. The Thief Comes

      1. Matt. 24:43 – “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.”
      2. Luke 12:39 – “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.”
      3. John 10:1 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.”
      4. John 10:10 – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

      We must realize that throughout the ages the devil and the powers of darkness have made an assault against believers in an attempt to snuff out the gifts of the Spirit and the revelatory realms of God. The thief has been at work to steal the true power of the Holy Spirit and to raise a counter move under the influence of the occult. But Jesus has, is and will prevail through His people and the thief shall be identified, caught and be made to repay!

    2. The Thief Must and Can Be Caught Prov. 6:31

      “But when he [the thief] is found, he must repay sevenfold; He must give all the substance of his house.”
      It is time to move into a higher dimension of the gifting of discerning of spirits and thus identify and capture the thief. Then we must enter into judicial intercession in a courtroom hearing and call forth retribution where judgment is released and justice occurs.

    3. The Thief Must Flee

      James 4:7 – “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
      Three Simple Components from James 4:7:

      1. Submit to God
      2. Resist the Devil
      3. He runs in terror of you!
  2. THE DRAIN TO DREAMING
      1. Church Culture and Worldview

        Wrong traditions, theology and worldview have stolen the relevance of dreaming. We have erred and moved away from our Hebraic foundation and shifted into a Greek mindset. There is literally no place for dreams in materialistic and logical scientism that almost completely replaced the original paradigm of apostolic Christianity. This philosophy produces the analytical mindset of “then why pay attention to them at all?”
      2. Are You at Rest or Are You Striving? Eccl. 4:6

        “One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.”
        Isa. 30:15 – “For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.” Rest is the incubation bed of revelation!

      3. Is Your Receptor Clean?

        Eph. 4:23 – 27 – “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.”

        1. Worry – Psalms 37:8
        2. Anger – Ephesians 4:26
        3. Lust – Romans 13:10-14
        4. Excess and Addictions – Ephesians 5:18
        5. Bitterness – Hebrews 12:15

    Our spirit must be able to receive. We must not give place to the devil. We must not grieve the Holy Spirit!

    1. Wisdom Ways with Today’s Entertainment

      We must be careful what we listen to. What we let in our eyes and ears will be what our heart and mind will dwell on. We need a pure life revolution! Consider going on an entertainment fast!

      Mark 4:24 – “And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.”

    2. Working with Your Routine!

      Inconsistent schedules can hinder the flow and retention of revelation. Often this is not our fault but simply due to the demands of life. Cry out to the Lord for God’s grace and He will help you to work with your schedule and/or even alter it as needed.

      Seek the Lord for special times that are set apart for receiving from the Lord. Sacrifice releases power. Fasting can be used to soften your heart and posture yourself for heavenly downloads.

    3. To Whom Is Given Much?

      Matt. 13:12-16 – “For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”

      If we do not pay attention to what we have already received, the Holy Spirit is not obligated to give us more – “whoever has, to him shall more be given.” Faithfulness brings reward!

    4. Integrity is a Major Issue!

      Both the Holy Spirit and people are drawn to integrity. Tomorrow’s call does not give you authority today! There is a learning process of being called, trained and commissioned (and often retrained and re-commissioned). Don’t distort the meaning of a dream out of your insecurity. Don’t say more than God says or more than God said to say! Don’t add “hamburger helper” and thus exceed your level of credibility. Learn to pray and hold – do not cheat – and watch how you say it! God always ultimately has to judge pride!

  3. DREAM BUSTERS
    1. Distraction

      If you are having a phone conversation with someone while trying to do three other things, chances are you won’t absorb all that was intended in that call. There are many good things to do. But if we want to receive and retain revelation, then we will have to weed the garden of “distractions.” This is one of the primary reasons why we are exhorted by Scripture to set our minds on things above and not on things of this earth. If we can capture the little foxes that spoil the vine, we will be amazed at what all God has to speak to us!

    2. Disinformation

      What does God have to say in His word? Does God still speak today? Or has the false teaching of “cessationism” distorted your view? Too often, as Christians, we are looking to institutions, denominations, and uninformed people to get our theology rather than basing it on the Word of God. This is why many people do not believe God speaks to them today – not because of anything the Bible actually says – but what others wrongly say it says! Remember, Hos. 4:6 states, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”

      Wrong information and lack of information is a culture that allows the doubt of darkness to breed and remain!

    3. Disbelief

      Many cannot and will not hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in their lives because they simply do not believe God wants to speak to them! Disbelief can filter out God’s love, care, revelation, and at times His empowering. We must remember that we serve an all-powerful, all-knowing God who has spoken, is speaking and will continue to speak to His people. If we have fallen into unbelief, then our first step is to cry out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).

    4. The Downward Spiral

      Satan always will attempt to thwart God’s plans. Such was the case of the Israelites. When they were coming out of Babylon, they received a revelation from the Lord (see Jer. 29:10). The Israelites knew God’s will for them was to return and rebuild the destroyed temple of the Lord. They had heard clearly from God! As the people gave in the enemy’s schemes, three things began to happen.

      1. They fell into discouragement.
      2. They fell into disillusionment.
      3. They fell into disinterest.

      This progression of events is often a pattern for what can happen in our lives. It takes an act of our own will to choose God’s plan for possessing our inheritance. You can reverse the trend and end the downward spiral!

  4. DREAM CATCHERS – CREATE YOUR CULTURE!
    1. Pulling Out Your Spiritual Antenna

      Just as you have to pull out your antenna in order to receive sound transmissions, you have to pull out your spiritual antenna to tune in and receive God’s transmissions! Get Ready! Expect to Receive!

      The great British preacher Charles Spurgeon once received an entire sermon in a dream. He preached it aloud, and his wife who was awake, copied it down. Later he preached the message from the pulpit to great effect. Get Ready! Expect to Receive!

    2. The Power of the Blood

      Heb. 9:12 – “and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

    3. Pray in the Spirit

      Build yourself up in your faith by praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20). This is an amazing and under-utilized gift! God promises to give us refreshment, stirring of our faith and an atmosphere where mysteries are spoken and revealed. Get yourself ready! Strengthen your spirit man!
    4. Meditation on the Word!

      Josh. 1:8 – “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

    5. Worship – Sing Praises – Worship

      2 Chr. 20:18-22 – “Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice. They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.’ When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving kindness is everlasting.’ When they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed.”

Let’s pray this week for the culture of revelation to permeate our beings, our households, our ministries, our churches and everything in our sphere or domain for Jesus Christ’s sake! Amen and Amen!

James W. Goll