In our modern times we can trace much of this spirit movement back to William Branham who believed in further revelation than the Bible can be given by angels, dreams, visions, and prophecy. Or to people like John G. Lake who taught impartation- that gifts of the Holy Spirit could be transmitted through the laying on of hands.

Benny Hinn has had more dreams and visions than ALL the people in the Bible put together.

From the beginning- “I had an 'experience' of Jesus at the age of about 11; I had a dream where I saw Jesus come to me. He said nothing but his eyes told me, 'I love you.' Later, I found out that he is alive and is in heaven. One day I said, 'If you are alive, I want to meet you.'

Another rendition of this -When I was a little boy, I saw the Lord in this dream. It was really so real, it was really a vision because when - when He appeared to me my body became electric just like electricity went through me and when I awoke that electricity was still on my body.” (Benny Hinn, This Is Your Day, June 11, 1997)

He talks to dead people in his dreams and visions, his mentor Kathryn Khulman spoke to him in a dream. Hinn was so in tune with Khulman that he related a vision of her right here in Honolulu “The Lord gave me a vision of Kathryn Kuhlman in heaven, sitting with what seemed to be a group of people. … At least fifty to seventy of them were sitting in a group, and they were saying to me, “Pray! Ask God to give you a healing ministry that will touch the world!” And suddenly, I heard Kathryn's voice, and out of the blue, suddenly there - there she was, it's crystal clear. And she in her beautiful smile, the way she said, “Ask! We're waiting for you to ask! We're praying with you to ask “And the vision disappeared. And suddenly I said, “Lord!” and I asked. A week later the anointing hit my life” (“Benny Hinn, Honolulu Crusade, February 28, 1997).

According to Hinn he had to ask or God’s hands were tied. This is hardly the same kind of vision God gave the saints in the Old or New Testament.

Another time with Kathryn “I saw myself walk into a room and there stood Kathryn Kuhiman. And I've not seen Kathryn in a dream or a vision [in] years. … the day she died, the morning she died, 1 had a dream what 1 - what 1 saw in a … in a casket with a white dress. And when 1 woke up in - in the morning, I knew she had died and it was on the news that same morning” ( Benny Hinn, This Is Your Day, June 11, 1997).

Is God giving Hinn dreams of the person whom he modeled his ministry after, letting him know of her death?

Or was this something he conjured up himself?

In fact, Hinn dreams- visions, to direct the church by giving promises that are outside the Scriptures. Hinn had a vision stating- “I see rows of umm, of caskets lining up in front of this TV set. And I see them bringing them closer to the TV set. And as people are coming closer, I see … loved ones picking up the hands of the dead and letting them touch the screen, and people are, are getting raised as their hands are touching that screen. With just programs. I’m not talking about my program. I’m talking about programs, plain programs airing…on TBN that there’s gonna be divine resurrection happening as people bring their loved ones to the TV set” (TBN Oct.23, 1999). It is now 7 years and it still has not happened. And to be frank, it never will.

Here is an example of how some Christians interpret the dreams- “Dreaming about ketchup may be calling you to “catch up” in some area. A fire may be trying to warn you that you are “playing with fire.” A dream of being smothered or drowned may indicate that you are feeling “in over your head.” A frozen lake, an ice flow, or even ice cubes may be cautioning you that you are only seeing “the tip of the iceberg.” Having your glasses broken may be an indication that you are not seeing the situation clearly.”

There is nothing relative to the dreams that are given in the New Testament that give revelation, warn, or encourage. This is all cryptic interpretations using subjective reasoning and is more like Jungian psychology. Maybe dreaming of Ketchup means you like it on your hamburgers. One can come up with just about anything from their own feelings to explain their involuntary thoughts at night.

A good example of this is James Ryle, pastor of what was formerly known as the Toronto Vineyard had a dream involving the Beatles. In1990, a “prophecy” given to James Ryle as a series of dreams that a new type of powerful music was about to be given to the young people today, music would rival that of the Beatles, “it will bring a now revelation of the truth and it will usher men into My presence.”

He explained his dream: The Lord spoke to me and said, 'What you saw In the Beatles - the gifting and that sound they had - was from me ... it was my purpose to bring forth through music a world-wide revival that would usher In the move of my spirit in bringing men and women to Christ.' And I want to tell you those four lads aborted something. They took what did not belong to them and used it in a way that was not intended by God to be used. It did bring a revival of music - but it brought it on the other side of the fence ... And the Lord spoke to me and He said, 'in 1970 1 lifted that anointing off of them. And it has been held in my hand ever since.' And the Lord said, 'The reason you saw R in the equipment room in that church [part of his dream) is because that anointing belongs to the church Harvest Conference in Denver, Colorado

Does God give his anointing to unbelievers, can it be used by men to oppose God? How can anyone believe this?

John Paul Jackson served on the staff at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Anaheim, California and Metro Christian Fellowship in Kansas City, Missouri. Where Mike Bickel was pastor. Jackson is the founder of the Streams Institute for Spiritual Development, teaching Christian dream interpretation- He writes-Interpretive skills need to be developed in order to communicate what is meant by revelation. The meanings of colours, numbers, types and symbols, as well as personal symbols will be studied. Ways to enhance interpretive skills will be covered.

He has Seven Foundational Principles for Interpreting Dreams (these are two)

This is describing normal dreams, not dreams from God as recorded in Scripture. Again the dream is left up to your own interpretation by how you feel about it. They are developing techniques for discovering our own desires of the heart, they are confusing an imaginative process that is naturally initiated for inspiration that God alone can give.

Many charismatics dream analysis has more to do with psychology than the Bible. Sometimes there is little difference even from occult methods. Elijah House includes dream analysis in its counselor training program. Many charismatics now offer dream analysis to individuals for personal and counseling purposes; one group has made a real ministry out of it, offering an on-line bookstore and courses on “Dream Interpretation Mentoring.” They even posted “Dream Interpretation Guidelines”

Both hold that certain symbols have universal meaning and others are uniquely personal. Each recommend to keep “dream journals.” Each offer “spiritual interpretation” courses and personal counseling—for a fee.

(Dream Journaling is part of the New Age Movements practice of their spirituality.)

Ron Philips posts a Dream Team on his website: “Many are asking, “What do I do with the dreams I'm experiencing as I sleep?”  Each Sunday afternoon from 4:45 - 5:45 p.m., in Room 217, we have a qualified “Dream Team” to interpret your dreams from a Biblical perspective.”

Today we find many people infatuated with dreams and their personal interpretation for their lives. Ask two interpreters of different schools of dream interpretation and see if you get the same message.

Is the problem the dream or the interpretation of the dream- or both? Are we to inquire an interpretation of all our dreams? The problem can be the source; we need to discern is it from God. Some dreams could easily be identified as from the enemy, others can be from the Lord and still others can be ordinary dreams from the normal course of our lives when sleeping- thinking it is of God.

From the Voice of the prophetic magazine-Question-I get Dreams and I don't have, anyone to share them with for Interpretation. What do I do with them?

“First and foremost, make sure that you write down your dreams. Often, important details of the dream will fade from our memory, if not the entire dream, and writing it down rift away will help keep all the important stuff intact. Next, ask the Holy Spirit what your dreams mean. Sometimes he will open up the meaning to you right away, and other times He is silent for a time. If he is silent, and you still don't understand the dream, then begin to do your research (Proverbs 25:2). Most often, dreams are symbolic (though they can be literal, and you will learn the difference), and searching through dictionaries and encyclopedias about the primary objects and people in our dreams can sometimes open up understanding for you. Also, most of the time, God will speak to you in your own “language,” so you might ponder what an object or person in the dream represents to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of them the holy. The Holy Spirit will begin to teach you your own dream vocabulary if you ask him” ( p.19).

No one should seek an interpretation of visions or dreams by their own bias. The practice of using a method or book to identify and analyze symbols and events in our dream for guidance in our life is either Jungian psychology or similar to divination. There is nothing taught in Scripture about a method for interpretation from everyday symbols. There are biblical interpretations of symbols already contained in the Bible, biblical symbols that are consistently used- Stars for angels; Seas for mankind, peoples; Trees can by symbols of nations or people. But they are not using the Biblical framework but making up ones personal dream vocabulary, this becomes fully subjective.

Take for example Rev. 12:1-2: “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.”

There are symbols in this dream that must be understood in the Old Testament framework. Many see this related to Gen.37 where Joseph dreams the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowing down to him. He being the 12th star, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. The background in Gen. 37 already sets the sun as Jacob, the moon Rachel. The woman is Israel who is to give birth to the Messiah whom the dragon in v.4 wants to kill. If one reads the whole portion of Rev.12 it should make perfect sense this way. But what would happen if we interpreted it by our own vocabulary? It would mean that we are not pursuing the context of the meaning. It would mean whatever we want it to mean, being divorced from the Bibles context we would not have the correct interpretation.

God can still give people a dream or vision, but they are to be in agreement with the completed written Word. But when the Church becomes guided and influenced by dreams and visions above the written word, it becomes established on subjectivity rather than on objective practical truth. Having ones personal revelations, dreams and visions as priority is the door to mysticism.

Oftentimes we find a willful intention to elevate ones dreams and visions above the Scripture to promote a ministry or person. Many readily accept whatever they see is from God. God wants us growing mature in His word. We walk by faith not by sight.

Steve Shultz relates in one of his dreams, “the newscasters were going on and on (ad nauseam), about President Bush's approval ratings dropping in the polls. That's where the anger of the Lord began to burn inside of me. Now, please note: back when President Clinton was in office, God made it VERY clear to me, with no ambiguity whatsoever, that I was not to speak ill of him because his heart (not always his actions necessarily) was to do what was right.

Maybe we should all paint our houses white. Maybe we should all paint our houses white to be of the light. This is a blend of new age concepts with Jungian psychology.

The Bible says our heart is deceitfully wicked, this includes any president. And I really cannot accept that Clintons heart was right but his actions wrong, as if there is some separation from the two. I know of a number of people who spoke of Clinton and there marriages are intact. What of marriages that feel apart that did not speak ill of Clinton? There is no rhyme or reason to any of this.

As far as “Societal justice”- this will only be found in the millennium when Christ is here ruling, not by any earthly government today.

And what of speaking against our authorities - are earthly authorities more important than heavenly ones? These are the same men who speak, who rail against angelic authorities – fallen angels and Satan, just like Jude warns us not to. The only time dreamers are mentioned in the New Testament, it is not favorable. Jude addresses the dreamers who “have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit.” Jude writes “Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.”

Filthy dreamers Gr.- enupniazomai-1) to dream 2) metaphorically, to be beguiled with sensual images and carried away to an impious course of conduct.

These men add their own thoughts to their message; something they dream up on their own. Notice that they resist authority- you can find this as a common denominator in nearly all these prophetic dreamers -that they are into unbiblical spiritual warfare, they “slander celestial beings,” they “speak abusively against whatever they do not understand.”

Certain dreams were God giving direct revelation of Himself, His plan, or some prophetic information involving the person or their people. These dreams and visions from God were written and inscripturated for us in the Bible.

Often those who share these spiritual experiences of the night want to impress people by extra-biblical revelation. They tell us that Dreams and visions are common everyday occurrences for these last days. Books are written, teaching others on how to interpret their dreams and visions putting it on an equal basis with the inspired Scriptures.

One of these Books written from dreams and visions is Rick Joyner’s, who claims he is led by dreams, visions. His book “The Final Quest” is based on visions, prophecies and dreams he claims God gave him over a course of a year. Joyner meets an angel called “Wisdom, who is Jesus that came to him in the form of a talking eagle. He teaches him to rise to the third heaven, ascending a multilevel mountain. Each level is named a biblical truth, the higher he goes the deeper the level; he is able to eat from the Tree of Life. There is no scriptural basis for any of this.

Of course the real intent is known when he stated that he had prayed for 25 years to be caught up to the third heaven just like the apostle Paul (pp. 44-45).

No one should seek visions or dreams for their own instruction or spiritual growth. The Holy Spirit in His timing may give someone a vision or dream but he will also confirm its validity in the word; however we need to be aware if one is earnestly seeking after these types of revelation for experience or instruction, as Joyner stated, the enemy is certainly able to answer with his counterfeits.

Another popular unbiblical book is Mary Baxter claims Jesus appeared to her in human form, in dreams, visions from these new revelations she wrote the Divine Revelation of hell. She claims to have received many visitations from the Lord. She believed she was called to receive dreams, visions, and revelations and to relate them to others. Thus her book is on equal par with the Scripture.

She was taken to hell where she describes her torture- “It felt so strange to be able to see completely through my body. The worms had begun to crawl on me again. I could feel them crawling. I screamed with fear and pain.”

I soon found out that I was on the back of the living-dead form of some kind of animal” ( p.177).

You can test what is in these peoples dreams and visions by the bible to know if it is from God, for God is not confused nor does He contradict what He already spoke.

Jesus told her, “And then I will return with My saints, and Satan will be cast into the bottomless pit, where he will remain for a thousand years. During that thousand years I will reign over the earth from Jerusalem. When the millennium is past, Satan will be released for a season, and I will defeat him by the brightness of My coming. The old earth will pass away.”

This is clearly not the order in the Bible - he returns and defeats him by the brightness of his coming at armegeddon and then sets up the Millennial reign, not after it. This disorder shows something is very wrong.

(2 Thess. 2:8: “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”)

Todd Bentley is quite extravagant in his descriptions of his experiences. “As you read this message, let's believe that your eyes can be opened and that you can begin to experience the glory realm right now. Don't just get a bunch of information and say, “Wow, this is a great message on angels.” Be praying, “Holy Spirit, open the eyes of my heart and let the angels come right now. Let me feel the presence of angels, let me see the angels and let angelic activity be released here now.” You know why it is important to talk about heavenly things? Because we actually call forth those things that are not as though they were. As I speak out the truths of the heavenly realm, I'm actually prophesying angelic visitation. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a visitation of an angel today or if you have a prophetic dream. Angels can come in the natural and they can quite often come in your dreams.

Recently, the Father revealed to me, in two prophetic encounters, that prophetic promises made 300 years ago have great potential for fulfillment! The first encounter was surprising - a vision that included Winnie the Pooh with his jar of honey! In the second experience, I was taken into an open vision to meet with the Father in a place called the field of dreams. I'd like to share the honey vision with you first. WELL OF HONEY Honey is a reoccurring theme that's popped up at different times during my ministry. The word of God says, “...and with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you” (Ps. 81:16). Some years ago I had an experience with Christ (the Rock, the Source of the honey) that I can only describe as a glory, liquid, honey cloud that came into my home. At times I've been so deeply in the manifest presence of God that it was like swimming in liquid honey” (Angelic Hosts Todd Bentley)

Many prophets had Y2K disaster dreams, which did not come to pass. And they continue to tell dreams of future disasters. Several dreams have been given to various prophets about disasters striking the nation, and in particular the east coast but none have come to pass.

What about being responsible for them not coming to pass? Oh I forgot – they can be averted by prayer. AND THAT IS THEIR WAY OUT OF THESE NOT COMING TO PASS. When did God instruct the people to pray to stop prophecy? Can prophecy from God be stopped? No, but mans prophecy certainly can. And what about repentance does this element need to accompany prayer? It did with Jonah.

Bob Jones, a prophet, at one time was reported to have had regularly as many as five to ten dreams or visions a night. Jones could even tell Mike Bickle what dreams he was going to have, as well as coming to him in his dreams!

Mike Bickle with Bob Jones, Visions and Revelations (fall of 1988). In the series of five tapes, Bickle and Jones relate the story of an angel revealing that God would appear to Bickle in the form of another person named “Don” in a vision or in a dream. Bickle said the vision eventually took place, and part of its message was to show him that “Jesus appears in thousands of different faces to portray something,” Bickle said. “He was trying to say, 'I'm your friend, I am your familiar friend and I'm going to show you all things so you can move in the power of the Spirit” (Mike Bickle with Bob Jones, Visions and Revelations, transcript, series of five tapes from the fall of 1988 p.53-60). Maybe this familiar friend was really a familiar Spirit. Later Bickle relates that during his trip to heaven Jesus commissioned him to be one of God's new generals to lead his end time army- Isn’t that special.

In the article Debugging the prophetic by Steve Shultz who heads up the Elijah list, a loose group of prophets who have intentionally divorced themselves from the word of God in their interpretation and operation of spiritual gifts.

question- How and where do you find accountability for the accuracy and fulfillment of prophetic words delivered by the prophets today? Who can I rely on?

He goes on to say after making a case for prophetic accuracy with Katrina “So, the bottom line is this: just work to decide for yourself which prophet/prophetess you most trust and which you don't and leave it at that. I believe this is the wisest course.”

Is this what we do to decide? This is not wise at all. We are to trust in the Lord with all our heart, and lean not on our own understanding, our trust is not to be in men that prophecy but the God of prophecy. Since Peter tells us “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.(2 Pet. 1:19-21).

This is every man does what is right in his own eyes philosophy, it is promoting a prophetic free-for-all. When Israel did this they were deceived by the false prophets.

Jer 23:31-34: “Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who use their tongues and say, 'He says.' “Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the LORD, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the LORD. “So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, 'What is the oracle of the LORD?' you shall then say to them, 'What oracle?' I will even forsake you,” says the LORD. “And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, 'The oracle of the LORD!' I will even punish that man and his house.”

Jeremiah 27:9 “As for you, do not listen to your prophets, nor to your fortune tellers, nor to your dreamers, nor to your conjurers, nor to your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon. God told Israel to go into captivity, if they resist they will die in battle. It was God’s will for them to be captive. It is at this time the book of Daniel is written, while they are in captivity.

Jer 29:8-10 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the LORD. For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.

What were the false prophets saying? Through their dreams they were telling the people of Israels future. That the people were not going into captivity that there will be peace, God said there will be no peace, to stay alive you must go into captivity into Babylon.

One website cautions “Do not pose as an expert on interpreting others' dreams until you have been interpreting your own for five years.”

We do not see any teaching in the Bible of people’s dreams each night interpreted. You find no one in the New Testament interpreting another ones dream, it is not taught or practiced in the church nor is dreaming or interpreting dreams a gift given by the Holy Spirit (though the Holy Spirit is needed to understand a dream). There is no “practice on your own” or method to be learned; the interpretation was always found with God because the dream or vision originated from Him.

Certain dreams were sent to those who were aliens to the Jewish covenant. From what I see in the Scripture an interpretation was only needed when an unbeliever was involved. The biblical principle- All the dreams interpreted were by men of faith for those who had no faith. We see this with Joseph interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh, the butler and baker; with Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar. If one does not see this as important they will continue to pursue interpretation of their dreams that will lead to self deceit.

In Gen 37:6-10 Joseph dream’s of his brothers sheaves bowing to his sheaf. V. 8 his brothers understood it meaning his reigning over them over them. He dreamed the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowing down to him, when he told his father and his brothers; his father rebuked him saying ‘Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” They needed no interpretation – they immediately knew what it meant. Most dreams were plain and easily understood unless they were symbology in them and further revelation was needed. The majority of dreams given were obvious what it meant to the recipient.

Paul’s recommendation to maintain spiritual health is in 1 Cor.4:6, not to exceed beyond what is written in Scripture. The doctrinal health of the church needs to be consistently checked if we are to continue to walk in the truth given to us by the apostles of our Lord not by spiritual experiences that lead to new revelation.

The consulting of those who prophecy and pretended to dream or have skill in their interpretation are forbidden if one taught contrary anything to the word of God. Deut. 13:1-3: “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, “and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods'-- which you have not known--' and let us serve them,' “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

This test involves whether they used signs and wonders as tools to draw people away to other gods or to wrong ideas about God. God is testing the people to see if they love only Him (v.3).

How did Jesus say we to love the Lord our God? Not only with all your heart, mind and soul? We love him by continue keeping His WORD.

We can only grow by receiving solid food- meat that is from the word (Heb. 5:13-14).

Zech.10:2: “the diviners envision lies, and tell false dreams; they comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; they are in trouble because there is no shepherd”

A true shepherd - a good shepherd leads people to the word and gives them understanding of it. Shepherds/ pastors who do this prove they are under the great shepherd, Jesus. As New Testament believers we are not to be guided by our dreams, this is not the normal way God speaks to us today, it can happen but is rare. Though many may be influenced by these new trends -We are to be sanctified and cleansed by the washing of water by the word (Eph 5:26). We can only grow by receiving solid food- meat that is from the word (Heb 5:13-14).

A shepherd does not feed the sheep chaff that blows away but wheat that will nourish them to grow and produce fruit unto eternal life. And that is what we all should want- fruit that will continue forever; this can only be accomplished by knowing God’s word.