Yes, many religious traditions, particularly Christianity and Islam, believe God speaks to people in dreams for guidance, warning, or revelation, citing biblical and Quranic examples like Joseph, Solomon, and Pharaoh, though discernment is key to distinguish divine dreams from natural ones, with some views emphasizing scripture as primary, while others see dreams as a valid, but secondary, communication method.
How Do I Know if a Dream is from God? (4min)
Does God still speak to us in dreams today? Scripture points to the answer: yes. God's never-changing character (Hebrews 13:8) means he continues to meet with us at night, as he did in the times of the Bible, because sometimes it's the only time our minds are quiet enough to hear him.
Job 33:14-18 NLT [14] For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. [15] He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds.
Yes, many faiths, particularly Christianity, believe God can warn people through dreams, citing biblical examples where God used dreams to provide guidance, avert danger (like Joseph fleeing Herod), or deliver messages, though it's crucial to discern genuine divine warnings from ordinary dreams through prayer, scripture, and spiritual guidance. These warnings can be direct or symbolic, urging changes in behavior or awareness of coming events, but distinguishing them from personal anxieties requires spiritual discernment, as not all dreams carry divine messages.
Dreams in the Bible
At times God spoke through a dream to warn a person (Genesis 20:3 and 6) or to give encouragement to a person (Genesis 28:12-15). Sometimes the dream seems to be symbolic of something, like Joseph's brothers bowing down to him as sheaves of grain (Genesis 37:6-7).
The biggest unforgivable sin varies by faith, but in Christianity, it's often seen as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, a persistent rejection of God's grace, while in Islam, the gravest unforgivable sin is shirk, or associating partners with God, if not repented. Pride is also considered a foundational, serious sin across many faiths, linked to the downfall of figures like Satan.
Job 33:14-16 New Living Translation (NLT) For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds.
So how can Scripture help us know if God is speaking to us? Well, if a conviction of yours lines up with God's Word, or if you're facing a choice and one of your options lines up with Scripture, that's an excellent indicator that God might be encouraging you to pursue a particular path.
Does God still speak through dreams? God spoke to people many times throughout the Scriptures in dreams. Examples are Joseph, son of Jacob (Genesis 37:5-10); Joseph, the husband of Mary (Matthew 2:12-22); Solomon (1 Kings 3:5-15); and several others (Daniel 2:1, 7:1; Matthew 27:19).
Test Dreams and Visions Against the Word
If a dream or vision tries to convince you of something contrary to the Word of God, it is not from the Lord. He will never contradict His Word. First Peter 1:25 promises that “the word of the Lord endureth for ever” (KJV). It will never change or become irrelevant.
On occasion God speaks audibly, through an angel, or accompanied by supernatural phenomena, but in the vast majority of cases the way God speaks is through thoughts or impressions he gives us. Throughout Christian history we have examples of men and women who listen to God and hear his guidance.
Abimelech (related to Isaac) – Genesis 26:24 (reassurance of blessing) Gideon – Judges 7:13-15 (dream of the barley bread) Samuel – 1 Samuel 3:2-14 (God calling Samuel in his sleep) Elihu – Job 33:14-18 (speaking of how God speaks in dreams)
You should never ignore dreams that signal feeling overwhelmed (falling, drowning, being lost), a lack of control (car troubles), missed chances (missing transport), or recurring negative patterns (back to old schools/homes), as these often point to real-life anxiety, stagnation, or unresolved issues you need to address, with some spiritual interpretations also flagging attacks or spiritual pollution like eating food in dreams. Paying attention to vivid, recurring, or disturbing dreams can offer profound insights into your subconscious and guide you toward necessary changes for personal growth and clarity.
God, we see in Scripture how You not only spoke through dreams, but even spoke through nightmares (Gen. 15:12-14). We see how You warn and protect us through these dreams, so we choose to honor them too (Matt. 2:22).
Signs God Is Trying to Tell You Something
Discover the five types of callings in the Bible — the apostle, the prophet, the teacher, the pastor and the evangelist. Learn how each reveals God's purpose, guiding believers to live faithfully and fulfill their unique role in His plan.
While angels may not be visible to us in a physical form, many people believe that they are around us, watching over us and sending us signs of their presence. These signs can come in many forms, such as feathers, a sense of peace or reassurance, a comforting presence, or even a feeling of warmth or lightness.
Yes, many faiths, particularly Christianity, believe God can warn people through dreams, citing biblical examples where God used dreams to provide guidance, avert danger (like Joseph fleeing Herod), or deliver messages, though it's crucial to discern genuine divine warnings from ordinary dreams through prayer, scripture, and spiritual guidance. These warnings can be direct or symbolic, urging changes in behavior or awareness of coming events, but distinguishing them from personal anxieties requires spiritual discernment, as not all dreams carry divine messages.
He builds a loving relationship with us.
“My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.” God builds intimacy with us in the night by wooing us to Himself. These are just a few examples of what happens when we sleep, and God is at work in us.
After spending six days creating the world, God considered the seventh day a special day to rest. God did not rest because He was tired; He did not become exhausted or run out of energy. God's work of creation was perfect, and the seventh day was a day to reflect on what He had completed.
With this declaration, Alma identified for Corianton the three most abominable sins in the sight of God: (1) denying the Holy Ghost, (2) shedding innocent blood, and (3) committing sexual sin. Adultery was third to murder and the sin against the Holy Ghost as abominable sins.
The unforgivable sin isn't something you stumble into accidentally. It's the settled, defiant rejection of the Spirit's witness to Christ. If your sin grieves you and you desire His mercy, that itself is evidence that the Spirit is still at work in you.
So now to answer the question, “Are sins of thought really as bad as committing the actual sin?” Yes. Jesus is clear. Praise God for that truth, because otherwise our sinful natures might convince us that we can do enough to enter heaven. The lesson of Jesus is that even our thoughts condemn us.