‘Dreams, visions, divine voices and appearances’

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Many claims are made in contrasting realms of professing Christianity, from the extreme hyper-charismatic wing to the conservative missionary-minded wing, that God is still today communicating with people via extra-biblical means such as ‘dreams, visions, divine voices and appearances’.

On 9th June 2015 Phil Johnson, Executive Director of “Grace to You” (linked to John MacArthur) was interviewed on this topic by Chris Arnzen, host of the Christian radio program called ‘Iron Sharpens Iron’.

I think this was a very helpful interview and I was personally able to make a small contribution to the program (@ 47.40 onwards) both by way of a question and a comment.

My question related to the oft-repeated claims that many Muslims are having ‘dreams and visions’ in which ‘Jesus’ appears to them and as a result many are being converted. I would encourage you to listen to this whole program and you can do so by going to the following link –

http://www.ironsharpensironradio.com/podcast/june-9-2015-isi-radio-show-with-phil-johnson-discussing-doesgod-still-guide-his-people-through-dreams-visions-divinevoices-and-appearances/

In closing, from my own perspective, this is a matter that I have addressed in times past and this is what I wrote in a ministry newsletter back in June 2006and that is located on this link –

https://www.takeheed.info/news-from-the-front-june-2006/

  • Claimed Islamic ‘conversions’ through ‘visions & dreams’

In recent times, both through listening to a conference speaker and through receiving a ministry email circular, I have heard and read claims that many Muslims have supposedly been converted to Christ as a result of receiving ‘visions and dreams’. I must be honest and say that these claims worry me GREATLY and herewith is the text of an email that I sent in response to the ministry email circular that I received making such a claim.

Dear friends,
Thank you for this story but I have some BIG problems with it in the light of the teaching of God’s Word, the Bible. I believe that Hebrews 1:1-2 teaches that God no longer appears or communicates in ‘divers manners’ as in times past such as ‘dreams and visions’. I believe that conversions since apostolic times come alone through ‘preaching’ [see 1 Corinthians 1:21] combined with the regenerating work of God the Holy Spirit and this absolute NECESSITY of preaching in order for people to be saved is reinforced by Paul in Romans 10:14-15.

This ‘vision’ in your article occurred in a ROMAN CATHOLIC setting and not a CHRISTIAN setting. The false religion of Islam owes much to a supposed ‘vision’ of Gabriel appearing to Mohammed. The Roman Emperor Constantine claimed a conversion to Christianity through a ‘vision’ on the eve of battle but his subsequent life showed little evidence of a genuine conversion and he laid the foundation for the religion that became Roman Catholicism – a diabolical mixture of Christianity and Paganism. Roman Catholicism itself is littered with ‘visions’ of a false Mary. Mormonism was founded upon ‘visions’ of Joseph Smith supposedly meeting God the Father and the Son. Seventh-day Adventism relies on ‘visions’ that Ellen White supposedly had of ‘The Holy of Holies’. Christian Science relies on ‘visions’ claimed by the mentally suspect Mary Baker Eddy. Charismatic excesses rely heavily on ‘visions and dreams’ like those claimed by the late Kenneth Hagin [promoter of the ‘health and wealth gospel’] and by others as in the 1994 so-called ‘Toronto Blessing’.

Have you any details of where….would have worshipped as a ‘Christian’ during his latter years in France – if it was as a Roman Catholic [as would appear likely in the light of what went before] then a ‘seducing spirit’ aiming to promote Roman Catholicism as ‘Christian’ sadly duped him. God’s Word warns of the folly of looking to ‘signs and lying wonders’ [2 Thessalonians 2:9] and so we do well to “take heed” [Matthew 24:4].

Your concerned friend in Christ

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries – 3rd July 2015

APPENDIX

Another helpful article on this subject has been penned by Pastor Gary Gilley and it can be accessed on this link

http://tottministries.org/muslim-dreams-and-visions/

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries – 4 March 2017