Showing posts with label Dreams. Show all posts

What Can I Do When I Get Muted In My Nightmares?

Question:
I have nightmares often, and most of the time I am trying to beg for help or alert someone but for one reason or another I can't get a proper word out.
Either I had eaten something earlier in the dream and my mouth remains full of food no matter what I do. Or I am constantly vomiting or drooling and can't stop it. Or my voice is just suppressed to a dull squeaking. 99% when I can speak, I am ignored or betrayed by the people I was trying to get through to. If you have any information on these types of dreams, please send me what resources you have. I know that this is most likely because due to anxiety, I have issues having even simple conversations with people in my life and it upsets me. So, if you have any resources on how to speak up better, that would be wonderful too.

My Reply:
Hi!
I was attracted to your question because I can actually relate, but they're not because of what I ate.
OK, if you're not a "religious" person, then this may sound really out there to you.

When I used to sleep on my back, I'd sometimes dream of something that often turned into a nightmare. As I tried to wake up, I couldn't, and when I tried to speak, it was like somebody was sitting on my chest with their hands around my throat. Here's the thing. The word that I tried to say was "Jesus!" No, seriously, and I couldn't get the whole name out. I'd say "Jheee! Jheee!" (or "in the name of Jheee!") several times. But then when I'm finally able to sit up and say "Jesus!", I'm awake and the muting was gone.

People don't like to admit it, but there are other forces in and of the world that don't like humans, because we're God's creation. So they attack us however they can. To those of us treading on their ground, and who have vivid dreams, they like to attack us in them.

There's power in Jesus' name. If you don't believe me, try saying HIS name the next time you're muted, instead of seeking out the people who end up ignoring you in your dreams. Also, He will neither ignore you, nor ever betray you. Seriously!

Pretty out there, huh?

---Pastor Andy

Can You Help Me Analyzing A Really Weird, Epic Dream?

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Question:
Okay so last week I had a really vivid dream that I'm still thinking about...I can only really remember bits and pieces now, but here goes:
I was dating two different guys, one I kinda like and one I hate. The one I like goes to my high school, but the one I hate is my ex brother-in-law (they got divorced and he was a complete jackass to my sister, so you see why I hate him right?) But anyway, it kept flipping between the two guys. In one part, I was eating out with my family, and my brother-in-law was there...and we were holding hands, but no one at the table noticed.
The next part I remember was with the guy I like, and for some reason I was trying to run his girlfriend over but I kept swinging too wide and missing. Also, the car was invisable, but I remember just pushing my foot like you would on a gas pedal. And it was like I made the car appear (but it was still invisible)...and anyway, somehow he found out that I liked him and told me he wouldn't be dating the girl if he knew I liked him... (Just so ya'll know I wouldn't really try to run his girlfriend over, lol).
So then in the next part I remember, I'm walking with my family along some train tracks, and eventually we got to this train station, and my brother-in-law wasn't with the sister he married, but was with one of my other sisters! I don't know. That part was just weird to me, hahaha.
So could you help me analyze this dream? It just stuck with me because it felt so REAL when I woke up. It actually took me a second to realize that it didn't really happen...
Oh, and one more thing... I've had really vivid, epic dreams for like the past year or so. I don't dream often, but when I do I can usually remember it...I still remember most of my dreams from the past year now...

My Reply:
I can relate with the vivid dreams. Have you tried writing them down? I've got several notebooks full of dreams in the past. It always blows me away when they happen in real life.

I'm sorry, I don't really have an answer for sure, but I believe I can throw out some possibilities to look at:

I wonder if the boys in your dream are actually characteristics that you're dealing with? For example, you've got the evil guy and want the nice guy, but the nice guy's with somebody, so you can't have him. And you so badly want him that you try to eliminate the reason you can't.

Now if your dreams often come true, then what's on my mind is that you'll want a nice guy, but end up with somebody who's a jerk (a nice word for the point being made). Maybe you'll think at first that he was like the nice guy, then he'll flip, and become the jerk, or maybe you'll go for him and not understand why, but either way, he'll be as the evil guy your sister was married to...or, maybe you'll just be into a jerky-guy for some reason and not know why. And as he treats you as he does, you continue to long for something else that you can't have.

Maybe the reason that people in your family won't notice you're with him will because they'll notice, maybe that he's not an evil guy? Like they'll be blinded by his charm, and only you'll know the truth about him?

Train tracks: When you walk along tracks, you can see them in a distance, but you can never really see the end. You just know that it's up there somewhere. Also, as with trains, anything on tracks must remain on them...they can't turn off from them.
So maybe it means that:

You'll follow along the same track as your sister's "luck" with bad guys, yet wanting the good one?
You have a journey ahead of you in the dating scene, and must follow along the tracks in order to get to the "station", where you'll see the switch or change in events.
The fact that you were walking with your family, maybe it means that you'll all be together in these trials.

Why this guy was with your other sister, I don't know. Maybe look at the age difference between them and figure those years to be the distance of your walking on the tracks. And if your sisters are different characteristically from each other, then maybe that's to show the conclusion of the characteristic or trial.

Like I said, I don't think I have the answer, but maybe some other views to look at and wrestle with.

---Pastor Andy

Dream Translation Needed

Question:

I had a religious dream and wondered if you could help me understanding it? Now first, I am not very old, I'm still a teenager and God is my number one priority. Here's the dream:

I was in my youth group at church and then one of the youth group members just turned away from the Christian faith just a couple of days before the Antichrist came. I heard the 7 trumpets and I knew that it was time for everyone to ascend to heaven. I saw everyone in my youth group in heaven except that one person. I pleaded with God to bring that one person up into heaven but then me and God got into a little argument. Then God said I had the option of going back to earth, so I said I'd go back and suffer with that one person so that he wouldn't have to suffer alone. When I went back it was literally a living hell. And then it just cut off and I woke up.

Some people have suggested that it could be a premonition of what I'm destined to do, but when I told it to my church, they said that I have a pure soul and that it's not a premonition but more of the idea of what the dream was based on. So can you tell me why God would give me this dream?

My Reply:

Hey Mike, that is an interesting dream you had. I thought I'd pray first before trying to answer this. Now, that doesn't mean I'm right, but either way, I would like to suggest you explore these possibilities...OK, so here's is what I'm seeing:

I believe the Lord has revealed to me that He will return in my lifetime (I'm 38 now). So He may be revealing this part to you also. In other words, time's short...He's coming soon.
The Lord may have revealed to you somebody in your youth group who's struggling with his faith, or sin, and needs a brother in Christ to help him in his walk. But don't delay because of #1.
In Revelation 8 and 9, the 7 trumpets sound off the beginning of God's wrath upon those who are not caught up in the rapture - those continue to put off repenting and accepting Jesus. Many of us have loved ones who have not accepted Jesus Christ, and it's tough to accept the fact that they won't be with us in Heaven. So your arguing with God may be revealing a difficulty you're having with this...the arguing was your wrestling with God and your faith with the fact of some people you know not being saved.
Going back to suffering with that friend. I'd compare this with what I said in #2...sometimes walking with a brother or sister in Christ can include suffering with them. The Lord also may be revealing that this friend of yours is currently struggling with sin and/or enduring a living hell, all the more reason for him/her leaving the faith, and needing somebody (or somebodies) to walk with them in their suffering.

You sound like a good friend, and you've got an awesome heart for the suffering. I'd suggest you pray for this friend and ask the Lord how you can be the Christian Brother that this friend needs. But remember also, time is short, so don't delay.

---Pastor Andy

Revelation in the U.S. and dying for Christ

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Question:

Would you die for Christ if it came down to it, or would you give in and go the way of the world to escape death?
The reason I ask this: U.N. scheme to make Christians criminal, By Bob Unruh, © 2008 WorldNetDaily:
"Dozens of nations dominated by Islam are pressing the United Nations to adopt an anti-"defamation" plan that would make Christians criminals under international law, according to a United States organization that has launched a campaign to defend freedom of religion worldwide.
"Around the world, Christians are being increasingly targeted, and even persecuted, for their religious beliefs. Now, one of the largest organizations in the United Nations is pushing to make a bad situation even worse by promoting anti-Christian bigotry," the American Center for Law and Justice said yesterday in announcing its petition drive."
The rest of article found at http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageid=69163.

My Reply:

To answer the first part of your question, if it came down to it, would I die for Christ? Heck yeah, definitely! In fact, I even blogged on here about one time when I almost did.

In reference to your quotes and link: I find it interesting each time I see another point of reference to what Revelations says will happen. For, just before mentioning about the 666-guy, it talks about how Christianity will be illegal, and Christians national (or worldwide) outcasts.

Actually, I had a dream about this, about 2-3 years ago:

Suddenly, all over the world, Christians were fugitives, even in the United States. Much like the movie “Red Dawn”, a communist country had invaded and began imprisoning Christians all over the world...there was no escape from them (I know this because we could not figure a place to escape to). I remember my wife & I sneaking around, looking over concrete barricades, and seeing enemy soldiers standing everywhere in groups of 2 or 3. The confusing part about this though was who the country was that had invaded…in my dream/vision, It was revealed to me as North Korea, yet I remember being confused of their red markings, (awake, I know their flag matches that of the markings in my dream, but in my dream, they reminded me more like that of China or Russia...maybe a future team-up?) I also recalled that the weather was cold, for everybody was wearing jackets and coats, and the skies were gray. And one guy standing in the streets with a group was wearing a black, leather jacket; There were enemy soldiers and concrete all around. And when I woke up, the song in my head was Tourniquet’s “A Dog’s Breakfast”.

Technically speaking though, regardless of what other countries and faiths believe, the USA is NOT a Christian country. Though it may have been built upon Christian morals and ethics in the beginning, and though the original immigrants escaped over here in order to worship the Lord, the U.S.A. has fallen far from its original intents, for:

In 2004, the U.S.A. was deemed the 3rd largest Christian mission field in the world.
If you remember when Clinton was president, atheists would complain for "religious" symbols to be removed from US offices and such, and the president would grant it. But if a Christian organization wanted one put up, Clinton (a "proclaimed" Christian himself) rejected it.
Public schools (such as some in Texas) have been banning "religious symbols" since the 1990s.
Evolution is still being taught in schools
Some schools are teaching the Koran
Many schools teach new age (when I was in school, I had an assignment due on Greek Mythology).
Children of Atheists don’t have to recite the Pledge of Allegiance because it states "One Nation under God".
The 10 Commandments continue to get legally forced off of State and Federal Courts’ walls.
Americans "tolerate" (actually accept and defend) other religions while Christianity is condemned, judged, and attacked.
Holiness has been traded in for happiness (see my blogs on this: parts 1, 2, and 3)
Stores (and U.S. Presidents) changing "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays" (although this year, Walmart is advertising "Merry Christmas")
"Christmas trees" are instead being called "Holiday Trees"
Here's a good example going on now (October 2010)
...

Even all throughout history we read of kings and emperors working to completely demolish Christianity, but they never could. We also hear of God's people continuing their worship in countries where Christianity is illegal today.

So even if (or when) such should (or will) happen in the US today, I don't believe it will harm our faith...who knows? If anything, it may bring out the true followers of Christ versus those who just claim the name for the sake of looking good in the public eye.

But yeah, if it came down to it, I'd die for Christ.

---Pastor Andy

What's Your Biggest Nightmare

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Question:

What is your biggest nightmare?

My Reply:

I have a background in radio. In College, we learned that something called "dead-air" is like the last thing you want to happen. That's when nothing is going over the air...it's just silent.
My worst nightmares are always about me being at a station; the song is about to end, and I don't have another one in front of me to segue into...nothing.

In some, I’ll run through the station during the dead-air in search of a CD, but for some reason can never find one in the station’s format. Although I do believe that in one dream, I began playing commercials (on cart...looks like a looped 8-track tape), but they were only 30 seconds long, not enough time to search for another CD, and I was about to run out of them, too. You’d think I’d let the CD play onto the next song or something, but for some reason, I never think to do that.

So yeah, odd I'm sure, but those seriously are my worst nightmares.

---Pastor Andy

14 Years Old Thinkin’ About Having Sex

Question: There's this boy that I really have feelings for. We got officially together, but we have been knowing each other for a couple of years. Last night on the phone, he told me that he had this dream about sex. He went into explaining what happened and I was blown away, lol. He said he was bangin’ the wall, screamin’ my name, and everything else. We’re both 14. All of my friends are having sex. I really want to have sex now but I’m really scared of what my life will be like if I decide to. What should I do?

My Reply:

Holy Snap! Your 14 year old friends are having sex?

First of all, sex is a great thing between 2 people who are married to each other, but definitely not for somebody at the age of 14. And the dream he told you about is pretty common among 14 year old boys (all teen boys dream about sex…seriously).

Why NOT to have sex? Well, besides possible diseases, there's also the chance of cervical cancer (common among girls who have sex before adulthood), pregnancy...seriously, what would you do if you got pregnant? Have you talked with him about that possibility? And for the record, the pulling-out method doesn't work.

I know you've got strong feelings for him, and he says he does for you, but at the age of 14, he's probably and most likely not going to be the man you marry. I would strongly suggest you NOT have sex, and instead focus on other aspects of the relationship, like hanging out together with your friends, going to movies & concerts, holding hands, enjoying life together, etc.

Check out this link to my blog for more information on this: http://dearpastorandy.blogspot.com/2010/04/christian-view-of-sex.html

---Pastor Andy

Dream Question: About God Changing Things?

Question:
I don't remember everything, but it was about dawn when I woke up in my grandmother's house and saw some people walking around looking for stuff. I jumped up quickly and walked to them, seeing my mother, dad, and brother standing there. When I asked what was wrong. My dad replied, "We can't find anyone." I asked, "What do you mean?" He replied to me that everyone was gone and that he thinks we're the only ones. I asked, "What do you mean, 'everyone's gone'?" My brother replied to my dad that he could neither find grandma nor grandpa, and that there was barely anyone around the area. Suddenly, I didn't recognize my dad, and said, "Who are you?" He replied, "What are you talking about? I am your dad." He tried to convince me of this, but I continued to deny it. I looked at him and he just looked at me with a weird grin on his face. Out of fear, I raced to the front door. When I got outside, the sun was shining real bright, with this weird, orange, golden light, yet I was able to look up without being blinded. When I again asked about what's going on, my dad replied that God changed everything..."He lowered the sun's frequency." Looking at my dad in disbelief, I asked again, "Where is everyone?" My dad replied that we're the only ones left.
My dream ended with me looking around, seeing an orange bright sun, then looking at my dad who was standing very still with a weird grin on his face. What could this dream mean?

My Reply:

Often times, dreams may be inspired by something you watched on TV or read about recently. Although, they could also be messages from the Lord, spiritual attacks by demons, or what I call "fillers", which are dreams that mean nothing, but mostly just entertain you as you sleep.

Assuming it's a message from the Lord, some thoughts come to mind:

You were the only ones left: If this dream is from the Lord, then the only time you'd be alone in the house without your grandparents is if they're Godly, the rest of you aren't, and the dream portrays the rapture, when Christians meet Jesus in the clouds, and those who choose not to have anything to do with Jesus are left. Although, if you're a friend of the Lord's also, then you may just be there as a spectator, and became first person when you sought clarification.
It was about dawn (sun going down): Jesus is the light, but there wasn't much light (in sync with #s 1 and 4).
You couldn't recognize your dad, though he insisted he was: This may portray somebody who is, does, or will try to portray himself as your father (authority figure, leader, somebody you trust, guide, etc.), and turns out to be the opposite (hence the weird grin). Your running outside from fear would represent your realization of this.
Lowering of the sun's frequency: Evil is revealed as darkness. If there was more darkness than light, then this could portray a great evil presence (or the coming of one).

But then, it also sounds as like a possible spiritual attack. If this is the case, then:

Finding yourself alone creates anxiety, as it did in your dream.
If the rapture comes to mind, them the demon could be trying to get you to believe that you're not saved, thus questioning your salvation, faith, etc.
The person trying to convince you of being your dad could be the demon attacking you in your dream. They try to cause you to believe that what they're saying is true, yet there's a part of you that knows something's not right (they do this to me a lot, too). This would also explain the guy's "weird grin".
The orange sky and the guy saying that God changed something could also be connected with #2.

Either way, I'd suggest praying about it, asking the Lord for understanding.

---Pastor Andy