Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

In my opinion, the key phrase in the question is "by inspiration from God".

Dreams are phenomena over which humans have no control, whereas all other means of supposedly foretelling the future (and which the Bible groups and condemns under the heading of "divination") are inventions or interpretations arrived at through conscious human thought and action.

The Bible refers repeatedly (including the cases mentioned in the question involving Joseph and Daniel) of God speaking through dreams (even to individuals such as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar who were not His followers).

Sometimes, the meaning of such dreams is unmistakable, as when Joseph was warned in a dream to take Mary and the infant Jesus to Egypt to escape the forthcoming attempt of Herod the Great to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:13).

However, the meaning of the dream may also not be as clear. In those cases (as Joseph noted in Genesis 41:16), the power to correctly interpret the dream comes from God.

(I would also say that dreams can potentially be deceptive, and that any significance or meaning attached to the dream must be consistent with the principles, and with the information about God, that He Himself has included or revealed in the Bible.)

March 24 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Ruth Ibekwe

So the key thing to note here is that the spirit of divination is not from God. This is the same thing/spirit at work when we speak of reading people's stars, palm reading, etc.

Now the devil is a very good counterfeiter. For everything God can give us, the devil comes up with the perfect counterfeit. Not substitute, but counterfeit, such that if we are not careful and do not have the Spirit of God helping us to discern, we can easily accept this as the real thing from God.

This is why the Bible talked about agents of darkness presenting themselves as angels of light.

The Bible says that when the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide us into all truth, and He will not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears of the Father, that is what He will speak. So this right here is what separates the Holy Spirit from any other spirit.

From the beginning, God has always used dreams to speak to people, even though their interpretation isn't as easily gotten. But even then, when He gives us the interpretations, He tells us how this affects the person involved and what He is saying should be done by the dream. 

The devil cannot give you a dream, he can try to influence your dream, but he can't give you a dream. And most times, diviners deal with information from the past because they are not privy to the future. They are not all knowing like the Spirit of God, but they will divine to the extent to which you give them access to your life. 

The Spirit of God is all knowing, all powerful, omnipotent, omniscient; He is God.

July 10 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jay Saunders

First of all, divination is used by those who do not follow Jehovah God, the "I Am" old testament or now Jesus Christ, the new testament.

The prophets and an every day believer's new testament or old testament would be given foreknowledge from God through prayer, meditation, dreams or visions. This has never stopped.

As a prophet, Jesus used this gift in the story of the adulterous Samaritan woman at the well. This is a perfect example of the power of God manifested in a man, Jesus. Who was both God and man. 

The interpretation of dreams was manifested in Daniel, Joseph and other men of God, new and old testament. God can use or give anyone of his children this foreknowledge.

Years ago when I was being persecuted. God gave me foreknowledge of a plan to fire me. And then I was able to ward off injustice using skills of conversation, communication, reason and threats of a law suit to back down the company's discriminatory practices towards Christians.

In today's world Christians are a target, while Muslims are given every right to practice their faith. Our faith demands witnessing Jesus Christ to all and that can bring down persecution in any environment.

Of course, there has to be the highest work ethics being practiced while you're in your work environment so their are no excuses for your employer to fire you for the lack of doing your duties of employment anywhere.

Conversation is part of any work place environment but it can not free you from your duties of employment. Actually you should set an example by being an exceptional employee.

The devil hates us practicing what we preach and we always have to preach with love, not judgment. Of course when we witness some people always want to say you're preaching when all you're really doing is bragging about the love of your life, the Lord.

You can't help wanting to share Jesus with the world. His love is a driving force that can not be stopped in your life, unless you allow fear and persecution to quench the Holy Spirit.

Selah!
Never allow anyone to quench that drive to share Yeshua our Yahweh.

Jesus our God!

July 10 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report