God does promise to pour out His Spirit in our day and to give us dreams and visions.  We can find visions that Peter and Paul experienced during their lives on the earth.  I had an open vision (one that unfolded to my natural eyes and senses) the night before my young daughters’ funeral.  I saw into heaven with my own eyes and my little daughter, Lauren, was dancing in a beautiful field.  Then I saw the Lord Jesus come over and pick her up as if she were a champion, people were applauding.  (The full vision is in my book, Joy Comes In the Morning).  During my daughter’s funeral I shared the vision and many were touched with the faithfulness of God.  Family members were saved during the funeral, all to the glory of God.

 However, the Word of God does warn us that false visions, dreams and encounters will happen in the last days.  That is why in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 we are told to test all things and to hold fast the good.  In 1 John 4:1 we are warned not to believe every spirit, but to test the spirits, whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.  I recommend that you study the test of the spirit detailed in 1John 4. 

 Every divine encounter from God will lift up Jesus Christ as the Son of God.  Divine encounters should cause a reverent fear of the Lord that will lead us to seek wisdom.  God will not author encounters that promote man or selfish ambition.  If God does reveal to you as He did to Joseph concerning his future calling, then a season of testing and maturing will follow that will prepare you for the calling. 

 You need to take every dream, vision, and encounter to the Word of God and make sure that it lines up with truth.  It is important to take the encounters that others have to the Word before you receive it as being from the Lord.  If the character or nature of God is ever changed, for example you have a vision and the Lord is beating someone and laughing as they bleed, then you can know that this is not from the Holy Spirit.  Many times the enemy’s counterfeits will be much more subtle, so seriously take every aspect to the Word for clarity.  Once you receive something as being from the Lord that is not from the Holy Spirit then confusion and delusion can take a hold of your mind.  You need to renounce any encounter that you thought was from the Lord but now realize that it does not present the true gospel. 

 We can rest assured that if we truly only want the Holy Spirit then we will not be deceived.  It is through honestly allowing the Word of God and the Spirit of God deal with the hidden things of the heart that you can know that you are seeking only the Holy Spirit.  Many hide their selfish ambition and need to prove something to others, and this can open the door to deception. 

 As Paul warns in the book of Galatians, that if any encounter presents another gospel then we must not accept the encounter as being from God.  This implies that we need to study the gospels diligently, as well as understand the epistles. We need the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts to reveal Jesus to us.  We are learning to discern the things of the Spirit and it is an exciting time in the Body of Christ.  If we miss it then we need to repent and ask God to show us what needs to be changed in our hearts.  As a body of believers, we need to extend grace and compassion for those who step out in faith but miss the mark.  We need to find freedom from pleasing man and looking for the honor that man can give, and desire to please God alone. 

 Paul states:  But even if we, or an angel out of Heaven, should preach a gospel to you beside the gospel we preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches a gospel beside what you received, let him be accursed.  For do I now persuade men or God?  Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I would not be a slave of Christ.  And, brothers, I make known to you the gospel preached by me, that it is not according to man for I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but by a revelation of Jesus Christ.  (Galatians 1:8-12)

 Our revelations will reveal Jesus as He is seen in the gospel.  He will be the focus of all Holy Spirit given revelations and encounters.  The Christian life is about knowing our Lord and King.  I pray that each of you will have hearts that long to come to the full knowledge of Jesus Christ.  In that quest, many of you will receive visions, dreams and encounters.