Two babies were dying, and they were unhooking the respirator. Dan was on the phone with the mom, ready to pray for the babies, when he saw his whole kitchen turn into a sky. A big hand came down from heaven and scooped up the babies.

Pause for a moment. What do most people think of when they imagine God’s hand reaching down from the sky and taking two dying babies? “God is taking them, but don’t worry. They will soon be safe in heaven with Jesus.”

That’s NOT how Dan interpreted the vision. He told the mother, “Honey, your babies aren’t going to die. They’re in the hands of God.” They unhooked the respirators, and the little baby, who had no lungs, lay there and breathed, and never died.

Dan admits that if his theology weren’t what it is, he would have said, “Don’t worry, they will be in heaven soon.”

Even an open vision from God can be misinterpreted through a poor theological lens.

How Theological Expectations Can Shape a Vision’s Interpretation

A Sword Over Rio de Janeiro

I recently saw a vision of a large angel in the sky with a sword pointed down over Rio de Janeiro. Sometimes I’m not immediately sure of the interpretation of a vision, but I understood this one immediately.

I knew God was saying that He is extending the sword of truth over Rio to divide between truth and lies, dealing with injustice and systemic corruption.

I couldn’t help but imagine how many people might interpret such a vision. In last week’s post, we noted that most prophets who’ve prophesied about disasters and apocalyptic events have been wrong. An angel pointing a sword down at the city could easily be interpreted as a sign of coming destruction.

That is, to someone looking through a certain theological lens.

God had, in fact, already spoken to us through a vision about raising His banner of peace over Rio de Janeiro. We’ve seen several confirmations of this. In fact, I recently saw a white flag on a guy’s motorcycle in front of us. It had the word “peace” written on it. I wish I’d gotten the chance to talk to him about his flag!

I was already praying for Rio de Janeiro from a perspective of knowing God’s desire to bring peace. I didn’t even consider interpreting the sword vision as a sign of impending destruction. But another person praying from a different theological perspective could easily have interpreted it as such.

Colored lenses can distort our perception of what God is saying

Even Powerful Supernatural Experiences Can Be Misinterpreted

Did the Devil Heal John Paul Jackson?

John Paul Jackson shared a testimony of a time when he was very sick and complaining, asking God to heal him. Suddenly, he felt someone standing beside him and looked to see a short, old man. He thought he was hallucinating!

He thought, “Maybe this is an angel. If it is, he’s a pretty old angel. If this is an angel, God, I want him to pray for me so I get well.”

The old man said, “I’ve come to pray for you so that you might be healed.” John Paul Jackson felt something like warm honey fill his body and drive the pain out. Then the man disappeared.

John jumped out of bed, thanking God for sending an angel to heal him. Then he heard God’s audible voice, “I didn’t send an angel.”

John was shocked! He fell to the floor and said, “The devil healed me. God, you let the devil heal me. Why did you do that? I wasn’t complaining that bad! You let the devil heal me! You could have stopped him, and you didn’t, and now I’m going to die!”

Again, he heard God’s voice audibly: “It wasn’t him.” God took him on a vision to see the old man praying in a hut in Mexico, asking God to use him before his death. God had carried the old man to John Paul Jackson to minister healing.

This humorous story shows us how easily a person, even one having a powerful supernatural experience, can misinterpret something that happens. John Paul Jackson thought the devil healed him, until God made it clear that it was neither the devil nor an angel, but another Christian who ministered to him.

Seeking Clarification When Interpreting Visions From God

Clarification Can Come Through the Body of Christ

Prophets often need further clarification on a vision or revelation. Sometimes that clarification comes directly from God. But sometimes it also comes through other members of the body of Christ.

God recently gave me a vision of handing a pine cone to my wife. I initially had no idea what it might mean! Part of the interpretation came through a brother in Christ. This vision turned out to be extremely encouraging for me personally. I’ll share it in another blog post, since I’m sure it will encourage my readers as well.

Testing an Interpretation Does Not Dishonor a Prophet

In a few months, I plan to release a book questioning a doctrine that has gained popularity in the body of Christ and is based on a dream. I believe the dream may well have been from God. But I find the interpretation of that dream very difficult to accept in the light of Scripture.

We should not see questioning a certain conclusion about a prophetic dream as dishonoring that prophet. We honor each other and acknowledge that we are all growing together as the body of Christ, until we reach the full measure of the stature of Christ. A study of church history is humbling, as it shows that even the church leaders of the past, whom we honor the most, differed vastly in their views.

Let’s learn to receive both prophets and teachers as gifts from God to the body of Christ. We do not dishonor prophets by examining their revelations in the light of Scripture and acknowledging that even great prophets sometimes miss it or need more clarification. Neither should teachers dismiss prophets, since Scripture emphasizes their value in the church.

Frequently Asked Questions About Interpreting Visions From God

Can a vision truly come from God and still be interpreted incorrectly?

Yes. The revelation itself may come from God, while the person receiving it misunderstands what God intends to communicate. Theology, expectations, past experiences, and assumptions can all influence how someone interprets a vision.

How can theology affect the interpretation of a vision?

Theology provides a framework through which people understand spiritual experiences. Two believers could see the same symbol and reach very different conclusions because they hold different beliefs about God’s character, judgment, healing, prophecy, or the future.

Should every vision be tested through Scripture?

Yes. A powerful experience should not be accepted solely because it felt supernatural. The interpretation should be examined in the light of Scripture, while also recognizing that believers may need further clarification from God and help from other members of the body of Christ.

Does questioning an interpretation dishonor the person who received the vision?

No. Questioning an interpretation is not the same as accusing someone of inventing the experience. Prophets, teachers, and other believers can honor one another while carefully examining conclusions and acknowledging that everyone is still growing.

A true vision from God still needs a sound interpretation. By testing our conclusions in the light of Scripture and receiving both prophets and teachers as gifts to the body of Christ, we can grow in interpreting visions from God without allowing our theological assumptions to determine how we interpret them.