The prophet's dictionary guide to the supernatural

to conceive what the deity was saying. Often these dramas were ceremonially portrayed and included a priestly cast of characters devoted to the dissemination of the messages sent by the deity. Theatre, arts, and entertainment as we now enjoy them received their impetus from this ancient practice of portraying the supernatural on a great world stage. Agabus’ word to the early church regarding the apostle Paul’s destiny in Jerusalem is one of the many biblical examples of prophetic drama. See with this explanation Prophetic Symbiotics. 1117. Prophetic Dream—A dream had by a prophet, or by one who is not a prophet, indicative of a prophecy because of its predictive or revelatory implications. Prophetic dreams serve the discrete purpose of being divine and spiritual communication vehicles. See Genesis 20:3. Prophetic dreams impart visions, deposit God’s words, or establish spiritual truth. They are often used as precursors to a move of God and confirm something He has just done in the spirit realm that has yet to appear in physical form. Prophetic dreams differ from prophetic visions in that the prophetic dream, though predictive or revelatory in nature, is communicated in language and symbolism that is relevant to the dreamer’s sphere of life. Metaphors and parables are delivered using images and vernacular the dreamer can relate to when probing the dream upon waking. A prophetic dream, furthermore, is one in which, upon waking, the dreamer finds details vividly etched in his or her mind. The experience of a prophetic dream means the Lord is implanting a message in the dreamer’s heart or mind. The familiar emblems of the dream may pertain to the dreamer’s profession, cultural background or history, family tree, or experience. Visions present themselves, although sometimes within a dream, in language and imagery that is independent of these. This holds true even if the subject matter of the dream is one to which the dreamer can relate. See also Job 33:14–16. 1118. Prophetic Dream Interpretation—Both Joseph and Daniel possessed this extraordinary ability for spiritual and professional reasons. See Genesis 40:5, 12, 16, 18 and 41:11; Judges 7:15. Dream interpretation is the process whereby a prophet or prophetic vessel identifies a normal dream from one with distinct prophetic qualities. The prophet then applies prophetic insight, scriptural revelation, and symbol deciphering to uncover the message the Lord is sending into the world or into the life of the dreamer and his or her associates. 1119. Prophetic Duties—The tasks, responsibilities, and details assigned to and carried out by prophets. These include delivering the word of the Lord,