Directions and movement in dreams and visions are very important. Every color or direction or movement reveals more details to us. In fact, different directions and movements change the meaning of dreams and visions. It is also important to take note of which direction a specific object is facing.
Ecclesiastes 10:2
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
Matthew 25:33
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Right
In a general sense, taking a right turn or moving to the right in dreams and visions symbolizes a good decision. It speaks of a positive or a right or a good decision or movement with good consequences which leads to deliverance or victory or benefits in a specific situation.
Negative symbol (Moving from left to right)
A negative symbol moving from left to right speaks of deliverance from bondage pertaining to the relevant symbol in the dream, or vision. This speaks of God revealing that victory and deliverance are on the way, usually, as a result of repentance or prayer or authority taken in faith.
A negative symbol moving to the right can also indicate that, although negative, the experience will have good and positive results in our lives. For example, a crocodile (negative symbol of oppression) moving to the right in the dream or vision, indicates that oppression or an attack by a sly or divisive or shrewd or a dangerous person is about to come to an end. The Holy Spirit is actually exhorting us with these types of dreams or visions.
Positive symbol (Moving from left to right)
A positive symbol moving from left to right confirms that blessings or victory or deliverance in a bad or undesired situation is imminent.
Left
In a general sense, taking a left turn or moving to the left in dreams and visions symbolizes a bad decision. It speaks of a negative or a wrong or a bad decision or movement with bad consequences which leads to bondage or defeat or the losing of benefits in a specific situation.
Negative symbol (Moving from right to left)
A negative symbol moving from right to left is a warning. Because of sin or unbelief or disobedience, some kind of attack is ahead. God gives us these types of dreams to make us aware of the attacks and strategies of the enemy. Evil powers always attempt to deceive us or to move us into sin or unbelief to oppress us. This is a warning to enable us to deal with the temptation or the attack by means of obedience, repentance, and faith in his word. These types of dreams are there as a warning in order for us to counteract the approaching threat.
Positive symbol (Moving from right to left)
A positive symbol moving from right to left in dreams and visions speaks of a specific blessing of God being canceled. It speaks of an action or behavior or the lack of action or behavior that led to the cancellation of a promise or a blessing. It is important to note what the symbol is to understand the reason for the cancellation.
Human body parts
The left-hand side of the human body speaks of negative and positive influences while the right-hand side of the body speaks of negative and positive actions. The Left-hand is all about receiving (negative or positive) and the right-hand all about giving (negative or positive).
The left side of the human body symbolizes negative or positive influences on a person. It speaks of a person being influenced to believe or to be motivated or to accept certain things. Limbs and internal organs are usually and an indication of what the circumstances or areas of concern are. This is not about actions but more about being exposed to pressure from other people. More detail like positive or negative colors or symbols will reveal more about the meaning of the specific dream.
The right side of the body, which includes limbs and internal organs, speaks of negative or positive actions in the life of a person. This is all about actions. More detail like positive or negative colors or symbols will reveal more about the meaning of the specific dream.
Positions of symbols in dreams
Bottom left
When a symbol is situated in the bottom left corner of a dream or vision, it symbolizes past events that need to be dealt with. This includes past hurt or negative influences or condemnation or unforgiveness. For example, if a person sees a tiger in the bottom left side of the visionary field it means that, like a tiger, this person is not submitting himself to others and he lives for himself and his own basic needs based on or caused by past influences. Such a person might have had a father, with a “tiger” attitude, who influenced him to become that way.
Let us explain this again but this time using a positive symbol: A sheep symbolizes good-willed and obedient people of God. When we see a sheep in the bottom left of the visionary filed it speaks of a person whose will and actions are sheep-like, obedient and willing to follow Christ unconditionally. Such a person has been influenced by someone or something in the past which caused him to live and act according to the will and the ways of God.
Bottom right
When a symbol is situated in the bottom right corner of a dream or vision, it symbolizes your will and your actions. The same tiger now symbolizes a person who is not submitting himself to others, he lives for himself and his own basic needs. This person might be influenced by aggressive demonic spirits or bad and aggressive people to act that way but the bottom line is that this indicates the actions of a person right now or at the time of the dream or vision.
If a sheep is seen in the bottom right area of the visionary field it speaks of a person who is presently acting holy and obedient in the presence of God or just decided to be obedient to God. Such a person is actively submitting his own will to the will of God.
Top left
When a symbol is situated in the top left corner of a dream or vision it symbolizes the present circumstances or situations that you are presently involved with. The emphasis, however, is the fact that symbols in the top left corner involve logical and analytical reasoning. The same tiger now symbolizes that this person is not submitting himself to others and he lives for himself and his own basic needs based on or caused by negative and aggressive reasoning and negative experiences. This again speaks of influences (reasoning and experiences) but this time it is present influences.
A symbol of a sheep in the top left area of the visionary field in a dream indicates that such a person is acting like a good-willed and obedient Christian as a result of analytical and logical reasoning and influences. It speaks of such a person probably not serving God in spirit and in truth but rather because he knows that he needs to. This indicates a person serving God in a legalistic way.
Top right
When a symbol is situated in the top right corner of a dream or vision, it symbolizes future events. This involves the prophetical gifts of the Holy Spirit as well as natural creativity and imagination. In a negative sense, a tiger in the top right area of the visionary field symbolizes that a person is being influenced to become a person who is not submitting himself to others and who lives for himself and his own basic needs. Such a person, although not yet, is in danger of becoming like a tiger. It speaks of future actions that will have negative results as symbolized by the symbol of the tiger.
If the symbol of a sheep is seen in the top right area of the visionary field it speaks of a person who is about to, or in the near future, submit his will and his actions to the will and the ways of God.
Summary
Symbols situated in the top area of dreams and visions are all about events (present and future). Man lives in the now and we plan for the future. The past is history and those events cannot be controlled. We, however, do have control over the now and over the future. God reveals his will to us and He gives us advise in dreams and visions so that we take the right decisions. This can alter situations and even future events.
These types of dreams and visions are warnings and good advice for the present and future. Seeing that symbols or objects in the top right of the visionary field indicate future events, these symbols relate to our expectation, our faith and our hope for things to come into existence, things to be changed and things to be achieved.
Symbols situated in the bottom areas of dreams and visions are all about actions (past and future). The focus is on our actions and the results of these actions. The past results are usually emotional issues and sinful conditions like unforgiveness. Although our past actions cannot be dealt with we can still, thank God, deal with the results of past actions. We can be healed of negative emotions and we can get rid of sin and unrighteousness caused by past actions. We can also make sure our future actions are according to God’s will and according to his kingdom principles. These types of dreams and visions are warnings (about future actions) and counseling (to deal with the results of past actions).
Substitution
I am convinced that we sometimes have dreams in which we are “experiencing” the dream or rather “receiving the message” of the dream on behalf of another person, with the sole purpose to show us what these people are going through or experiencing in their lives. We are, in such cases, receiving the answer or the knowledge pertaining to such a person on his behalf, although the dream or the message is not for him but actually for us. In the dream, we, although we are aware of our real identity, experience the dream on behalf of a person we know.
When I talk about a person or when I ask some questions about a person, I often receive answers from God about that person that same night. When I wake up the next morning I sometimes feel a bit confused about the meanings of this type of dream until I realize that the dream was actually about the person I talked about or asked questions about the day before.
It is not about me, although, in the dream, I experienced it as if it is about me or as if it is a message for me. Now, remember that this is not a message for that person. It is, in fact, an answer, from God to you, regarding the questions you asked about that person. In order for you to completely understand what these persons are going through. God causes you to experience in the dream, what they are really going through. You experience the dream as circumstances in your own life when it is in fact all about the person you discussed the day before or asked questions about the day before.
It can be a bit confusing and therefore we need to pray about this type of dream. If it does not make sense, or, if you are not sure about a specific dream, just check if it is perhaps about another person. Dreams are not always about us or our personal situations and experiences. God sometimes informs us about situations in other people’s lives, mainly so that we can pray for such people, or for some other reasons in order for us to assist those people.
Pray that God reveals the purpose of all dreams to you so that you can act upon them correctly.
Sizes
Sometimes a symbol in a dream or vision seems to be excessively big or small. Excessively big sometimes indicates that the specific aspect has been a problem or an influence for a long time or a very big problem.
An excessively small symbol indicates that the problem or influence only started recently or that the problem is not that serious or significant.
For instance, a huge frog indicates the attitudes, actions or influences of a person with a spirit of false prophecy which started a long time ago, or that the person is involved with a serious or big problem with serious consequences in this regard. A small frog speaks of a person who recently got involved with false prophecies or that this particular problem is not serious but still a concern.
Assessment: Lesson 12
Test yourself on the following:
- Explain the principle of movement in dreams and visions.
- Explain the principle of the directions symbols are facing in dreams and visions.
- Explain the principle of substitution in dreams and visions.
- Explain the principle of the sizes of symbols in dreams and visions.