In Joel 2:28-29, we read a passage of scripture where the Lord specifically says, “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

This scripture proves 100 percent that visions are relevant today and can be given from the Lord to ALL people through his Holy Spirit!  That is why it is important to Make Sure that you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you so that you will not be missing out on all that the Lord desires to reveal to you!  The Lord has a wealth of knowledge that he desires to impart to you through visions!

There are several different types of visions that the Lord can give you…

Open Visions:  Open visions are seen when you are fully awake with your eyes open and they tend to be hidden within something else, as if they were only meant for your eyes to see!  Examples of where open visions can be seen are: the clouds, the walls, wood grain, tile floors, popcorn ceilings, materials, fabrics, etc.  Open visions tend to be less detailed than closed visions and vary in length seen.

Flash Visions:  Flash visions are a type of open vision where you are completely awake with your eyes open, yet when you blink or move fast, you can quicky see a vision of something entirely different from your surroundings.  Flash visions are usually not seen in great detail because they happen so fast!

Closed Visions:  Closed visions are seen when you are fully awake, yet you have your eyes entirely closed.  Closed visions tend to be more detailed and can vary in length.  Closed visions are mostly seen while praying to the Lord in the Holy Spirit.

Visions can also be seen during the in-and-out stage of first waking up or right before falling to sleep, yet specifically what kind of vision it is depends on whether your eyes are closed or not.

There are numerous reasons why the Lord gives people visions…  However, it is BEST to have discernment through the Holy Spirit to determine Exactly what they mean, otherwise you might not fully understand why the Lord gave it to you.  And in that case, you need to ask the Lord why he showed you the vision.

Reasons why the Lord gives visions: to make you aware of something that will happen in the future, to confirm something to you that you have been asking the Lord in prayer, to reveal something new to you that you need to look into further, to show you what you are called to do for him, etc.

Again we read in Joel 2:28-29, the Lord saying, “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

In Daniel 1:17, we read how the Lord gave Daniel and his friends knowledge and understanding of all all kinds of literature and learning.  And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds!  Daniel was consistantly called upon by royal officials to interpret dreams for the Kings and he was also given dreams and visions by the Lord!

So these scriptures also prove that dreams are relevant for today because the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever!  And nowhere in scripture does it say that dreams and visions are no longer given to God’s people, in fact, Joel 2:28-29 states the Exact opposite!

The first thing to distinguish about dreams are whether or not they are from the Lord…

Dreams from the Lord: Dreams from the Lord will usually be positive, uplifting, and will make you feel good or at least okay.  They might also have a lot of bright uplifting colors in them as well as contain some kind of spiritual significance.  However, God can also give you warning dreams either about yourself or another person which might not seem good, but they are to make you aware of something in your own life or another person’s life that you need to pray about so that you or the other person will get right with God.

Dreams NOT from the Lord:  Dreams that are Not from the Lord will usually not be uplifting or make you feel good.  If they are in any way contrary to what the Word of God says, you know for sure they are not from God!  If they go against what Jesus (Yeshua) stands for, which is: life, light, love, joy, hope, goodness, comfort, security, purity, chastity, faithfulness, encouragement, forgiveness, compassion, sincerity, generosity, kindness, patience, integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, etc., then you automatically know that they are NOT from the Lord!  Usually dreams that are not from the Lord will not have as many bright colors, but rather will be darker.

Again, the Lord DOES give warning dreams, but if they produce other feelings other than conviction over something you are actively doing in your life or you have done in your past that you have not truly asked forgiveness for, then you know it is NOT from the Lord!

Dreams can contain a lot of varying things in them, so one part of a dream might be from the Lord, but another part might not be from the Lord, that is why it is Extremely Important to have the Holy Spirit so that you can discern the difference and know Exactly which parts to listen to and which parts to discard!

Since dreams contain varying things within them, interpretation of dreams can be difficult without the Holy Spirit!  The Holy Spirit is vital in comprehending the meaning behind dreams!  One can analyze a dream all they want to, but without the Holy Spirit, there is no way to fully interpret it!

Dreams can contain: numbers, letters, symbols, words, sentences, people, and things!

Dreams can reveal: something coming in the future, something we need to pray about, something we need to do for the Lord, something we need to be aware of, something we need to look into, etc.

So there are many things in dreams that the Lord can reveal to us!  Let’s make sure we are in tune with the Holy Spirit, so we don’t miss out on anything the Lord is trying to say to us!

The Lord can Most Definitely speak to His people through numbers to reveal hidden mysteries that can only be discerned through the Holy Spirit!

In Daniel 9:24, we read an account of Daniel and how he was approached by Gabriel, a messenger of the Lord, who came to him in swift flight in order to give him insight and deeper understanding of a vision he was about to give him!  In this vision, Gabriel revealed that 70 sevens (or weeks) were determined for his people Israel to put an end to sin and to bring in Everlasting righteousness, to seal up all vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy One!

So here we read that Daniel was indeed given numbers in a vision from the Lord as well as interpretation of those numbers!  That means that the Lord can show us numbers in dreams as well as visions and also give us discernment of what they mean through the Holy Spirit!

 There are several things to know about numbers:

• Numbers can be seen in open visions, flash visions, closed visions, dreams, as well as in everday life!
•   They can vary in clarity and length of time seen.
• Numbers can be soley the only thing seen in a vision, dream, or in everyday life.
• Can be either written on different things or people in a vision, dream, or in everyday life.
• Numbers can be grouped together or seen individually.
• They can be shown back-to-back or flip immediately from one number to the next, which usually means that all the numbers seen are grouped together into one whole number.
• Partial numbers not fully seen can be discerned through the Holy Spirit.
• Invisible numbers not apparently seen can be discerned through the Holy Spirit located beside other numbers.
• Numbers can have multiple hidden meanings, some examples are: times; length of time; dates; number of days, weeks, months, years; quanities; codes; addresses; telephone numbers; letters; symbols; words; definitions; etc.

**Note: It is BEST to make sure you have the Holy Spirit so that you can interpret the meaning behind numbers.  No one who has been revealed these things through the Holy Spirit will EVER use this information for detrimental reasons!  The owner of a house cannot be divided against itself!!  What IS Good will Always Remain GOOD!  The Holy Spirit is GOOD and will Always Remain GOOD!  If you have been given insight into something by the Holy Spirit (God and Jesus (Yeshua) living on the inside of you), then you can be 100% sure that it is from the Lord and it is NOT nor will ever be used for detrimental reasons!

Times & length of time: The Lord can reveal times to his people in several ways: on a clock, a digital time (ex: 1:00 pm), or a length of time (ex: 2:30).  The Lord can show the actual face of a clock with the hands fixed on a certain time or moving from one time to the next.  He can also show the literal face of a digital clock with a set time on it or the numbers flipping from one time to the next.  Also, the Lord can show a countdown from one time to the next, making a length or period of time.  Times can also stand for dates (ex: 9:30:17 can also mean 9/30/17).

Dates & number of days, weeks, months, years:  The Lord can give his people specific dates that hold personal and spiritual significance.  Dates can also be given to reveal the Lord’s set appointed times or even people’s birthdates.  In addition, dates can stand for times (ex: 9/11/18 can also mean 9:11:18).  The Lord may also reveal a specific number of days, weeks, months, and years which hold personal and spiritual significance.

Quantities:  The Lord may show his people quantities of something that may have personal and spiritual significance.  There are endless possibilites of things that have quantities that the Lord may reveal to you, however, one quantity the Lord may reveal deals with money.  He may show you the amount of money you or someone else has, the amount you or someone else will receive, the amount you or someone else will give, the amount you or someone else will spend, or the price of something that you or someone else may pay, etc.

Codes, Addresses, Telephone numbers:  The Lord may reveal codes, addresses, or telephone numbers to his people that are either general, personal, or top-secret and have spiritual significance (**yet again as stated above – should NOT Ever be used for detrimental reasons** ESPECIALLY since it IS revealed by the Holy Spirit (who is Jesus (Yeshua) & God))!!  These particular numbers should be handled with EXTREME Care and should NOT be shared with just anybody!  Here is where discernment by the Holy Spirit is Vital in order to know PRECISELY who this information is for!

Letters, Symbols, Words, Definitions:  The Lord may give his people numbers that stand for letters, symbols, words, and definitions in other languages, especially in Hebrew and Greek!  So the Lord can reveal a vast amount of knowledge through one single number!  Thus, the letters, symbols, words, and definitions connected to a single number all have personal and spiritual significance.  The way to find the letters and symbols behind numbers is to look up either the Hebrew or Greek alphabet.  To further learn the words and definitions behind numbers in Hebrew and Greek go to: https://biblehub.com/strongs.htm. Simply type the number into their search bar, click search, then select either Hebrew or Greek.

Reasons why numbers are given:  to reveal some deeper hidden meaning, to point you to something you need to research further, to confirm something you have been praying about to the Lord, to minister to someone else’s heart and turn them to the Lord, to make you aware of something you need to know, to show you something that will happen in the future, etc.

Another interesting way that the Lord can speak to his children is through symbols, letters, words, and sentences.

In Daniel Chapter 5 we read how king Belshazzar, king Nebuchadnezzar’s son, inherited the throne and later held a banquet for all the nobles and their wives to attend.  During the banquet they dishonored God and suddenly a human hand appeared writing on the wall of plaster near the lampstand of the palace.  The king was stunned to see it and sent for all his wise men to interpret the meaning of the writing on the wall.  No one in the entire kingdom could interpret the meaning of the writing and everyone was baffled, yet the queen overheard and suggested for the king to call for Daniel.

Daniel was well-known to have insight from God and he was given a keen mind, knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems.  The king sent for Daniel to interpret the writing and told him if he could interpret the writing that he would be clothed in purple with a gold chain placed around his neck and he would be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.  Daniel refused the gifts, yet he went on to interpret the writing on the wall for the king…

Daniel explained that king Belshazzar did not humble himself before the Lord even though he knew very well how the Lord God humbled his father, bringing him from the royal palace to eating grass like an animal for not acknowledging Him.  Instead, king Belshazzar set himself up against the Lord of heaven, dishonoring God who holds his very life in his hands.  Therefore, God sent the hand to write the inscription: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.  And the meaning of the words are:  MENE: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.  TEKEL: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.  PARSIN: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.

Immediatley after Daniel gave king Belshazzar the interpretation, he was clothed in purple, a gold necklace was placed around his neck and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.  That very night Darius the Mede took over the kingdom from king Belshazzar!  God allowed Daniel to not only be Spot On with the interpretation of the words written on the wall, but He also allowed Daniel to be promoted!

This scripture proves that the Lord can show his children symbols, letters, words, and sentences and give them the meaning behind them as well!

Symbols: The Lord can show symbols to his children in dreams, visions, as well as everyday life that vary in length of time seen and clarity.  Sometimes the Lord shows his children symbols in dreams or visions, then later confirms something by showing it to them again in real life.  There are a whole variety of symbols the Lord can reveal to his children.  Symbols may have deeper hidden meanings behind them that need to be researched further or they may have an apparent meaning behind them.  The meaning behind symbols usually contains something for the person to know that either pertains to something in their own life, someone else’s life, something in the future, a warning, confirmation to a prayer, to minister to someone, or simply to let you or another person know that the Lord is watching and hearing you in the moment you see it again in real-life, etc.

Letters:  Letters may appear in visions, dreams, or in everyday life and can vary in length of time seen as well as clarity.  The Lord can show his children any letter from any language, however, most of the time the Lord tends to choose letters that have deeper meanings to them, such as: Hebrew and Greek letters!  These particular letters can also stand for numbers, pictures, words, definitions, and hidden meanings.  The Lord may give his children letters to research further and find deeper meaning for either them or someone else.  Letters can be given as warnings, for confirmation to a prayer, to minister to you or someone else, to reveal something in the future, etc.

Words:  Words can be seen in visions, dreams, or everyday life and can vary in length of time seen as well as clarity.  The Lord can show his children a variety of words.  Most of the time the Lord will give a word in a dream or a vision and then later reveal whatever it is in real life!  The Lord may be pointing out a specific person, place, or thing for you to either minister to that person, pray for that person, to reveal a place you need to be keeping in your prayers or someone else is traveling to, to personally minister to you about something in your own life, to warn you about something coming in the future, confirmation to a prayer, etc.

Sentences: Since the Lord can reveal words to his children, he Most Definitely can give sentences in dreams, visions, and everyday life.  Sentences can vary in length of time seen and clarity.  The Lord usually gives sentences to his children to reveal something to them.  Considering that sentences are comprised of words, they can point you to specific things.  The Lord gives his children sentences to reveal deeper hidden meanings, to confirm something, to warn of something coming in the future, to pray about something or someone, to prepare for something, etc.

An extraordinary way the Lord can speak to his children is through people.

In 1 Samuel chapter 16 we read how the Lord spoke to the prophet Samuel informing him that He had rejected Saul as king of Israel and He needed him to fill his horn with oil and go anoint a particular son of Jesse from Bethlehem as the next king.  The Lord told Samuel to take a heifer along with him, telling the people there that he came to sacrifice to the Lord and to invite Jesse to the sacrifice.  Also, the Lord told Samuel that he was to anoint the one that He indicated.

So Samuel did as the Lord commanded and when he arrived there he called on Jesse and his sons to consecrate themselves and come to the sacrifice with him.  When Jesse and his sons arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought that surely he was the Lord’s anointed, but the Lord told Samuel to not consider Eliab’s appearance or his height for he had rejected him because the Lord does not look at the things man looks at such as outward appearance, rather, He looks at the heart!

All 7 of Jesse’s sons passed by Samuel, but the Lord did not choose any of them!  So Samuel asked Jesse if that was all the sons he had…  Jesse replied, there is still the youngest, but he is tending the sheep!  Samuel said, “send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

So David was sent for and when he arrived, he was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.  Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.”  So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power!

You see, the Lord used the prophet Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel and in the same way the Lord can use his children to fulfill his divine plans on earth.

Types of People:

The Lord will use specific people to speak to his children in order to fulfill his divine plans.

Using The Lord’s Spiritual Gifts:  The Lord may choose to use people who are actively using the Lord’s spiritual gifts to speak to his children, such as those with the spiritual gifts of teaching, prophecy, or word of wisdom.  These spiritual gifts are designed to lead and guide God’s children into all truth.  However, one MUST have discernment through the Holy Spirit to know whether what is spoken is being led by the Holy Spirit or not.

Walking In The Lord’s Calling:  The Lord will use people who are actively walking in their calling from the Lord directed by the Holy Spirit to minister to his children.  The main callings from the Lord are: Apostles, Preachers, Evangelists, Prophets and Teachers.  Callings from the Lord are anointed by God for ministry and should Most Definitely be used to lead, guide, and direct God’s children into all truth.  However, there can be people who pretend to be walking in their calling and are in all actuality spreading deception.  This means that one MUST have discernment about what is spoken and whether or not it is truly being led by the Holy Spirit.

Prophets:  The majority of the time the Lord tends to use prophets led by the Holy Spirit to personally speak into one’s life, giving them profound knowledge and insight into the person’s situation as well as the future, directing them in the course they need to take.  Prophets can be given a whole variety of information about people that usually can only come from the Lord, yet is mainly used to minister to God’s children in such a way that it leads them closer to Him and his plans for their life.  Again, one MUST have discernment from the Holy Spirit as to whether or not what is being spoken is actually being led by the Holy Spirit!

Reasons Why The Lord Uses People:  The Lord uses people to speak to his children to personally minister to them in some way, to lead them closer to the Lord, to point them in the right direction in life, to give them a personal message from the Lord, to reveal the Lord’s plans for their life, etc.

One way the Lord can speak to his children is through things in everyday life.

In Judges 6:33-40, we read a passage of scripture about Gideon and how the Lord confirmed he would use Gideon to defeat the Midianites.  The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon as he blew the trumpet summoning the Abiezrites to follow him as well as sending messengers to the tribes of Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, calling them to arms.

Gideon called upon God saying, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised – look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor.  If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.”  Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew – a bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me.  Let me make just one more request.  Allow me one more test with the fleece.  This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew.”  That night God did so.  Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

This passage of scripture proves that the Lord certainly does use things in everyday life in order to speak to his children!

The Lord can give his children dreams or visions of things and then show them that specific thing again in real life.  He can also confirm something for you that you have asked him about in prayer by showing you something in real life.

There are numerous things the Lord can show his children in everyday life as well as numerous reasons why He shows them.

Types Of Things: numbers, times, dates, people, animals, objects, symbols, letters, words, sentences, etc.

Reasons Why The Lord Shows Things: to reveal something to you that you need to know, to warn you of something, to prepare you for something, a confirmation to a prayer, to minister to you or someone else, to show you the Lord is hearing or watching you in the moment you see it again in real life, etc.

**Suggestion:  In confirmation to a prayer, I suggest that you ask the Lord to confirm something to you by showing you 3 or more times in a row the same thing.  If you get differing confirmations from the Lord in-between, then continue by asking the Lord to show you entirely different things until he reveals either one or the other 3 or more times in a row to you.

For example (hypothetically):  In asking the Lord whether or not to attend someone’s party coming up, you ask the Lord to either show you a swing for “yes” or a slide for “no.”  In real-life you see a swing once, but right after you see a slide.  You are unsure of which the Lord is confirming…  Instead of staying in this state of uncertainty, simply ask the Lord to show you entirely new things for “yes” or “no,” such as a lion for yes and a tiger for no.  Continue doing this until you recieve confirmation from the Lord on what to do 3 or more times in a row for either “yes” or “no.”

An exciting way the Lord can speak to his children is through a voice.

We read in 1 Samuel Chapter 3 where the Lord began speaking to Samuel as a young boy and in that time there were not many visions because the word of the Lord was rare.  Samuel was chosen by God to minister before Him in the temple at Shiloh under the priest Eli.

One night, while Eli was lying down in his usual place, Samuel was also lying down in the temple next to the ark of the covenant and then the Lord called Samuel.  Samuel answered, “Here I am.”  And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”  But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”  So Samuel went and layed down.

Again, the Lord called, “Samuel!”  And Samuel got up and ran to Eli saying, “Here I am; you called me.”  “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

Now Samuel did not know the Lord yet because the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him.

The Lord called Samuel a third time and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”  Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy Samuel.  So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ”  So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel!  Samuel!”  Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

There are a variety of ways the Lord can speak to his children through a voice.

  *** NOTE:  One MUST have the Holy Spirit in order to distinguish voices!  The enemy can also speak to people in voices, so it is Imperative for people to have the Holy Spirit in order to discern whether or not they are hearing from the Lord!  It is Important to know that voices from the Lord will Always make you feel good or at least okay…  Anything contrary to that is NOT from the Lord!  Anything that goes against what Jesus (Yeshua) stands for, such as: life, light, love, joy, hope, goodness, comfort, security, purity, chastity, faithfulness, encouragement, forgiveness, compassion, sincerity, generosity, kindness, patience, integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, etc., should be rebuked as well as discarded!

Audible Voice:  The Lord can speak to his children in an audible voice that is completely external or outside themselves and not heard within.  Audible voices can take people by surprise as it is completely not expected!

Holy Spirit Voice:  Another way the Lord can speak is through the Holy Spirit, which is both audible as well as heard internally in the Spirit.  Most times people hear this kind of voice when they are praying in the Holy Spirit or while they are having visions from the Holy Spirit.

Voice In Visions:  A voice heard from the Lord in a vision can be either entirely audible or heard in the Holy Spirit.  Visions are entirely led by the Holy Spirit, so it is more likely for someone to hear a voice from the Lord in a vision.

Voice In Dreams:  A voice heard from the Lord in a dream will more than likely have everything to do with the content of the dream.  Again, if the dream is contrary to Jesus (Yeshua), then the voice heard is more than likely NOT from the Lord!  If the dream lines up with Jesus (Yeshua) and what he stands for then the voice within the dream might be from the Lord, but one MUST have discernment through the Holy Spirit to know that for sure!

In-And-Out Stage Voice:  A voice from the Lord can be heard during the in-and-out stage right before sleeping or waking up.  Again, it is Important to have the Holy Spirit to have discernment on whether or not the voice is from the Lord!

Announcing Voice:  The Lord can also speak to his children through the Holy Spirit using their own mouth.  This usually occurs in the in-and-out stage right before sleeping or waking up.  This particular voice is Most Definitely from the Holy Spirit because it is not pre-meditated, rather it is announced by your own mouth for you to hear.

Reasons The Lord Speaks In Voices: to warn you of something, to prepare you for something, to tell you something you need to know, to give you guidance, to minister to you or someone else, to pray for someone else, to let you know that he sees you and cares about you, to inform you of something for you or someone else in future, etc.

Hands down, The Most INCREDIBLE way the Lord can speak to his children is through encounters with him!

We read in John 20:10-18 where Mary Magdalene had an encounter with the Lord.  When the disciples had left the tomb, Mary stood outside the tomb crying.  As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”  At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying?  Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father.  Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ “

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!”  And she told them that he had said these things to her.

The Lord can encounter his children in a variety of ways and for numerous reasons!

Visible External Encounters:  The Lord can appear to his children externally, outside of themselves, almost in a vision form (Ex: Mary Magdalene at the garden tomb – John 20:10-18).  In external encounters, the Lord can also speak to his children either verbally, in the Holy Spirit (internal), or not at all.  The Lord can also appear to his children as someone else, even though it is him (Ex: Disciples on road to Emmaus – Luke 24:13-35).  For example: the Lord visibly appearing to speak to you, to comfort you, to warn you of something, etc.

Invisible External Encounters:  The Lord can encounter his children externally, outside themsleves, where his presence is strongly felt, but he is not apparently seen.  In invisible external encounters, the Lord can either speak to his children verbally, in the Holy Spirit (internal), or not at all.  For example:  Feeling the overwelming presence of the Lord, the Lord letting you know something by the Holy Spirit, the Lord giving you a warning or preparing you for something, etc.

External Object Encounters:  The Lord can encounter his children within external objects (Ex: Moses and the burning bush – Exodus 3).  There is no limit on the possibilities of objects the Lord can speak to us through!  In these kind of encounters the Lord can either speak to his children verbally, in the Holy Spirit (internal), or not at all.  For example:  the Lord speaking through an animal (Ex: Balaam’s donkey – Numbers 22:21-39), the Lord speaking through the Bible, seeing the Lord in a mirror or the moon, etc.

Physical External Encounters:  The Lord may choose to encounter his children physically, outside themselves (Ex: Jacob wrestling with God – Genesis 32:22-32).  This is an encounter where people can physically touch the Lord (Ex: Thomas touching Jesus (Yeshua) – John 20:24-30)!  In this type of encounter, the Lord can either speak to his children verbally, in the Holy Spirit (internal), or not at all.  For example: the Lord embracing you, holding your hand, touching your shoulder, etc.

Physical Internal Encounters:  The Lord can also encounter his children physically, where something is felt internally, but the Lord is either apparently seen or not (Ex: Day of Pentecost, tongues of fire – Acts 2).  In this kind of encounter, the Lord can either speak to his children verbally, in the Holy Spirit (internal), or not at all.  Also, in this kind of encounter, the Lord can manifest himself as something else (Ex: Baptism of Jesus (Yeshua) – Holy Spirit like a dove – Matthew 3:13-17).  For example: the Lord healing you internally, pouring his love into your body, anointing you for ministry, etc.

Reasons For Encounters From The Lord: to show you he loves you, to comfort you, to warn you of something, to prepare you for something in the future, to heal you, to anoint you to serve him, etc.