God used a vision to bring a paradigm shift
There are times in life when we are so set in our ways that we are not open to change. We have no intention to have a renewed mind or a change of heart on a certain topic. We can even use scriptures or personal experiences to back up our stance. In those times, a paradigm shift is required. God uses dreams and visions to bring the shift in our thinking and in our perspective. Praise God for dreams that can open our eyes to Truth when other vehicles or tools may not be sufficient to bring about the transformation.
But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common. Acts 11:4-9
After Christ’s resurrection and ascension, God was bringing a paradigm shift in the mind of Jewish people. For centuries, they were considered the special and chosen ones by God. They were the ones who had a covenant relationship with God. Surely, Christ was only for them and the descendants of Abraham. But God rich in His mercy was opening the door to the Gentiles to be saved and become grafted in the family of God.
The Lord had to communicate the message in a way that could bypass human understanding, tradition, & prejudice. He had to stress the importance of the change to His apostles before they were sent out to all parts of the world. God chose to communicate to Peter by basically saying:
From now on, the Gentiles were not going to be considered unclean based on their family of origin. They along with Jewish people needed to have the opportunity to hear the gospel and receive salvation.
Paul confirmed this later on in various passages including Romans 2:28-29
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
Peter had the vision, but he had to step out in obedience and walk this vision out. He could no longer consider the Gentiles unclean or try to avoid being in their house or eat their food. He had to have a desire to not only associate with them but to share Christ with them.
Dreams and visions carry on the responsibility of obedience. If the dream is giving us warning, we must heed it. If the dream is giving us instruction and wisdom, we should follow it. If the dream asks us not to be afraid, then we must walk out in faith and trust God. If the dream is about God’s heart and His desire to see a change in us, then we need to be willing to change.
Praise God for Peter’s obedience to the vision. This vision was monumental in opening the door for all of us to have the opportunity to hear the gospel and accept Jesus as our personal Lord and savior!
We need to pray that God would give dreams to our unsaved family and friends. We especially need to pray for those who come from religious backgrounds or other religions because they are more set in their ways.
Many Muslims come to salvation because of the dreams they have about Jesus. Islam describes Jesus as a good teacher but tells people that He is not the Son of God. They are also told that Jesus was not crucified but that God provided a replacement for him. These create huge stumbling blocks in believing Jesus as their Lord and savior. Dreams provide a reality that can overrule tradition and culture.
Lord we ask that you pour out dreams and visions over our cities. Help them to see your glory, power, and love for them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.