Vision

    Visions are gifts from God, a form of revelation that allows for deeper communication through symbols and images. It is therefore a gift that we have to work for since we need to interpret. Visions require(and are intricately connected to) service, faith, desire, obedience, and the Spirit. Where there are visions, there is always faith and the Holy Ghost. Visions(and the Spirit) help you discern. Visions are a protection, a witness, a guidance, for "where there are no visions, the people perish." Visions are gifts given for many purposes: knowledge/revelation, witnesses, communication, protection, physical help, miracles, comfort, power, faith, and repentance. Believe in visions, pray for visions, look to the prophets for visions. If you do not deny your visions, if you act on them, you will continue to have more.

*Gen 15:1 - The Lord speaks through visions - Get 46:2, Psalms 89:19

*Num 12:6 - God makes himself known through visions, speaks through dreams

*Num 24:4 - Vision of the Almighty: falling into a trance with your eyes open

*1 Sam 3:1 - There have been periods on earth with no open visions, closed to all but prophets

*1 Sam 3:15 - Samuel is afraid to show Eli vision, do not be afraid of visions

*2 Sam 7:17, 1 Chron 17:15 - Nathan fulfilled visions by speaking to David

*2 Chron 26:5 - Some people have the gift of understanding visions

*Job 4:13 - Sometimes you can have thoughts, impressions, from the visions of the night.

*Job 7:14 - Job was haunted by dreams and visions

*Job 33:15-16 - "in a dream, a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbering upon the bed; then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction."

*2 Nephi 27:3 - Those who fight against Zion will live as though in a dream - empty (eat or drink in a dream and awake still hungry and thirsty)

*Proverbs 29:18 - "WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH."

*Isaiah 1:1 - Isaiah had no visions

*Isaiah 22:1 - "burden of the valley of vision" are messages of doom(footnote)

*Isaiah 28:7 - Religious leaders can err in vision when they are swallowed in strong drink(pride, vanity, etc.)

*Isaiah 29:11 - Vision of the Book of Mormon, learned saying "I cannot, for it is sealed."

*Jerimiah 1:11 - The Lord gives us visions, but asks us to interpret

*Jer 14:14, 23:16 - Some prophecy of false visions, 'visions of their own heart' - be wary

*Lam 2:9 - Where there is destruction there is loss of vision(vision=revelation)

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW VISIONS, READ EZEKIEL

*Ezek 1:1, 8:3, 11:24 - Ezekiel was a man of visions

*Ezek 7:26 - When destruction comes, people will seek visions from prophets

*Ezek 12:22-25 - Some men will say the time has come and all visions have failed(were true because they did not happen), but the Lord will fulfill every righteous vision

*Ezek 13:7 - Beware of vain visions

*Ezek 40 - Visions of city with temple, Ezek 43 - more visions of city

*Dan 1:17 - Daniel "had understanding in all visions and dreams."

*Dan 2:19 - Secrets revealed to Daniel through night visions, Dan 7:2, 8:1, 8:26

*Dan 9:24 - Time is required to "seal up" a vision

*Dan 10:7 - Daniel saw the vision alone, other men fled

*Hos 12:10 - The Lord speaks through visions

*Joel 2:28(Acts 2:17) - In the last days, the Lord will pour out His spirit and we will have visions

*Micah 3:6 - false priests and prophets will have no visions

*Obadiah+Nahum - books based on visions of authors

*Hab 2:2 - Write down your visions, make them clear

*Zech 13:4-5 - In the last days, simple men will have visions - some will be ashamed

*Matt 17:9 - There is a time and place for sharing visions, they are sacred.

*Luke 1:22 - Effects of vision on Zacharias - speechless

*Luke 24:22 - The Resurrection was accompanied by visions of angels

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW VISIONS, READ ACTS

*Acts 7:55 - Stephen has a vision of God and Jesus while being persecuted

*Acts 9:10-22 - Ananias has a vision because Paul had a vision, sometimes visions go against our own judgements - Ananias did not want to heal Paul because of his evil persecutions

*Acts 10 - God sent visions to both Cornelius and Peter to get them to meet

*Acts 11:5 - Peter recounts his vision, acts on it, NOTHING DOUBTING

*Acts 12:9 - A vision of an angel frees Peter from prison

*Acts 16:9-10 - Paul had a vision, acted on it immediately (Acts 26:19 - obedience and visions) 

*Acts 18:9-10, 23:11(more visions of comfort) - Vision to Paul: don't be afraid, speak, the Lord is with thee

*Acts 27:23-25, Acts 26:19, 16: 9-10, 2 Cor 12:1 - Paul was a man of visions because 1) He was a servant of God("God, whose I am, and whom I serve") 2) He was a man of faith ("for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me") and 3) He was obedient 

*Rev 9: John's visions of second coming

*1 Nephi 1:8, 2 Nephi 1:4 - Lehi was a man of visions, 1 Nephi 8:2, 1 Nephi 5:4

*1 Nephi 5:4 - Visions testify of the goodness of God

*1 Nephi 10:17 - Nephi asks for testimony of Lehi's visions, "was desirous also that I might see, and hear and know of the these things by the power of the Holy Ghost" Visions require faith, desire, and the Holy Ghost.

*2 Nephi 4:23 - Knowledge is transferred through visions(many purposed to visions: knowledge, witness, communication, protection, miracles, power, faith, repentance)

*Alma 8:20 - Amulek receives vision to help Alma, Alma has vision to return

*Alma 19:16 - Abish converted due to vision of her father

*Alma 38:7 - Alma had vision to repent

*D&C 76:14, 50 - Joseph Smith saw and conversed with Jesus in heavenly visions

*D&C 76:47 - The Lord shows many by visions

*D&C 76:80, 137:1, 138:60 - Revelations of principles and doctrine given through visions, whether they are given inside or outside of the body, it matters not (doctrine by vision: redemption of dead, kingdoms, celestial glory)

*D&C 110:11 - Jesus visits Kirtland temple, then Moses, Elias, and Elijah

*Moses 1:2 - When Moses had a vision and saw and spoke with God face to face, he needed to separate strength/Spirit/glory to have power to endure His presence.

*Moses 1:27 - Moses had a vision of the earth - discerning every particle by the Spirit. (With the Spirit I think you can have "visions" of people, discerning all their particles - all the things that make them who they are)

*Moses 7:23 - Enoch's vision of Zion ascending to heaven and all the nations of earth

*Abraham 1:15 - A vision came as an answer to prayer, filling Abraham so that he could escape, an angel unloosed his bands and saved his life.

*JSH 1:17, 21, 24, 33, 72 - Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in a vision, he communicated with them. He could never deny the vision. He continued to have more. Verse 24: The best! Acts 22:6 - Paul's vision

*Article of Faith 7 - We believe in visions.