Prophetic Dream Interpretation Guide: Revealing the Mysteries of Biblical Symbols and Parables
Because one-third of the Bible is God speaking through dreams, visions, and the prophetic, we can know God still speaks through these voices today.
Dreams and visions are just one way He communicates with us, but what is He saying? “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter” (Proverbs 25:2 NKJV). You can hear God! Do you have the glory or honor of a king? Ready to search for revelation? Join me in the journey to “hear the voice” of God with these tips:
Get up and write it down. Don’t wait! Record every detail including emotions. Title and date your dreams and visions for easy reference.
Point of view. Are you participating, observing or the focus? Is this dream similar to other recent dreams? Is it in two or three parts? Who is it about—you, others, a city, church, or nation?
Compare and contrast. Why this and not that? Why the second floor, not the first? Why a train, not a car?
Record colors of key dream elements and the atmosphere: Light or dark? Bright or dim? Is the carpet red? Is the water clear or dirty? Clothing, eyes, hair, cars—take notice.
People in dreams: Do you know them? How? Were you happy to see them? What are their names? Does the name have a meaning? Are they friend or foe? Are they from the past or present? If they are faceless, is their countenance dark or light? Have they been in other recent dreams?
The following lists are a result of my personal experience and study, and the understanding of godly people much smarter than me, including: Tyler Wolfe, Autumn Mann, John Paul Jackson, Dr. Joe Ibojie, Michal Ann and James Goll, Barbara Lardinais, Sharnael Wolverton, Ira Milligan, Adam F. Thompson and Adrian Beale.
Animals
Alligator: evil from the past, danger, destruction, slander
Bat: witchcraft, unstable, flight, fear
Bear: judgment, strength, evil spirit wants what you have
Polar Bear: religious spirit
Beaver: industrious, busy, diligent, clever
Bird: spirits, good or evil
Bull: intimidation, spiritual warfare, strong evil spirit
Cat: self-willed, untrainable, unclean spirit, deception
Black Cat: witchcraft
Chicken: fear, cowardice
Hen: (positive) protection, motherhood; (negative) gossip
Rooster: boasting, bragging, proud
Chick: defenseless, innocent
Crab: not easy to approach, claws holding something
Crow/Raven: (positive) God’s minister of justice; (negative) confusion, outspoken, envy, strife, hateful
Cow: subsistence, prosperity
Deer: peace, longing
Dog: (positive) loyalty, faithfulness; (negative) unbelievers, hypocrites
Donkey: (positive) gentle strength, burden bearer; (negative) stubborn
Dove: Holy Spirit
Dragon: satan
Dinosaur: old stronghold, demonic, danger from the past
Eagle: prophetic, prophetic calling, heavenly viewpoint
Elephant: invincible, thick-skinned, not easily offended, powerful, old memory, long pregnancy
Fish: human souls
Fox: cunning, evil men, sly or sneaky, steals from you
Frog: spirit of lust, demon, curse, witchcraft
Goat: sinner, unbelief, stubborn, blamed for sin of others Hawk: predator with good vision, unexpected attack
Horse: power, strength, conquest
Lamb: Jesus (sacrificial lamb), gentle, innocent, humility
Leopard: unchanging, vengeance, predator, danger
Lion: (positive) Jesus, royalty, brave; (negative) satan seeking to destroy
Mice/Rats: devourer, curse, plague
Mole: spiritual blindness, hidden
Monkey: mocking spirit, foolishness, dishonesty, addiction
Mountain Lion: enemy, predator of your soul
Octopus: Jezebel spirit (because of the tentacles) Ox: slow change, subsistence
Panther: witchcraft, demonic activity, works in darkness
Peacock: pride
Pig: ignorance, hypocrisy, unbelievers, selfish, gluttonous
Raccoon: mischief or rascal, night raider, thief or bandit
Ram: sacrifice
Sheep: God’s people, innocent, vulnerable, sacrifice
Skunk: stench, smell, unforgiving, bitterness, bad attitude
Snake: satan, deception, lies, unforgiving or bitterness
White Snake: spirit of religion, occult
Sparrow: small value but precious
Tortoise: slow moving change, steady
Whale: big impact in the things of the Spirit, going deep in the Spirit
Wolf: satan and evil, false ministries or false teachers, predator, working with others
Body Parts
Arm: strength, faith
Beard: maturity
Ear: needing to listen; pull on ear symbolic of meddling
Eye: heart, spirit, eyes of the Lord, prophetic gift, perception
Face: character, countenance
Feet: walk, offense, stubborn (unmovable), rebellion (kicking)
Finger: discernment, conviction, works, instruction
Thumb: apostolic
Pointer: prophetic or accusation
Middle: evangelistic
Ring: pastor, commitment
Pinky: teaching
Hair: wisdom, anointing, glory
Bald Head: lacking wisdom
Hand: relationship, healing
Head: authority, thoughts, mind
Immobilized Body Parts: spiritual hindrance, demonic attack
Knee: reverence, humility, bowing down
Nakedness: transparency, humility, humbling season
Neck: (positive) support or strength; (negative) stiff-necked or stubborn
Nose: discernment
Shoulder: bearing burdens, leadership
Side: relationship, friendship
Teeth: wisdom, understanding, consuming power
Eye Teeth: revelatory understanding
Wisdom Teeth: ability to act in wisdom
Thigh: faith
Buildings* and Places
*Note the size and purpose of the building.
Amphitheater: something will be magnified
Apartment: what you’re going through is common to humanity
Atrium: light and growth from Heaven
Garden: love, intimacy, growth
Auto Repair Shop: ministry restoration, renewal, repair
Barn/Warehouse: a place of provision and storage
Castle: authority, fortress, royal residence
City: security, safety, permanence, refuge
Elevator: rising or descending in anointing Farm: place of provision
Foundation: important foundational and fundamental issues
Fountain: source of life, refreshment
Garage: place of rest and refreshment, place of protection
Gas Station: to receive power
General Store: provision, staples, basics
Hallway: transition
High-Rise Buildings: high spiritual calling or perception
Hospital: place of healing
Hotel: transition, temporary, place to relax or receive
House: a ministry, church, personal life situation or family
Previous Home: past, generational issues
House of Person in Ministry: call to ministry
Two-Story House: double anointing
Mall: (positive) provision, all needs in one place; (negative) materialism
Mobile Home: temporary place or condition, poverty
Office Building: accomplishments
Pasture: place of spiritual nourishment
Porch: place of waiting, place of welcoming
Back Porch: history or past
Front Porch: vision, future
Restaurant: (positive) spiritual feasting; (negative) gluttony
Restaurant Kitchen: preparing spiritual food for others
Roof: covering, oversight
School/Room: training time, teaching anointing, ministry
Shack: poverty
Stadium: place of tremendous impact
Staircase: up or down in the spirit (anointing), portal
Steps: spiritual progress
Tent: temporary place of rest, meeting place with God
Theater: increased notoriety, success
Tunnel: passage, transition, way of escape, hope
Windows: prophetic vision or understanding; letting light in
Wall: fortification, division, refuge
Well: refreshment, source of life
Clothing
Bathrobe: coming out of a place of cleansing, spiritual slumber, mantle or anointing
Clothing That Doesn’t Fit: walking in something you’re not called to, trying to operate in another person’s job or calling
Coat: mantle, anointing
Cultural Clothing: calling to another nation, intercession for a particular country or ethnic group
Nakedness: transparency, realness, honesty, natural
Partially Naked: want to be honest, but hiding something
Pajamas: spiritual slumber
Shoes: gospel of peace, bringing good news
Shorts: a walk or calling that is partially fulfilled
Speedo: to move fast in the Spirit
Swimwear: ability to move in the Spirit
Tattered Clothing: anointing not being taken care of
Wedding Dress: covenant, deep relationship
Colors
Amber: (positive) glory of God; (negative) false glory, self-glorification
Black: (positive) mysterious, unknown; (negative) death, darkness, evil
Blue: (positive) communion, revelation, priest; (negative) sorrow
Brown: (positive) humility, compassion; (negative) compromise, humanism
Gold: (positive) purity, glory, prosperity, wisdom, durability; (negative) idolatry, defilement, contamination, lawlessness
Gray: (positive) maturity, honor; (negative) death, sadness, weakness
Green: (positive) growth, prosperity, life; (negative) greed, envy, pride
Orange: (positive) perseverance, vitality; (negative) stubborn, willful
Pink: (positive) childlike love or faith; (negative) childish, immature
Purple: (positive) royalty, kingship; (negative) false authority, oppression
Red: (positive) blood atonement, sacrifice, power; (negative) anger, war
Silver: (positive) redemption; (negative) temptation, covetousness
White: (positive) purity, holy power/Spirit; (negative) legalistic spirit
Yellow: (positive) hope, strength, gifts from God; (negative) coward, fear
Directions
East: beginning, law, God’s manifest presence entering
North: (positive) God’s throne, Heaven, authority; (negative) judgment
South: (positive) seeking truth; (negative) fleshly, sin, corruption
West: end, death, last, grace, related to the tabernacle
Left: rejected, condemned, human weakness
Left Turn: spiritual change
Right: accepted, rewarded by God, authority, favor, power, the strength of man or power of God revealed in man
Right Turn: natural change
Back: previous event or experience, past sins, sins of forefathers, unaware, ambush, hidden, memory
Front: future, prophecy, immediate or “at your front door”
Food
Apples: spiritual fruit, temptation, something precious
Bread: Jesus Christ, Word of God, God’s provision
Corn: blessings of God
Eggs: promise of God, prayers yet to be fulfilled
Fig Leaves: self-atonement, man-made covering
Fruit: spiritual fruitfulness (note amount, size, color, freshness)
Grapes: fruitfulness, success in life, connected to Christ
Honey: sweet, strength, wisdom, abundance
Lemons: sour, a poor sport
Manna: miraculous provision, bread of life
Meat: spiritually maturity, depth in God’s Word
Milk: Good nourishment, elementary teaching, immaturity
Orange: (positive) perseverance, power, energy; (negative) danger
Pears: long life, enduring much without complaining
Pumpkin: witchcraft, deception, snare, trick
Strawberries: goodness, virtuous, healing, sweet, humble
Tomato: kindness, big hearted, heart of God, generous
Water: Holy Spirit, refreshing, Word of God
Wine: (positive) outpouring of the Spirit; (negative) drunkenness
Insects
Ant: (positive) diligence, wise; (negative) insignificant
Bee/Hornet: painful, strong demonic attack or power
Butterfly: (positive) freedom, fragile, transformation; (negative) flighty
Flies: evil spirits; filth of hell, the occult
Grasshopper: destruction
Moth: symbol of destruction
Roach: infestation, unclean spirits, hidden sin
Scorpion: evil spirits, evil people, painful attack
Spider: occultic attack, witchcraft
Metals
Brass: judgment
Bronze: strength
Gold: divine nature of God
Iron: bondage
Lead: weight of sin, wickedness, foolishness
Silver: redemption, wisdom
Tin: dross, waste, worthless, cheap, putrification
Miscellaneous
Blanket: covering someone else’s sin, hiding
Brick: slavery, human effort
Bridle: restraint, control
Candle: Holy Spirit, light, revelation
Clouds: divine presence, covering
Crown: authority, Jesus, to reign, honored, rewarded
Cup: life, health
Cymbal: vibration, praise, worship
Dreaming: message within a message, vision
Drowning: overcome, self-pity, depression, grief, debt
Falling: unsupported, trials, backsliding
Feathers: covering, protection
Flying: call to move in the higher things of God
Gate: spiritual authority, entrance point for good/evil
Key: spiritual authority, unveiling secrets, lock or unlock
Kiss: covenant, enticement, deception, betrayal
Ladder: Christ connecting Heaven and earth, ability to ascend something
Life Seasons: may include former places you have been or lived, former schools, tests, or jobs; assess what was significant about that season of your life
Mirror: (positive) looking at yourself or your heart, looking back, past; (negative) vanity, self-centeredness
Miscarriage: to lose something at the preparatory stage, whether good or bad, plans aborted
Money: gain or loss of favor, greed
Check: favor
Credit Card: attempting to walk in something you don’t have yet, debt, lack of trust
Moon: light in darkness, Son of Man, reflecting God’s glory
Nail: security, establish
Oil: Holy Spirit, anointing
Pen: tongue, indelible words, record, covenant, agreement
Pencil: agreement that could change or be erased
Pillar: strength, steadfastness, assistance
Plow: breaking new ground
Pregnancy: in process of reproducing, preparatory stage, the promise of God, the Word of God as seed, prophetic word, desire, anticipation, expectancy, filled with the purposes of God that are preparing to come forth
Repeating Activities: God establishing a matter or issue, repeating because you are not listening, take notice
Refrigerator: preservation, keeping something fresh for future use
Television: (positive) spiritual sight and understanding; (negative) entertainment, fleshly cravings and desires, dull spirit
Nature and Weather
Beach: waiting for the return of Christ
Looking Out at Water: waiting for something
Walking Along Beach or Sunning Self: tranquility
Blizzard: inability to see, storm blinding you to something
Desert: temptation, desolation, solitude
Earthquake: judgment or shaking
Fire: presence of God, purifying, testing
Flood: (positive) overflowing of goodness; (negative) judgment of sin
Flower: fading human glory, frailty, delicate
Lilies: beauty, majesty
Rose: Christ and His church Garden: growth, fertility
Grass: frailty of flesh
Mountain: (positive) place of prayer, Heaven, refuge, place of meeting with God; (negative) impossibility or obstacles
Rain: blessing, cleansing, dirty rain is from enemy
Rainbow: promise of God
River: River of Life, presence of God, move of the Holy Spirit, coming into your Promised Land
Snow: blessing, refreshing, righteousness, purity
Storms: light in color can be from God, dark can be trouble from the enemy, turbulent times, judgment
Stream: living water, refreshment
Tidal Wave: great move of Holy Spirit, revival, judgment
Tornadoes: winds of change (negative or positive depending on color of tornado), destructive times coming, judgment, drastic change, danger
Valley: dark night of the soul, hopelessness, sadness, time when God seems silent, low time emotionally, place of decision, place of hidden- ness with God
Waves: tumultuous people or stormy season, false doctrine
Wind: (positive) Holy Spirit; (negative) adversity
More Prophetic Symbols
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