“I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions” (Prov. 8:12, KJV).
There is an extraordinary passage of Scripture in the Old Testament that reveals where creativity originates. In Exodus 31:3-5 (MEV) the Lord declares, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of craftsmanship to devise artistic works for work with gold, with silver, and with bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of craftsmanship.”
The Spirit of God still continues to release His creativity nightly into our hearts through the dreams He gives us. Following are a few examples of dreams that have given gifts that have touched millions of lives and some that “merely” solved personal problems.
A Dreamer Who Dreams
George Washington Carver was born a slave but became a scientist of international renown. He stated: “I am a dreamer who dreams, sees visions and listens always to the still small voice. I am the trail-blazer.”
On Jan. 21, 1921, Carver addressed the United States House Committee on Ways and Means on behalf of the United Peanut Growers Association on the use of peanuts to improve Southern economy. Initially given 10 minutes to speak, the committee was so captivated, his time was extended.
Explaining the many products derived from the peanut, including milk, mock beef and mock chicken, George Washington Carver stated: “If you go to the first chapter of Genesis, we can interpret very clearly, I think, what God intended when He said, ‘Behold, I have given you every herb that bears seed. To you it shall be meat.’ This is what He means about it. It shall be meat. There is everything there to strengthen and nourish and keep the body alive and healthy.”
After nearly two hours, the chairman asked: “Dr. Carver, how did you learn all of these things?”
Carver answered: “From an old book.”
“What book?” asked the chairman.
Carver replied, “The Bible.”
The chairman inquired, “Does the Bible tell about peanuts?”
“No, sir,” Dr. Carver replied. “It tells about the God who made the peanut. I asked Him to show me what to do with the peanut and He did.”
Strategic Plans, Safe Houses and Software Engineering
General George Patton developed effective military strategies by listening to his dreams. His commanding officers were accustomed to hearing from him at 3 a.m. with new battle plans he instructed them to implement. It was said that he actually trusted his dreams more than he trusted his soldiers’ intel on the ground. By honoring his dreams and acting on them, he became one of the most successful military figures in U.S. history.
Harriet Tubman dreamed of escape routes as she conducted the Underground Railroad. She said God spoke to her powerfully through dreams, showing her maps and helping her find safe houses to guide slaves to freedom. By honoring her dreams and acting on them, she became a hero and saved the lives of hundreds of people.
Larry Page, founder of Google, had a dream when he was a 22-year-old graduate student at Stanford University. In the dream he somehow managed to download the entire internet onto his computer. Once downloaded, he carefully examined the links among sites. He awoke, spent a couple of hours writing down the connections he saw in his dream, then spent the next year working it out and perfecting it. This was the algorithm for the original Google search engine. By honoring his dreams and acting on them, he became one of the wealthiest people in the world.
Jamaican Dreaming
We share many more inspiring examples of creativity, inventions and scientific discoveries received through dreams in our book. What I’m excited to share with you today is that I had the privilege of meeting one of these creative dreamers in person!
Carol Robinson attended our Hearing God Through Your Dreams workshop in Kingston and shared with me how the Lord has been speaking to her through dreams for years. It struck me that the process she described is actually similar to Larry Page’s Google revelation, in that there is a flash of insight in her night visions that she then works out upon awakening.
For example, Holy Spirit will give her the name of an herb or a description of its benefits in a dream at night, and then she will research it during the day. He may give her a unique medium in which to display it or an extraction method. I love that she says it’s actually a two-way conversation with God over a period of time after she receives the dream as He continues to teach and show her things, working together with her to get a new item ready for the market.
I was grateful when she gave me a bottle of her latest dream creation. Salisbury Repellent Gel is an all-natural insect repellent made entirely from essential oils, with no chemicals. Not only does it work, it smells nice too. What else would we expect from a heaven-inspired product? Thank you, Carol, for listening to your dreams and blessing us with the gifts you receive through them!
You’re Next
As we can see from these personal and diverse examples, God cares about what we care about. Whether you are a soldier, software engineer, mother, musician or mechanic, He wants to help you with whatever you’ve got going on in your life. Your heavenly Father knows all the answers and He already has the solution you’re looking for.
When you go to bed ask Him for His perspective on your problem or project and expect to receive His supernatural insight. He is the giver of every good gift and He can’t wait to share His understanding and counsel with you. Invite heavenly creativity into your heart and your world by receiving God’s revelation while you sleep. Dream your way to wisdom tonight. {eoa}
Charity Virkler Kayembe has a doctorate in biblical studies, is passionate about the sacred supernatural and writes about the unfolding adventure that is walking by the Spirit on her blog at GloryWaves.org. She has been featured on Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural!, Cornerstone TV, Charisma magazine and The Elijah List. Charity is the coauthor of four books, including Hearing God Through Your Dreams, Unleashing Healing Power Through Spirit-Born Emotions and Everyday Angels.