How do I look around in a picture so it expands into a full vision?

Mark Virkler's picture

Brian asks: I’m reading in Daniel and he keeps repeating how he looks around in visions (Dan. 7 & 8). I am left-brain and would love to hear more about how to look around in a vision or dream and to ask for explanations of dreams and visions while they are happening. My main struggle is that I am much better at hearing God's voice than at seeing.


Answer: Well Brian, I am left-brain too, so I do understand your struggle. Many left-brainers (those who live more comfortably in logic and reason rather than vision and flow) tell me their experience is the same as yours and mine. It is easier for left-brainers to get flowing thoughts than it is to get flowing pictures. So we are faced with a decision. Do I speak a word curse over myself saying “I am auditory and not visual” or do I speak life over myself, “I WILL live as Jesus lived. He both heard and saw. I too will hear and see, and whatever needs to change within me so I can live as Jesus lived, WILL change. Lord, show me what needs to change.”

I needed to 1) repent for scorning pictures, 2) choose to honor pictures 3) ask for them, and 4) not interrupt them with my analytical, judgmental thoughts. So I did those things. Next came some training exercises, and some baby steps to get me started.

Here is a practice exercise

(This one is designed for a man – a woman can do a similar exercise, just use the setting of opening your refrigerator door and looking at what is inside.)

  1. Relax & smile.
  2. Using your mind's eye (also called the eyes of your heart – Eph. 1:17,18) see your workbench (in your garage/basement/or wherever).
  3. Gaze at the surface of your worktable. What is on it? Spend a moment looking at each item on the workbench.
  4. If you have items hanging on the wall behind the bench (or under the table), look them over. Stop and reflect on any item that catches your eye.
  5. Take a few minutes to casually look around at everything. If your attention is drawn to a specific item or location, spend more time gazing at that. You might come back to an item to look at it more closely and reflect on it. If flow kicks in and you have flowing thoughts about that item, go with them. Honor them. Consider it your heart informing your mind of things that your heart is feeling.

 Conclusion: How did this exercise go? Were you able to do it? If so, this is what you do when you look around at a vision God is giving you. Stay relaxed, tune to flow, have fun, and enjoy.

A free training tool

Download the “Sea of Galilee” visualization exercise here. This will set you up with a scene of you and Jesus walking along the Sea of Galilee, relaxed and enjoying yourselves. It concludes with the instructions to tune to flow and journal out what Jesus is showing you and speaking to you. You test it LATER, and NOT while it is flowing. While it is flowing, you write in childlike faith!

Rule: The more you practice using any faculty God has given to you, the easier and stronger that faculty becomes.

For me vision was hard. Now after much practice, it is first nature. We all have two options, which are: I can picture that Jesus is NOT at my right hand (an evil imagination, as it is unbiblical) or I can picture Jesus at my right hand, as King David did (Ps. 16:8; Acts 2:25). This would be a godly imagination as Jesus is Immanuel, God with me. I am to abide in Him (Jn 15) and fix my eyes on Him (Heb. 12:1,2).

I am going to be picturing something. No chance that I am not picturing one of these two scenes above. The evil imagination takes me backward and the godly imagination takes me forward (Jer. 7:24 KJV).

So I have already tried evil imaginations and they produce all sorts of negatives: fear, lust, shame, guilt, inadequacy, etc. Who needs any of these? So since I find these all disgusting and taking me away from the Kingdom lifestyle, I choose to REPLACE what I am seeing, by 1) becoming aware of what I am seeing and 2) if it is contrary to Scripture, rebuking it and turning the eyes of my heart back to beholding Jesus at my right hand.

Steps to take to get flow to kick in

So I want more than “still shots” of Jesus at my right hand. I want to see a vision of Him there, alive, and doing whatever He chooses to be doing. Since He has 1) promised to give me vision (Acts 2:17), 2) I ask for vision (Eph. 1:16-19; Jn. 16:23,24), and 3) I posture myself properly to receive flow by relaxing, becoming still, smiling, seeing myself as a child, as He tells me to. 4) When flow kicks in I GO WITH IT! I have faith it is from Jesus. I save judging until after I have finished recording the flow. Since I am staying in faith, the flow continues. The result is that I receive entire visions. Testing and judging are what I do AFTER the flow is over. When testing, I make sure it lines up with Scripture and if a big decision or an edgy topic I also make sure it is confirmed by the hearts of my 3 spiritual advisors.

So yes, vision was hard for me when I first began. However, I was unwilling to say, “I can’t live as Jesus lived. I am not a seer.” I said, “I will break through this barrier, and I WILL live as Jesus lived. Period! So fear, doubt, and unbelief, get out of the way. Atrophied visionary capacity, be healed in Jesus' name! Learn to be fixed on Truth, not evil imaginations. ONLY godly imaginations will be allowed in my mind and heart!”

The Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force (Matt. 11:12). I have had to become violent with the ungodly beliefs I was programmed with as I was growing into adulthood. The reward for me has been I get to see Jesus ruling, satan defeated, me ascending into the fulfillment of my God-given destiny, and Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor at my side every time I look for Him. He is speaking, loving, and showing me things I wouldn’t normally envision.

What could be better than that as a reward for this visionary breakthrough? Nothing that I can think of.

Journaling Application

Hearing God's voice is as simple as: 1) quieting myself down (Ps. 62:5), 2) beholding Jesus at my right hand (Acts 2:25), 3) asking for His input and tuning in to flowing thoughts and flowing pictures (Jn. 7:37-39), and 4) journaling out His words and visions (Rev. 1:9-11). These are then tested and they must line up with Scripture (Ps. 1:2) and be affirmed in the hearts of my spiritual advisors (2 Cor. 13:1).

  • Lord, what would You say to me about me stepping into living visual encounters with You daily?
  • What blocks need to be removed?
  • How much should I practice? Is it worth the time to learn to behold You at my right hand?

Prayer

Lord, anoint the eyes of my heart that I may see You. Break off and remove every lie that I believe is hindering me from having full, visionary encounters with You. I repent of these lies (be specific, name each one, and state the new truth that will replace the lie). I speak to my heart, “Faith ARISE, FAITH ARISE, FAITH ARISE, in Jesus' name. Thank You, Lord!”


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LEARN Rivers of Grace

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 20 Pages

This LEARN notebook is designed to go along with the CD series on Rivers of Grace and it offers you the following four benefits:

Price: $1.95
LEARN Spirit-Anointed Teaching

LEARN Spirit-Anointed Teaching

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 23 Pages

This 23-page Life Enrichment And Review Notebook is designed to go along with the CD/ DVD series and/or PowerPoint presentation. If receiving training in a group, we highly recommend that EVERY member of the group have their own copy. It offers you the following four benefits:

Price: $4.95
4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice DVDs

4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice DVDs

by Mark Virkler | 10 Discs

This DVD Set of the 10-hour course will draw you into a classroom experience with others who are learning to hear from God right alongside you. It follows along with the LEARN 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice notebook (available for $4.95). Because Dr. Virkler is teaching directly from this booklet, it is recommended that you purchase both the LEARN notebook and the complete book entitled 4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice. You will want to meditate on the teaching and do the exercises found in the large book if you intend to fully internalize the skill of living daily out of God’s voice.


Looking for the new Abridged Edition? See this blog post to learn more and order.


Price: $69.95

4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice DVDs - Abridged Edition

by Mark Virkler | 3 Discs | 10 Sessions

A complete description is available by clicking here, where you will find information on the 60-minute version of this product. The main difference is that these 10 sessions are shorter, averaging 40 minutes each. You asked for it and it's finally available! The same core teaching now abridged, making the sessions easier to fit into your Sunday School class, home group meeting or lunch hour Bible study.

Price: $39.95

A Stroll Along the Sea of Galilee DVD

New life for your daily devotions!

The #1 Tool in the World for Introducing People to Hearing God's Voice! Pop this into your DVD player during your morning devotional time and let us paint a scene of you and Jesus walking together along the Sea of Galilee. We'll encourage you to ask Him one of the following questions, "Lord, what would You like to say to me?" "How do You see me?" or "Do You love me?" We then guide you into using the four keys for hearing God's voice, which are: quieting yourself down, fixing your eyes on Jesus, tuning to spontaneity and writing.

Price: $2.95
Counseled by God DVD Series

Counseled by God DVDs

by Mark Virkler | 4 Discs

Just Released: 35th Anniversary Edition

The foremost training series in the world teaching you how to become emotionally whole by hearing the voice of the Wonderful Counselor (Isa. 9:6)! A genuine word from the Lord heals the broken-hearted. All the “how to” books can never do what a rhema word from God can do for the inner man. You will learn to let God speak to your heart and counsel you about the basic emotional pressures of life such as anger, doubt, depression, condemnation and inferiority. You will learn to let God replace these with His opposites, as His voice releases His grace within your heart. Those whom the Son sets free are free indeed!

Price: $59.95
Prayers That Heal the Heart DVDs

Prayers That Heal the Heart Revised & Expanded 20th Anniversary Edition DVDs

by Mark Virkler | 15 Sessions | 7 Discs

Prayer counseling that breaks every yoke! Everything you need to experience deep healing of your soul and spirit. Did you know that you don’t need to be continually plagued by negative thoughts, feelings, pictures or memories?

It is not part of the "human condition" to feel the constant nagging of doubt, insecurity, or anger. No matter what sin you are trying to overcome, what lie you think you’ll always believe, or what traumas your heart has suffered in the past, you will receive total freedom and restoration by praying these prayers in faith.

Price: $69.95

Everyday Angels DVDs

By Charity Virkler Kayembe

You can partner with Heaven’s angelic hosts!

Do you have guardian angels? Does God want you to know them? Find out what Scripture reveals and how YOU can interact with the company of Heaven!

The supernatural realm permeates our natural world! Therefore, experiencing angels should be an everyday occurrence–we simply need to open our spiritual eyes to their reality and role in our lives.

Price: $59.00
Hear God Through Your Dreams DVDs

Hear God Through Your Dreams DVDs

by Mark Virkler | 5 Sessions

The DVDs and CDs correspond with the Hear God Through Your Dreams book and for maximum growth and internalization, we recommend utilizing it along with either the CD or DVD set. The book provides an outline to follow as you watch the DVDs. Also included are application exercises and classroom activities. (Note: There are 5 sessions on 3 discs.)

Price: $39.95

Hearing God Through Your Dreams DVDs

by Mark Virkler and Charity Virkler Kayembe | 10 Sessions on 3 Discs

Learn How to Hear God’s Voice, Even When You Are Sleeping

Receive divine counsel nightly. Increase emotional health, wisdom and creativity.

Recorded live at Catch the Fire in Toronto!

Price: $49.95

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