275. Kathy Gray // Encountering God Through Dreams: Part 1

What if your dreams aren’t random, but one of the primary ways God is trying to speak to you? In this conversation, Caroline sits down with Kathy Gray to unpack how God uses dreams to communicate, heal, warn, and invite us into partnership with Him. Kathy shares biblical insight into the four types of dreams, how to discern literal versus symbolic messages, why nightmares are not God’s will, and how to steward what God reveals in the night. This episode will equip you with clarity, confidence, and a fresh expectation that God still speaks while you sleep.

Kathy Gray is the author of Light In Our Darkness, a speaker, mentor, and former radio talk show host whose life is devoted to helping others hear the voice of God, especially through dreams and visions. Raised in a biblically grounded, ministry-focused home, she has spent more than two decades studying biblical dream interpretation and, over the past eight years, has developed and taught dream seminars primarily within evangelical circles, equipping men and women to discern God’s voice with clarity, humility, and confidence. Originally from Colorado, Kathy has lived in Highland Village, Texas, for 28 years with her husband, Dave, and is the proud mom of four grown sons who also reside in the Dallas area. When she’s not writing, teaching, mentoring, or playing and teaching piano, she enjoys investing in her spiritual community, and escaping to the Rocky Mountains with dark chocolate in hand.

Bible Verses:

James 4:2 “You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.”

Mark 11:22-24 “22“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

1 Corinthians 1:27 “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”

Topics Discussed:

Introduction

Kathy has been married for 41 years, and she has 4 adult sons.
She and her husband live in Dallas, Texas.
Kathy teaches piano.
Kathy was raised in a Christian home, and she was 5 years old when she accepted Jesus. Her parents were in full time ministry.
When she was 20, she had a burning desire to understand spiritual gifts and the unseen realm, and she met Holy Spirit during that time.

Dream Interpretation

Ever since she was a young girl, Kathy had very vivid dreams every night.
She would wake up from a nightmare and see scary manifestations in the room. This continued into adulthood.
Kathy met a woman who told her that she didn’t have to live this way.
Kathy began to realize that many of her dreams were trauma events that she categorized as dreams.
As soon as she acknowledged that the nightmares went away, but she was still dreaming all the time.
She started taking courses with John Paul Jackson and learning about dream interpretation.
Kathy now has 3 levels of dream seminars and a book.

What is God Doing Through Dreams?

It was God who dreamed up dreaming in the first place.
Dreams have been one of God’s preferred ways of speaking to people the entire time humanity has been on the planet.
When we’re asleep our defenses are down and God can breakthrough right to our spirit and communicate things to our spirit that we need to know to help us when we’re awake.
God used dreams to communicate some of the most history changing events in the world.
The life of Jesus was saved three times through a dream.
Dreams are night parables and Jesus talked in parables.

Why Do People Dream at Different Levels?

Dreaming is a gift.
Everyone can ask God for dreams.
There are different levels of dreamers, but everyone is designed to dream.

How Do I Interpret My Dreams?

We must steward the dreams God gives to us.
When you dream, write it down as soon as possible when you wake up.
There is only one person who knows how to interpret your dream and that is the Holy Spirit. Ask Him for help.
“Help” is a great prayer after you have a dream.
Do not go to the internet to help you interpret your dream.
Be like a child with your Father.
We need to think like God thinks (metaphorically, symbols, parables, etc.)

Frustration with Dreams

If you’re struggling to understand the interpretation, ask someone for help.
Remember it is still your dream, and you do not have to receive their interpretation.
Test it against the Word of God and seek the Lord on it.

Literal vs. Metaphoric Dreams

The Lord will let you know if a dream should be taken literally or metaphorically.
When God releases a dream, the Lord has spoken. When the Lord speaks, He is always looking for someone on Earth to partner with Him.
If the dream aligns with a desire of your heart, you must declare with your mouth the dream.
If there is a prophetic act in the dream, do the dream.
Stay true to the dream. God crafted it specifically for you.
Have conversations with God about the dream.

The 4 Types of Dreams

God dreams, soul dreams, demonic dreams and body chemical dreams.
Medications and hormones can cause body chemical dreams.
Dreams from God are typically full of light and color because He is the source of color and light.
Soul dreams are often frustrating and are more muted in color.
Soul dreams are a great indicator of if our soul is in charge over our spirit.
Nightmares always have a source.
Nightmares can come from my sin, the sin of my family in the past or even sin in the land.
An entire season of having constant nightmares is not normal. There is a reason.
We have to be willing to have the Lord reveal the reason for the nightmare to us.
It is not God’s will for us to have nightmares.
If your child is having nightmares, take their dreams seriously.
Get rid of the source of the nightmare in your home.
Use your authority in your dream life.

Powerful Quotes:

“Once you taste it and you see it, you can’t go back.”– Caroline

“You don’t have to be an expert in something. Whatever you received, you can grab the hand of the next person and bring them along as far you are so far.” – Kathy Gray

“It was God who dreamed up dreaming in the first place.” – Kathy

“Dreams are spirit material.” – Kathy

“Dreams are night parables and Jesus talked in parables.” – Kathy

“There are different levels of dreamers, but everyone is designed to dream.” – Kathy

“We get to partner with God about our dreams.” – Caroline

“God created the entire world with boundaries.” – Kathy Gray

Resources:

A New Lens: Encountering God Through Dreams by Kathy Gray

Kathygrayministries.org

In Due Time Ministries App

In Due Time VIP Group

Momsinthemaking.com