Quick mental image - how would you interpret this?

[JCFantasy23]

How would you interpret this visual - warning this is unsettling and I disliked the thought/image since I'm an animal lover.

If you are praying and all caught up with enthusiasm to God about new ideas you're going to do with Him with types of prayers and devotions, then suddenly in your mind you get a scene with a few rats in a cage in a pet store running in one direction (they are white), and one is suddenly thrown out of the cage you hear it screaming and figure out it must have been thrown to a snake.

This stopped my rambling in prayer and made me hesitate. This wasn't something I thought of myself, and sometimes during prayer I will get flashes like this that make me think. I instantly felt this was a bad meaning, of course, but was curious on others thoughts on what it could mean. Based on responses in another thread about types of prayer, I'm thinking it may mean to beware and to hold off on exploring different types of prayer.

 

[rockytopva]

I would conider such dream a warning that there is going to be in circumstances that are going to cause some to fall away from some kind of Christian movement. I believe this is a futuristic dream that will come to pass in time, and when it does you will be able to reflect back on it. As you have been warned, and as I believe you are strong, you will be able to look back when this happens in wonderment.

 

[rockytopva]

Two important parts of prayer....

1. We go to God in Faith
2. We go to God in the name of Jesus

 

[Dave-W]

I am kinda with Rocky on this one. It is something to pray strongly against. And ask for clarity and specifics.

 

[step_by_step]

I also get flashes of images sometimes when I'm praying so it's nice to know I'm not alone!

First of all, our interpretations might not come close to what God really wanted you to gain from the "vision", so I would suggest spending time in prayer asking Him to reveal what it was really about. But my guess would be something similar to what rockytopva said.

Maybe someone close to you, or someone you don't know yet, is going to fall away. They're going to be tempted to go down the wrong path.

Again, ask for wisdom and clarity from God first and foremost, since He's the one who understands it best

 

[Dave-W]

I also get flashes of images sometimes when I'm praying so it's nice to know I'm not alone!

Far from alone. I have gotten them my whole life; and my mom had them even as a kid.

 

[paul1149]

I would interpret white rats as being for experiments. It may seem odd that such animals would be in a pet store, but "pet" represents the affections of the heart. I would say this vision was a warning not to get caught up praying pure affections without first proving the will of God.

 

[Loyce KG]

How would you interpret this visual - warning this is unsettling and I disliked the thought/image since I'm an animal lover.

If you are praying and all caught up with enthusiasm to God about new ideas you're going to do with Him with types of prayers and devotions, then suddenly in your mind you get a scene with a few rats in a cage in a pet store running in one direction (they are white), and one is suddenly thrown out of the cage you hear it screaming and figure out it must have been thrown to a snake.

This stopped my rambling in prayer and made me hesitate. This wasn't something I thought of myself, and sometimes during prayer I will get flashes like this that make me think. I instantly felt this was a bad meaning, of course, but was curious on others thoughts on what it could mean. Based on responses in another thread about types of prayer, I'm thinking it may mean to beware and to hold off on exploring different types of prayer.

Sounds like a warning that you should take strongly. Perhaps, watch out for your prayer life and devotions. Make sure it is done in faith and led by the Spirit of God not what anyone else recommends. It may lead you to the enemy's traps. Inquire more of the Lord.

 

[com7fy8]

Well, maybe it can mean the rats are doing their own running, in place, never going anywhere, and at times ones can get tumbled from the wheel. So, this could be the same for self-produced prayer with a set spin and method.

I'm thinking it may mean to beware and to hold off on exploring different types of prayer.

My present understanding of prayer is first prayer is submitting to God, in order for Him to have me being submissive the way He wants and God has me pray what He wants me to pray.

So, there is no method, but discovering.

And this process sets me to be the way I do well to stay prayerful while doing different things with God. In prayer I am tuned and standardized in how to be in love.

 

[JCFantasy23]

I would conider such dream a warning that there is going to be in circumstances that are going to cause some to fall away from some kind of Christian movement. I believe this is a futuristic dream that will come to pass in time, and when it does you will be able to reflect back on it. As you have been warned, and as I believe you are strong, you will be able to look back when this happens in wonderment.

Thank you Rocky. This wasn't a dream, this was an image I got in prayer while discussing a new spiritual practice with prayer. I was confused as to why I would get such a negative response and it left me confused. After I posted a thread asking for others opinions today, it seems the majority said no or use caution, so now this image makes more sense. I just wanted to see if there was something I'm missing, although I guess it's seeming more obvious now to me. I guess we can all be dense sometimes

 

[JCFantasy23]

I would interpret white rats as being for experiments. It may seem odd that such animals would be in a pet store, but "pet" represents the affections of the heart. I would say this vision was a warning not to get caught up praying pure affections without first proving the will of God.

I never thought of this at all. Could you clarify on your meaning with this part?: I would say this vision was a warning not to get caught up praying pure affections without first proving the will of God.

 

[Loyce KG]

Far from alone. I have gotten them my whole life; and my mom had them even as a kid.

We are many then. Used to wonder if there are people who get these flashes..sometimes trances. Last year while I was doing a 40 day fast seeking for the Lord, while seated in my office I got a flash of super sized eagle looking at me and then literally felt it flap it's wings on me and disappear. This was followed by a scripture in Acts 11:4-9. Was shaken to my core and Still puzzled to this day what it meant.

 

[JCFantasy23]

First of all, our interpretations might not come close to what God really wanted you to gain from the "vision", so I would suggest spending time in prayer asking Him to reveal what it was really about. But my guess would be something similar to what rockytopva said.

Thank you for commenting. It was bugging me getting this vision and not figuring it out. What people are saying in this thread is making me see it clearer to where it seems a bit more obvious.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Sounds like a warning that you should take strongly. Perhaps, watch out for your prayer life and devotions. Make sure it is done in faith and led by the Spirit of God not what anyone else recommends. It may lead you to the enemy's traps. Inquire more of the Lord.

Thank you, your interpretation is lining up with another question I had today about new prayer practices. I couldn't understand why it would be a bad thing when I was praying the other night, but then this image came with a negative message, and now with the advice of other Christians I'm not going to pursue these types of prayers. I thought it was a good idea, but apparently not

 

[paul1149]

I never thought of this at all. Could you clarify on your meaning with this part?: I would say this vision was a warning not to get caught up praying pure affections without first proving the will of God.

Your own post mentioned "enthusiasm" about new ways of praying. That sounds like emotions and experiment to me, which may be ok, but only if done within the will of God.

 

[Loyce KG]

Thank you, your interpretation is lining up with another question I had today about new prayer practices. I couldn't understand why it would be a bad thing when I was praying the other night, but then this image came with a negative message, and now with the advice of other Christians I'm not going to pursue these types of prayers. I thought it was a good idea, but apparently not

Feel free to share those other otpions if you wanna. PM me if I s something you need to talk about. Otherwise steer clear of anything outside of the will of God in prayer.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Feel free to share those other otpions if you wanna. PM me if I s something you need to talk about. Otherwise steer clear of anything outside of the will of God in prayer.

Thanks, will PM you

 

[rockytopva]

Thank you Rocky. This wasn't a dream, this was an image I got in prayer while discussing a new spiritual practice with prayer. I was confused as to why I would get such a negative response and it left me confused. After I posted a thread asking for others opinions today, it seems the majority said no or use caution, so now this image makes more sense. I just wanted to see if there was something I'm missing, although I guess it's seeming more obvious now to me. I guess we can all be dense sometimes

There are some times where we have dreams or visions that don't make sense until years later when we recalled we drempt about very similar circumstances. As far as prayer... Keep in faith, Keep in the name of Jesus.

 

[rockytopva]

There are some times where we have dreams or visions that don't make sense until years later when we recalled we drempt about very similar circumstances. As far as prayer... Keep in faith, Keep in the name of Jesus.

Such visions may be a result of the forces of evil trying to motivate you away from prayer. Sometimes the devil does try to intimidate us.

 

[DreamerOfTheHeart]

... read the above...

Yes, this is normal. And, good. But, there can also be noise, even in prayer. Sometimes, especially in prayer. From the flesh, from dark spirits, does not really matter.

There are two types of visions, it can be said: those which are as a waking dream, which often appear as mental images; and, those which are presented in reality.

The 'waking dream' type of vision is much more common then the 'vision presented in reality' type of vision.

As an example of the latter, you can see that in a lot of biblical visions. For instance, Ezekiel really saw the dread machine, in reality. Jacob really saw angels ascending and descending on the ladder, in reality.

Visions can reveal truths relevant personally, or elsewhere. They can look into the past, current, and/or future.

I am not sure what the vision represents.

"Rats in a cage" is a pretty normal metaphor, often used in conjunction with "lab rat" metaphor. Though, here you say it was a pet store? Pet rats?

Pets can represent all sorts of things. Rats, as pets, are not normal, but they are commonly found at pet stores.

Something in a caged environment. Something taken out of that caged environment, thrown to its' death? By a snake? Could it have been something else? A cat? For instance? Stepped on?

A lot of things could be said to be a caged environment.