By Andrew Williams
Series: The Year of the Prophet- Month 4: The Seer Realm & Divine Senses
Week 15: The Language of the Seer (Dreams & Visions)
Anchor Scripture: “Then it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’” — Acts 22:17–18 (NKJV)
The Teaching
As we explore the deeper waters of the Seer Realm, we must address an experience that is often misunderstood or avoided: The Trance. The Greek word for trance used in the Book of Acts is ekstasis, from which we get the English word “ecstasy.” It literally means “a displacement of the mind” or “to stand outside oneself.”
In the biblical sense, a trance is a sovereign act of God where He temporarily “pauses” your natural consciousness and physical senses so that He can provide a “full-screen” spiritual experience. Unlike a “mental picture” (Day 100), where you are still aware of your physical surroundings, a trance pulls you into the divine narrative so completely that you may lose track of where you are or how much time has passed.
Why does God use trances? Because some prophetic instructions are so radical that our natural minds would fight against them. Peter was in a trance when God commanded him to eat “unclean” animals—a message that shattered his lifelong religious traditions. Paul was in a trance when Jesus told him to leave Jerusalem. In both cases, the trance served to bypass the prophet’s logical resistance and seat a new “heavenly mandate” in their spirit. The trance is God’s way of saying, “Stop thinking, and start seeing.”
Prophetic Insight
The ekstasis of the Spirit is not about losing control to a dark force; it is about yielding control to the Holy Spirit. It is a “divine displacement.” If you find that during deep worship or intense prayer, you occasionally feel “disoriented” from the natural world—as if the room has disappeared and you are standing in a different place—do not be afraid. God is not trying to make you “weird”; He is trying to make you “weighty.” He uses the trance state to deliver high-level strategic shifts for the Church. These moments are “anchors” of authority. A prophet who has had an ekstasis encounter carries a level of conviction that cannot be shaken by human debate.
The Activation
The trance state almost always occurs during a state of “yielding”—Peter was waiting for food, and Paul was praying in the temple. Today, spend 15 minutes in a “Posture of Yielding.” Lie prostrate or sit quietly with your hands open. Say to the Lord: “I yield my natural senses to You. If You wish to displace my mind with Your perspective, I am available. I am not looking for an experience; I am looking for Your heart.” Don’t try to force anything; just remain in a state of absolute surrender.
Daily Prayer: Lord God, I thank You that You are the God of the supernatural. I thank You for the mystery of the ‘ekstasis’—the divine trance. I yield my mind and my senses to You today. If You need to pull me out of my natural perspective to show me Your higher ways, I am ready. Forgive me for trying to stay in control. I trust the Holy Spirit to lead me into deep waters. Open the heavens and show me Your truth. Amen.
