The Dream of Almond Oil
I had a dream that mystified me. In the dream, I went to an appointment at a brand-new, trendy hair salon for my friend to do my hair.
I arrived at 10:00 at night, and knew I had an appointment somewhere else at midnight. I needed to be ready for it.
I asked my friend if she would have enough time to do my hair, and she was confident she would. She began to give me a tour of the new salon; it was like an extravagant spa experience.
"I have to show you the bathroom!" She said with excitement.
She took me to a bathroom which had a deep sink filled to the brim with expensive, golden, and fragrant almond anointing oil. She said that everyone who came to the salon and all of the women who worked there would soak their hands in the oil as a part of their spa treatment. I recognized it immediately; my mother had the same kind. My friend said her grandparents also used the oil.
I dipped my hands in the thick oil, and it felt more real than a dream. I looked, and suddenly a dozen phone cases and smartwatch cases/bands appeared in the sink to my right. I knew it was a place of preparation to be made ready.
I want to break down my dream and share a prophetic message that I believe is not just for me but for others to be encouraged by.
(Understanding dreams: Dreams are a mystery... a parable with a hidden meaning to be searched out. Not every dream is from God, but as you begin to pray into your dreams and invite the Holy Spirit into your process, you can grow in discernment and know what dreams are from Him, your own soul, and from the enemy. God can give insight into your life as you seek Him for the deeper meaning of your dreams! We need this kind of sharp spiritual discernment for the times we are living in.)
Dream Breakdown
Let's take a look at the different elements of this dream and begin to understand the message better.
Place: Salon
This represents a place of preparation. The setting reminded me of the story of Esther and how she received beauty treatments to be made ready for the king.
Timing: Appointment at Midnight
The last, final hour... The ending of one day and the beginning of a new day. It is a timing that speaks of "miracles at midnight."
Anointing Oil
Anointing oil is used in the Bible to consecrate God's people to be set apart for His purposes. We see this in both a physical manner (mentioned in Exodus, Leviticus, etc.) and a spiritual manner (Isaiah 61, which Jesus quoted upon stating His earthly ministry).
Almonds
Almonds can represent readiness and watchfulness in the Bible—and more. (I will share more about this in the next part of this word.)
Anointed Hands
Our hands in the dream were specifically anointed. This speaks of works for Jesus and purpose and calling. It speaks of having clean hands and pure hearts to ascend the hill of the Lord (Psalm 24:3–4).
Phone Cases and Smart Watches
The cases for both the phones and watches represent protection. Phones are how we communicate with the world. The phones being soaked in the oil speak to me of protection and consecration over how we speak, what we watch, etc.
Watches speak of timing; in this context, they specifically speak of protection over God's timing in our lives.
Multi-Generational Anointing
In the dream, we knew that our parents and grandparents also used the oil; this speaks of a new anointing that touches all generations.
(As I wrote this, the song "Firm Foundation [He Won't]" by Cody Carnes was on in the coffee shop I was sitting in, and the lyrics were ringing out, "He's faithful through generations!")
A Corporate Dream vs. a Personal Dream
I discerned this dream was for me personally, but also for others in the Body of Christ. Why?
While in the dream I was at my own "readiness" appointment, I knew many others had come and were coming to dip their hands in the anointing oil to be prepared.
Now, let's talk more about the biblical meaning of almond oil and what God is saying through this dream. (Photo via Pexels)
Prophetic Insight: Mystery of the Almond Oil
When searching out the deeper meanings of dreams and prophetic mysteries, the best place to start is obvious: the Bible.
Let's first look at a passage in Jeremiah that mentions almonds.
"The word of the Lord came to me: 'What do you see, Jeremiah?'
"'I see the branch of an almond tree,' I replied.
"The Lord said to me, 'You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that My word is fulfilled.'" (Jeremiah 1:11–12)
Almond: A Prophetic Play on Hebrew Words
At that moment, Yahweh was essentially making a "dad joke," a pun, a play on words to communicate with Jeremiah. Let's break it down:
The Hebrew word for "almond" in this passage is shaqed, which comes from the root word shaqad, meaning "to watch" or "to be alert." And this root word is the same Hebrew word used for "watching" in this passage.
God was teaching Jeremiah how He speaks through images/visions, and how to interpret His word.
The picture of the almond (watching) branch means that God is watching over or ready to perform His word. In the same way Yahweh watched over His word to perform it in Jeremiah's time, God is still doing the same today in our lives.
Dream Meaning: Releasing the New Almond Anointing Oil
In the Bible, anointing oil is used to consecrate and set apart people and objects as holy to the Lord. Almond anointing oil speaks of an oil of consecration to make God's people ready.
It's time for a new anointing. It's time to prepare and get ready for the divine appointments and assignments that are coming.
Through this dream, I believe the Lord is saying that many people are being called to a place of preparation and expectation of His divine appointments (hair salon).
The time is drawing nearer (midnight deadline) to see God's change come, which is also a nod to Matthew 25: the parable of the virgins, the oil, and the bridegroom arriving at midnight.
This is a word for many people (those coming to the salon) who are called to be consecrated, set apart, and made ready (the almond anointing oil) for the new works and purposes (our anointed hands), for the coming of new assignments in this new season.
This is a multi-generational blessing and anointing. It's for grandfathers and grandmothers, moms and dads, sons and daughters.
It's time for the oil of readiness!
Blooming Is Coming from Your Pruning
I hear the Lord say, "You are holy and set apart to Me! I am calling you into a deeper level of consecration in your life. Come out of the old ways, the old wineskins, the old habits and bondages, the culture of today and the brokenness of the past, and receive My new anointing over your life! For I am doing a new thing in you...
"Even as new blossoms bloom this spring—like the ready almond branch—blooming is coming from your pruning. I am setting you apart in a deeper way for My purposes for you. I am still watching over My word to perform it in your life. You will see soon that the promises and miracles are not dead... they have been DORMANT. They have been sleeping seeds getting ready for the right, ripe season.
"Like olives which are crushed to produce oil, and grapes which are crushed to eventually make new wine, almonds are crushed to produce oil. I do not cause crushing without causing a new, fragrant anointing to flow from your life.
"You have no ordinary calling, and this is no ordinary oil; this is the costly, expensive, extravagant oil that can only be produced from the narrow way of following Me. Your process wasn't wasted... look at what I have produced in and through you. (Photo via Pexels)
"I have been preparing you. The process doesn't end at your crushing... Something NEW is flowing from your life."
Your crushing may have looked like...
• The change that crushed you
• The trauma that crushed you
• The loss that crushed you
• The fiery trial that crushed you
• The betrayal that crushed you
• The ending that crushed you
However, the Lord says, "The crushing is not your end; it is your BEGINNING. My 'nos' and shut doors are not an ending but an answer of 'better is still yet to come.'
"This new anointing is not just for you but to touch your family line. I have seen the hurt and bondage of families, and I say enough is enough! My anointing breaks the yoke, and I will break cycles of brokenness until whole families become whole. I will do a NEW thing on the earth. Where others have said, 'IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.' I say ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH ME.
"Come and spend time and ask for the new oil. I am still watching over My word to perform it in your life. Do you see it blooming yet? Are you preparing? There is a protection and security of the perfect timing I have for My set-apart ones... I am coming to surprise you! Receive new hope today."
"For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm." (Psalm 33:9)
"God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23:19)
"[S]o My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it." (Isaiah 55:11)
A Call to Grow in Spiritual Discernment
"Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:19–22)
While we know the truth, which is that God's true word NEVER returns void (Isaiah 55:11), we need to grow in sharper spiritual discernment to truly distinguish HIS authentic voice from the noise and clutter of the many voices that bombard us daily.
God's voice often comes in a still, small voice, as quiet as a thought—like the whisper Elijah heard on the mountain (1 Kings 19:11–13). God has promised us that His sheep (His people) are meant to hear His voice (John 10:27). But we also know that our own thoughts from our hearts (mind, will, and emotions) can sound a lot like God's voice.
"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
"I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve." (Jeremiah 17:9–10)
I believe it is a beautiful and brave thing to seek God's voice for our lives. I believe it pleases the Lord when we seek His direction, will, and leading in our lives.
As we embark on that journey with the Holy Spirit, I also encourage a heart posture of humility and surrender. We need to be willing to TEST and SUBMIT what we THINK God is saying through prayer and seeking Jesus. We need to test what we hear against the Bible. At times, we may need wise counsel from trusted people in our lives who can help us discern between God's true word and our own thoughts and feelings. We need to examine the fruit of the words we think God has spoken. (Photo via Pexels)
At the same time, we do not need to be afraid of being deceived, for we know that our GOOD Father and Shepherd longs to speak to us and lead our lives. But we need to walk with wisdom so that we are not led astray... even by our own hearts and personal biases.
I share this as a leader who has mentored many people in the prophetic gift and cares deeply about the Body of Jesus Christ: We deeply need sharper spiritual discernment.
We need to do as Paul said, "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy" (1 Corinthians 14:1), while also remembering these words:
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."Â (1 John 1:4)
Press in to know Yahweh and to know His voice. Seek Him with all of your heart. Lean into prayer and surrender, and expect Him to speak to you and give you discernment. He graciously gives wisdom and revelation to those who ask Him (James 1:5–8; Ephesians 1:17–19). He will help you as the Helper! And as you seek Him, you will find Him and experience the joy of knowing His voice in your life.
God Is Watching Over His Word in Your Life
"[S]o My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it."Â (Isaiah 55:11)
As you continue to abide in Jesus and stay connected to the Vine, you will see the blooming of His word in your life. He has BEAUTIFUL plans for you, and is surely watching over His word to perform it in your life!
I pray this word encourages you! Here's a prayer you can pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Make me ready for this season! Set me apart for Your purposes. Will You release the new anointing You have for me? Help me prepare before I can see what You are preparing me for. Strengthen my heart and my faith as I walk by faith in this season. Thank You for watching over Your word to perform it in my life. I look expectantly for the blooming in Your perfect time, amen.
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Mariel Villarreal, Founder
The Embolden Co.
Email:Â Mariel@marielvillarreal.com
Website:Â www.marielvillarreal.com
Mariel Villarreal is a writer, speaker, and prophetic mentor. Her heart is to encourage this generation with right-now prophetic words that reignite hope during the waiting between a prophetic promise and its fulfillment. Through her ministry, the Embolden Co., she holds seasonal prophetic mentorships, training programs, and retreats to empower people around the world to develop their spiritual gifts and hear God for their lives, so that they can bring revival to the nations. You can follow her on social media on Instagram @Mariel_Villarreal_ and Tiktok @Mariel.Villarreal and Facebook @TheEmboldenCompany to get more prophetic encouragement!
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