When Children See Angels (And Adults Tell Them To Stop)
When Children See Angels (And Adults Tell Them to Stop)
One of the most heartbreaking things I've encountered in teaching people how to hear God's voice is meeting adults who, as children, could see into the spiritual realm—but were trained to shut it down.
They had the gift. They saw angels, sensed spiritual beings, or received vivid dreams and visions from God. But instead of being nurtured, they were told it was "just their imagination" or that it was somehow wrong.
We've been training the gift right out of our children.
"Enter the Kingdom Like a Child"
Jesus said, "Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." Children naturally operate in faith, wonder, and openness to the supernatural. They haven't yet learned to explain away the miraculous.
When a child says, "Mommy, there's an angel in my room," or "I had a dream about Jesus," our adult response shapes their future ability to hear from God. Are we nurturing this gift, or shutting it down because it makes us uncomfortable?
The Picture-Oriented Mind
Many children who are seers—those who receive from God through pictures, dreams, and visions—have very active imaginations. They're naturally picture-oriented. This is often how God designed them to receive from Him.
But in our rational culture, we've decided that if something comes through imagination, it can't be from God. We've created this false separation between the spiritual and the imaginative, when actually, God often uses our imagination as a canvas for His communication.
Where else would God paint a picture for a child to see except on the screen of their mind?
The Tragic Shutting Down
Here's what happens too often: A child starts sharing spiritual experiences, and well-meaning adults respond with:
"That's just your imagination, sweetie."
"Angels aren't real like that."
"Big boys/girls don't have imaginary friends."
"That's not really happening."
Sometimes adults are genuinely concerned about spiritual deception. But often, we're simply uncomfortable with what we don't understand, so we shut it down rather than seek wisdom.
The Long-Term Damage
What happens when we consistently tell children their spiritual experiences aren't real? They learn to:
Stop sharing what they're seeing
Doubt their spiritual sensitivity
Close down their openness to the supernatural
Believe hearing from God is only for special people
Think there's something wrong with them
By adulthood, that beautiful gift has been buried so deep they've forgotten it existed. They wonder why everyone else seems to hear from God while they feel spiritually deaf.
If This Was You
If you recognize your own story—if you were one of those children who saw angels but were told to stop—my heart goes out to you. I'm so sorry that happened.
Here's the beautiful truth: that gift isn't gone. It's been buried, but it's not dead. The Lord wants to reawaken what He placed in you if you'll let Him. Holy Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and He's perfectly capable of restoring what was taken.
For Parents Today
If your child is sharing spiritual experiences, here are some thoughts:
Don't automatically dismiss it. Instead of saying "that's just your imagination," try asking: "Tell me more about what you saw" or "How did that make you feel?"
Test it against Scripture. True spiritual experiences align with God's character and His Word. If your child is seeing things that bring peace, joy, or draw them closer to Jesus, that's a good sign.
Seek godly counsel. Find mature believers who understand spiritual gifts and can help you discern how to nurture your child's sensitivity appropriately.
Create safe space for sharing. Let your child know they can tell you about spiritual experiences without being shut down or made to feel weird.
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
One challenge seers face—whether children or adults—is communicating what they've received. How do you explain a vision or spiritual dream?
This is where patience and grace come in. When someone shares a picture or vision they believe is from God, our job isn't to demand perfect interpretation. Sometimes God gives us only one piece of the puzzle, and we need to trust that someone else might have the next piece.
Restoration and Hope
It's never too late for restoration. Whether you're someone whose gift was buried in childhood, or you're a parent wanting to do better, God's heart is for wholeness.
He wants to reawaken dormant gifts. He wants to heal wounds caused by being misunderstood. He wants to restore childlike faith and openness that allows us to receive from Him freely.
If you sense God stirring something in you—maybe a long-buried sensitivity to His voice through pictures or dreams—don't be afraid to ask Him to restore what was taken.
And if you're a parent or work with children, consider yourself a guardian of the next generation's ability to hear from God. The way we respond to their spiritual experiences today will shape their relationship with Holy Spirit for life.
Let's choose to nurture rather than shut down. Let's create space for God to speak to our children in the beautiful, imaginative ways He often chooses.
Because when children see angels, maybe the problem isn't with their sight—maybe it's with ours.
If you're interested in learning more about the different ways God speaks and how to nurture spiritual sensitivity, my course "Honoring God's Voice" goes deeper into these important topics.
Blessings,
Susan Dewbrew