As a theologian, I strive to have a vast knowledge of everything I encounter. Recently, I have been researching about dreams.
One exciting perspective I came across in my pursuit of knowledge is the different interpretations attached to being attacked in a dream (I have had such a dream before).
I delved deeper into this particular niche to understand all the possible meanings of this frightening dream. Coincidentally, a member of my church approached me last week and asked about what dreaming of being attacked meant.
She was frightened as she had dreamt of being attacked, and she was unable to scream or defend herself. Because I am well-versed in the different interpretations of such dreams, I explained to her all she needed to know.
So, let’s look at the biblical meaning of being attacked in a dream.
The Bible does not attack any specific meaning to a dream of being attacked. However, some people believe that such a dream denotes spiritual warfare, betrayal, or bad luck or could be an indicator of spiritual growth and transformation. It is key to reinforce that these are not biblical beliefs in any way.
So, join me as I delve deeper and discuss the different spiritual and biblical meanings assigned to a dream of being attacked.
I will also discuss the meaning of such a dream in different scenarios and conclude whether such a dream is something to worry about.
Keep reading to learn more.
What does it mean when you dream about being attacked?
Different societies and groups attach different meanings to a dream of being attacked. Most people believe that such a dream relates to the challenges and realities we undergo daily.
According to some interpretations, such a dream is assumed to denote anger, fear, or any negative emotion you might be going through and are in the dark about it.
Others interpret such a dream to symbolize how you relate with yourself in terms of unresolved traumas and conflicts and your inner doubts. It is believed that if one understands the symbolism of such dreams, one will be in a better position to handle and navigate life’s challenges.
Other people believe that dreaming of being attacked is a representation of your fears that you might be giving in. Others associate an attack in a dream with damage already occurring in your waking life.
They believe the damage could be financial, relationship-wise, or even physical.
Five biblical meanings of being attacked in a dream
Though the Bible does not attach a specific meaning to such a dream, different people have different views on how they view it spiritually. Let’s take a look at some biblical meanings associated with a dream of being attacked.
Spiritual warfare
The most common interpretation of this dream is that it signifies spiritual warfare. In the Bible, we see different scenarios that depict spiritual battles with the men of God being attacked or tempted by evil forces.
Paul warns us in the book of Ephesians 6:12 that our struggle is against the forces of the dark world and not against blood and flesh.
Therefore, some people relate this to a dream of being attacked and view such a dream to signify that your spiritual life might be under attack.
They believe that some evil forces could be harming and undermining your faith. Others interpret this dream to denote a warning and reminder to stay alert against impending evil influences and temptation.
Transformation
Dreaming of being attacked is also believed to indicate transformation and spiritual growth. This dream is viewed as a reminder to confront your insecurities and fears and embrace them for transformation and self-growth.
Bad luck
Some cultures believe that dreaming of an attack could signify bad luck. They associate this with the Bible and view it as a challenge that God has put ahead of you to make you stronger.
They believe that if you go before God and ask for wisdom regarding the dream and how to move forward, then you will maintain your faith through all adversities that are ahead of you.
Persecution and opposition
Others associate a dream of being attacked with being persecuted or opposed. They believe that such a dream is related to the various persecutions and oppressions believers faced in the Bible.
They posit that this dream might be an indicator of personal struggles or external ones. This dream is also interpreted to mean that its time you hold onto your values and beliefs despite the adversities and challenges.
Betrayal
Other people believe that having such a dream is a warning from your guardian angel that someone you trust might turn their back on you soon.
However, they suggest that even though you might feel like this is the case, you should not immediately doubt everyone around you but take precautions that will protect you in the case the betrayal happens.
What is the spiritual meaning of being attacked in a dream?
There are several spiritual meanings attached to such a dream. Let’s take a look at a few;
You are unable to hold everything down together
Some people believe that if you have had a peaceful dream and someone attacks you out of nowhere, and you do not know how to protect yourself, it might signify that you are not on the right path in life and are losing control over your life.
It is believed that though you might feel that you are in control of your life in waking life, deep down, something is disturbing you, and you are afraid to communicate.
Inward conflicts
According to Native American Folklore, it is believed that having such a dream means that you are facing spirit conflict within yourself.
Such a dream is viewed as an opportunity for you to grow if you manage to handle the said conflict with resilience and strength. This is also similar to Jungian psychological theory as they believe such dreams signify inner conflict.
Act now
Dreaming of an attack is also interpreted to denote a call to action. Some people believe that we might experience dreams to help us identify areas of weaknesses and where we need to improve in our lives.
They, therefore, interpret such a dream to symbolize a wake-up call in whatever aspect your life is lagging behind. It could be your behavior or even how you relate with others.
Fear
Some people believe that having such a dream is a manifestation of the anxiety and fear you have. They argue that dreams are a representation of our subconscious minds and thus can reveal our deepest fears.
They view being attacked in a dream as a symbol of a feeling of fear. This could be fear of being rejected, fear of failure, or just feeling inadequate.
Attack
Some cultures believe that dreaming of an attack is a reflection of an attack in your waking life. You might have already experienced this attack, or it is an impending one.
They interpret this dream to signify that you might be processing the fear or trauma of the attack.
Biblical meanings of being attacked in a dream in different scenarios
The biblical meaning of being attacked and fighting back
Dreaming of being attacked and fighting back is often associated with the dreamer’s effort to confront challenges head-on in waking life.
Such a dream also means that the dreamer might be releasing emotions like anger, resentment, or frustration, which they had suppressed and were building up.
Other people believe that having such a dream indicates having personal boundaries. They believe that the dreamer is assertive or working to establish personal boundaries in their life.
The biblical meaning of being attacked behind your back
Having such a dream is interpreted to mean that someone close to you might be planning something against you that you are not aware of.
Such a dream can be pretty frightening, but the most you can do is keep calm and turn to the Lord. The most common interpretation of such a dream is impending betrayal.
The biblical meaning of being attacked by a family member
Witnessing a family member attack you in a dream can be pretty shocking. Such a dream needs a broader context to be interpreted effectively.
However, generally, dreaming of a family member attacking you is interpreted to symbolize inner conflicts, or you are afraid of hurting your family.
Others believe that this dream could mean that a particular family member could betray you or has betrayed you.
The biblical meaning of being attacked by a friend
Dreaming of being attacked by a friend is believed to happen after you have an argument with your friend in your waking life.
Therefore, some people suggest that when you have such a dream, it is your guardian angel who is urging you to go back to your friend and sort out your issues.
The biblical meaning of being attacked by a shark
Dreaming of being attacked by sharks is interpreted to denote emotional issues. It is believed that if you have such a dream, then you might be facing the issue of being unable to express your emotions fully in your waking life.
You might be suppressing your emotions, which is quite a difficult place to be in. Therefore, dream interpreters believe that if you encounter such a dream, you should consider looking for someone to talk to, even if it is a therapist, to help you offload some of the heavy emotions you are sitting on.
The biblical meaning of being attacked by an animal
Having such a dream can be quite frightening and scary. Some people believe that dreaming of an animal attacking you is a way of your mind using symbols to bring to the surface an emotion or feeling in you.
Therefore, they interpret this dream to mean that you are either insecure or are trying to be vulnerable in your waking life. Those who ascribe to this school of thought believe that to deal with such a dream, you have to look inwardly from a place of understanding and processing your emotions and feelings.
They believe that by looking inward, you will gain resilience, courage, and strength to overcome whatever caused the dream.
The biblical meaning of being attacked by wild animals
The interpretation of such a dream depends on which wild animal attacked you and the context of the dream. Generally, if you dream of wild animals attacking you, it is believed that you might be going the extra mile trying to impress someone to keep them in your life.
You could be thinking that the particular person is quite amazing to have as a friend or in your circle, so you are trying really hard and doing everything you can to keep them around.
This dream is believed to be a reminder that such an approach is not the right one, and you should respect yourself and let things flow the way they were meant to.
Other people believe that dreaming of either a lion, wolf, or bear attacking you could be an indicator of a certain fear related to an aspect of your waking life that you are scared of.
This dream is also interpreted to represent someone in your life who might appear intimidating to you.
The biblical meaning of being attacked by your romantic partner
Being attacked by your romantic partner in a dream is believed to mean that your relationship with the said partner was probably not working out in your waking life.
You probably have been having lots of problems with your partner and haven’t found the ultimate solution to the problem. Such a dream is said to be a reminder that you should turn to God; if your partner is destined for you, then God will work his way out.
The biblical meaning of being attacked with a lethal weapon
Some people biblically interpret a dream of being attacked with a lethal weapon like a knife to mean that you are awaiting divine punishment, for you might have angered God.
They believe that if you have such a dream, you should go before God and ask for forgiveness and mercy wholeheartedly.
The biblical meaning of being stubbed in the heart
Having such a dream can really be confusing and give you feelings of fear in your waking life. Dream interpreters believe that dreaming of being stubbed in the heart is a reflection of being hurt in waking life.
They associate this with the fact that the heart, and even its symbol, is most used to represent love. They, therefore, interpret such a dream to denote heartbreak.
What does it mean when you dream about being attacked and can’t scream?
Dreaming of being attacked and being unable to scream has different interpretations depending on how the dream manifests. In some instances, this dream is interpreted to signify feelings of vulnerability or helplessness.
It is believed that you might be experiencing something in your waking life where you are in a position of no power, hence not being able to defend yourself.
In other cases, this dream is believed to symbolize stress and anxiety. Some people suggest that having such a dream could bring to surface feelings of fear; maybe you feel unable to effectively handle an upcoming situation.
What does it mean when you dream about attacking someone else?
Having a dream where you are attacking someone else is believed to signify feeling threatened or struggling with a particular thing in your life. This interpretation is drawn from the view that those who attack people often have unresolved personal issues that they are dealing with.
Attacking others is believed to be a defense mechanism aimed at pushing others away so as to protect yourself from getting hurt. Others associate such a dream with inner feelings of conflict and unresolved anger.
What should you do when you dream about being attacked?
There is no one-word solution that you can follow that will help you deal with such dreams. However, dream interpreters suggest a few actionable tips that are believed to help anyone who is having recurrent dreams about being attacked.
They suggest that in such a case, one can opt for the things that make your mind calm and suppress the intensity of the dream.
Things like talking to a friend, having a dream journal, or practicing mindful techniques like breathing exercises are believed to be really helpful when dealing with such a dream. Others suggest changing your sleeping environment.
Should I be worried if I keep dreaming of getting attacked?
From a psychological point of view, such dreams are often related to unresolved traumas, and they should be nothing big to worry about. From a Christian perspective, the Bible urges us to depend wholly on God and not on our own thinking and interpretations (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Therefore, such dreams should not worry us in any way. Furthermore, Ecclesiastes 5:7 is clear that too much dreaming and excess words have no meaning, but we should fear the Lord.
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
