This post presents a prophetic message that conveys the bride of Christ’s words, surroundings, and actions at the time leading up to her marriage to Jesus, the Lamb. Near the end of this prophetic message, and after the bride’s marriage to Jesus, a new Sun rises, illuminating the New Jerusalem with a soft, warming light that remains fixed in a single position in the morning sky. It is Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star.
The passages below reflect my experience of being one of the souls that comprise the bride of Christ:
Being One with the Bride of Christ
We were alone in a beautiful room. It was a quiet time, a time of preparedness, for there was a great event to which none can compare. There is joy and happiness. There is anticipation, for we are the source of celebration. We are the focus of attention. There is no sound in the room, just the song of rustling linen.
The quiet time is good for reflection upon the images of the old world. There were trials, tribulations, and threats of war. Looking back, I see wars, earthquakes, storms, floods, disease, famine, pestilence, and sin. The earth was fouled. There was the war with Satan and then the victory of souls. Eventually, confrontation came with the beast, and the final victory—the deliverance and unity of the saved.
We are a new creation! We are the culmination of saved souls. We are one, comprised of many in God’s perfect image and likeness, assembled like the atoms of the bodies we once knew. There is great unity and power in the new creation. There is ecstasy in the bride. Every soul in the bride shouts with joy, for we all know that we confessed Him. We all know that we changed our sinful ways for Him. We all obeyed His commandments, and we all loved Him. We are so united when we think of Him.
How many times did He forgive us? How many times did He heal us? How many times did He save us from evil or keep us from harm? How endless is His love? Indeed, this is our hour. The preparation is complete.
Someone knocks at the door. It is the Father, and He is beaming. He holds out His arm, and we take it and walk arm in arm. We enter the great hall, where the floor appears to be a single dark green emerald. In this room, the pews are crystal, the walls are gold, and there is no ceiling, just the sky. Winged angels dressed in white fill the seats. They are all gazing at us while singing the wedding song in seven-part harmony. We look for Him, but the aisle is too long to see the end. We walk, and we walk. We see Him! JOY! JOY! He is very handsome, and He smiles a big smile, and we see heaven in His eyes. We keep walking, and then we are there. The Father presents the bride. Jesus holds out His hand. Our heart sings as we take His hand. The angel, Gabrielle, conducts the ceremony, but we can think of nothing but Him. We say, I do. We hear You may kiss the bride. Anticipation! He comes closer, facing us. He lifts the veil, draws closer, and embraces us. Cheers and celebrations! We turn to face the assembly. We walk down the aisle. The angels are delirious. They sing, they fly, and they cause great explosions in the sky. A new, larger sun rises over the altar behind us. A new world awaits
Here is a link to the entire post: (THE-BRIDE-OF-CHRIST-AND-HER-VISION). In it, you will also find scriptural references to what I heard and saw as a part of this experience.
The primary focus of this vision is the unity of the saints, who are components of her body, like cells in our own bodies. This oneness emanates from their love for Jesus, for all His blessings, including the victory in the spiritual war against Satan.
Scriptural Foundations
I have included a few references that support the validity of the vision presented above:
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. Revelation 21:23
But, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ; from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:15-16
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.John 15:20-23
I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:16-17
This phrase, “take the water of life freely”, becomes especially important, as we will find in the next posting, The Bright Morning Star Scorches the Earth, and reveals the destiny of the bride of Christ and all living things on Earth.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit, as presented by the Apostle Paul in his letters to the Corinthians, are spiritual abilities bestowed upon believers by the Holy Spirit for the edification of the church and the advancement of God’s kingdom. This report provides a detailed examination of these gifts, their purpose, and their application as outlined in Paul’s writings, with a focus on their significance in a Christian context.
Context of Paul’s Teaching in Corinthians
In 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses a divided and spiritually immature church in Corinth, where believers were misusing spiritual gifts, leading to pride, disorder, and factionalism. Paul emphasizes that the Holy Spirit bestows these gifts for the “common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7) and that they must be exercised in love (1 Corinthians 13) and with order (1 Corinthians 14). The gifts are diverse but unified in purpose, reflecting the triune God’s work through the body of Christ (the church). Paul lists nine specific gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. These gifts are supernatural endowments, distinct from natural talents, and are distributed sovereignly by the Spirit (12:11).
Below is a detailed breakdown of each gift as presented:
Word of Wisdom (1 Corinthians 12:8): The ability to apply divine insight or godly perspective to complex situations, reflecting God’s wisdom, which surpasses human understanding (1 Corinthians 2:6-7). They can offer biblically sound counsel to resolve disputes or guide the church in decision-making, ensuring that decisions align with God’s will.
Word of Knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8): Supernatural insight into specific facts or truths, often revealed by the Spirit without prior human knowledge. It may involve understanding scripture or discerning spiritual realities. Used to edify the church through divine revelation, frequently complementing the word of wisdom.
Faith (1 Corinthians 12:9): An extraordinary, Spirit-given confidence in God’s power and promises, beyond ordinary saving faith. It enables bold trust in God for specific outcomes.
Gifts of Healing (1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30): The ability to heal physical, emotional, or spiritual ailments through God’s power, often through prayer or laying on of hands.
Miraculous Powers (1 Corinthians 12:10, 28): The ability to perform supernatural acts beyond healing, such as casting out demons or altering natural events. Also translated as “working of miracles.” Sometimes used to authenticate God’s message and glorify Him through extraordinary signs and wonders.
Prophecy (1 Corinthians 12:10, 28; 14:1–5): Speaking forth a message from God, often for encouragement, exhortation, or conviction. It may include foretelling future events or foretelling God’s truth. Used to edify, encourage, and console the church (14:3), with a focus on clarity and order (14:29–33).
Distinguishing Between Spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10): The ability to discern whether a spiritual manifestation, message, or influence is from God, a human source, or an evil spirit. Identifying a false prophet or demonic influence in a teaching, and to protect the church from deception and maintain doctrinal purity.
Speaking in Tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, 30; 14:2–28): Speaking in a language unknown to the speaker, either a human language (as in Acts 2) or a spiritual one (1 Corinthians 14:2). Tounges can either be spoken to the church, to commune with God (14:2) or, when interpreted, to edify the church (14:5).
Interpretation of Tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10, 30; 14:13, 26–28): The ability to translate or explain a message spoken in tongues, making it understandable to the church, while edifying the community, not just the individual (14:5, 12).
Key Principles from 1 Corinthians 12–14
Unity in Diversity (12:4–6, 12–27): The gifts are diverse but come from the same Spirit, Lord, and God, reflecting the unity of the Trinity. The church is like a body with many parts; each gift is essential for the well-being of the whole body (1 Cor. 12:12-27). No gift is superior; all serve the common good.
Love as the Foundation (1 Corinthians 13): Paul emphasizes that gifts without love are meaningless (13:1–3). Love is the “most excellent way” (12:31), ensuring gifts are used selflessly to build up others.
Order and edification (1 Corinthians 14): Paul prioritizes gifts that edify the church, like prophecy, over those that primarily benefit the individual, like uninterpreted tongues (14:4–5). He instructs that worship be orderly, with tongues limited to two or three speakers, requiring interpretation, and prophecy judged for accuracy (14:27–33).
References in 2 Corinthians
While 2 Corinthians focuses less on spiritual gifts, Paul indirectly references them in the context of his apostolic ministry:
Signs and Wonders: In 2 Corinthians 12:12, Paul mentions “signs, wonders, and miracles” as marks of a true apostle, aligning with the gifts of miraculous powers and healing.
Empowerment: In 2 Corinthians 3:3–6, the Spirit’s transformative work in believers’ lives suggests ongoing empowerment, possibly tied to gifts like teaching or prophecy.
Theological and Practical Insights
Sovereign Distribution: The Spirit assigns gifts as He wills (12:11), not based on merit.
Christian Values: The gifts align with values like unity (working as one body), love (prioritizing others’ edification), and stewardship (using gifts faithfully). Gifts are for God’s glory, not personal status.
Conclusion
Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 12–14 outlines nine core gifts of the Holy Spirit—word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing spirits, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues—alongside additional roles such as apostleship, teaching, helping, and administration. These gifts are given for the church’s edification, to be exercised in love and order, reflecting the unity of the body of Christ.
God has paused eternity to grant us time to make choices that will determine our immortal fate.
During this time, God will judge whether we choose good over evil, love over hate, and save a life over killing. His judgment will determine whether we become members of the bride of Christ and, thus, one with Jesus, living forever in the New Jerusalem on the New Earth or whether we will suffer in the Pit of Fire and Brimstone with the devil and his minions, enduring unbearable heat and pressure, desperately seeking an escape that never occurs (SWIMMING IN THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE.)
The power to determine our fate lies in our hands. On Judgment Day, you may be asked, “Why should you live?” as the Lord once asked me (STANDING ON THE SEAT OF JUDGMENT BEFORE GOD.) So be prepared, live a life of love as Jesus commanded, and have a treasure trove of good works done in love. Doing so requires a relationship with Him that can be developed by conforming ourselves to Jesus, and one way to achieve such a transformation is through the scriptures. We can read and meditate on the words and actions of Jesus found in the Bible while examining our souls to see if we would do as Jesus did in similar circumstances. If we discover discrepancies, we can deploy prayer and fasting as necessary to get a breakthrough.
The scripture below emphasizes the importance of emulating Jesus, including deploying the gifts of the Spirit, such as healing, prophecy, and leading others to the Kingdom of God.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. John 14:12
Our choice to become more like Jesus is a challenging and less-traveled path. It demonstrates our desire and commitment to follow the pathway leading to His door, do His will, and achieve an intimate, loving relationship with Him.
If you’re interested in embarking on this journey, I intend to share future posts that will act as a guide. Each post will concentrate on a specific scripture for prayer, meditation, and reflection on whether action is needed to become more like Jesus. When combined, these posts will present a model of Christian living that will challenge and help shape your life choices to align with those of Jesus.
I hope you’ll join me in wholeheartedly seeking Jesus with all your heart, mind, and strength. Remember, you’re not alone on this journey. Support and guidance will soon be available to you right here on possess-the-vision.com.
This is the heart of the question: What has been done in Heaven that we are to also do here on Earth? We look to Luke 10 for the answer. There, we learn how Jesus sent out 70 of His disciples into ministry. He tells them to heal the sick (a spiritual gift) and communicate that the Kingdom of God has come near them (the infilling of the Holy Spirit).
The Mission of the Seventy
Jesus Sends Out the 70
Luke 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy[a] others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. 2 He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ 6 And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’[b] 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’[c] 12 I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.
The Seventy Are Empowered for Ministry
Jesus commands His disciples to tell the people they encounter that the Kingdom of God has come near them. This indicates that they are filled with the Holy Spirit and, therefore, are empowered for ministry by the gifts of the Spirit, as demonstrated by the healing of the sick, a gift of the Spirit.
They Are Sent
Another essential detail of Luke 10 is that Jesus sends the seventy out with precise instructions. Today, however, we can receive Jesus’ directions via the Holy Spirit through a word of wisdom, knowledge, or prophesy. God continues to disseminate messages to His people through visions and dreams and through His prophets, who convey God’s words to them. These three gifts of the Spirit lead people to do His will.
Jesus also instructs them to heal the sick there, which is another gift of the Spirit. The primary use of this gift is to demonstrate God’s love for the people and the power of God given to those He sends.
Jesus Prohibits Some Provisions
Jesus sent the seventy out with meager provisions. Today, vast sums of money are often required to launch a ministry.
The Return of the Seventy
Returning to Luke 10, we will learn what happened when the 70 returned to Jesus. This passage will help us understand the meaning of “On Earth as it is in Heaven.”
Luke 10:17 The seventy[d] returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19 See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
The significant point of the above verse is that the seventy returned to Jesus, communicating that they had power over evil spirits by ministering in Jesus’ name. Jesus responds by articulating His observation of Satan being cast down like lightning from Heaven, and that they have power over the spirits and that nothing will harm them.
This clarifies the meaning of the statement in the Lord’s prayer, “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” Namely, take power over the evil around us and remove it from our presence by using the power and gifts given to us in the name of Jesus. To have victory over the devil and his angels, cast them from our presence, so the Bridegroom can come for His bride (THE-BRIDE-OF-CHRIST-AND-HER-VISION.) When this happens, the Earth will be transformed. Jesus will exist in the core of Earth, and the entire planet will perpetually blossom as a beautiful flower (A VISION OF A JESUS-FILLED WORLD COMING TO PASS.)
Additionally, because of the timing of Jesus’ communication to the seventy after they returned, one would envision that their actions were somehow connected to Satan’s fall from Heaven. This further clarifies that we work in coordination with the angels in Heaven toward a goal for Heaven and Earth: Eliminating evil from our presence in love.
Therefore, we must seek the Kingdom of God, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, exercise our spiritual gifts, and put on the whole armor of God to cast out the devil and his minions from the Earth so that Jesus may return for His Bride. There is a spiritual war in progress for control of the Earth. It is time to prepare and enter.
Our church, Melodyland, had an annual conference that had become a tradition over its twenty-five-year history. People of God came from all over the world to teach, preach, and worship God.
One Sunday, after our church service, pastor Wilkerson engaged my wife Pat and me in a conversation about the upcoming conference. He revealed that he needed an illustration for the cover of the conference brochures they were about to send out. It just so happened that God had given me a vision a few days earlier, and I described what I saw to the pastor. He liked what I communicated and had an artist draw it up, and it was used as the heading for the brochures. Here is a description of the vision I presented to the pastor.
A stunning image of a star in the vast expanse of space, radiating sets of uniquely colored light beams across the sky in various directions, with some of them reaching and striking the earth from a great distance.
Then, suddenly, the star and its light increased several times larger in both size and illumination. Because of the star’s massive expansion, its surface was now closer to the Earth, and because of its larger size, it scorched our planet with its superheated light.
Isaiah 30:26 Moreover the light of the moon will be as thelight of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, asthe light of seven days, in the day that the LORD binds up thebruise of His people and heals the stroke of their wound.
Afterward, the starlight gradually dissipated into a soft cloud-like light encompassing the globe in a canopy. I believe this predicts what must transpire before completing God’s plan.
I will now present my interpretation of the vision presented above:
In the beginning, God communicated with His people from a great distance. However, His words will arrive much more powerfully in the future, scorching those whose roots were not planted deep in good, well-watered soil.
Matt 13: 3-8 Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
Therefore, everyone anchored deep into God’s good ground will understand His will for their lives much more clearly than ever before, which will kindle a revival that will spread throughout the Earth, resulting in a massive harvest of saved souls. The Word of God will be known to everyone, but only the people whose roots have grown deep into the living water of life will live.
John 4:13 – 14 Jesus answered and said to her, Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.
Then God’s love will surround and protect the Earth, and His people will prosper under His soft and gentle love.
That’s it for today, may God’s blessings be upon you and yours,
When Jesus’s disciples asked Him how they should pray, He gave them what is now called the Lord’s Prayer. It has endured for over two thousand years and is still prayed and reflected on today.
I have often prayed this prayer myself; still, in doing so, I often find myself seeking the meaning of the phrase “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” So, I searched the Bible for answers and was surprised at what I found. You might be surprised where this leads us as well.
Therefore, this post will clarify the verse”Your kingdom come.” It will present New Testament scriptures and my spiritual experiences and observations to illuminate the meaning of this prayer passage. In a future posting, we will address the second part of the passage, “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.”
Thy Kingdom Come
We start with Luke 17:20-21
Jesus Confronting the Scribes and Pharisees
Now, when He was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you.”
Therefore, the Kingdom of God is not a physical location, political regime, government, or power but rather the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are evidence of this dwelling of the Kingdom of God in His people.
The Gifts of the Spirit Identified
Paul identifies the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Cor: 12 4-11.
Jesus heals the man at the pools.
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
When thy Kingdom comes, these gifts of the Spirit will manifest and be demonstrated in the power of the gifts of the Spirit. But is this the condition being demonstrated by God’s people today? We see long lists of sick people to pray for in our church bulletins every week. So, where is the gift of healing? Some churches have led their members to take the COVID-19 vaccines despite knowing that they contained the blood of aborted babies. This vaccine then proved to be unsafe and ineffective, killing hundreds of thousands and harming millions worldwide. So, where is the gift of wisdom and knowledge? Where is the gift of the prophetic? Why were we led by our own ministers to take what many believe is a bioweapon?
Why Do Spiritual Gifts Matter?
We live in a world where evil has been allowed to thrive, where the devil launches spiritual warfare campaigns against God’s people as if they are powerless. I know because I have been the victim of spiritual attacks, knowing nothing about spiritual warfare, and never realizing that I was even in such a war. Because of my ignorance, I became a human punching bag for the forces of evil.
The reality is that many evil people are running the world by doing the devil’s dirty work by way of spiritual warfare. They are lovers of money and power; they hate people, even advocating the killing of babies and using boys and girls as sex toys, then offering them up for Satanic sacrifice. They believe that they are superior to the rest of us. They seek to destroy our way of life, our freedoms, and our belief in God because they are in the way of their agenda. Therefore, their goal is to eliminate them, including our freedom of religion and speech, and to bear arms. They seek to end democracy by taking down America while destroying our constitution, thereby enabling them to rule over us and the world.
Think of Hitler’s Germany around the time of World War 2. Many people do not know that Germany had a democracy before Hitler took power. They did it by deploying a number of strategies. One was that they took control of the media and published propaganda designed to divide the people. Another was building political armies to force their will on the people, persecuting truth-tellers, and punishing political opponents. Their main target was the Jews, who were removed from their homes and businesses, placed in concentration camps, subjected to forced labor, and eventually killed. Those who objected to these practices were severely punished or killed such that after a while, no one dared say a word; their guns had been removed long before. Think of all the people who were involved in the persecution and killing of the Jews and decenters. Think of everyone who knew the horrors of what was happening but did not dare say or do anything. Think of how many churches and Christians knew of the injustice but remained mute.
These things are important to think about because the same strategy deployed by the German Nazis to overthrow democracy and freedom appears to be rolling out in America. Our mainstream news has become the propaganda organization for a political party at the behest of the so-called elites and the deep state. These news agencies heavily support political agendas which mirror the Nazi tactics of lies and deception. They shape the news to subtly turn truth into lies, to make good look evil and evil look good. Their biggest lies are the items they refuse to report because they implicate them and the agenda of their sponsors.
But then, they are not the only ones lying. Our politicians are telling lies constantly to support their political narratives that, in many ways, are anti-American. Pharmaceutical companies are lying to us, as are most government agencies like the FDA, the FBI, the IRS, and many others. Why are they lying to us? Because they do not want the people to know about their plan to take over your country and your liberty and eventually the rest of the world. Our government publishes over a million top-secret documents a year. What are these things that are denied to the public? Why is it that they, in some cases, vote in private? Who knows how many of these private or classified items are to cover up their illegal and immoral actions designed to take down America so that they can rule over you? Why? Because your values are in the way of their plans to extend their evil satanic practices.
Unelected employees in deep state government agencies have placed Christian organizations on the US terrorist list. Therefore, Christians are to be persecuted like the Jews were under the Nazis as the plans for a takeover are seemingly the same. The result is that evil flourishes as it goes unchecked in America today.
It makes one wonder if the body of the church has been empowered with the gifts of the spirit identified above. Is the body even seeking them? I wonder how many of us even know that we are in a spiritual war designed to eliminate us and our loved ones from the face of the earth. What spiritual gifts do you have in which to enter into the battle for Christianity, your nation, community, and family? If you don’t know, you are unprepared for the spiritual battles ahead. If you are not being attacked by the forces of evil, it may be because you have already been defeated. It takes purity to become a component of the bride of Christ (THE BRIDE OF CHRIST AND HER VISION.) More than this, we must take action against these forces of evil. Therefore, more than ever, the bride of Christ must put on the whole armor of God.
When “Thy Kingdom Come(s)” and dwells in you, you will be empowered by God’s Holy Spirit to do His will and engage in spiritual warfare. What does it mean to put on the whole armor of God before engaging in spiritual warfare?
The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
We can defeat those who seek to enslave us as they did in the Crossing the Red Sea
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Therefore, seek the Kingdom of God that is the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Identify and exercise the gifts of the Spirit that God has given you. Put on the whole armor of God and engage in the battle against God’s people for the dominion of the Earth.
In my next posting, I will present the second part of this verse, “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven,” where we will learn what we are to do that has already been done in heaven.
Pancreatic pseudocyst concept. Medical vector illustration of pancreas damaged by pancreatitis
On day two of my hospital stay, I could not have been any sicker. I recall thinking, at this point, that at least I was still alive. I spent the entire first week in the intensive care unit (ICU.) Most of my time there was spent sleeping and healing. My doctors affirmed that my pancreas went into hyperproduction, producing thousands of times more digestive enzymes than typical, causing it to burst. This overproduction caused tremendous pressure on the inner lining of the pancreas, pushing it through the organ’s outer wall in a way similar to how an inner tube protrudes through a weak spot in a bicycle tire. The doctors called this protrusion of the inner lining a pseudocyst.
They considered it a dangerous situation, claiming that the pseudocyst would eventually harden and break, releasing massive amounts of digestive enzymes into my body in an instant, causing a disastrous result. This harm is inflicted because these digestive enzymes decompose proteins as part of the digestive process and, therefore, would decompose the proteins in my body and internal organs.
A similar release of these digestive enzymes sent me to the hospital when this all started. My pseudocysts had discharged extraordinarily high volumes of digestive enzymes into my bloodstream, causing the deterioration of my body proteins. My blood, veins, arteries, muscles, nerves, organs, bones, and brain had all been deteriorating since I entered the hospital. This deterioration helps explain the numbness I felt all over my body that first night. The continued leakage of these enzymes through the pseudocyst kept me in the hospital for almost three months, and my body continued to decompose over this period. Therefore, surgery to fix this problem was on my doctor’s mind and in their hearts for obvious reasons.
But at that time, I was not strong enough for an operation as my body needed to gain strength. The doctors proceeded with a recovery strategy focused on a food abstinence approach. They reasoned that since the pancreas is a digestive organ and only produces digestive enzymes when food enters the digestive system, abstaining from food would severely reduce the damage to my body. This abstinence program would give my body time to cleanse itself of the toxins causing the damage.
I made it through the first week without eating anything. After that, I received an IV sugar and vitamin solution as a replacement for food. The doctors soon reported that the process achieved the desired effect: my digestive system was sleeping, and I was gaining strength. While this was good news, I still felt very sick, and the devil continued to attack. You can read about them by following the links here:
GOD RESPONDS BY LEADING US TO A CHURCH WHERE I WOULD GET A TOUCH FROM GOD
Then, one evening, not long after, I was up in the loft flipping through TV channels, looking for something to watch, when I flipped by a man in a white suit who was talking about God. Something he said at that moment caught my attention and led me to swing back to hear more about what he was communicating. The longer I listened, the more I liked what he had to say. I invited my wife to watch with me, and she also loved his message. We then discovered that this preacher would be speaking at a church in Anaheim, and we decided to see him in person.
I had never been to a charismatic church service before and was unsure what to expect. When we arrived at the church, a long line of people surrounded the sizeable round building, and we walked a significant distance before finding the end of the line. As the line gradually moved forward, we overheard the people in front of us discussing what a big deal it was to have this preacher here.
After quite some time, we entered the church and promptly took some seats. We sat before a 360-degree circulator stage with about ten musicians occupying the stage’s right side and a choir of about forty stood in five rows of bleacher seats on the left.
The service began with the loudest praise and worship music I have ever experienced. I was unfamiliar with most songs they played, but I did my best to keep up with the congregation singing along. People raised their hands while praising God, and I joined them. Throughout all of this experience, I felt a strong desire for a real relationship with God.
After the praise and worship ended, the pastor came to center stage and led the church in prayer. I remember hearing the people sitting next to me praying in a language I believed was Latin, and I wondered what this might mean. I speculated that they were foreigners, but they spoke perfect English before the service. All of this was entirely foreign to me.
Afterward, the pastor introduced the visiting evangelist, who began his preaching by reading several Bible verses and then sermonizing on them. Once he had completed this teaching, he led the people in praising God and invoking the Holy Spirit in song. The entire assembly was reverently engaging in this effort. Then, without any warning, he pushed his right arm around to the far-left side of his body, then quickly pivoted it back past the audience and backward toward the now standing choir while shouting choir, receive your anointing. Amazingly, the entire quire fell in unison into their bleacher seats. I could not believe what I saw as they dropped as if they were all a part of a single unit. They fell so perfectly that it appeared as if a trap door had dropped open under them. I immediately knew that this could not have been a stunt. Even if they practiced for years, they could not achieve this perfect level of synchronization.
God’s anointing hit me as the evangelist’s arm swung past us. I did not fall to my seat with the choir, but I felt something like a bolt of electricity hitting my heart. This powerful charge ignited a burning sensation in my chest that persisted throughout the service. I turned and looked at my wife and said; is this a touch from God? I told her of my experience, and she admitted that she had received this blessing, also. I then looked around the congregation and saw people lying in their seats all over the building as others attended to them. They were down all around us. I knew God was touching people here, and I had received the touch from God I was looking for.
God had once again taken me to where He wanted us to go. He took the initiative by providing a message on TV, and we answered by following His lead to this church.
COMING TO CHRIST
We began attending this ministry regularly immediately after this first visit. The pastor would generally provide an altar call every Sunday, and several people would come to the altar to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour each week. For me, it only took a few weeks before I was one of many who stepped forward and gave my life to Christ. I remember the pastor flowing in the spirit that day, having raised one hand high above his head while shouting praises to God as he approached me, his eyes blazing directly at me. I remember thinking there were twenty people up here. Why was he focused on me? He later told me he had discerned a significant shift in the heavenly’s during this alter call. I then acknowledged that the Lord attained a spiritual victory, snatching me out of Satan’s hands.
Despite the evidence that God was behind all my progress, it never occurred to me that I should be thanking Him for delivering me from the calamities inflicted by the devil’s attacks on me. This ignorant and foolish position would soon result in another torrent of aggression as I was still unaware of Spiritual Warfare and had no idea I should turn to God for help.
I had been in the hospital or in-home care for over four months, and my physical condition gradually improved. After being released from the hospital and no longer needing home care, I became restless and desired to return to work. So I proceeded to my company’s personnel department, passed the required physical exam, and started on a restricted work schedule. However, I did all of this despite warnings from my doctors that I was not as strong as I presumed.
A DIFFERENT LIFE
My doctors explained how my medical condition would influence my future life activities. They informed me that pancreatic dysfunctions typically arise from three lifestyle determinants and that I must focus on each to stay healthy. The most treacherous factor would be alcohol consumption; consequently, I would have to stop drinking altogether. The other two factors would be a high-fat diet and a high-stress lifestyle. They were right. When I thought about it, I occasionally drank excessively, ate loads of fatty and deep-fried foods, and had an exceptionally stressful job. I would have to focus on all three.
They further explained that acute pancreas infirmities like what I experienced would likely reoccur without this focus, especially if I began alcohol consumption again. They reinforce their point by providing the following statistics: If I resumed drinking, I would have a ninety-nine percent probability of experiencing a reoccurrence, and such an occurrence would be much more damaging than the first episode, ninety-nine percent of the time. They additionally disclosed that my likelihood of surviving the first attack was one in three. I then realized I would probably die if I began drinking again. Drink or live, that was the question. I chose to live.
STARTING OVER FROM SCRATCH
But I never comprehended how difficult it would be to quit drinking. I was about to find that drinking had become the focus of my interpersonal relationships. Liquor was almost always entangled in my social life and, quite candidly, had become the foundation for many friendships. While interested in numerous activities, I soon realized I did them while drinking. Drinking was a part of the softball leagues, canoe trips, camping, bowling, poker, parties, traveling, and other pursuits. My life activities predominately involved drinking, and I would face a large void without it.
Initially, I believed I could avoid drinking at bars and social events, but when I did, I noticed that my friends, who I still have high esteem, seemed less friendly than before. Sure, they were cordial and gracious every time we got together, but even so, a new distance seemed to exist. It was as if they were skeptical of our friendship since I would not drink with them anymore. I can not fault them since they were right. I was not hanging out with them as often as before.
Then I thought, what the heck? There is no reason I should avoid going to these activities with my friends. I will drink ginger ale or club soda and forget the alcohol. In practice, however, that did not work either. My world-class comedian buddies were not as humorous when I was sober. I saw myself being the stick in the mud—the only one not laughing. Then I thought, well, maybe I will try recreational drugs. Perhaps this will allow me to get down with the crowd. But these drugs only dumbed me down, which was not what I wanted either.
In the end, I dropped out entirely. I started thinking about how few people visited me during my three-month stay in the hospital. I suddenly felt like a stranger and realized my old life was gone! I was also disheartened at home and eventually moved into an apartment about a year later. I needed to reinvent myself—build a new life. I had to change, but into what?
SATAN CALLS
One day shortly afterward, I was alone in my apartment when the phone rang. I answered, and a horrific-sounding voice answered, This is Satan. The voice seemed mechanical, like a monster in a science fiction horror movie. The sound of it was loud, garbled, reverberated, and possessed a ringing tone. It also had several well-defined distinctive octaves. The resulting sound echoed as if numerous individuals were uttering exact phrases but slightly out of synchronization, which created a garbled effect.
You can imagine my horror based on my encounter with Satan in Hell several years prior. I was terrified, trembling, and panicked; I quickly hung up. I reasoned, however, that perhaps this was a prank. Maybe someone was having fun with me—using an electronic device to frighten me. But who would do such a thing? No one I knew would, nor would they have the capability. Besides, I had not told anyone of my encounter with the devil. So, just as before, I tried to put this horrific memory in a faraway place in my mind; I made it small and rationalized it away. But then, just a few days later, an identical incident occurred. I then understood that the devil was relentlessly stalking me again and that his harassment would not likely stop soon.
Somewhat later, I contemplated relocating to another city and was using the National Business Employment Weekly to look for job opportunities. I spotted an ad requesting my skill set and called them. I was enthusiastic about this great prospect and hoped to present my qualifications. Instead, the same garbled voice answered, This is Satan. I replied, what? The voice replied This is Satan. My heart was pounding as I smashed the receiver down. How in the world could this be? You know, sometimes a person just will not read the handwriting on the wall. That was me. Believe it or not, I redialed the number, reasoning that maybe I had misdialed by accident. Astonishingly, the identical thing transpired once again. I hung up, dreading that Satan was still coming after me.
THINGS CHANGE
After that incident, things started looking up for a while. I transferred to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and had a lovely lady in my life who would become my wife. She would eventually play an influential role in helping me through some troublesome times and supporting me in finding the pathway to the Lord. I felt like I was reinventing myself by moving to a new environment and having a new love and home—I was delighted with all these things.
But things were imperfect, as my dad died from a prolonged heart condition. I lost the one person who truly believed in me by losing my dad.
I then began having work-related difficulties. There had been a departmental reorganization, and I ended up working for someone with whom I did not see eye to eye. As time went on, the situation became very strained. Late one night, while my wife was in bed, I found myself pacing the hallway, pondering the consequences of potentially being out of work. I speculated that obtaining another job in the current downturned economy would be difficult. More than anything, I reflected on how letting my wife down by being unemployed would feel. This circumstance became a breaking point for me; I finally gave in, slumped against the wall, and blurted out the words in my heart, Okay, God, I give up. I will do whatever You want me to do.
I did not comprehend it then, but several beautiful transformations began when I surrendered to God that day. God was about to lead me toward a vision of the future, and I would receive His blessings and favor as I walked toward it. I was about to see the manifestations of God’s power and glory. I had been saved from the dreadful fate of the second death and placed on a pathway leading to God’s Glory.
A GLORIOUS VISION
The vision came just a few nights after surrendering to God. It appeared when I was in bed, in that twilight place, somewhere between slumber and consciousness.
I saw a fluorescent orange globe fronting a steel blue-black backdrop. It was gorgeous; its colors were vivid, emitting light from within. Despite the missing oceans, continents, and coloring, I immediately understood that the orange planet was Earth. I knew this because God began inserting knowledge into my brain to help me comprehend what I saw.
Then a small black arrowhead-shaped object emerged above the North Pole, and the idea of it being a shuttle entered my mind. The shuttle trekked due Southward leaving a thin black stripe across the Earth’s sky before vanishing over the Southern Pole. Shortly afterward, it reappeared at the North Pole, now orbiting on a new longitude and eventually disappearing beyond the South Pole again. It then persisted in this manner, drawing the longitudes over the Earth until it had printed the major longitudes across the face of the Earth, leaving the planet resembling a peeled orange.
With the longitudes printed, the shuttle emerged at the Eastern Equator, traversing the Earth on a Westerly course while circling the planet until it had painted its significant latitudes across the sky. When completed, the sphere looked like a globe of the Earth, like one you may find in a school room or office, except for its bright orange color and lack of oceans and continents.
As I watched in amazement, the skin of a single orange slice (that space between two of the Earth’s longitudes) began peeling back, starting at the top and then curling downward into a scroll shape at the Equator, exposing an astonishingly beautiful pink underlayer. Each section then, one at a time, in sequence, unwound identically. When completed, a gorgeous pink upper hemisphere was visible above the coiled-up orange skins at the Equator. As I watched, The silky pink exterior revealed itself to be the petals of a tightly wound blossom that began maturing. I saw new growth forming and growing from the flower’s nucleus. This expansion forced the outer petals to flow over the periphery, creating a cascade of pink petals streaming downward.
I was awestruck by the majestic beauty of this ever-expanding flower. I couldn’t help but continue observing this awe-inspiring sight but then wondered if I might be dreaming. I pondered, what would happen if I reopened my eyes? So, I opened them and lifted my head, and looked around my bedroom. To my astonishment, I could see the flower superimposed over the features of my darkened room. It was as if my retinas had semi-transparent videos projected onto them. Even though I did not understand how this could occur, I instantly reclosed my eyes, not wanting to miss any part of this captivating experience. Next, I started to wonder why this was happening to me. Why should I know this, and what importance should this be to me?
Then unexpectedly, everything around me began moving. My vantage point to the flowering globe rotated ninety degrees, such that my view was directly over the hub of the flowering planet, precisely where the new growth had arisen at the North Pole. Afterward, a hole dilated open there, and an unseen force drew me inside. I looked around and realized that I was at the feet of a Jesus, who filled the Earth from pole to pole. When I looked up into the immaculate clarity of this place, I saw His outstretched arms and somehow knew He was delivering blessings to the souls of the Earth. At this point, all of my vision’s heavenly peace faded away.
Interestingly, I received this vision of a world filled with Jesus just a few days after surrendering to God. I was unsure of what this meant then, but the reality is that everything in my life would rapidly change for the better from this point forward.
SEEKING JESUS 