Ministering Under An Open Heaven

Sep 23, 2002

Isa 64:1-2 Oh that you would rend the heavens! That you would come down! That the mountains may shake at your Presence."

When heaven tears open then God comes down in holy visitation that not only affects you but also the nation.

"As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence."

God is about to rend the heavens and make His self known to whole cities and also nations. My prayer is that God will open the heavens and come down in an extended visitation of presence in your life.

I want to start this teaching with my testimony of a holy visitation and how an open heaven was the beginning of our ministry. Everything that we have need of in our families, ministries, life, new levels of power and provision comes out of the presence of God. I have been traveling now for several years and everything that has been done in this ministry, all the favor, souls, miracles and healing was birthed out of His presence. Several years ago, many of you already have heard my testimony as shared in our 3 tape series "The Secret Place" a must for those who you hungering for what I am about to share in these first two paragraphs of how I had a holy visitation from the Holy Spirit. As a result, at different times during the span of about three months. I would be laid out (slain in the spirit) or as I would rather put it. I was so overwhelmed with God's manifest presence like a thick honey cloud. I could do nothing most days but "BE Still" or "Wait on the Lord" I was blessed from heaven with such an awareness of His divine presence I was forced to the floor and would simply lie in His glory. I call it forced by the weight of His glory into a place of contemplation, times of solitude or just sitting at His feet like Mary. For four to twelve hours a day, I would simply gaze at the Lord's beauty or as Paul describes in Heb 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith," the word "looking" is translated to Gaze or stargazer.

Gaze: to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on something, properly, to stare at,

1) to see with the eyes 2) to see with the mind, to perceive to know 3) to see, i.e. become acquainted with by experience, to experience 4) to see, to look to or study intently.

During these extended times of soaking I would receive at times, numerous kinds of visions, dreams, prophetic experiences and visitations of angels sometimes. I often refer to that time in my life as my "soaking season". God taught me how to dwell and abide in the secret place of His presence (Ps 91:1) I came to understand the power of stillness, quietness, basking, bathing and drinking in His love. I was in a place of surrender and meditation in His presence. I understood here some of the secrets of Brother Lawrence's life and practicing the presence of God. This is better known today as the silent prayer of the heart or meditation and contemplation.

It was after that soaking season that God called me out into full-time ministry. I received a divine visitation of the Lord. It was as if a person walked in to the room and stood behind me. I could feel His presence over me and heard distinctly, the audible voice of the Lord. I was told exactly how I would be called out and prophesied over in a meeting that evening, deeming that time as my commissioning for ministry and shown in open vision numerous events in the meeting that night as a sign. You could say it happened overnight. In fact that night, that the intensity of the soaking season and times of almost daily revelation ended, though I still continue to live a lifestyle of soaking. This was when God spoke to me. This same evening it happened just like God said that it would. In a public meeting over four years ago a dear woman I had almost no relationship with at that time, and now friend and one of many prophetic voices to our ministry. She received publicly a word from the Lord as I already saw and heard in the morning visitation of the Lord. I was to quit my job and immediately go into the ministry. Here we are some years later, over 20 nations, numerous staff, offices in the USA and Canada and even our missions base for all Africa in Uganda, a multi-million dollar mandate, ministry and vision, crusades of hundreds to hundreds of thousands and numerous blessings and favor of the Lord. I believe we can all experience in diverse ways of course more of God’s blessing, presence and favor. What is the secret to all of us living a prosperous, abundant life, ministry and business? The answer is "The Open heavens" living and ministering under a heaven that’s open above and beneath our feet and lives.

WHAT IS THE OPEN HEAVEN?

Definition: When the heavens are open we have free access to everything in heavenly realms, a free flowing of Gods abundant graces and ministry power. Ministering under an open heaven is like toiling the soil without labor or sweat on the brow. When heaven is open for you God will be near and heaven will be manifest in the natural " as it is in heaven".

**OPEN HEAVENS & FINANCIAL BLESSING**

Deuteronomy 28:12 "The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow."

What are some of the blessings on a life when the heavens open? Look at the first eleven verses of Deut 28:1-11

**THE BLESSINGS**

"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. The LORD shall establish thee a holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land, which the LORD swore unto thy fathers to give thee."

When we have heaven open above, we prosper in the earth beneath and receive abundance for others and ourselves. An open heaven is the Lord’s good treasure open to us in everything we do with our hands and properity in material things.

Malachi 3:8-11 8) Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me! But you say, "In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. 9) You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. 10) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. 11) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes."

These scriptures are not just speaking of financial prosperity but as the heavens are opened, we also receive favor and protection for all our goods and storehouses in the natural and spiritual. "I will rebuke the devour for your sakes."

God’s rain is more than just stuff but also revival and the bread of His presence. He is the true hidden manna of heaven.

**REVIVAL AND HIDDEN MANNA**

Genesis 7:11-12 11) In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12) And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights."

When the heavens above are open to us, simultaneously the fountains of the deep are open. God will release the rivers and floods of revival and His presence.

Psalm 78:23-25 23) Yet He had commanded the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24) Had rained down manna on them to eat, and given them of the bread of heaven. 25) Men ate angels' food; He sent them food to the full."

When the heavens above are open to us, God will rain down the hot fresh bread of manna, His presence, revelation, secrets of the Lord and wisdom above. Yum yum to the bread of life! In the same way that heaven can be open to us it can be closed and when it is the earth will be like iron and heaven above like bronze. Not only will this effect prosperity in the work of or hands, effect success and the abundant blessing but prayer, revelation, revival, God’s power and more.

**BRASS HEAVEN**

Have you ever prayed and it was like God was a million miles away and your prayers bounced of the ceiling and everything was dead and lifeless. Have you ever found yourself like the psalmist David? "Where are you God, Be not far from me nor turn a deaf ear to my cry." This is a bronze heaven and when the earth beneath fails to yield increase and fruitfulness and everything seems to dry up financially, you can’t find a job. What about when the ground is hard in ministry and you’re plowing to get a breakthrough, it can be as if the earth beneath is iron. This happens at times when the heavens are closed. I also want to be clear that I also believe that at times for testing and character God will allow us to walk in the wilderness or maybe even hide his presence and revelation from us. God wants to see how hungry we are for him and if we can walk by faith and not just feelings and all the other good stuff.

Deuteronomy 28:15; 23 15) But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: 23) And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron."

Another example as in the English translation. The Lord will make the sky overhead seem like a bronze roof that keeps out the rain, and the ground under your feet will become as hard as iron.

**THE POWER OF GOD**

I remember one of the first time's I saw in the spirit an open heaven. I was ministering in a Vineyard church in Albany Oregon. We were experiencing a tremendous outpouring open heaven of healings and miracles for several weeks already. People were traveling from all over the USA and coming from different countries. Hundreds were healed and there were numerous salvations, re-dedications to Christ and water baptisms. We would on some nights baptize 40-50 new souls in an old horse watering trough. It was a tremendous open heaven of God's power, healing and deliverance that continues to be an oasis today. In one service I saw heaven open, it was like a hole tore open in the air and I saw a glory light like a pillar come out of this portal. Then I saw a 14-20 foot angel in the pulpit by the name of healing revival. At that time God spoke to me that this Angel was like the Angel (John 5: 1-4) that came down at a certain season to stir the waters of the pool of Bethesda. It was in this healing pool in Israel over 2,000 years ago that great multitudes of lame, blind, sick and paralyzed came to be healed. Whoever stepped into the waters first was healed of whatever sickness he had. Bethesda in Israel, Albany was a open heaven as Toronto, Pensacola, and many other places have been today and throughout history we can see open heavens of Gods power affecting geographical regions and even whole nations. The welsh revival, Azusa street, Jesus movement and the healing outpouring called the Voice of healing of the 1940's-60's.

Do you want lay hands on the sick and they are healed, cast out demons, preach under the anointing of the Holy Ghost, see transformation of whole cities, revival and produce, be successful and increase in the things of ministry. I want fruitful ground in ministry. Jesus ministered in some of the hardest soil any ministry has labored in. Think about the spiritual climate and receptivity in Israel and the constant battle with the religious spirit, mindsets, unbelief and skepticism. What was the secret to His ministry? It was an open heaven that He carried everywhere He went. There can be an open heaven over a nation, city, geographical location, church, and over your individual life. If one heaven is closed and the heaven over your life is open, then you will have a breaker anointing that you need for any ground and will carry an open heaven with you everywhere you go.

The power of God begun to function in the ministry of Jesus after heaven opened in (Matt 3:16-17) "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

(Acts 10:38) "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

It continued throughout his whole ministry. One key to an open heaven in your life is in the ministry of Jesus. The heavens opened for Jesus through repentance and stayed open through perfect obedience.

**OPEN HEAVENS AND REVELATION**

I have been in several different areas of ministry over these last few years and I have been able to discern an open heaven or a difficult spiritual climate. I was in one place in North Carolina like no other where the heavens were so open for receiving revelation that for three days and even as I slept by night constant dreams and visions. There was much angelic activity and I remember visitations by 4 different angels. Some of my prophetic friend's won't even sleep there because they receive so much revelation they can't get their proper rest.

One of the most common manifestations of living under an open heaven is constant revelation. We will see here in several verses that when heaven opened, then revelation was released in the earth like in the case of Ezekiel the prophet when the heavens were opened he saw visions of God.

Rev 4:1-2 1) After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2) And immediately I was in the spirit: This is the beginning of revelations for John after heaven opened.

Rev 19:11 11) And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Eze 1: 1 1) Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

Gen 28:12 12) And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Acts 10:9-11 9) Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10) And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11) And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners.

We see that Peter had a trance when heaven opened, Jacob received angelic visitation and John received the revelation of the book of Revelation when heaven was opened, immediately I was in the spirit. If we want more of the word of the Lord and revelation we need to learn how to live in an open heaven.

I know that many of you are ready to learn how can I open heaven in my life more? And walk in greater power and revelation. We will continue this teaching in the second part.

If this teaching has been a blessing to you please email it to a friend!

** WAITING**

The first real key to living in an increase of supernatural wisdom and revelation is found in Psalm 106:13-15.

Psalm 106:13-15 13) They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel, 14) But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. 15) And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. Or as in another translation God sent a wasting disease in the soul.

People ask me all the time how did you become so sensitive to the spirit? Really I have two answers. The first is found in the book of

Hebrews 5:14 14) But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. The key to more spiritual sensitivity is the reason of use, through exercise and practice. The old law of use it or lose it.

Secondly as you heard me briefly share in the first teaching, I would soak or wait on the Lord in absolute stillness. Day after day I positioned myself in stillness and quietness, listening prayer and meditation on the Lord’s presence. I learned to quiet my mind of all business and when my mind did wander I would simply refocus on thinking about Jesus. After some time I began to receive visions and different prophetic experiences sometimes several times a day and many times everyday. I simply began to expect it when I came into the Lord's presence. Did I pray and worship or do any other kind of prayer? Yes! but when I began to feel the Lord's glory. I would simply lie on the floor and just "be there" in the presence, focused on Him in quietness and total surrender. After weeks of practicing this kind of silent prayer I noticed much more increase of revelation. The more I wait the more I receive. I wait as much as I can now. It is a lifestyle, sometimes 1-3 hours a day of quiet prayer and soaking.

In first Samuel chapter 3 we have the story of Eli a closed heaven and waiting. Lets look at it.

1 Sam 3: 1-8 1) And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 2) And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3) And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 4) That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. 5) And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. 6) And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7) Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. 8) And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

You will notice in this passage several things. 1. There was no open vision, 2. Eli was laid down in his place, 3. His eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see 4.The lamp of God went out in the temple, 5 where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep.

What happened to the word of the Lord and revelation? One priest of the Lord got into his own place, which was a much different position from Samuel lying down where the ark of God was. Why was Eli's eyes so dim he could not see and there was no open vision? He moved out of a position of lying or resting in the glory ark of Gods presence. He no longer waited in prayer for counsel and direction so God put a wasting disease in his soul and he lost his natural and spiritual sight. It was only when the boy Samuel waited in the glory did he receive the word of the Lord.

**PRAYER**

Prayer or prayer and fasting of course is always one of the most powerful tools to open heaven. Look at (2 Chron 7: 13-14)

If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, 14If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Look what happened when God closed the heavens in (Joel 1 1-13). We have no revival, fruitfulness, harvest or blessing of the Lord.

We have the Locust Famine, the fig tree he hath made it clean and bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white, The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth, the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. Until verse 13-14 and God calls them to pray and fast.

13) Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God. 14) Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD.

When heaven is closed it takes desperate prayer for God to restore like He did in Joel 2:23-25.

Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 24And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

**TITHES AND OFFERINGS**

Can our faithfulness in giving really be a part of revival and the open heaven? ( Mal 3:10)

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

What about Cornelius and the revival that came by Peter to his house? This outpouring was triggered by more that just a tenth our tithe but offerings for the poor.

Acts 10:3-4 3) He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4) And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms (charitable giving) are come up for a memorial before God.

In the revival in the book of Acts one of the first manifestations is giving and genoursousity. Why wait for revival to come lets sow our lives into a revival and open the windows of heaven and see if there will be room to contain it.

Acts 2:44-45 44) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45) And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

**HEAVENLY MINDED**

Colossians 3:1 1) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 16) For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

I believe that it is important in receiving an increase of revelation and seeing into the spirit to exercise our spiritual eyes. In Ephesians 1:18 the bible talks about our spiritual eyes. Paul prays that: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, What are the eyes of your understanding? In the Greek understanding is translated the mind and imagination. Let's learn to set our mind on things above and seek those things above including that we might see in the spirit. One way we can exercise our spiritual eyes is to look not at the things, which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. I encourage you to take every time God has been seen in the scripture and described by the prophets in heavenly glory and read it. We need to get a glimpse in our spirit of what the heavens look like. We need to have a vision of Jesus describe in heavenly glory.

Lets read Rev 4:1-11 about the throne and Ezekiel 1:1-28 and 10: 1-22 about the glory. The visions of Jesus in Rev ch 1: 9-18 and 19:11-16, Isaiah the prophets visitation in chapter Isa 6:1-8. What about the Ancient of days visions in: Dan 7:9-10, 13-14, 18, 21-22,24-27* Then we have the glorified Son of man in Dan 10:1-11:1 and 12:8-10, Yahweh and the ten commandments Exodus 19:16-20, 24-25, ch 20:1-21 and show me your glory in Ex 33:15-19, ch 34:5-8 and v 29.

Sometimes when we have not seen the unseen, hearing descriptions of other people’s experiences and the revelation of God in scripture is a good way to exercise our spiritual senses. Thanks Wesley Campbell for organizing in your book " praying the bible" the verses for when God was seen. I encourage everyone to get a copy.

**REPENTANCE AND OBEDIENCE**

Waters of Baptism There were two things that opened heaven for Jesus we need to practice as a lifestyle. The first was repentance and the second was obedience When the heavens opened for Jesus after the waters of baptism, which was a baptism of repentance under John’s ministry. What kept heaven opened was obedience. The bible say's he learned obedience by the things he suffered. We have to make a constant choice to obey God.

15) But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes 23) And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron.

Another example as in the English translation. The Lord will make the sky overhead seem like a bronze roof that keeps out the rain, and the ground under your feet will become as hard as iron.

** WORD MEDITATION PRINCIPLE**

2 Peter 1:19 19) We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.

One sure way to increase revelation in your life is Mediation. Meditation brings revelation and revelation the manifestation of what’s been revealed. In this verse every word that’s come from God is to be received as a light that shineth in a dark place, "until". There is a process of becoming revelation.

When we read a scripture it is as a light that shineth in a dark place "until" the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts. That is revelation, we meditate, speak out loud, re read and speak out loud over and over the same verse "until" the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.

**SERVANT EVANGELISM**

I remember one of the first time's I was a part of an extended revival. I was ministering in a Vineyard church in Albany Oregon. We were experiencing a tremendous outpouring open heaven of healings and miracles for several weeks already. People were traveling from all over the USA and coming from different countries. Hundreds were healed and there were numerous salvations, re-dedications to Christ and water baptisms. We would on some nights baptize 40-50 new souls in an old horse watering trough. It was a tremendous open heaven of God's power, healing and deliverance that continues to be an oasis today.

People have been asking me Todd what do you think contributed to an open heaven in Albany? I believe that is was because they had been doing servant evangelism: washing cars, giving out free gas vouchers, free hot dogs to the skateboarders and giving away cokes during the day and cleaning yards for free. They did all that just to show the love of God to their community. That really opened up the heavens because faith brings wonders and power but faith worketh by love, Galatians 5:6 Loving the city and blessing the city in compassion opened the heavens and God gave us an unprecedented miracle outpouring.

We have had numerous requests for teachings again on our Email List. So we are going to make available not just prophetic words but teachings from myself and other leaders at least bi-weekly. We want to focus more on training and the how to's of ministry. I will start a new three or four part teaching on the Open Heavens. In this first article we will talk about the open heaven and what it is and different kinds of Open Heavens. In the second part I want to share some keys on how to open heaven and increase the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Then last we will discuss the different levels of revelation available when the heavens open, including the third heaven. In this first teaching we will look at different kinds of open heavens and what happens when God opens up the windows.

**SUPERNATURAL TIMES**

I believe that God wants to open up to His church the reality of the spiritual realm. I also believe He wants to move in His church in a supernatural way. Having said that, what we call the "supernatural" should really be natural and common to believers. In the beginning of the bible to the end it was common for normal men and woman like us to have had supernatural encounters and visitations, many of the Lord himself. Abraham had angels at his house, Jacob had the vision of the ladder set up to heaven and angels of God ascending and descending, Gideon had the angel in the winepress, God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and glory revelations, Elisha and Gehazi saw in the spirit the angels and chariots in the heavens. What about all the experiences of the prophets? The visions of Daniel and how Ezekiel was taken into visions of God? Peter fell into a trance before going to Cornelius’s house, Paul was given a throne in the flesh because of the abundance of visions and revelations, John and all the visions recorded in the book of revelation when he was taken into the spirit on the Lords day. What about the angels and dreams that directed Mary and Joseph? Then we have how Philip, Ezekiel and Elijah were transported in the spirit, old men that dream dreams and young men that see visions. The bible records all kinds of different ways God spoke to his people and not just the prophets. I do believe in the office of the prophet and an obvious difference between a seer prophet, prophet and one who sees in the spirit using their spiritual eyes. I do believe we are all to see, use our spiritual senses and have prophetic experiences and revelation of Jesus. Some would say; well that’s because those are the saints that they had all those encounters. Who are the saints today? The bible say's Elijah was a man like us and so was every other man in the bible.

Remember how Paul prays:

Ephesians 1:17 17) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.

Every spiritual encounter is about intimacy with Jesus. Our motives for a spiritual experience need to be about knowing, experiencing and seeing him.

God can take the spookiness out of our idea of the spirit realm, and spiritual visitations and help us to see how natural it is to communicate out of the heavenly realm. I believe this is where the church is headed.

Joel 2:28-29 28) And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. 29) And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

LIVING IN THE SPIRIT-REALM

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about Acts 2, or the day of Pentecost? For most of us, it is a group of people assembled together who began to speak in tongues; there was a rushing wind and tongues of fire on their heads. In reality, the experience at Pentecost was not about being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues as much as it was about signs, wonders, visions, dreams, and prophetic experiences, an open heaven. God now making an opening, if you will, to communicate the deep things of His Spirit and the mind of Christ through the Holy Ghost.

When God pours out His Spirit many things can and have happened. At times in biblical days people would begin to prophesy for days, as well as have visions and dreams. That is not to say that speaking in tongues cannot happen as a result of the Holy Spirit coming upon a person. It is to say that speaking in tongues is not the only evidence or result of the Holy Spirit being poured out. The reason why we do not see these things more present in the church today, at least on the level that we should, is because we have a hard time believing that God allows people to have encounters with angels or to see angels or demons. When someone has a prophetic experience, visitation, trance or is translated in the spirit, taken into heaven or talks about hearing the audible voice of God. We relate these experiences to witchcraft, new age, astro-travel, physics and the occult because we are afraid of being deceived. Sometimes we believe in the devil’s ability to deceive us more than the ability of God to protect us. That is not to say that we are not to use wisdom, but that in every counterfeit that the devil has there is a genuine experience in God. All of the while, we are missing out on what is available to us if we just ask and trust that God will not let us be deceived when in right relationship with him and his word as a basis for all experience. God is supernatural and He has always communicated with His people supernaturally.

**TWO WORLDS**

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen 1:1). God made man of both worlds.

Corinthians 4:16-18 16) For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

God took the dust of the earth a natural element and breathed into us the breath of life, a spiritual element, thus creating a living being - a spirit/natural being.

Genesis 1:26, 2:7 26) And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: 7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

We were created with five natural and five spiritual senses including touch, taste, sight, smell and hearing. In the same way that I am familiar with these five senses in the natural, why not in the spirit? Can we touch, taste, sight, smell and hear heavenly things now? According to Eph 1:18 God has created us with spiritual eyes called understanding. The bible also says I am a citizen of heaven now. In (Eph 2:6) He has hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Why not enjoy that world now by the spirit. When we die we are immediately carried into the presence of the Lord and we will see as heaven is. The bible says the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus said; it is within you. We also have a new and living way to come boldly before the throne of grace.

Heb 9:12 12) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Heb 4:16 16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

What does the throne look like had I been using my eyes in the spirit? Read Rev 4 1-11. Why can't we expect and ask for God to show us "as it is in heaven" now? ASK FOR IT!!!

2 Kings 6:14-17 14) Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15) And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" 16) So he answered "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17) And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

I believe it is time for us to pray like this; that we may see beyond that which we can see in our natural world. Imagine how normal it was for Elisha to see in the spirit realm and for him to pray that Gehazi his servant would see that those that were for them were more than those against them. Many times the heavenly vision is right before our eyes but as was in the case of Gehazi we don't see or many of us don’t believe we can. This was a practical, natural circumstance that Elisha was in and trusted in the unseen realms view of natural circumstances more. We should tune our senses to touch, taste, see, hear and smell what the reality of the heavenly realm is, so that we can call forth things that are not as though they were. If we can touch heaven, we can change earth. Everything that happens in the natural realm is connected to that which is in heaven. That is why Paul said that we wrestle against demonic powers, principalities, and spiritual hosts of wickedness, and not against flesh and blood. In terms of intercession, we are only taking shots in the dark if we are not able to discern or see what spirit we are warring against. We need to say more than ever as a church, "God, enlighten the eyes of my understanding, open my eyes, give me ears to hear, give me discernment!" I want it to be just as easy for me to communicated supernaturally as it is to breathe.

VISIONS AND REVELATIONS OF THE LORD

2 Corinthians 12:1 1) It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

When Paul talks about visions and revelations of the Lord he makes it clear there are visions and revelations in the plural sense. There are many different kinds of visions and ways God reveals himself. Look at this verse:

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets.

Paul also makes it clear that for him it wasn't just a once and awhile experience but an abundance of revelations.

2 Corinthians 12:7 7) And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations,

**DIFFERENT LEVELS OF REVELATION**

I want to share with you some of the ways God reveals himself and some different experiences I have had in the prophetic. One of the first experiences I ever had with revelation was through the scent sense.

Smells: We should be aware of what we smell. Sometimes He wants to minister His presence on His people’s lives and we can smell the fragrant touch. At times I have smelled cinnamon, vanilla, roses and even oil, such as oil that one would use to polish boots. One of the first times I discerned an evil spirit was with my scent sense. I just got saved but a few weeks and had led the town drunk to Jesus who had been sober for three days. After getting him cleaned up and in the bible. I was at a friend’s home and this once town drunk for over 25 years named Pat was there. I began to smell a disgusting aroma like a swamp or marsh. I thought something like oh the sewer line must of broke until the Lord spoke to rebuke the spirit of death. In that moment my eyes were also opened in the spirit and I saw Pat's face become the face of a skeleton and his face again. The man sadly did die three days later but to be with the Lord.

Visions: In the bible there are many different kinds of visions, here a few examples.

Open visions: Open visions are like watching a scene open as if it is happening right before your eyes it can be divine, you literally see it or it can be eyes open and you see it in the spirit.

Closed visions: Closed visions are like pictures or moving pictures that you have on the inside of you eyes open or closed. I see it in the spirit.

Pictorial visions: A picture flashes in your spirit or mind, like a still photo.

Panoramic visions: A movie screen type vision where the pictures are moving.

We also have Dreams in the vision realm and trances.

Sometimes the pictures in a vision will come, as colors, signs, symbols or numbers and this must be interpreted. This usually happens more in the dream realm.

Trances: I would describe a trance as a dream like state but you are still awake. I remember one time I was in prayer and immediately I was in a vision that was like a dream. Have you ever woke up from a dream and it was like it really happened? Or its just so vivid and impacting it just stays with you? This is also one key on how we can know if a dream is from the Lord. I found all my senses working. A woman violently grabbed and shook me three times and repeated the boy will come out of the coma, headlines read boy comes out of the coma. Then I was in prayer again still sitting up and I knew I never even laid down to sleep. I though hours had passed but it was but minutes. This happens to me often when individuals at times before meetings come to me in the hotel and tell me about their case or another person attending the service in the evening. When in this vision state it is more than as if I am watching a movie picture or something alive like TV. All my senses still work.

Acts 10:9-16 9) Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10) And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11) And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12) Wherein were all manner of four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13) And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14) But Peter said, not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15) And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

Acts 22:17-21 17) And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; 18) And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. 19) And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

Angelic Visitations: We know in scripture that angels are referred to as ministering spirits and messengers. Through out the bible we see numerous directions given, messages and intervention by angels. Why not today?

Visitations Of the Lord: This is simply when Jesus visits his servants as when Moses and Elijah visited Jesus on the mountain. I know that the Lord comes to his people today. Yes if he came to the disciples for 4o days and 40 nights after his death and resurrection. He can make selected visits now and has.

Translations and transportations: I want to make a difference here between translations and transportations. Translations are when the spirit is when one goes in spirit but transportations are when the body, soul and spirit go.

Acts 8:39 39) And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

We also have Elijah the prophet in 2 Kings 2 and an example of Enoch be transported right into heaven. For Enoch walked with God and he was not.

Out of the body Experience:

Ezekiel 3:12-14 12) Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place. 13) I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing. 14) So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.

Ezekiel 8:3 3) And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north;

When Paul describes in 2 Cor 12:2 his experience in the third heaven, we will look at this more in detail later. He describes the experience and that he does not know whether he is in the body or not. This may have been an out of the body experience.

Impressions in the body: This is another way that God speaks. Sometimes I will feel pain in a certain part of my body and I will know that God wants to touch someone in that area. A word of knowledge then results from that impression. Then there also is here in impressions the knowing realm where we just know things especially the witness in your spirit. Some may call it ESP or dejavu but is better called the gut instinct or check in your spirit. This realm works strong in the sense or feeling realm. Sometimes we have to discern our own pain and our own burdens or burdens of intercession. Audibly Voice: The audible voice of God can come in two ways. One will be the outer and the other inner. In hearing the audible voice of God outside will be as you hear with your natural ear. It will carry tremendous power. The inner audible voice of God is so loud inside of you your spirit that it was as if He spoke like you and I speak out loud and your whole man trembles. It is like a well within you explodes every atom in your being.

God thoughts: Another way that God speaks is in your thoughts or mind. Discerning a thought from God and yours can be difficult but let me share with you a couple keys. One usually when we say WoW I think I just heard God and we say is this me or God? Most often it will be the Lord. Second when a thought from God comes it is usually abstract, out of nowhere and different from your train of thinking at that moment. You may be thinking about one thing and pops in another. God likes to pop in things. He might even bring a scripture to your mind.

Flashbacks: Sometimes we will have known a person in the past who was under a certain bondage to sickness or in a certain situation. God will show us that persons face again or we will remember ministering in a certain place and what the Lords word was then. While we are ministering to someone else or in another place at a later date. God will give us a flashback in our memory of that situation and it's like God is saying, "this is what you need to do" or say in this situation. By reminding us of another time we faced or overcame in a situation we receive direction and wisdom for the present. For example you may have need of a key word from God in breaking a demonic power. Just then you remember how God used you years previous and what you said to cast out that demon. You speak it again and follow that Lords direction and plan according to the last time and it works again. God speaks quite often through our past failures and victories.

THE THIRD HEAVEN

2 Corinthians 12:1-4

1) It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2) I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3) And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words.

According to this verse the third heaven is Paradise. This is the immediate presence of God. Remember what Jesus said to the thief on the cross? Today you will be with me in paradise. This is the only reference in the bible that actually talks about the term third heaven. Though we can see many different examples of the same thing.

Revelation 4:1-2 1) After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. 2) And immediately I was in the spirit:

Isaiah 6:1-4 1) In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2) Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3) And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" 4) And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

Genesis 28:10-12 This is an invitation into the spirit parallel with Rev 4 1-11. 10) And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11) And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12) And he dreamed, and beholds a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

We can also only assume that is there is a third heaven, and then there must be a first and second heaven. In Gen 1:1 the bible declares: In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth. Heavens is plural, more than one heaven. The bible also says Jesus ascended to the highest heights of heaven. I would describe the first heaven as the natural realm. The second heaven is the realm where angelic and demonic activity takes place and is recorded in Eph 6. The third heaven is the realm where God dwells, the immediate presence of God or paradise. The third heaven is one of if not the highest level of revelation and prophetic experience. When we are taken into this place it is more than a vision where I know I was still in my home or church while I had it. When taken into the spirit or caught up, you know you are in another place and it is so real that when you are aware of your natural surroundings again. You find yourself like Paul "Whether or not I was in my Body or not I do not know". He said that twice in a few verses. You will ask yourself did I really go? Or was it in the mind and its impact will never fade. I was taken into the spirit several times and quite I will feel my body be sucked up like a vacuum. I will immediately shake and feel myself hurled through space and time. I have even seen and felt myself leave the earth, travel through the stars and flash of bright light and I am somewhere. Did my physical body go? Never that I know but when I find myself aware of where I was before I went I know I was in another place. All my emotions are heighten and involved in a caught up experience and most times I feel my self go.